Where The Lines Overlap [CTH]

[38] Parallel Lines

"I know this is difficult, but this is my life, Alexia." I coo on the phone to her. "I'm truly sorry you got dragged into all of this, but we'll just have to ignore everything for now. It'll all die down eventually-"

"-So, how's all the songwriting going?" She asked, suddenly changing the subject. She was really bothered by it, but I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"W-well...let's just say Michael's a bit out of it." I began, before letting out an awkward laugh. "We're trying to write a song called: "Jet Black Heart" and he can't focus 'cos a girl he dated a few months ago wrote a song and released a music video about him."

"Oh my God. What?!"

"Yeah!!" I laughed, still in disbelief. "Her name's Abigail Breslin. You may know of her from Nim's Island? My Little Sunshine?  Anyway, her music video got over a million view on Youtube. It's crazy. Oh my God."

"Oh my God." She echoed back to me. "Is it...bad?"

"The song's called: "You really suck". I mean...musically and lyrically, she tried." I commented. "But she sang some really mean things here and there about him."

"Is he okay?"

"He's about as okay as you can be when a girl you dated says your band mates are hotter than you and that she wishes for all your hair to fall out."

"What the fuck?!" Alexia exclaimed in annoyance.

"Yep."

"What did he do to make her write a song like that?"

"You don't wanna know."

"Anyway, Cal', what does your schedule look like tonight?" She asks, feeling hopeful. "I'm free to FaceTime after my lecture, if you are?"

"Ah...we have a dinner with our management tonight and then tomorrow morning, we're doing a bunch of radio interviews until the late afternoon. We can FaceTime then?"

"I'll hold you to that."

"I gotta get back and finish writing some songs. We're gonna show some of them  to the Madden brothers tomorrow!"

"That sounds really exciting, Calum." She replies. "I know you'll impress them!"

"Alexia?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm really sorry about all of this."

"It's okay, Calum."

"We'll get through this someway, somehow. I promise."

"Okay. Goodnight. I love you."

"I love you too, babe." I say, before hanging up.

*      *      *

The following morning, the boys and I were sitting in an SUV waiting to tour 4 or 5 radio stations for interviews. They mostly involved playing games that involved "Yes or No" paddles, doing a cover or promoting our music. We all find it the most boring part of being a musician, because we love being onstage, but these activities were just of great importance, for they technically are what puts us onstage.

We were down to our last interview that day for an American radio station in Florida called: "Bubble 108.5". Two radio hosts were interviewing us and asking us about our band and hints of what the new album would be like.

Ashton and Luke already volunteered to be the ones who will answer most of the questions for this one, because Michael was getting a real headache about the buzz on Abigail Breslin's music video. He sat in silence, for the most part, aside from throwing the occasional laugh or two in the conversation and twirling the mic in his hands, to show he was still active and participating somehow.