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#Post#: 3133--------------------------------------------------
Did You Ever Believe?
DIR By: Wolfy
Date: January 10, 2016, 7:15 pm
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In A Land That Time Can't Change
' I've been on the road with them for the last several months
and you still haven't met them, girl. Do you think for one
minute I'm gonna pass up the opportunity to fly you out here, at
last? ' the brunette shook her head, though her friend couldn't
see, of course, being on the other end of the line. ' Honestly,
it's as though you don't know me that well at all, ' she added,
chuckling and swiftly apologising as she was berated for even
thinking it.
' I know, I know, it's been a long arse time and I should have
been swayed to come sooner, but you know how tight my schedule
has been over the last two or three years, lady. I am, however,
very excited to see you again after all this time and, yes, even
those boys you've been working with for the better part of the
year. What are they like? Oh and what the hell am I supposed to
do if they don't like me, huh? ' the irish girl rambled a bit,
finally taking into account that these new friends of her
unbiological sibling might not even like her very much.
' We're so alike in ways, you and I, so I have a very hard time
believing they aren't going to completely fall in love with you.
You don't have a damn thing to worry about and let me just say,
the older Leto is often snooping around my photo uploads when
I'm not near the laptop and whenever I walk in, I catch a
glimpse of your face on the screen so, I'm going to safely
assume he has the hots for you, babe. Now, your tickets and
everything you'll need did arrive last night and you're all
packed and ready, right? ' the brit chimed, waiting patiently
for a response.
' He.. he does what? Are you serious, Hel? Oh my god, what if he
takes one look at me backstage tonight and spins on his heel
because I'm nothing like how I photograph? Jesus, I don't even
have enough products in my cabinets to be on par with those
bright light, flashy snaps we take in clubs. Also, I did get the
tickets and a whole load of cash in a little pink envelope, but
Hel, what on earth are the spending notes for? Am I supposed to
be going shopping in Escada or Dolce & Gabbana or something when
I arrive? ' she quizzed, utterly perplexed.
' No, girl, that's to get you into first class on your flight
because I couldn't pull enough strings in time to do that via
online booking, so you just gotta hand that over at the
checkpoint and you'll be bumped right up to luxury. I was able
to put a call through to let the crew know, so your seat is
already pretty much reserved, because you deserve the best of
the best and you know it. My arse has been trying for months to
get you here and with how hard you've been working all these
months, you really need a nice long break, so I'm giving it to
you, ' she chuckled.
' I must have the heavens shining down on me to have been given
you as a friend, lady. You've been nothing but patient with me
all this time and lord knows, I haven't been the easiest of
minds to convince, but you finally cracked me. I am looking
forward to this getaway and meeting the boys, but as I said
before, seeing my best friend will be all the welcome I'm going
to need. I've missed you all this time, you know, ' she
sniffled.
' Oh, I know and I've missed you like you wouldn't believe! But
make sure you rest up on that flight because you're gonna need
it, girl. You've got about an hour to get to the airport before
your flight leaves, so grab all your stuff and peg it for a taxi
immediately, ' the brit chuckled again, ending the call after
tossing a few kisses.
Smiling proudly to herself, the brunette rearranged all of the
odds and ends upon the table and focused once more on the laptop
situated in front of her, mechanically typing away as thoughts
popped into her head. Today might be a little more of a
distraction on account of the fact that her friend was currently
making her way to the city, but the brit kept her focus firmly
on the mornings work as best she could within the time she had
been given. By noon, an awful lot of details had to be typed up
and sent off to the groups producers and she had been trusted
enough with the task, that the guys had chosen to go out for a
hike and grab breakfast. She was ever hopeful that they would
remember their little workaholic and bring something back for
her, to save her pausing midway through work just so she could
cook up a snack in the kitchen area of the hotel room. It was
quite an expanse, in comparison to those on the lower levels and
she was currently rooming with Tomo, whilst the brothers shared
a room down the hall.
Within forty five minutes, all virtual paperwork had been
completed and sent off to EMI, with accuracy that was entirely
faultless, which she found herself immensely proud of, for once.
Pushing her chair back, the woman stood and stretched the kinks
out of her back and neck before padding from the table, to the
counter and pulling two slices of whole grain from the cupboard,
buttering them up and slapping some green tomato pate on there.
Three large bites later and the evidence of her lunch had
disappeared, just as a ping from her loaned laptop sounded
through the kitchen. Grinning from ear to ear at the possibility
that the group were now set to release the current album they
had been working hard on, she shuffled over and slumped back
into the chair, opened the lid and scanned the email received
mere seconds ago. Her eyes bugged and mouth opened wide in
response to what she saw and in a moment of weakness, she began
to cry. What if they blamed her for this? What if it was her
fault?
Several minutes passed between having read the email reply, to
where she was now, stood before the floor length window with one
hand on her hip and the other, nervously chewing at her thumb; a
force of habit when in distress or a dire need of advice. The
only person she knew who would be able to calm her down enough
so that she might think clearly, right now, was her best friend,
but she was still a few more hours off arriving. A defeated sigh
passed through her lips and she fell down into the low cushions
of the sofa, staring off into space and not hearing the click of
the hotel door, as the boys fell in with bags upon bags of
rubbish, no doubt. It was only Tomo who saw the look in her eyes
and immediately excused himself from the other two, who simply
shrugged and wandered off into the kitchen with the bags of
food. It was now a little after one in the afternoon and the
woman knew by the smell protruding from those bags when they
entered, a takeaway was on the menu. That itself did spring a
smile onto her pouting lips, but it quickly subsided. Tomo,
wanting to approach the predicament without asking too many
questions, sat down comfortably beside her and draped an arm
over her shoulders, drawing her eyes away from the cityscape and
toward his face, that was silently asking those questions he
didn't want to vocalise.
' I'm in so much shit, Tomo. I can't believe what just happened
and you know, there probably isn't anything I can do to fix it
now, I mean, it was my job to prevent this from happening and
now, I don't know what to do, ' she half sobbed, taking a moment
to gather her thoughts before continuing on. ' I really believed
I found something I was good at for once in my life, y'know?
