I was a sharply non-athletic person. So when the boys decided to go for trekking I was in mental pain not that they invited me over. It was seven in the morning and I was standing in front of the mirror brushing my teeth over thinking the whole deal.
Should I go? Will they call?
I am a manager, I should accompany them. But I was still not sure if I should give them the free time or be with them.
When it was nine and I got no call my mind prepared itself for a round of Bourne series on the laptop and some noodles. I didn't bother to change into something fancy and got comfortable with in my PJ's and tee. I don't know when I drifted to sleep because the doorbell woke me up with a little shock.
I ran to the order afraid that I might not have heard few bells in my sleep. It was a deja vu feeling when I saw Brent smiling at the time we first met. This time I was less shocked and words managed to come out of my mouth.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked consciously trying to fix my hair and rubbing my eyes.
"To pick you up for trekking," Skyler said walking and making himself comfortable.
"But I thought it was your lone time," I said totally excited that I was invited but pretending to be cool about it.
Boys were so familiar with the space that they got their own coffee and started the television.
"Go get ready, fast." Zaidan gave me an amused look as he eyed me with a raised eyebrow.
I looked at my clothes and I rushed to change since I already managed to embarrass myself enough. Since it was for trekking I changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a cotton check shirt and sports shoes.
"I am going to rest every five minutes," I warned them as we sat down in the car and I noticed a box of beer cans.
"We are having a bonfire," Brent said when he saw me looking at the eatables in the car.
"Overnight?" I was shocked now.
"Robert allowed us to take you with us." Skyler immediately said making me smile at his clarification.
"This is going to be fun," I mumbled to myself smile stuck on my face.
Imagine having a bonfire with the idols you love more than your life.
***
Trekking is not to so bad when you have a great company. They choose a secluded part of the city for trekking to keep safe from media and also because they wanted time to relax. And let me tell you, boys were not sane when they are not in front of the camera. They are loud, somewhat blunt, teasing and a little bit perverted as well.
They sometimes forgot that I was with them and started talking about how great some model or a girl from an another group looked.
I, on the other hand, was busy with clicking pictures of the landscape around me. The slant road with trees escorting it through the mountains, the river reflecting the rays of the sun, the trees with different shades of green and sometimes some colourful flower peeping from between them.
The boys never failed to pose abruptly in between my pictures. I was enjoying it until I got a call from dad.
"Dad, is everything alright?" I asked talking in a whisper so that boys don't worry.
"Michelle's mom has admitted to the hospital again." His tone was enough to let me know the seriousness of the situation.
"What should I do?" I asked not trying to panic.
"This has happened before. I will ask Clayton to handle it. You get Michelle to talk to other guys. He is not going to have courage lest he gets someone to support him."
"I will try my best." And with that, I already had a task at hand for the bonfire.
Time to tell stories around the fire.
***
Somehow I ended up going to Zaidan for help because it gave me a chance to be near him for the limited time I had with VICTOR.
"What is wrong?" He asked as I kept standing behind him contemplating whether I should tell him or let Michelle do this.
It was his problem to share and I had no right.
"Umm...I need some help." I asked and sat down next to him now the sun setting and everyone busy setting up tents, listening to music, talking or watching a movie like Zaidan was.
"Okay." He waited for me to elaborate.
"It is about Michelle but I want to help. The thing is I can't tell. He should tell himself and I am not sure if telling myself is the right thing and I am worried for him so I don't know..." I was babbling and I realised this when I was running out of breath to say words.
"We will get him drunk then," Zaidan stated calmly.
I nodded slowly realising this was a simple solution.
"Okay." I gave him a small smile and started walking away feeling a little successful.
"Michelle, can we talk?" I said gathering all the courage I had in the world which was not much.
He gave me his usual happy Michelle smile.
What should I say?
"Have you decided to change your bias from Zaidan to Michelle?" He teased me.
