the balcony ••• awsten knight

six

content warning: mentions of parental death/cemetery

march 2017

Emily doesn't know what possessed her to do it, but she bought tickets to a Waterparks show.

In fact, she does know why: it's because they're talented. She likes their music and she wants to see them live. But, she can't understand why knowing that the lead singer hates her guts wasn't enough to deter her.

She's hoping to avoid seeing them from anymore than the distance from the stage. It's not like they'd expect her to be here; they're on the other side of the world than they'd normally be, so they probably don't expect her to show up at their show in Leeds tonight.

"Emily?"

She freezes mid-step when she hears her name called by a familiar voice. Slowly, Emily turns to the direction it came, from across the street.

"Geoff?" She squints as he waves, coming closer.

"I thought that was you!" Geoff grins as he catches up to her.

He pulls her into a hug, which she welcomes gladly. Emily spots Awsten trailing behind, over Geoff's shoulder, with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"What're you doing here?" Geoff questions, a smile still stamped onto his features as he steps back.

"Oh. I'm just, uh..." Emily struggles for an answer. A little white lie will do, it doesn't even have to be a whole life— a mere fabrication or just not the entire truth. "Just visiting family."

"I forgot! You're from here, right?" He asks and she nods, glancing to Awsten again.

Awsten looks up at her this time, offering a nod in acknowledgment of her presence, before averting his gaze elsewhere— which Emily supposes is better than nothing.

"Are you coming to the show?" Geoff brings her attention back to him.

"Yeah, actually," Emily replies, an oddly nervous waver in her tone as Awsten looks back to her. "Got a ticket and everything," she pushes out an edgy laugh.

"You should've told us! We could've put you on the guest list," Geoff frowns, but it's still lighthearted.

"We still can," Awsten speaks up, taking everyone by surprise— including himself. "I mean, if you want," he shrugs it off, his expression turning abrasively vacant once again.

"Then you can come hang with us!" Geoff beams, excitedly.

Normally, Emily would smile at his enthusiasm, but she can't help feeling disheartened by the way Awsten rolls his eyes— although, he does try to conceal it.

She doesn't have much room to argue the matter. Geoff insists that Otto and Jawn would be excited to see her— and surprised— plus, it'd give her a chance to meet Lucas.

She could hardly say no. Geoff's constant brightness and friendly nature warms her, and contrasts the cold shoulder that she always receives from Awsten.

They set the plans in stone before going their separate ways, with Geoff promising to text Emily what time she should arrive at the venue.

Awsten didn't realise they were on the level of closeness that they have each other's phone numbers.

Emily sighs once Geoff and Awsten are on the other side of the street, and she begins walking in the opposite direction, back to her original destination; the cemetery.

She thought a walk through town would allow her to clear her mind before she got there, but bumping into Geoff and Awsten hadn't allowed for that.

Telling Geoff that she's visiting family isn't exactly a lie; it's the truth, in fact, just not all of it.