Something I was doing very well with and that others appreciated
and applauded me for, but it's all just blown up in my face and
I don't know if I'll still be able to afford life when this is
all over and done with, ' she sighed, dropping her head against
his shoulder as he listened.
' Hey, whatever it is, we can work on it, right? You, me and the
guys; we don't wanna see you so down over anything and you're
definitely too bright a girl to be assuming this is the end
you're feeling right now, okay? Just tell me what's up and we
can talk it out, find a workaround and get things back into
motion, yea? ' he soothed, thumb rubbing her shoulder as he
tried, though unaware as he was, unsuccessfully, to coax her
into revealing what it was that had bothered her so much. In the
time they had all known one another, he knew as well as the
other two how very complex she was and how difficult it was to
get anything out of her, in detail.
' Oh, you know, I'll probably just let it bug me for a few days
more and then pounce on it with claws at the ready. I appreciate
everything you just said, though and I hope you know that. Thank
you for listening, Tomo. I wouldn't feel too comfortable
broaching the subject with the others, but I guess that's just
because we seem to see a lot more of each other, with sharing
the same hotel room and all, ' she chuckled, straightening her
frown and turning it into her best cheerful smile, as he heaved
a sigh, patted her knee and wandered off to join the others in
the kitchen area, where a waft of curry and pizza blazed through
into the main room, enticing her immediately.
But a knock sounded at the door before she could properly rise
from the sofa and with a jump and a skip, she bolted up, tossed
on her jacket and shoes, tucking a fair sum of money into her
pocket and yelling toward the guys that she would meet them at
the venue later that night. There was an elderly gentleman on
the other side of the door, decked out in attire akin to that of
someone whom worked in the hotel and she knew straight away he
had come to inform her of her guests arrival, which she promptly
thanked him for before he could even get a word out and
hightailed it down the corridor in her ballet flats. Taking the
lift might have been a quicker and safer option given the speed
at which she was bounding and jumping down the stairs, but she
didn't much care for injuries in that moment and as soon as she
entered the lobby and eyed the front desk, there was her friend.
' Colleen! ' she yelped, attracting the attention of everyone
walking in and out of the spinning doors, but she didn't care
about that either. Opening her arms wide and noting that her
friend did the same, she enveloped the irish girl in a bear hug
and cried freely on her shoulder. ' I've missed you so much! I
thought we could go straight out and have a drink before this
evening, catch up on all the gossip and keep away from the
smelly guys as long as possible, ' she giggled, linking arms
with her friend and handing the clerk a few notes for offering
to take her case to her room and set it neatly beside the
doorframe.
' I just got here after falling asleep three times on the most
beautiful flight ever and you want me out and wandering around
the city already, Hel? You know, one of these days we're gonna
get too old for all this and end up traipsing about with our
zimmers, in and out of shops and looking for all the best
bargains before stopping for a fresh mug of coffee at the
nearest cafe available, ' the irish girl chuckled
wholeheartedly, not minding one bit.
' Well, actually, there is something in particular I want to
talk about because it's literally just happened and I have no
idea what to do and I needed you because you know everything
about everything. I figured, if you can't help me with this, no
one can and I'm not prepared to lose my job because this has
been the best thing that has ever happened to me and I just..
really need to know there is a way around this, ' the brit
rambled a bit, fully aware that her words probably came out far
too quickly, but also aware her friend could understand.
' Woah, hold your horses a minute, lady. What's actually
happened in the few hours since we last spoke that has you so
caught up in a fishing net? ' the girl responsed, pulling her
friend into the nearest cafe, pushing her into a booth and
ordering them both a mocha each. ' Did you put your foot in it
and tell Jared that you love him or is it something else? ' she
added, swiftly pulling back as the other girl reached out to
playfully smack her.
' No! Of course not.. that's, not even.. no. I was busy working
away on that form the guys had to read through and fill in
before sending off to their producers and I did exactly what I
was supposed to do, everything was perfect, but a few minutes
after I sent the email off, I got one back and oh my god, Col, I
don't know what to do. They said that they're suing the boys for
thirty million and I can't even comprehend it. I mean, where on
earth does that kind of sum come from and what.. do they think
they're entitled to so much? I mean, why are they suing them in
the first place? Those boys make that company an awful lot of
money as it is, ' she cried.
' Oh.. Hel, I had no idea it was that bad. We'll work a way
around it, but don't you think you should tell one of them, or
all of them together, in fact? They're going to need to know
what they're up against and not be left in the dark about it,
you know? This is one of those things you can't hide from them
and bide your time over, because they are only going to keep on
pushing for this money and you can't let them don't like that,
can you? I don't know what we're going to do, but in the
meantime, we'll think of something, ' her friend offered,
stretching her hand across the table and grasping the brits
firmly enough to give reassurance that everything was going to
be okay.
' Well, I poured out all my feelings over it to Tomo earlier but
when he asked me what was actually wrong, I couldn't even tell
him and Col, I've been able to talk to him about a lot of things
since we've been sharing living space all this time. I don't
know how to explain this one, to him, to any of them. My biggest
fear is telling Jared that I did what I was supposed to do and
fucked it all up somehow, because knowing him, he's not going to
be a very happy bunny and he'll probably, in a fit of rage, toss
me out on my arse for failing to do my job, ' she sighed, a lone
tear creeping down one side of her face as she quickly brushed
it away with the back of her thumb. ' But enough of that for
today, at least. We have to go grab some stuff to wear and we
only have another two hours to get ourselves sorted before
everyone starts piling into the arena.. and I don't wanna get
squashed. '
' You've been working for them for months, though, so I'm sure
he has a lot of trust in you at this point. I don't think he
would be cruel enough to do a thing like that, but.. I mean, it
is his band that would be out on their arse as well, if nothing
good comes out of this mess. But you're right, Hel, there's no
point in worrying about all that when we have a show to enjoy
soon, so let's go. I gather you have something in mind and know
exactly where we're going to get all this stuff? ' she laughed,
downing the rest of her coffee and waiting for her friend to do
the same, as they once again linked arms and went trailing down
the pavement, passing by all the stores.