I was really bad at this, talking to people in serious situations.
"Please don't hate me." I voiced my main worry.
He looked at me with a confused frown which transformed into a reaction of surprise and then of defeat.
"Rob told you about mom." He said in a small tone.
"My father is weird, though." I started with making my vulnerable in order to let him open up to me first before he talked to members.
"He left me and my mother and now I find out he has another family with a gorgeous model daughter. How can she have such perfect... everything." I said in a complaining tone.
"Not perfect nature, though." He pointed out and I had to laugh.
Brent got the fire burning and gestured us to come near the bonfire. I nodded and smiled at him.
"And on top of that she dated Zaidan, that means he has really high standards," I said in a fake whining tone.
"Don't expect me to play cupid, Zee." He gave me a shoulder bump.
I just grinned and sat next to him in utter silence hearing my breaths, crackling of wood in the fire. Brent and Ross were already discussing a new song setting a melody to it.
"My father died when I was young so I don't remember him much." He finally said what I was waiting to hear.
I remained silent and let him speak.
"My mother left me with my aunt who made me the singer I am today. And then when I was in training to become a professional singer she came to live with me, She was broken then and she is broken now. She is an addict with no hope." He summed it up assuming that the story will bore me.
"No is without hope till they people who love them," I said quietly.
"We are playing the catch a word. Come on you two." Skyler called out with a small frown.
We joined in the game where we sang a song and another person will catch a word from it and sing another song with the same word in it. I was enjoying way too much when Zaidan raised his eyebrows in a question.
I immediately picked up the beer bottle but he came over and caught my hand. Damn, my heart beat.
"Beer alone will not help, make it sometime stronger." And handed me over a small silver flask.
I nodded at him trying to breathe as he held my arm for that long.
And then he went away leaving me a little flustered.
Brent asked me about my school life, Ross was a certified introvert in the situation as he listened well but was always was either on his phone or laptop creating some music. Skyler was busy writing something.
Zaidan and I were paying all attention to Michelle who we encouraged to drink a little more than necessary when I realised this was not right.
"tell them," I said in a whisper to Michelle who was tipsy but not completely drunk.
He shook his head in a no, his eyes pleading me.
"They have been with you for four years now, they love you for who you are. They need to know." I explained sounding desperate even to myself.
"Why? Why do they need to know?" He asked a little louder than normal which turned all the attention on us and Zaidan rolled his eyes at me.
"Because you know you can't face this alone," Brent spoke up like he knew.
A long silence prevailed.
"You know?" The gasp of surprise escapes Michelle's mouth.
Brent just looked at him with a look of that only two of them could apprehend.
"You took her hospital last time?" Michelle whispered to himself realisation hitting him.
"Can we get the whole story here?" Skyler said in a careful tone.
For a minute no one spoke and Michelle stared at the bonfire, red and golden dancing in his eyes which watered at telling his part of the story. And he did, he told us everything about how his mother had been to rehab, how he even got beaten when she was too drunk, how terrible it was for him when she came home puking her guts out.
The impassive Ross looked pale while Brent and Skyler had tears in their eyes. Zaidan was next to Michelle and pulled him for a hug. We all were at loss for words.
"Dad called in the afternoon." I managed to whisper and due to the silence around my words reached the members.
"I got a call too," Brent said.
"We need to pay her a visit Michelle, what do you say?" Ross said in a quite gentle tone.
The surprise on Michelle's face was evident. He expected that members will hate him or at least consider him all weird and worth pity.
"We need to pay her a visit," Zaidan confirmed with a tone of finality.
Unexpectedly Michelle lifted his head tears still glistening in his eyes but he mouthed a silent thank you to me and I felt proud of myself in that moment.
-------------------------------------------------
Hopefully this went well. To relive you guys of any worries, Michelle and Zee will not indulge in anything romantic!
Besides that I kind of liked writing the chapter hope the emotions conveyed to you guys as well :D