Michael's point of view

"Leigha?" I asked and she hummed. "Leigha," I asked, dragging her name out.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?" I asked her and she told me that everything was fine. "You're lying." I said as she itched her right wrist.

"I'm not."

"Talk to me." I said, grabbing her hand and pulling it away from her wrist. "What's wrong? You can talk to me."

"I know I can. It's just, nothing. There's nothing to talk about." She said but I could see through her lies. "Really."

"I don't believe you, why don't I believe you?" I asked and she looked at me. "It's okay to talk about what's bothering you. What happened?"

"It's just, there was this guy who pushed himself on to me and it's bothering me." She said and I was silent. "I can't explain it. It's never happened to be before. I'm just... You don't know until it happens and it's just... degrading and... you won't understand."

Her hand itched up her wrist again and I held her hand away. "What are you doing?" I asked and she shrugged. "Why do you do that?"

I tried to push the sleeve of her leather jacket up but she yanked her arm from me. "Aleigha, are you sure you're okay?" I asked, my voice coming out soft and gentle over the sound of The 1975 playing out of my phone.

"I'm fine." She told me but I really couldn't bring myself to believe her words.

She held her wrist and I just watched as she rubbed it a bit. "Aleigha..." I said and she shook her head.

"I'm fine Michael. I'm okay."

"You're lying to me, stop lying to me." I said and sat beside her. I put an arm around her shoulders and held her hand away from her wrist. "Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Whatever you're doing... you're hurting yourself. Stop it." I said and she looked at me. "I thought we both agreed that we'd stop hurting ourselves?"

"It's not hurting myself... is it? I'm just scratching my wrist. It's not like I'm bleeding... it's not self harm... I don't think it is." She said but I shook my head.

"It is because you're damaging your skin." I told her and she shook her head, refusing to listen to me.

"It's harmless Mikey."

"It's not." I said and she looked at me in the eye. "Look at me Leigha." I said but she kept her gaze anywhere but on me.

"Michael, it's fine-"

"It's not." I said and she leaned into me. "It's not fine. What's wrong? Talk to me, I'm here for you. Don't to trust me?"

"I do, it's just... I don't wanna talk about it." She said and I sighed. "Please. I just wanna forget it."

"Talking about it helps." I told her and she shook her head as I pushed hair away from her face. "Are you sure? Promise me we'll talk about it soon though?"

"Positive. I just really, really don't wanna talk about it." She said, giving a breathless laugh. "I promise, please."

"Okay." I said and messed with the zipper of her jacket. "Take this off, it's really hot." I said and she nodded, slowly taking the leather off.

She set it on the floor by my bed and I looked at her wrist. It was an angry red color, puffy lines along the otherwise clear skin. I sighed and turned her wrist over, setting it on her lap.

"Why don't you talk to me about stuff? I tell you everything and I feel like you tell me nothing." I said and she shrugged.

"I don't know. I trust you, I really do, it's just I don't wanna lay my problems on someone who doesn't deserve it." She said and I pressed a kiss against her temple.

"I wanna help you Leigha, let me." I said and she nodded slowly. "Are you tired? You seem exhausted."

"Yeah," she said quietly and nodded. "I'm actually kinda tired." She told me and I rubbed her arm.

"Want something more comfortable to sleep in? Basketball shorts? A shirt?" I asked and she nodded.

"A hoodie... please?"

I stood up, glad I did laundry a couple days ago, and then handed her some black shorts and a grey hoodie. She took them and thanked me as she went into my bathroom.

"No need to thank me." I said and she closed the door. I pulled my jeans off and switched them for a pair of sweats, pulling the grey material over my hips before knotting the strings so it'd stay.

When I laid down in bed, Aleigha walked out, setting her clothes by my discarded jeans. "Come here babe." I said and she came and laid down beside me.

I put my arm around her and she curled up beside me. "Maybe things suck right now, but they'll get better." I said and she nodded.

"I hope so." She said and I gave her a weak smile. She just closed her eyes and I messed with her hair, my fingers gentle as I played with the burgandy locks.

-

"Hey guys, have you seen Leigha? I woke up and she was gone." I said as I rubbed my eye, pushing a plate Ashton gave me away.

"She's outside with Calum." Arzaylea said and I nodded, maybe a little bit jealous. "They're having a smoke. Ash was gonna join them but he didn't I guess."

"Okay." I said and sat down, yawning quietly as Ashton tried handing me a plate of pasta. I shook my head and Luke glanced at me from his phone.

"Are you gonna eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Mike..." Arzaylea warned and I hummed. "Eat please." She told me and I shook my head.

"I'm not hungry." I protested and Luke whispered something to her. She hit him in the back of the head and rolled her eyes.

"You're dumb!" She said and then whispered something to him. "He has to Luke!"

