Aleigha's point of view

"What's wrong Mikey?" I asked as I cupped his face in my hands, wiping his tears away. "Why are you crying?"

"I just..." He shook his head, burying his face into my neck as he cried. I rubbed his back, letting him cry.

"It's alright." I said softly, his warm embrace and cries nearly triggering my own tears, which were way more than overdue. However I kept it in, mostly because if I cried now, I wouldn't stop for hours. It's just how I am.

I ran a hand through his hair, lightly playing with the fading locks. "We don't have to talk about it." I said softly and chuckled. "We don't have to talk at all. I can just hold you if you'd like."

He nodded and I hummed. "Alright, that's what I'll do then." I said and looked around his room for his phone since it was ringing. I knew it was his because mine was on silent.

"Do you want me to get it for you?" I asked and he shook his head, holding on to me tigher. "Okay, okay I'll stay." I promised.

The constant ringing, for some odd reason, was pissing me off. The littlest things were throwing me into a bad mood, like my parents arguing or forgetting that my phone was in my pocket. I was just in a shitty mood all together today.

I shook my head and tried drowning it out, thinking of ways I could cheer Michael up. I don't think there were many, it's hard to make him feel better sometimes.

I guess we could watch some of his favorite movies, maybe play some of his favorite songs while we cuddle. That sounds promising.

"I'm sorry." Michael said after awhile and I closed my eyes. "I just... I don't know. I broke down and-"

"There is no need to explain yourself." I said and pressed a kiss to the side of his head. "We all need a good break down every now and then. It's better to let it out when you need to than to hold it in."

"I guess." He said and nodded as I smiled softly. "Yeah... it does make me feel kinda better." He told me as he rubbed his eyes.

"How about I turn on your favorite movie and we just lay here and cuddle for a bit? Will that cheer you up?" I asked and I could feel him smile against my skin.

"Yes." He said, his voice muffled a bit. "I don't go to the studio for a bit anyways, stay here with me. Please. I need you here."

"Okay, let's do that then." I said and chuckled. "You're lucky it's a Sunday." I told him and he nodded as he pulled away, giving me a small smile.

-

"Kill me now." Arzaylea said as we saw Jackie. "What is Krystal doing here?" She asked, mixing the twins up.

"That's her sister Jackie. Krystal is out getting her nose fixed." I said, downing the shot she had given me. It was a shot of tequila, the rim of the glass covered in salt, and the lime wedge that was one originally hanging off the glass, was now between my teeth.

"Good, she needed a new nose anyways. Looking like a fucking parakeet-"

"Hey, that's not nice. Stop it." Bryana said and Arzaylea laughed, shrugging off the comment.

"I'm not a nice person to people I hate, sorry." She said and I turned to them. "Glad I got you that fake ID?"

"Kinda. Alcohol tastes weird... I haven't had it in so long." I said, looking at the shot glass with a bit of remorse.

"What do you mean?" Bryana asked me. "Did you uou use to drink or something?"

"A story for another time." I said and she nodded, not pushing it. Arzaylea drank her margarita and I debated on getting another shot or stopping here.

"What's up with Mikey?" Arz asked and I hummed. "When we stopped by the house, he seemed sad." She told me and I nodded.

"He's not feeling good today, but that's okay. Everyone has off days, especially if you're trying to recover from stuff." I said and she rose an eyebrow.

"When did you become wise?"

"When did you suddenly realize?" I asked and she rolled her eyes as she laughed.

"Smart ass." She said and I nodded, tugging on my leather jacket's sleeves. I was trying so hard to fit in here, but the tequila burned my throat (though I itched for more) and I felt so out of place.

I felt like I was trying to be someone I'm not, like I was forcing myself to be 'cool enough' to be around Arz and Bryana. I was trying to be some party girl with them when really, I'd rather be watching YouTube or listening to music.

I felt this was when I was with the twins too. They liked partying but it just was never my scene. I don't think it ever will be honestly.

I sighed and crossed my legs as I leaned back, not noticing that Arzaylea was on Snapchat. "Leigha!" She said and I looked at her phone, noticing that I was a teddy bear.

I stuck my tongue out and she laughed. "You look so cute. Doesn't she look cute?" Arzaylea said, and I laughed as I sat up, pretending to seem like I was having the time of my life.

I could be an actor.

"The guy's are gonna join us after the studio, then we go to the VIP line." She said when Arz turned the camera off and put her phone away.

"Okay." I said and nodded. "Just us or?"

"Some friends will tag along too, Lindsay, Crystal, Brian, Nia, and Roy. It's okay, they're cool." Arzaylea told me and I nodded, not having met any of them, so I was a bit panicky. "Crystal is a friend of Brian's, not the one we hate. If she turned up here, I'd actually slip bleach in her glass."

I snorted and then covered my mouth as they laughed. "You'd do no such thing." Bryana said and Arz laughed.

"Fuck yeah I would. Do you even know me?" She asked and I shook my head at how dumb she was.