Some minutes passed and Colleen was just about to groan in pure
frustration as they hadn't yet ventured into any of them, before
her friend tugged on her arm and all but yanked her into an
approaching, brightly lit store, as the sky above darkened
considerably with every tick of the clock. Rummaging about the
place, the irish girl was momentarily distracted by the golden
glow of the interior and the flooring before her friend caught
her attention once again, holding up a matching outfit that, had
they been back home, she probably would have tsked at. But being
in the city of angels gave her an entirely new perspective and
nodding her head in approval, she grabbed her own set and they
both shuffled into the changing rooms. On their person, they
wore matching tank tops, demin shorts and knee high converse and
if not for their noticeable differences in facial features, they
would have looked like twins going for a night out on the town,
which was more or less accurate enough anyway.
It was dark enough now, as they stepped out of another cafe
after spending half an hour dolling themselves up with products
that had been tossed into the clothing basket earlier. Both
opted for subtly and it worked perfectly with their attire.
Hurriedly, they scampered out of the building and the brit
hailed a cab as soon as they set foot outside, dragging her
friend toward the first one that pulled up and shoving her into
the backseat before climbing in soon after. Both girls were
laughing fairly loudly amongst themselves throughout the drive
to the venue and the driver told them many a time to keep it
down because he couldn't hear himself think, but they were far
too giddy now and unlikely to stop anytime soon. It wasn't until
the cab came to a grinding halt outside the large arena that
they both silenced themselves, simultaneously feeling a familiar
swarm of butterflies at attending a show together, which was
something they had not done since their early teen years when
they went to see a country group.
' Okay, now, Jared said we could either watch from the audience
or from the side of the stage so I'll leave that choice up to
you because I've had the best of both over the last few months.
Which would you prefer, Col? ' the brunette asked, grasping her
hands and trying to hold her attention long enough for a
coherent response.
' Oh.. uh, whichever is best. I don't really mind, either or...
you would know, so which is better? ' the irish girl was shaking
a little, her nerves quite visible, though a smile remained
etched onto her lips.
' Side stage is pretty cool, but if you want the best
experience, it's definitely being out front with the rest of the
crowd, Col, ' she responded, pulling the other into a tight
embrace as they both nodded, smiling still.
Helene grabbed her friends hand and hurried her through the
crowds of people, pushing her way to the front right before the
barricade and making sure they had enough breathing room.
Turning to her friend, she grinned and her eyes twinkled with
pure delight as they shared something of a telepathic moment.
The lights in the arena dimmed right down and a drum beat they
both recognised sounded throughout the hollow space, at which
point everyone around them began to scream and as they looked at
one another in the darkness, they decided, why not join in. The
two and a half hours that passed were more than worth being
rammed every so often into the barricades, but they could have
easily walked around and up to the side of the stage if
necessary, on account of the passes the brit had tucked into her
back pocket. But they were troopers and had dealt with it in the
best way possible, ignoring the petty irritants around them and
focusing only on the music and the men giving wonderful
performances.
It did not escape Helene's attention that the older Leto settled
his eyes on her friend during the slower songs when little was
expected of him and that brought a knowing grin to her face
every single time she caught him staring. It would be all too
easy to simply tell her friend what was going on, so she chose
to leave it alone and wait for all to reveal itself when the two
finally met. And it was not far off now at all, in fact, the
venue was becoming scarce of bodies pretty quickly as everyone
piled out of the double doors on either side of the arena and
the brit took this as her chance, grabbing her friends hand and
yanking her around back and toward the guys dressing room.
' Oh god, Hel.. what if he doesn't like me? Do you remember what
I said? I don't look anything like I do in those photographs..
at least in those, I had some light to give me a little help,
but now, ' she whined, struggling against her friend to not go
into the room now directly in front of them.
It was evident enough that they had been heard in the midst of
their petty little debate because the door swung open to reveal
Tomo, smiling from ear to ear as he politely offered his hand to
Colleen, whom nervously rose her own and mananged a firm enough
shake.
' Hel, y'know, you failed to mention how stunning your friend
is, ' the male remarked, stepping aside as they both entered and
Shannon immediately bolted up out of his chair to greet the
green eyed girl.
' I wanted it to be a surprise, as you do. But if you haven't
guessed already, love, that one's taken, ' she chuckled, a
bright smile on her lips as Tomo sighed, defeated and walked
away laughing at his own loss.
As she stood back against one of the walls, watching the
exchange between her best friend and the older Leto, the
vibrance of her smile was beginning to hurt her cheeks some, but
she didn't mind. This was the moment she had been waiting for
and she prayed then, thanking everything and anything for
allowing such a beautiful connection to actually take place
before her very eyes. It seemed rather daft to think of it in
such a way, but in all the time the two girls had known one
another, they each had their more favoured Leto and this.. her
friend was finally getting somewhere with it. Eyes still
twinkling in delight, she didn't notice the body slink up beside
hers until it rose a palm and shielded her eyes completely,
blocking her view from the cute little display across the room.
' Tomo? ' she quizzed, mouth twisting to indicate she was
puzzled.
' Guess again, ' came the distinct voice of the younger Leto and
she visibly sighed, shoving his hand away.
' I know, I know.. you wish it had been you she was interested
in, right? ' she jumped in, looking up and catching his eyes
when he finally tore them away from the two whom were getting
along quite well already.
' Not exactly.. I just realised I'll have to fight to win my
brothers attention from now on, ' he chuckled, running a hand
through his now untame hair. ' So you've known each other since
you were toddlers, right? '
' Right. We've grown up together and she's more of a sister than
a friend, really. I don't know why we don't just start referring
to one another as such.. but these shirts help a bunch, ' she
laughed, showing off the imprinted text and delighting in the
chuckle that followed from him soon after. ' Jared.. have you
ever thought about the future, you know, regarding this band and
stuff? Is there anywhere you really wanna be? '
' We'll still be going strong decades from now, ' he joked,
though there was a tone to his voice that unnerved her some, in
the sense that his eyes spoke for him the words he would often
forget to voice, in that he was entirely serious and did believe
they were going to still be around for years and years to come.
