Soon as we got in, everyone began claiming their bunks and me, being as slow as a turtle, was left with the worst. The one right at the bottom.
"Thanks guys for leaving me the one at the bottom but I'm already close enough to the ground as it is so if you don't mind will one of you swap with me," I asked.
"Nope," They all chorused sticking their heads out of the bunks.
"Great!" I said leaving my suitcase on the side and making my way over to the living room area.
Soon after, Kyle walked in and went through a few health and safety things as well as going through our schedule for the next day. It sounded like it was going to be exhausting.
Aimlessly, I scrolled through Netflix hoping that something would eventually catch my interest but it proved to be impossible. I had been sat on this uncomfortable couch for so long, that the rest of the guys had already gone to sleep and were snoozing away.
Checking my phone to see the time, I noticed I had a missed call off my father and immediately swiped right so it would dial him. It took a few rings but it went through in the end, "Hey kiddo!"
"Hey Dad, how are you doin'?"
"You know me, I'm always good. What I really wanna know is how you're doing?" He asked, overly happily that I finally called.
"I'm good, I'm good. Actually, I'm really good," I replied.
"That's great to hear. I got a call off your manager and he let me know how you're settling in and stuff. I'm really proud!"
"Thanks Dad. You know it's what I've always wanted to do," I answered.
"I just wanted to check up on you, it must be hectic. I mean city after city, do you not get tired love?" He asked.
"Well, coffee keeps me going but you know that, it practically runs through my veins!"
"Don't drink too much, it's not good for you though," He stated getting all parental.
"It's okay, I regulate how much I intake. I take care of my health very well," I replied smiling at his caring nature.
"That's good to hear, and shouldn't you be sleeping? The concerts are late nights anyway but this is a joke," And there he goes again.
"Yeah well today we had a show but then we had to get into tour buses for our next trip, and to be honest I can't get to sleep anyway, you know how I get about sleeping when it's moving," I informed him.
"Yeah must be difficult for you to get to sleep right now, but honey honestly you need to, what you do is tiring anyway and I don't want you falling ill because you're being careless."
"Don't worry about it, I promise you I'll go to bed after this conversation but I want to talk to you," I said upon realising how much I was missing him, bringing a tear to my eye.
"Awhh, I miss you, but you're happy right?" He asked.
"Yeah don't get me wrong, I love this but I miss being at home so much. Think I may just be really homesick or I think it may be that I feel like I never get a break around here," I replied a tear streaming down my cheek and I let it fall, ironically as I was staring out of the window.
"Well honey, I know you can do it, and I know it must get pretty boring without me no wonder you're so homesick," He replied making me laugh a little. "See you're laughing already. Anyway you should be going to bed now!"
"Alright, alright. I'm going, I'll call you whenever I next get the time Dad. Love you," I said my goodbyes.
"Love you too, goodnight," He said and then cut the call.
Quickly, I put my phone back into charge and enveloped myself into a burrito again with the blanket making myself comfortable. After the call with Dad, I felt really enlightened and it felt good to get a few things off my chest.
Before I knew it, I found myself dreaming all sorts of weird and wonderful. Maybe not wonderful but I was dropping in and out of dream states to begin with before my brain finally decided to settle with the weird.
I was never actually woken up, I phased out to reality gradually, waking up in a tangle with my blanket and the guys scattered around.
"No one thought they might want to wake me up? " I asked groggy.
"No, you looked comfortable and I knew you were up late, heard you talking on the phone pretty late," Matt replied from the kitchen area.
I propped myself up onto my elbows,"I didn't think that I was being that loud."
"Oh you weren't, I couldn't really sleep to be honest, toast?" He asked holding a piece up.
"Thanks but I need to brush my teeth first," I said pulling the blanket with me as I went to the bathroom instead of leaving it on the couch.
"Don't forget were working all day today," Matt yelled across the bus.
"How could I?" I yelled back going into the bathroom.
~□~
Maybe sleeping late was a really bad idea because I was already exhausted and we hadn't even started prepping for the show, we were still setting up everything.