I pulled my phone out, opening my Instagram, and scrolling through my timeline. I liked some posts and then went to post one, using a picture I took of the sky when it was transitioning into a sunset.

I posted it with some cliche caption about seeing galaxies in everything and then Arz looking over my shoulder as I read through my notifications.

I sighed, scrolling through tons and tons of comments. Most of them were from Michael's fans, claiming that I needed A) to lose weight, B) stay away from him, C) learn what makeup is, and D) stop causing drama.

"It's funny," I told Arzaylea before she could comment on them. "Because most of them, if not all, are probably teenagers with self esteem issues, or know someone with self esteem issues, yet they still feel the need to drag my appearance."

"You know they're wrong, right?"

"I don't even care at this point." I said and ran a hand through my hair, my head aching a bit. "Pass me a glass?" I asked and she took two, one for me and one for herself.

"On three?" She asked and I nodded. She counted to three and then we both downed the beverage quickly, laughing when we finished. "That's strong."

"I agree." I said and put my phone away, ignoring the text my dad sent asking where I was. I was still mad at his sudden desicion to throw me on my own before I had a stable job or idea of what I want to do with my life.

"Let's just have fun. It's a Saturday night, you just got through with like... four tests you said?" She asked and I nodded. "Fuck everything. Who cares about grades? Family drama? Have fun!" She said and Bryana cheered.

"Let's go dance!" The blonde pitched and before I could protest, they were dragging me towards the dance floor as some remixed Beyonce song played.

-

"I thought you don't drink?" Michael asked as I took my millionth shot tonight.

"Fuck it." I slurred and he just drank his beer as I leaned my head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around me and Calum laughed.

"Dude, she's smashed." He said and some blonde guy I didn't know looked at me. I think his name was Brian? Or was this Roy? I don't know, but he reminded me of Luke.

"How many shots did you have?" He asked me and I pressed my fingers to my lips.

"Not telling." I said and laughed, seeing Arzaylea and Lindsay on Snapchat. "I wanna be a puppy!" I said and Michael pulled his phone out.

"Here." He said and opened Snapchat. I took his phone and messed with the filter, giggling like a little girl. "You look adorable."

"Of course I do." I said and Calum choked on his beer. I smiled and posed, snapping a picture. "Can I-Can I post it?"

"Dude, my confidence goals is drunk Aleigha." Calum said and I laughed as Michael took his phone back.

"Hey!" I whined and he saved the picture. "Did you post it? I look cute!"

"You do but my fans would freak babe, so I couldn't post it." He said and I huffed as I crossed my arms.

"Your fans are mean."

"How?" He asked as Calum talked to the blonde guy. "How are they mean Leigha?" He asked me and I looked at up.

"Don't tell them I snitched." I said quietly and he nodded. "Promise? They'll get mad at me."

"I promise Aleigha. What do they say?" He asked me and I scratched my head a bit.

"A lot of things." I said and laughed. "Um, one time one threaten to kill me if I didn't kill myself fi-"

He covered my mouth and I tilted my head to the side. "Alright. Alright." He said and I looked at him. "Don't say that."

"Are you okay?" I asked and he looked at me confused, asking me what I meant. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Then why did you make me stop talking?" I asked and he shook his head. "Wanna know what else they say?"

"No, no Leigha. Don't tell me. I heard enough." He said and I nodded. "You're drunk. Um... you need water."

"Why?" I whined and he shushed me. "Can we leave Mikey?" I asked, tugging on his sleeve.

"Yeah, yeah we can." He said and that caught Calum's attention. "Hey Brian, Cal, we're gonna go. Tell the other's we're gone."

"We just got here!"

"Like two hours ago." Michael said as I laughed at the flashing blue neon lights. "Come on Leigha, we're leaving now."

"Get it." Brian said and I laughed as Michael shook his head. "Guess who's getting some tonight!" He yelled, catching the attention of some of their friends.

"Shut up!" Michael said and I looked at Michael confused.

"Who's getting some? You?" I asked and he face palmed. "I'm still a virgin, it's not me who's getting some. Who is it?" I asked and Michael looked around.

"Calum, Calum's he getting laid." He said and I nodded. "Let's go before they get even more embarrassing." He told me, holding my hand as he texted someone.

He took his hoodie off and I leaned into Michael. "You're cuddly. Like a giant teddy bear." I told him and he rubbed my back.

"It's that a compliment?" He asked and I shrugged. "I'll take it as a compliment." He said and I yawned, burying my face into his shirt.

"Come on, a car is waiting for us outside." He said and I followed him.

He opened the hoodie, using it to shield us from the paparazzi as the flashing lights and questions made my head spin. I stumbled into the car and he followed as a bodyguard closed the door for us.

"We'll me at my house soon okay?" He said and I nodded as I closed my eyes. "Are you sleepy?"

"You could say that." I said and he told me to buckle my seatbelt. "But why? It's so uncomfortable!"

"Aleigha." He said and reached for the seatbelt. He buckled it for me and I huffed and he told the driver the address. "You're so stubborn."

"Thank you." I said and he rolled his eyes as he looked outside of his window.