FRIENDS // MITCHEL CAVE

20- All Bad

Skye's POV

I take the food out the container and put it in a bowl before grabbing a fork and handing it to Mitchel who gives a weak smile in response as I sit down next to him eating my own food.

The boys had came back about ten minutes ago and to say the atmosphere was awkward would be an understatement. They didn't really know what to say or do and Mitchel was merely sitting in silence not saying a thing.

Earlier when they had left he just sobbed for a good half an hour and I'd never witnessed anything like it. He was completely drained now, he looked so tired and frail not to mention his cheeks were tinted red from all the crying.

For the most part we ate our food in quiet, the only noise being from the episode of the office playing on the tv and the hushed conversations between the boys. I wasn't sure what to do now, Mitchel was too busy crying to tell me what was wrong before the boys returned and I knew it was a slim chance he'd open up now they were back.

I grab mine and a few of the boys plates and bowls carrying them over to the sink where I begin to clean them wanting anything to do to keep myself busy.

"How is he?" Christian asks lowly joining me by helping to dry the dishes.

"I don't know, he never explained what was wrong" I reply.

"But he-"

"He was crying Christian" I say in a worried tone "I've never seen anything like it"

I quickly glance over at him to make sure he was okay, he was just staring at the television with a blank demeanour.

"He was crying?" Christian asks now growing as concerned as me.

I nod my head not sure what else to say or if I should even have told him at all. It was evident Mitchel rarely cried, if at all so Christian looked noticeably shocked at this piece of information.

We wash the dishes without saying anything else, out of the simple fact we didn't know what to say. There was only one week left of tour but I wasn't sure if Mitchel could even handle that.

"Andrew is really not happy" Christian states.

Andrew was their manager; the man in control of everything they did, said or went. He was the one who briefed me at the beginning of all the obligations I had to do and to say he was a little intimidating was an understatement.

He was cold, in the same way an army general is; the give orders and expect you to follow with no room for negotiation or questions.

"Like really pissed" Christian whispers "Mitchel's in for one hell of a telling off"

"It's not his fault" I reply "Something's wrong with him"

"They don't see it that way, they don't care" He replies before going back and sitting with the boys.

I should have known Andrew and the rest of their management would be annoyed with Mitchel, especially because they had to cancel so late to the show. But he's still human, health is a priority before anything else and I hope they show him some sympathy.

As if on cue, the tour bus door is opened with Andrew and his less than impressed demeanour entering. I could tell Mitchel had been dreading this but he was trying his hardest to show he was unfazed.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" He bellows "A joke! Do you understand how much work you just gave me for no reason? All because you had a bad trip?"

Mitchel's lips parted ever so slightly to respond but were quickly cut off with Andrew's continued speech.

"I have to sort refunds, cancellation fees, hundreds of annoyed emails not to mention having to find a time for rescheduling!" He continues "You're on thin fucking ice right now, your acting out has gone too far"

Mitchel took all his words, staring at the seat across from him with his jaw tense, never daring to look at his manager. He looked like a little kid being told off by their parent, trying not to cry and hoping it would end soon.

"And what do you have to say? Nothing? You're probably still stoned right?" He adds.

Mitchel continued to ignore him as the boys all watched the scene awkwardly, not really knowing what to do. The anger inside me was bubbling up just watching this grown man shout at Mitchel all because he could, he was a bully.

"Get up" He demands.

Mitchel's eyes flicker over at him for the first time since he had entered the bus. At this point Andrew was livid, I could see the anger and impatience written all over his face.

"I said get up" He repeats "You're a mess"

He takes his hand and wraps it around Mitchel's arm trying to pull him up from the chair. Mitchel reluctantly tries to rescue his arm but he was nowhere near as strong as the man before him who had now pulled him up so he was standing before him.

"Get your hands off of him!" I say.

I was shocked at first, to hear those words fall from my mouth. For a second I wasn't even sure if it was me who had said it. All eyes turn to me, clearly surprised I had chosen to intervene but I had seen enough and no one else was helping him. This wasn't right and I wasn't going to let some asshole treat Mitchel like this.

"This doesn't concern you" He dismisses me, glaring at me almost like a warning.

"Look at him" I continue "He's exhausted, he's not well"

"He's a kid who's too busy taking drugs to do his job" He retorts.

"He's a human who's clearly struggling with something and you're too busy concerned over money to care" I reply not concealing my distaste for him.

"The only thing he's struggling with is sticking to his contract" Andrew replies.

"You really are a dick you know that?" I laugh coldly.

"Get out" He smirks "You're banned from the-"

"Oh no need" I smile "I was already leaving. I don't care to be around anyone who thinks they can treat people like dirt"

"Don't go" Mitchel pleads, speaking up for the first time since Andrew arrived "Don't leave me"

His eyes looked terrified, scared at the prospect of being left with him even if all the boys were here although none of them clearly had any intentions of intervening Andrew's superiority complex.

"Don't worry you're coming with me" I say quietly to him.

I grab my bag and shove whatever of my belongings I can quickly grab while Andrew lectures me on how I need to learn to stay quiet and after all I'm only Mitchel's 'plaything' but I ignore all his words, I refuse to listen to a leech.

I shove a few of Mitchel's things in my bag as I usher him away from Andrew and to the door. Andrew was burning with rage but also smirking like an idiot, enjoying the reaction he was able to provoke.

"He can't run away from his responsibilities forever" He says simply.

Mitchel was now standing outside the bus looking relieved to be away from the tension of inside. I look around the room at all the boys who were focusing their gaze anywhere but me or Andrew.

"I don't know how you could all let him talk to Mitchel like that" I say in a disappointed tone "He's your friend, your brother and you all let this asshole walk all over him"

They look between themselves knowing they were guilty of staying silent for the sake of staying out of trouble. I expected better from them, they had known Mitchel for years; some their whole life and yet the only one to defend him was me and I wasn't even anything to him.

I could easily have gone on further but instead I just shake my head and slam the door behind me. Mitchel looks at me, his emotions unreadable but in this situation, I didn't blame him.

"Suppose we better find a hotel" I say smiling lightly at him as he nods and joins me in walking down the road.

----

Poor Mitty :(

// All Bad- Justin Bieber \\