Niall and Sienna played doubles against Ashton and Luke until it was time for the lads to go to soundcheck.
Regardless of what Luke and Ashton might say, Niall and Sienna won the match.
Ashton and Luke's play of Ashton picking Sienna up and carrying her away from the ball so Luke could steal it was without a doubt cheating. Sienna didn't care though.
She just enjoyed spending time with them, even if they did cheat.
"Boys!" David called from one of the doors of the arena. "Soundcheck! Let's go!"
Luke rushed over to the bus and pounded on the side, signaling Calum.
Ashton and Luke each kissed Sienna on the cheek before rushing off to catch up with David.
"Later, losers!" Luke called to Sienna and Niall.
"Later, cheaters!" Sienna laughed. "We won!"
"Whatever makes you feel better!" Ashton yelled just before they disappeared through the doorway.
The creaking of the tour bus door caught Sienna's attention just as she was about to say something to Niall.
When Calum stepped off the bus, Sienna's heart raced. His gaze didn't linger to her though. His eyes stayed focused on David.
Niall's, however, stayed on Sienna. He watched the way her eyes changed when Calum walked in. He knew no amount of cuddling and watching musicals would change how much she missed him. It would only numb it for a while.
They have to talk, Niall decided.
When Calum disappeared with David, Sienna finally snapped out of her trance.
"He spoke to me today." She admitted. "First time since everything happened."
"And?" Niall asked eagerly.
"He told me he was proud of me. He gave me this." Sienna explained, retrieving the peppermint patty from her pocket. She smiled sadly down at it in her hand.
"He remembered." Niall noted. Sienna nodded.
"Of course he did." She told him with a sad smile. "The charm bracelet was his idea." She took a long, shaky breath. "I asked him how he was doing. You know, since he's been looking so unwell lately."
"What did he say?"
"That he's been better." Sienna said. "And for me to not worry about him, but..." She shook her head. "I can't help myself."
"You care about him." Niall told her. "Of course you worry about him."
"I just...miss him." She admitted with a sigh. Her gaze was focused on her charm bracelet as she pushed the charms around with her index finger. "I just wish we could talk like we used to."
"What would you want?" Niall wondered. "If things had happened differently, what would you have wanted to happen between you?"
"Something more." She said with a shrug. "He wasn't just some guy who was always hitting on me. He was there every time I woke up screaming. He stayed with me anytime I was up all night working on schoolwork." She explained. "He paid attention to things I said and did that no one else even thought twice about. He wasn't afraid to be vulnerable around me." She told him, and even Niall knew Calum hated seeming vulnerable to others. "And he was always trying to make me laugh or smile. And he made me feel alive." She met his eyes now. "I could see myself being happy with him."
"Even if it meant keeping it secret from Luke?" Niall finally asked the big question.
"Yeah." Sienna realized. She nodded for a moment. "Is that awful?"
She wouldn't risk losing Luke over a fling, Niall thought. He means that much to her.
"Besides, I'm just some silly girl who got her hopes too high too soon." She told him with a sigh. "So desperate to find love. I should've known better."
"Sienna, you're not silly or awful." Niall told her sternly. "If Calum makes you happy, the only thing awful is that you're not allowed to be together." Niall concluded. "Just give it time, babe."
"It doesn't matter." Sienna shook her head. "He didn't want a relationship with me." She told him with another shrug. "From what I've been told he "doesn't do relationships." It was silly for me to think I would be an exception." She was losing hope, something Niall quickly noticed. "Besides, aren't people always saying you need to be happy alone before you can be happy with someone else? Shouldn't I be focusing on that?"
"All I want is for you to be happy, Enna." Niall told her truthfully. "But I see the look on your face when he walks in the room." He said. "You two need to talk. Clear the air. Get some closure with this. So, you can both finally move on and move foreword."
"You're right." She realized. "Too much left unsaid."
~~~~~~
The boys were on in five.
Ashton was twirling his drumsticks. Michael was adjusting his guitar strap while Sienna messed with his newly red hair. Calum was fidgeting with his earplugs when Luke pulled him over to the side.
"Did something happen between you and Sienna?" Luke asked bluntly.
Calum was immediately on edge. His heart pounded in his ears and a nauseous feeling grew in his stomach.
"What?" He asked in shock, though he did his best to play it off as if the question were ridiculous.
"You two were so close." Luke said. "Always joking around and getting into trouble." Luke looked to Sienna as she continued to mess with Michael's hair. Calum followed his gaze to her. Her smile tugged at his heart.
He wished he regretted ever kissing her. He wished he regretted learning how his skin ignited when they touched. He wished he regretted the way he ached for her when they were apart.
But he didn't. He couldn't bring himself to regret the way he felt about her even if it made him a horrible friend.
Yes, he felt guilty for lying to Luke, but he couldn't regret what he had done. He only regretted how things had ended between them.
He pulled his gaze away from Sienna before she could consume his thoughts entirely as she always seemed to.
He wasn't supposed to be thinking about Sienna right now. He was supposed to be thinking about the show; about the fans, about the lyrics, about which melody went to which song.
But there she was again.
Her smile and voice burning through his focus.
He blinked rapidly and shook his head a few times.
"If she moved, you moved." Luke began again. "Now, you two barely even speak. It's just odd."
"We just..." Calum tried to come up with an explanation. "grew apart."
"Lately, you've been "growing apart" from all of us." Luke retorted with concern. "What's going on with you?"
"I just..." Calum sighed. He was frustrated with himself for being such a crybaby. He had an amazing life and amazing friends. He needed to move on. "I haven't been sleeping well. You know how moody I get when I'm tired."
"Moody?" Luke scoffed. "You mean bitchy."
"Yeah, well, Sienna is sensitive. I can't afford to be bitchy with her. So, I distanced myself." He said with a shrug. "She's going through enough. She doesn't need me snapping on her just because I'm grumpy and sleep deprived."
"Well, talk to me, mate." Luke insisted. "You keeping to yourself all the time is scaring the hell out of all of us."
"I'll work on it." Calum assured him. "Let's just play the show." He threw his arm around Luke's neck as they headed to the stage.
"We'll all feel better after we play."