That was enough to break her down and send her flying right back
into that pit of despair, but she grasped sanity fairly quickly
so as not to make it obvious to him that there was something
very wrong with what he had said.
' I believe you will, too. You guys have so much going for you
and y'know, you've not done too bad at all over the last couple
of years, have you? ' she grinned, noting the appreciative smile
on his lips. ' I bet you'll all still be selling out venues by
the time you're seventy odd. '
' We'd be lucky to last that long, but I have every faith in
this band as a whole and the three of us have tread through so
much since we've been together, it's impossible to think one day
it might come to an end. I'm sure, even in the afterlife, we'll
still be playing gigs and making records; handing them out for
nothing, ' he smiled. ' Why do you ask? '
' Oh, I was just interested I suppose. I think I just wondered
why it might be like to have all these songs inside of you all
the time, waiting to burst free and fly off into the wide world
out there. I have my hobbies that linger in my head, always,
until I finally put paintbrush to paper, but you and the guys,
you have something else entirely. You have a set time to get
your art out there to people and if you don't meet that
deadline, everything goes to shit. I don't know how you do it
and I think, I just.. wondered, how you could keep doing that
and doing that. '
' Patience, understanding and trust in those you're working for
and those you're working with, to make the record as good as it
can possibly be. It is a lot of pressure through the course of
starting from scratch, but my head is constantly filled with
ideas and lyrics and beats and I guess that makes it easier for
us, as a group, to collaborate and work through it all together.
It's a lot faster and a lot easier to manage when you have that
kinship. '
Helene only smiled and nodded in response to his words and as
before, both leaned back against the wall on the opposite side
of the room from the two whom were still chatting rather
animatedly with one another. Tomo had gathered his belongings
and taking himself off to the hotel already, which she
understood, because after such a powerful performance from all
three, they had to be absolutely worn out.
' Hey, you never told me your friend here had a thing for hazel
eyes... ' the older Leto spoke up, tossing a smile to the brit
and winking at the irish girl sitting right beside him; very
close beside him, almost on his lap.
' Oh yea, she loves those honey coloured orbs as much as she
loves your muscles, Shan, ' the brunette added on, noticing her
friends cheeks redden in response to her comment, but it was all
in good humour.
' Right, we should all head back before it gets too late to
actually get some sleep. We have a day off tomorrow to
recuperate so you're both welcome to either follow us around or
go about your own business, ' Jared spoke up, gaining everyone's
attention as he gathered his own stuff, swiftly followed by
Shannon and they all made their way out of the building and into
the waiting vehicle.
#Post#: 3134--------------------------------------------------
Re: Did You Ever Believe?
DIR By: Maggie Flannery
Date: January 10, 2016, 9:04 pm
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Oh.My.Lord! I'm officially head over heels for this I just can't
right now. I ship both couple ( even though neither are
'official' yet ) so. freaking. much! *hugs tight* I adore this,
can I adopt them?! I just, I'm crying over here, and saving this
so I can go back it like forever. I seriously cannot wait for
more and might I add that I adore how you've written Colleen?!
The friendship between our two ladies is so so lovely - they're
so much like siblings- I just it's amazing. I swear my heart
stopped when poor Hel got that email and I just...oh god, poor
Hel! J and Hel are downright adorable and don't even get me
started on Col and Shan, 'cause those two...what are words?! I.
Adore. It. ALL!
Literally me right now:
[img]
HTML http://gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/GIF/2014/05/Happy-excited-gif.gif?gs=a[/img]
HTML http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/excited_lucille_arrested_development.gif
HTML http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss54/sammiemagee/emma-stone-excited.gif
and just 'cause I can
HTML https://media.giphy.com/media/106XDPapHli2qc/giphy.gif
#Post#: 3141--------------------------------------------------
Re: Did You Ever Believe?
DIR By: Wolfy
Date: January 17, 2016, 11:31 am
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In The Land Of A Billion Lights
' Rise and shine sleepyhead ! We've got a lot of fun to have
today and the last thing I want you doing on this trip is
snoozing through the whole thing, ' the brit yelped, shuffling
into the room she had shared the night before with her friend
and immediately diving onto the mattress.
Her efforts at waking the irish girl were not working all that
well and with that in mind, she got up onto her feet, steadied
herself as best she could on the flouncy bed and began jumping
up and down directly over her friend, her legs either side of
her waist. This did work wonders in stirring her, if nothing
else and when one eye popped open to glare daggers up at her,
Helene burst into a fit of giggles as she quickly hopped off and
back out the door, shouting back as she padded into the kitchen
area and collected their breakfast.
' If you don't get up, this freshly squeezed orange juice is
going all over your head, Col, ' she yelled, gathering the tray
of food that had arrived no more than ten minutes ago and was
still steaming hot. ' Now, I don't have anything in particular
planned for us today so I was thinking we could just tag along
with the guys and see what they have in mind for their day off ?
Unless, you have something you wanna do while you're here ? '
she questioned.
The irish girl yawned in a very unladylike manner and rubbed
once or twice at her eyes, feeling them roll about inside her
head to adjust to the light that was already pouring through the
open curtains. Propping herself up and back against the
headboard, she welcomed the smell of food as her friend sat it
upon the covers and immediately reached for a toasted and
buttered bagel, grinning from ear to ear. The scent of bacon and
eggs filtered around the room as both ladies dug in and had
almost cleared the entire tray by the time they were done.
Laughter had broken out here and there as scoops of beans ended
up rolling down their chins as opposed to settling in their
mouths and it took several minutes for each to calm down again.
' So, anywhere you wanna go, or would you rather we follow them
around today ? ' she asked, eyes shining.
' I say we follow them around like little lost pups and see what
they do for fun, but I'm assuming you know already what that is
? ' Colleen let out a chuckle as she realised her question might
have been a bit pointless, but nevertheless, her friend shook
her head from left to right, indicating she didn't know
everything they did.
