» à deux // luke hemmings « [editing]

17

happy endings are stories that haven't ended yet - mayday parade

[Luke]

I didn’t give Ivey the box. Instead, after hours of staring at the shoebox, I decided to hide it underneath my pillow inside the tour bus. Everyone else was starting to wake up and Alice was already brewing coffee in the kitchen. I joined her and sat on the couch nearest the kitchen counter while Sam and Jackie rambled off to Calum about a new app Sam got the previous night.

“Did you have any sleep last night, Luke?” Alice handed me a mug while studying my face with a worried expression. “You look terrible. No offense.” She gave me a mirror and I took it to examine my face.

I looked paler than usual and the bags under my eyes nearly terrified me. My hair was as high as a kite and my eyes lacked its usual bright blue. Talking to Ashton exhausted me and I didn’t know only until a mirror was shoved into my face.

“None taken.” I sighed. “I had a little talk with Ashton last night and I couldn’t sleep at all afterwards.”

“He had a rough night, too.” Sam joined our conversation with a rather enthusiastic tone. “I overheard him and Ivey fighting last night in her bunk.”

“What the hell was he doing in her bunk?” Anger flowed through me as my heart started to beat rapidly.

“They made out.” Calum gave a teasing smile, only to receive glares from everyone in the room. He pouted and apologized, sinking into his seat with his arms crossed.

Jackie cleared her throat. “When Ashton opened the curtain of her bunk, she thought he was Jack and freaked out.” She shrugged. “They got into this huge argument and Ashton accidently brought up the killing part.”

Sam nodded. “Ivey got all guilty and stopped talking.”

“Are you serious?” I abruptly stood up from my seat, almost spilling my coffee. “Where is she?”

“At the back.” Jackie said cautiously.

I heard Sam and Alice calling me but I ignored them both and hurried to the back of the bus. My hands shook as I opened the door and revealed Ivey in a curled up position on the ground next to the couch.

“Ives,”

She twitched at the sudden sound and wrapped herself tighter.

I sighed and walked forward, taking a seat right beside her trembling body on the tour bus floor. I watched as she quietly sobbed to herself, knowing that it would be useless to try and talk to her. It has been a while since Ivey had one of her meltdowns, and I actually had to pause for a moment to fully comprehend what was happening.

Quickly, I ran to the front of the bus and got my guitar that sat next to Calum and sprinted back to Ivey. She jumped again when I closed the door behind me.

“Okay,” I whispered and sat down right next to her. Surprisingly, she looked up. “Inhale through your nose and out your mouth.”

She nodded and I smiled. We stayed quiet for a while with me plucking on my guitar and Ivey trying to calm herself down. She was slightly shaking as she breathed heavily, her arms wrapped around her knees that were brought up to her chest. She wore sweatpants and a pink sweater; the outfit she wore whenever she wanted to cry in odd positions.

To be honest, it was relaxing to see Ivey in a somehow vulnerable state. She swayed along to the soft music I produced, calming down completely. I wiped away a tear on her cheek with my thumb, receiving a blush from her. It was good to know that she finally blushed because of me and not Ashton.