"You look you're about to pass out," Dylan pointed out.
"Thanks, I feel like I'm about to."
"I feel like the table is so awkwardly placed at this stadium," Dylan continued conversation.
"Totally agree with you on that, so much effort to walk all that to be honest," I said pouting a little at the thought.
"And it's only 3, it's going to be a long day," He said before walking off somewhere.
Must resist urge to grab a coffee, it won't be good for me. Caffeine mixed with stress makes me explode. I went over to Kyle to see what else was needed.
"I'm going to need you to set up all the mics, someone still hasn't done that, why hasn't somebody done that yet?" He asked.
"Right, I'll just go do it," I said before going on the quest to find the boxes they were in.
I only had about 5 mics to set up, it was only a case of assembling them and connecting them to the xlr cable present. But tightening them and putting them in the right places took up quite a bit of time as well.
Finally, the guys had arrived and I could see them walk into the dressing room from where I was stood on the stage but didn't really pay attention.
I jumped off the stage and gave Matt the task of testing them all as I sat and watched. It really was one of those days where I just didn't want to do anything.
"The 4th one, I believe the colour for it is blue, think there may be something wrong with the wire, it's not picking anything up, can you check it out please?" He asked.
"Sure," I said before walking back up onto stage to see what was wrong.
The wire was connected but it seemed to be a little loose and I couldn't really be bothered changing it all around so I just used some PVC tape hold it in place. Hopefully it would last, and Matt gave me a thumbs up to show it was working.
I took my seat again next to Matt,"You have about 10 minutes before you have to go put their ear pieces on."
"Awh no you just be kidding me," I replied.
"No I'm adulting you."
"You're so funny Matt almost forgot where I was for a second," I replied.
"You can be such a sarcastic bitch sometimes," He gave me the notice.
"I get that quite a lot believe it or not," I said.
"No way," now he replied back sarcastically.
"I was being sarcastic."
"Who would've guessed?" Once again sarcastically.
"What do you say I go do the ear pieces about now?"
"Good idea."
Picking up the ear pieces on the table, I made my way over to the dressing room untangling them as I went. I knocked on and for once the door was actually opened, where I was greeted with the friendly face of Ashton.
"Oh hey you," He said upon realising who it was.
"Hey," I just replied simply.
"Seems like someone's not the usual 'Rae' of sunshine today," Calum stated as I was still trying to untangle them.
"So funny you Calum," I replied.
"That's what all my bitches say," He said sliding his shirt on.
"I've only managed to untie one of them and it's Mikey's," I announced. "So come and get yours Michael."
He did as told and came over where I helped him to put it on. I stood there for a while untangling the rest of them, and eventually I was done.
"I think I need to sit down after that," I said letting out a sigh after I plopped down on the sofa.
"Don't you usually have a coffee around about now?" Ashton asked.
"Yeah but I need to be cutting down to be honest so not today," I replied pouting again.
"Can you help me with this please Rae?" Luke asked clearly struggling.
"Yeah sure as long as it isn't tangled because I've been struggling all day and I can't deal with them," I replied.
"No the ear piece thing has come out," He said.
"Here let me have a look at it."
After fixing it up, I bid my farewell and made my way back to the desk where I would be spending the rest of my night. Atleast that's what I thought anyway.
I was broke out of my little tired trance when Matt snapped me out of it," Hey did you even sort the mic out when you went up earlier?"
"Yeah it was working before and you know that," I replied.
"Yeah well its no longer working and Calum is complaining so run on up there," He said.
"Conceited jerk pop star," I muttered under my breath, before looking for a spare wire and making my way over to the stage.
Quickly, I changed the wires around as fast as I could but surprisingly not quick enough for Calum.
"Do you think you could hurry up?" He asked rudely.
"Do you think you could shut up maybe for once," I replied getting annoyed.
"Think you might want to keep your job to be honest," He said folding his arms.
"Fire me," I replied before walking off and taking my previous seat again.
"Wow you really aren't feeling it today are you?" Matt asked.
"Nope but if you want that coffee now I'll go make it for you."
"Please."