' Well, I mean, I know what they like to do when they're indoors
just to pass the time, but usually when they go out and about
together on their days off, I'm always stuck in the hotel typing
away on that damn laptop, so it'll be nice to have some free
time for once. I guess it's easier now because they're waiting
on approval to release another album but.. you and I both know
now how much of a struggle that's going to be and I'm still so
confused. I just hope we can come up with something here, you
know ? I'm so sorry to be dragging you into all this, ' the
brunette pouted, finishing off her glass of orange and setting
it back down on the tray as she turned her attention to the
window just across the room, heaving a pretty tiresome sigh.
' Hel, you know, this is just a small boulder in the middle of
an already rocky road, so there's going to be something you can
do about it. I don't see it as something they won't negotiate
with, so it might be possible to meet them halfway or find out
what else they might be interested in, that will in turn save
the boys from dealing with such a loss ? ' the irish girl had a
brain on her, of course, whereas when her friend found herself
in a bit of a pickle, she was one to shrink to the size of a pea
and burrow herself away for days at a time.
' Thanks, Col. See, I knew you'd have a few suggestions, at
least. I guess I should have confessed to Tomo the other day but
the last thing I want for them right now, while they're enjoying
their time off, is to drop the bomb and have them start working
none stop to try and blow this as far away as possible. Thirty
million is so much money and I don't understand how they could
possibly owe them that much, ' Helene was pouting again as she
spoke, but was swiftly pulled into her friends arms as she
shuffled out from under the covers and sat at the edge of the
bed, knees knocking against the others and a knowing smile
crossing over her lips.
' Something will come up, but you need to keep in contact with
them. I would do everything you possibly can to stop this from
happening and if it isn't too difficult, for the time being,
keep them from getting in touch with the boys and vice versa.
With these formalities being your area and them having you on
board to deal with it for them, I'd like to think it wouldn't be
too hard, but still, everything must be discreet, ' Col
affirmed, rubbing her friends back to calm the flow of tears and
picked up breathing over the span of a few minutes.
' Okay, you're right. I didn't even consider the possibility
that they could contact each other to discuss further agreements
like that. What am I supposed to do, though ? I guess I just try
and appease the company for a few weeks and try to get back on
track with all this before the guys realise there's something
wrong ? Urgh, why does everything have to be so bloody
complicated all the time ! ' she squeaked, falling back against
the bed.
' Right, enough of this for today, Hel. They have the day off
and you've been given the same, so we need to get out there and
enjoy that sunshine before any clouds start rolling in. Come on,
before I start jumping over you as well to get you out of this
funk, ' the irish girl stated, standing and pulling the younger
woman up by her hands, before scampering over to the
ridiculously enormous closet to gather suitable clothes for the
weather.
' Nothing too confined or baggy, Col. The sun is cracking the
flags out there and I think I heard Shannon talking about a trip
to the beach ? Is there anything in there suitable for sand, or
water even ? I don't think those guys know the meaning of being
understanding of the fact that when a lady says no to paddling,
she means it, ' the brunette grunted at the memory of a
conversation all had been involved in some months ago.
' Uhh, we both have tanks so we're good there. Are skirts a good
idea for beaches ? ' Col was pushing hangers from one side of
the closet to the other as she searched, stumbling upon all
manner of outfits that just wouldn't work for a day lounging on
a beach, sunning yourself and possibly fighting the light chill
of the ocean.
' Skirts ! Perfect, yes, we can wear our bathing suits beneath
them should anything happen that we really aren't anticipating..
at all.. you know, ' she chuckled, brushing off the idea that
anything would take place, though from what she could tell, they
all had pretty impressive memories.
The two ladies took all of half an hour to doll themselves up
for the day and by that time, the warmth of the suns rays was
cooking up the hotel room, as they finally slipped on their
sandals. Both wore pastel colours to suit the occasion and as
they were likely to find a decent spot for sunbathing, opted for
more flattering water-wear; bikin's in colours that meshed very
well together —— blue and purple. Admiring their outer layers,
each slung a beachbag over their shoulder and added finishing
touchers to their hair, though left loose for the breeze to blow
gently through it, effectively cooling them down should the sun
grow too hot during the day. A soft ding chimed throughout the
room and the brunette dove around in her bag to pull out her
phone, face lighting immediately as she turned to Colleen and
grinned, drawing curiosity upon the others face.
' Okay, either you just won the lottery or... ' she began, only
to be grabbed by the wrist and pulled quickly out of the hotel
room, hearing the click of the door as it locked itself. ' Ah,
they're waiting for us then, ' she chuckled.
' Tomo says they've been waiting in the lobby for about an hour,
but like.. how was I supposed to know they were ready ?! Gosh, I
just don't understand why they insist on thinking I'm capable of
reading minds, ' Helene shook her head as they waited patiently
inside the lift, following every movement of the little glow
over each number as they descended lower and lower to the ground
floor.
' It's about time you guys showed up ! ' Jared joked, smiling
brightly as he took in the sight of them, not once failing to
notice that both girls were fighting off the urge to stare too
long at already bare chests. ' Come on, it's not like you
haven't seen guys walking around with their shirts off before. '
' Okay, okay, let's get going before someone ends up
embarrassed, ' Shannon jumped in, cheeks actually turning a
light pink when he noticed the irish girl had turned her head
away too late, to avoid him noticing that she had been checking
out muscles and abs. ' Colleen, ' he called, ' after you. '
Just as his cheeks had adopted a colourful tint, hers did the
same as his hand rested on the small of her back, leading her
out of the building and around the back, which would be a
quieter and quicker path toward the beach that wasn't all that
far off at all. A few blocks away, was all, so no one was put
out by the walking they had to do to get there and there were
smiles all around as the ocean came into view. The guys had
somehow ended up walking together at the back of their little
group, allowing the girls to lead the way and both sets were
chattering amongst themselves, unaware that each were talking
about each other.