"Mikey, you just woke up, it's alright. Just eat later or something." Luke said and Arzaylea pulled her phone out as I nodded.

"It's not but whatever. I don't wanna be pushy." She said and I shrugged as I curled into a ball on the couch. "Are you still sleepy?"

"Yeah." I mumbled and she chuckled as Ashton sat beside me, rubbing my back gently.

"You alright."

"I'm just sleepy." I said and he nodded as he ate his food. "I'm gonna go outside with Calum and Leigha."

"You know it's dangerous to smoke, but it's even more dangerous to be around people while they're smoking?" He asked and I shrugged as I stood up.

"I'll live." I mumbled and then stepped into the backyard. I didn't bother with shoes or sandals.

"Why haven't you told Michael?" I heard Calum ask and I stopped.

"I don't wanna put this on him, you know? He has his own problems... he doesn't need to worry about mine. Besides, it's quite trivial if you think about it." I heard Aleigha say and Calum scoffed.

"Trivial? Your younger brothers verbally harass you, your parents are on the borderline of divorce, your ex-best friends are spreading shitty ass rumors about you, and to top it off, our own fans are finding bullshit reasons to hate you. That doesn't sound trivial to me." Calum said and I stayed silent.

I felt guilty for listening in uninvitedly, but I was too curious to leave now. I was also slightly hurt that she wouldn't talk about this with me, but I guess I understand.

"It's pretty dumb, kinda pointless to tell. I'm eighteen, almost done with highschool. I'll be going to college soon, maybe... have my own apartment. Half of these things I wouldn't have to deal with so it's not like it's forever." She told him and I crossed my arms.

"Well nothing is forever." Calum told her and I saw a flame from a lighter. "Another one?"

"Yeah, I got a problem." Aleigha said and I crossed my arms. "I've been smoking a lot, like a pack in maybe a day or two. I'm gonna end up dying."

"We all will one day," Calum said and I looked at the ground. "But don't say that. I know many people who smoked like four cigarettes everyday and are still fine. It's just a risk, not a promise."

"Studies show that a majority of chainsmokers get cancer."

"A majority, but not all." He said and I cleared my throat. "Who's that?"

"Hey," I said, cutting into the conversation ands I walked up to them. "I woke up lonely and got worried."

"Just needed a smoke," Aleigha said and Calum laughed. "Or three."

I wrapped my arms around her from behind and she leaned into me. "You know I hate it when you're around me while I smoke." Aleigha said and I shrugged.

"You know I don't care right?"

"I feel like a third wheel now." Calum said and I apologized. "Nah mate, it's fine. I had a girl... I just didn't know that she wasn't a good one to have."

"You don't need a relationship really." Aleigha said and I rolled my eyes. "It's nice to be in one though."

"I know. I'm just gonna lay back for awhile, kinda have gun being young and single. Maybe one day I'll find a girl who doesn't wanna fuck me over and actually puts up with these guys." He said and I pouted.

"Hurtful."

"Hey, just saying the truth. I'm surprised Aleigha puts up with us, more so Ashton." He said and Aleigha laughed.

"Can't be starting fights with my boyfriend's best friend now, can I?" She asked and I watched as she took a drag of the cigarette. "I hate drama."

"Then why decide to hang out with us?" Calum asked and she shrugged. "Why get involved with people who literally cannot do anything with drawing some kind of crazy headline or rumor?"

"Because when I'm with you guys, it's not like you're some big band everyone loves. It doesn't feel like I'm hanging out with millionaires who could literally buy me and everyone I know. It's like I'm with four normal guys... until I go on social media." She said and Calum laughed.

"Normal?" I asked and she laughed. "We're normal to you?"

"You know what I mean." She said and Calum chuckled. "You're all fucking crazy, but that's okay, so am I."

"Of course, if you weren't, there's no way you'd put up with our shit." Calum said and she nodded. "Anyways, yeah, if you ever need to talk Ally, I'm here. I got you." He said as he put his cigarette out, tossing it into a garbage can.

"Alright, thanks Cal, I'll keep that in mind." She said and he went inside. She sighed and looked up and the dark sky. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She said and stomped the cigarette out. "I just don't want my problems on someone."

"But you'll tell Calum?" I asked and she took a deep breath. "So you trust him more than me?"

"It's not like that Mikey." She told me but I didn't believe her. "I promise. I trust you too, I just feel bad for making you worry about me when you shouldn't be."

"We're dating, I'm supposed to worry about you and your wellbeing when I feel like something's wrong." I told her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I just don't wanna lay all this on you when you have your own bed of problems." She said and I shook my head.

"Don't be afraid to talk to me. I'm here for you. You were here for me and now it's my turn to be here for you." I said and she looked at me.

"Okay, that's fair." She said and I chuckled lightly, giving her a kiss on her nose. "That was cheesy."

"But you liked it."

"You got me there." She said and we both laughed lightly.