Tangled Strings (sequel to Red Strings)

Chapter 36

Skyler's POV

I wake up and immediately hunch over feeling sick.  "Morning sunshine," Natalie smiles tightly, placing a glass of water and two advils on my side table. "Thanks" I say trying to clear the morning voice out of my throat. She watches me take the pills and wash it back with some water. "Natalie just say it!" I sigh still having a major headache but in no mood to beat around the bush, she sucks a breath in.

"What you did last night was stupid and idiotic and it should never happen again!" she says sternly.  "You can't tell me what to do!" I reply sitting up. "Do you want to end up like my Uncle Bernie is that what you want?" she asks me raising her voice. My head pounds as I rub my temples. "god could you maybe whisper?" I ask lowering my voice she glares at me. 

"Skyler you're fucking out of control!" she shouts, I wince "Jesus christ Natalie it was one night!  I'm about to turn 18, I'm allowed to make mistakes, I'm allowed to have a little fun! And as I recall you weren't exactly sober either." Natalie's jaw clenches. "Yeah, but I wasn't the one on the floor." "This is such a fucking double standard, you get drunk and lose your virginity and it's ok, but I get drunk and suddenly I'm an alcoholic?" I scoff and Natalie takes a deep breath.

"Skyler, we just want to make sure your ok, you haven't been yourself ever since the accident and L-" "No, no, NO! You have no right to bring him into this, you have no right to talk about him like that!" My face feels hot and suddenly everything feels top hot I swing my feet over to touch the ground leaving the room and slamming the door behind me. 

Calum and Ashton are in the kitchen both of them pretending that they didn't just hear that fight.  Ashton's washing dishes in the sink and Calum's munching on some toast. I offer them a small smile.  "Sky, you look like shit" Calum teases and I stick my tongue out at him stealing the piece of toast out of his hand. "Ash it's all set" Sylvana says walking in and kissing Ashton's shoulder. "What's set?" Calum asks attempting to steal his toast back. "Daddy got us tickets to the jazz festival tonight." 

I choke on the piece of bread when I stop wheezing and coughing. Calum leans over with a proud smile on his face. "Karma bitch!" he said while snatching the toast from my hand and stuffs the rest of it in his mouth. "That is nasty," I chuckle and Calum open his mouth wide. "Want some?" I pull a face before pushing my chair away from the table/  "Alright well this has been fun but does anyone know where Michael and Luke are?" They all look at each other as if they're weighing out the pros and cons of telling me. 

"In the recording studio," Sylvana finally says breaking the silence and I mouth thanks to her. I walk to studio and open the door a discreetly as possible.  "No, Michael I think the line should be If you don't know let me go. Besides if you don't know let it snow doesn't exactly fit with the theme of the song." he laughs and I bite my lip.  I miss his laugh I think, then mentally scold myself.

"Just friends... you can do this…" I whisper under my breath before pushing the door the fully open. "Hello!" I sing they both jump genuinely surprised to see me. "Andrews," Luke smiles and I know that we're going to be ok. "Hemmings," I reply plopping down on a bean bag chair. "Clifford the big red dog," I address Michael and Luke giggles his stupid one dimple lopsided smirk sexy ass lip ring... lip ring?! 

"You got a lip ring!" I comment.  "Yeah," he blushes. "I like it, it suits you." I tell him he runs his fingers through his hair. "Thanks" I can tell he's nervous and I rack my brain on a way to calm his nerves obviously kissing wouldn't work anymore. 

"So uh, what are you guys working on?" "Another song for the album," Michael informs me plucking at his guitar strings. "Shocker" I tease "so what's this one called?' I question readjusting my position "If You Don't Know." Luke tells me his blue eyes staring at me.