' So, what is it you were saying about him not liking you ? '
Helene nudged her friend, her grin so wide that it took up
almost all of her face as she laughed about the whole thing.
' Oh shush.. how was I to know he would find me appealing ?
Hell, I didn't think he would look at me more than once when we
walked backstage last night, so this is new for me, ' Col
answered, turning her head for a moment and catching him
staring, without any shame, at her rear.
Catching sight of the growing redness on her friends cheeks,
Helene also cast her eyes back and when she noticed that the
older Leto was still staring, mouth partially open, she let out
a bellow of a laugh. His attention was diverted elsewhere at
that point and a clap on his back from Jared brought him
crashing back down to earth. Colleen was too busy flustering
herself into a tomato to notice they had reached the roadside,
but before she could set foot onto the tarmac, her friend
grasped her by the hand and yanked her right back to safety.
' Girl, if this is how you react around him, I'm gonna have to
tell him to keep your hands glued tight together at all times
when you're out and about on dates and stuff, ' the brunette
tossed her a wink, releasing her hand and after checking both
ways, they all crossed together.
' I'm sorry, I... sorry, ' was all she responded with, her
embarrassment still etched into place, but she quickly shook it
off as Helene grabbed her hand again and took off running over
the sandy hills and toward the waters edge.
' Oh, hell no. The first and only thing I'll be doing today is
tanning myself up a little on a towel, way up there, away from
the water, if you don't mind, ' the irish girl tossed her nose
up into the air, traipsing back toward dry land and almost
laughing herself as Helene fell into step beside her, also
amused by her reluctance.
' I did warn you, though. You just remember what I said about
how unkind those guys are and we're good, ' she was still
laughing as they find a secluded enough spot, given that there
were only a select few others on the beach, which was surprising
under the heat of the summer sun.
' If they so much as try anything, we need to get the upperhand,
Hel, ' she stated, turning toward her friend as they both lay
back on their towels, only to find their sunlight cut off as the
boys stood behind them momentarily.
' You're like little kids, it's kinda cute, ' Tomo commented,
laying down his own towel beside Colleen but immediately
regretting it as Shannon shoved him off, to which he retaliated
by setting his towel up directly beside Shannon instead, whom
had now made himself comfortable beside the girl he couldn't
keep his eyes off of.
' Nice, man. I just wanted to get to know the girl, ' Tomo held
a hand to his chest in mock hurt, but it was swiftly followed by
a cheesy grin as he noted both their cheeks reddened as a result
of his remark.
' Shut the fuck up ! ' Shannon laughed, focusing his attention
on the baby blue sky instead of the girl next to him, just to
take the attention away from himself and her for the time being.
' And you say we are like little kids... honestly, ' Helene
stepped in, shaking her head some as her sunlight was once again
taken away, as Jared set himself up beside her. ' Hey, tower of
pisa, lay the fuck down. '
' All right, already ! Jesus, can't I get comfortable before I
just plonk myself anywhere ? ' he chuckled, finally approving of
how bump-free the towel was before settling himself down,
mimicking his brothers action by looking up at the sky and
allowing his thoughts to drift off, as his eyes soon closed
over.
' Psst... Hel, you think they're asleep ? ' Col asked, opening
her eyes and squiting in the sun to see her best friend, whom
already had a wicked grin on her lips. ' Oh.. oh hell, what's on
your mind ? ' she laughed softly.
' How about we leave them here and take their clothes with us.
Go for a wander down the stretch of the beach and a bite to eat
? ' she suggested, winking once and delighting in the nod that
her friend offered.
' Come on then, gather their stuff together and pile it into
your bag.. I'll do the same. They'll wake up to empty bags of
their own and probably kill us but.. it'll be worth it just to
see the look on their faces when they get back to the hotel
later, ' Helene chuckled, rising into a sitting position and
scanning the expanse of the beach.
Fingers wrapped warningly around her wrist and she quickly
snapped her head to the left, watching a sly smirk form on the
younger Leto's lips as he refused to say anything, just kept a
firm hold on her. Turning her attention back to her friend, she
noticed Shannon was also awake and that both brothers were now
looking at one another, grinning like idiots. A lump formed in
the brunette's throat, but before she could yelp a quick “ run!
“ to her friend, both brothers bolted up from their towels and
picked them up.
' Shit !! ' Helene screamed, which was soon followed by the very
same sound from her friend and when thet met one anothers gaze,
mouths fell open when they spied the ocean fast approaching as
they were carried off. ' Jared, don't you dare ! '
' Shannon, oh my god... oh my god, I swear, if you drop me in
that water you will regret it ! ' Colleen yelled, as both girls
ended up thumping the guys backs and the only sound that could
be heard was that of Tomo, leaning back on his towel and
laughing his arse off at the show that was going on before him.
' Jared... J, please ! ' Hel whined, struggling to stay atop his
shoulder as he waded deeper into the water, whilst just across
the way, Shannon and Colleen were about the same distance in.
High-pitched screams sounded then as both ladies went crashing
into the water and one effectively managed to pull her captor
down with her, at which Helene laughed heartily as she watched
Shannon resurface, spluttering and chasing Colleen about in the
water, which was, as it looked, very difficult to do. But her
friend was laughing all the while, despite having her clothes
drenched in the process and it was then, Helene realised they
would have to walk back in nothing but their bikin's, which she
wasn't too pleased about, though it was warm enough. Turning in
the water, she eyed a sheepish looking Jared and immediately
dove toward him, climbing onto his back just to get herself out
of the water as much as possible, but he wasn't going to have
any of that.
' Get me out, right now ! ' she demanded, but her giggling was
doing her no favours as she held onto his shoulders, clinging
for dear life whilst he tried to shake her off.
' Nah, I don't think so. You're all wet and that's just how I
like it, ' he stated, laughing loudly as she froze, becoming
almost rigid whilst his words sunk in and a bright blush
blossomed over her nose. ' Not what I meant, Hel, but if that's
how you wanna take it... ' he was still laughing.
' You little shit ! You can't tell me you didn't know that
sounded so wrong, ' she huffed, scrambling down from off of him
and wading through the water as much as she could, noticing that
Shan and Col were still playing tag and had somehow gotten
themselves further along the beach, deeper into the water.
' Hey, where you going kid, ' he called, catching up and pulling
her back with an arm loosely around her waist. Her heart was
thumping a mile a minute in her chest and she was thankful the
gently crashing waves between them would keep that fact from
him. ' Stay in here a while, like your friend.. see, she's
enjoying herself, ' he noted, eyes watching the scene not far
from them and he smiled as his brother pulled the other girl
closer.
Both pairs were so caught up in the goings on directly around
them, as they swam closer to one another to form something of a
group in the water, that they didn't notice the dive bomb that
was about to go down. Tomo had done a run and high jump from the
edge of the water and as he hit it, everyone yelped in surprise,
including the people they didn't even know that were swimming
not far from them all. Disgruntled looks fell upon the
guitarist, whom rose his hands in defense and began splashing at
them all, which of course started a contest and every single one
of them joined in; the ladies no longer caring about the state
of their hair.
' Hey, it's getting a little cold here now, can we go back and
just... I don't know, chill in the hotel or something ? '
Shannon broke up their play, receiving pouts from his younger
sibling and Colleen, but eventually, they caved.
' Yea, come on, it is getting chilly the longer we stay in here,
' Hel chimed in, reaching for her friends hand with a smile as
they helped one another out of the gentle waves and back toward
the towels. ' So, I mean.. I did prepare you but even I wasn't
expecting that to happen, ' she chuckled, delighted to see a
look of happiness wash over Col's face at everything that had
just gone down.
' I think once the initial shock of freezing cold water has
gone, you forget all your worries, ' Colleen joined in with the
laughter as they tried off as best they could, pouting as the
boys actually had clothes to wear back to the hotel and
remembering they had been thrown in whilst still wearing their
own.
' Well, looks as though we're attracting attention on this walk,
' Helene heaved a sigh, stripping down and stuffing her clothes
into her bag, whilst her friend followed suit.
' Well fuck... ' two voices startled them both and for the
moment, they forgot they were in the presence of three very red
blooded males, but the look on Tomo's face cracked Helene up so
much, she fought to breathe.
' Guys, come on, you can't tell me you ain't seen this shit
before in those porno mags, ' Tomo remarked, earning a swift
clout about the head from Helene, who quickly kissed it better
when he pouted. ' Sorry, but you know, I'm so used to seeing you
wander around in very little at all these hotels, I think I'm
used to it. But like.. you're a sibling to me and I don't.. it's
just.. I'm not like these two googly eyes over here. '
Both girls cracked up at those words as they fixed their eyes on
the brothers and smiled, appreciative of the attention and
obvious approval in their eyes, though also mildly ashamed that
they were standing there in very little and actually had to walk
a few blocks looking like that.
' Here, take our shirts, ' Jared spoke up, breaking himself from
his trance after gawking quite openly at the brown eyed girl,
whom was no longer trying to shield her form.
' Oh.. shit, yea, here, ' Shannon jumped to attention then,
after a clap on the back from Tomo and both brothers removed
their shirts, helping the ladies slip them on and everyone ended
up laughing at how baggy they were on them, reaching their knees
almost, but that was cover enough to keep them from attracting
unwanted attention.
Still, the shirts were see through to the point whereby everyone
was watching as they walked away from the beach and along the
streets. Shifting uncomfortably, Colleen tried to shadow herself
behind the older Leto, who noticed her discomfort and
immediately pulled her hand into his own, clasping it firmly and
yanking her right to his side so all the men looking, understood
that she was off limits, even if only to him. Her blush didn't
go unnoticed by him and in an attempt to ward off a guy on the
other side of the street who just wouldn't stop staring, he
leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck,
lingering there a while until the guy got fed up.
' Thanks.. ' she smiled, batting her lashes and squinting her
eyes tight together, her other hand now coming to hold the back
of his, that was also clinging to her other one.
' You lovebirds okay back there ? ' Helene shouted, staring back
as she walked ahead with Jared and Tomo, whom was still a little
hype from all the water that had probably found its way into his
ears.
' Do you want some privacy in the hotel room or... I mean, we
have those do not disturb signs in the drawers if you ever feel
like you need them, ' Jared joined in, turning his attention
back to where they were walking and chuckling softly to himself
as his brother exploded with profanities, all in good humour, of
course.
' Tomo, run on ahead and book us a table for an hour or two
ahead 'cause I'm starved, ' the younger Leto spoke up, earning a
nod from the guitarist, who immediately took off, bolting it up
the street and around corners until they could no longer see
him, as the sky was beginning to dark considerly.
' Damn, Col, who knew you had such a way with words.. ' Hel
broke the painful silence she could hear from behind, turning
once to toss a wink in her friends direction, whom was once
again blushing and failed to notice the ridge in the pavement.
A loud yelp followed her brains recognition that the front of
her sandal had hit something solid and she was flying forward
toward the ground. Eyes clamped shut and her hands went out in
front of her to somehow break the inevitable fall, but she
didn't quite make it there. Two arms coiled around her waist and
hoisted her back up to her feet; the only sound meeting her ears
moments later being that of the other two behind, who found it
highly entertaining and probably a good form of payback, for
everything she had been saying.
' Nice fall, Hel ! You'v got me beat with that one, ' Col
chuckled, walking on ahead with Shannon, who had opted to wrap
his arm freely around her back and pulling her even closer into
his side.
' Shut up ! ' the brunette was smiling, but her breath was still
a little uneven from anticipating the landing that didn't
actually happen. ' Urgh, sorry about that, ' she apologised,
eyes looking up to meet bright blue.
' I get people falling for me all the time, Hel, but I gotta
say... none have ever caught my attention till now, ' he joked,
earning a nudge to the ribs and covering it protectivly, pulling
a face.
' You watch what you say around me, Mistah J, ' she propped her
chin up, brows risen as though to appear scary before him, but
that was too complicated a task to achieve.
' Mistah J, really ? ' he couldn't control his laughter and they
continued on their path, walking briskly now, with the younger
Leto reaching out to grab her arm every time she tripped because
she was too stubborn to let him give you a piggyback ride back
to the hotel.
' God, you two are so slow ! What took you so long ? ' Colleen
gasped, as she sat at the bar in the lobby with Shannon and a
still jumpy looking Tomo, all downing a glass of something
fizzy.
' I bet I know what they were doing.. ' Shannon offered, brows
wiggling as he received a smack to the arm from the woman seated
beside him. ' Oh come on.. those two don't even see how much
they fit ! '
' Okay... okay, enough now, we need to go get dry before we turn
into stale seaweed, ' Tomo broke the awkward silence that had
fallen into place as soon as Shannon had spoken and he was, of
course, regretting it.
' Hey.. is everything okay ? ' Col asked, pulling her friend to
the side as they all climbed into the lift, watching the glow as
it went up, up and up to their shared floor.
' Yea ! Sorry, I just kept falling over because we were trying
to hurry up a bit and he wanted to lift me up but I was arguing
back, being so stubborn, so he just kept reaching out to stop me
from landing on my face, ' Hel explained, as best she could, in
a tone quiet enough so none of the guys could hear.
' Girl, you have to know how wrong that sounded, ' Col burst out
laughing as soon as the lift doors opened and attracted the
attention of the boys, as well as the few whom were wandering
down the corridor. ' Sorry... but yea, I understand, don't
worry. '
Helene's face had flushed so much in those few seconds that she
resembled a tomato, much like Colleen had throughout the day,
but she tried to fight it off as best she could. Tomo had gone
bounding into the guys room without so much as a backward
glance, but Shannon and Jared hung back a bit to talk.
' So, can you guys be ready in about an hour and meet us down at
the restaurant ? ' Jared asked, a small smile on his face as he
looked at them both, though gazed a little longer at the younger
woman.
' Oh and.. do you have any nice gowns ? ' Shannon interrupted,
his own smile evident on his features.
Both girls looked to one another and nodded, confirming they did
indeed have suitable outfits for whatever was going to happen
that evening and just before Shannon took off toward their room
down the corridor, he stepped forward and pressed a lingering
kiss to the back of Col's hand, igniting a flame there that shot
right up her arm, as he locked eyes with her for a moment.
' I'll see you later, ' he winked, releasing his hold on her
hand and turning to walk off, leaving her there with heated
cheeks and a bright red nose.
' Might wanna cool yourself down a bit there, honey, ' Hel
giggled, turning to walk back to their own room, with Col ahead
and determined to hurry on inside so she could release all of
those pent up emotions.
' Hel, wait a minute, ' Jared called, grabbing a hold of her
wrist and pulling her back toward him and away from the door of
her hotel room, ' Can you wear something red ? ' he asked,
tilting his head to one side.
' Red.. sure, I'll have a look through what I have. It'll
probably be something I bought last week because let me tell
you, when you guys lock yourselves away in that studio for days
at a time, I go shopping crazy, ' she laughed.
' Great, ' his face lit up, as he leaned forward, ghosting his
lips over her cheek as he too released her hand, stepping back
and wandering off down the corridor to his own room.
Her own blush danced across her cheeks as she walked in,
finally, bumping right into Col whom had been waiting patiently,
though her hands were on her hips and her foot was tapping a
mile a minute. Looking up from the noise, Hel met her gaze and
saw how she would be spending the next sixty minutes trying to
calm those frazzled nerves her friend still hadn't quite gotten
a firm grasp on.
' Girl, you really need to calm down if we're going to make it
through the night, ' she chuckled, flipping the kettle switch on
and whilst waiting for it to boil, pulled Colleen over to their
room and grabbed them both a bathrobe to dry off with, as well
as every necessity they would need to look prim and proper for
the hour they had to get ready. ' At least out hair is dry now..
all we need to do really is style it. '
' I need to start on some breathing exercises, Hel, ' Col
panicked, trying to control herself before she passed out from
the overwhelming rush of butterflies flitting about in her
stomach.
' Hey.. hey, calm down. He likes you, right ? I mean..
obviously, so why are you worrying so much ? ' Hel asked, her
eyes moving to her friend as she went about styling an up-do for
the evening.
' I just don't want to screw anything up, you know ? He is one
hell of a man and I just.. feel like I'm not right for him, like
he deserves someone better than me and I just.. ' she didn't get
to finish.
' Hold it right there, missy. If anything, he's hit the jackpot
in sharing affections with you, because you are worth so much
more than you give yourself credit for and even if I have to
smack that into you, I will. Don't make me, though.. I don't
want us turning up to dinner with black eyes and bruises, ' she
chuckled.
Colleen also joined in with the laughter after a few minutes of
steadying her nerves and both girls went about making sure they
could knock the boys off their feets, or rather, their seats, as
soon as they walked into the restaurant later on. Where the
brown eyed girl wore red and heels to match, her best friend
wore green that made her eyes pop, which, when Helene noticed,
she ended up weeping over because of how beautiful she looked.
' You look stunning, Col. You're gonna have Shan on his knees by
the end of the night, worshipping your very existence, ' Helene
complimented, pulling her friend in for a tight hug and
lingering there a while.
' And you, Hel. That dress is gorgeous, ' the irish girl was
bright eyed and all smiles now, as they both checked themselves
over once more before the full length mirror, their attention
shifting to the door as a knock sounded there, followed by
another and another.
' You ready ? ' Hel asked, beaming at her friend whom stood
beside her, rocking her dress.
' As I'll ever be, ' Col smiled, taking in a deep breath as they
made their way out of the room, finding Tomo there, ready and
waiting to escort them both downstairs.
' Oh, don't you look all handsome ! ' Helene chuckled, looping
her arm through his as Colleen followed suit on his other side,
as they both received a flurry of compliments from him regarding
their gowns.
' I tell you, those boys don't know what's coming, ' he
snickered, ushering them both into the lift.
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