The crisp air of the Manchester morning wrapped around Nalani like a cool, calming embrace as she walked alongside Nick. After the chaos of the party the night before, today was different. It was quieter, simpler. The streets of Manchester had a soft charm to them in the early hours, before the bustle of the city fully awakened. The early morning mist lingered over the sidewalks as the two of them strolled casually down a quiet street, not quite ready to head back to their hectic schedule.

"So," Nick began, his voice low but laced with an unmissable playfulness, "how are you feeling after the chaos last night?"

Nalani smiled, her hands tucked in the pockets of her leather jacket. The morning had a sense of calmness she didn't often get to enjoy, and having Nick by her side made it all the better. "Honestly? Exhausted, but I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. It was... unexpected. I mean, it's not every day you get a birthday cake in the middle of a party with BMTH and all these other bands."

Nick chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm sure Mark's a little relieved, too. No one's crashed into anything this time."

Nalani let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "Honestly, I thought someone might end up in the pool with all that drinking last night."

They both shared a quiet laugh, the kind that felt easy, as though the weight of the world had momentarily fallen away. They wandered down the street, passing by quaint cafes and small shops. They didn't rush. There was no agenda—just two people who shared a mutual understanding, enjoying the rare moment of peace they could find in the midst of everything. The world outside of them was still chaotic, but in that brief bubble, it felt like everything made sense.

"You know," Nick said, looking sideways at her, his tone turning slightly more serious, "you really killed it last night. I mean, you were on fire out there. Not that I expected anything less."

Nalani glanced over at him, her lips curling into a soft smile. She appreciated the sincerity in his voice. "Thanks," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "I don't know... Sometimes it's hard to believe it's really happening, you know? Like, yesterday was just another show. Another step forward. But then there's this moment, and you just... feel it. Like, we're really doing this."

Nick nodded, his expression softening as he stopped in his tracks, turning to face her fully. He leaned against the brick wall of a nearby building, one hand slipping into his pocket as he studied her. "Yeah," he said slowly, "you've come a long way. I don't think people always see how hard you work for it, but I do."

Nalani felt a warm rush in her chest, the compliment sinking deeper than she was willing to admit. "Thanks, Nick. That means a lot."

They both stood in comfortable silence for a moment, the sound of distant traffic and early morning chatter drifting through the air. As the quiet moment stretched on, she couldn't help but think back to last night, to the playful teasing and Noah's off-hand comment about her age. She pushed it aside. The day was too perfect to ruin with thoughts of him.

"Well," Nick broke the silence, standing up straight again, his usual smile returning, "I suppose we should get back. Don't want to keep the band waiting forever, right?"

Nalani grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Can't have them thinking we've run off for good, can we?"

They began to make their way back to the hotel, the comfortable ease between them punctuated by small, casual conversations. By the time they arrived, it felt like they'd been gone only moments, but their time together had left a lingering warmth that neither of them would forget anytime soon.

When Nalani walked back into the hotel, she was immediately greeted by a chorus of teasing remarks from her bandmates.

"Look who's back!" Edward called out from across the room, his voice dripping with exaggerated excitement. "So, what'd you two do? Walk around holding hands in the sunshine?"

Nalani rolled her eyes, though a grin tugged at her lips. "Don't you have a rehearsal to run or something, Edward?"

Jeremy, always the one to jump in when it came to teasing, waggled his eyebrows dramatically. "Yeah, come on, what happened? You guys go for a coffee? A nice stroll in the park? You two looked awfully cozy last night at the party."

"Stop," Nalani laughed, trying to ignore the heat creeping up her neck. "It's not like that."

Josh, who had been quiet until now, leaned in from where he sat with a wide grin on his face. "Oh, come on. You can't hide it. I'm not blind, you know."

"Yeah, you're not fooling anyone, Caddle," Edward teased, nudging her playfully with his elbow. "You and Nick? Totally a thing."

The room erupted with laughter as Nalani's cheeks flushed. She crossed her arms defensively. "We're just friends, guys," she insisted, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Uh-huh," Jeremy said, clearly not convinced. "You keep telling yourself that."

"I swear, you guys are the worst," Nalani muttered, but the playful banter only continued. It was clear that her bandmates were having way too much fun shipping her with Nick.

Meanwhile, across the room, Josh leaned closer to Nicole, who had been quietly listening to the conversation. His face was more serious now as he muttered under his breath.

"You know, Nicole, I think our ship is sinking," Josh said, almost as if he were mourning it.

Nicole raised an eyebrow and sipped her coffee, clearly unimpressed by his melodrama. "What are you talking about, Josh?"

"Come on," Josh said, pointing subtly to Nalani. "Nick and Nalani are practically inseparable lately. They're definitely close. If anything, she's way more into him than Noah."

Nicole shook her head slowly, giving him a wry smile. "Not so fast, Josh. Just wait. You'll see. Things aren't over between Nalani and Noah. It'll get better."

Josh looked doubtful, but there was no mistaking the curiosity in his eyes. "I don't know, Nicole. It just feels different now. Nick and her—there's something there."

Nicole's smile remained. "We had an interaction between them yesterday, remember ? He even congratulated her."

"Yea, and right after that drove her crazy."

"Just give it time."

Later that afternoon, Nick's bandmates found him in the lobby, freshly returned from his walk with Nalani. They wasted no time in bombarding him with questions and teasing remarks.

"Did you two finally have your heart-to-heart talk?" Jolly teased, elbowing Nick in the side as he approached.

Nick shot him a playful glare but didn't deny the comment. "We just went for a walk, Jolly. Calm down."

"Oh, we know exactly what kind of walk it was," Nicholas chimed in, his grin widening as he leaned in. "You two looked like you were enjoying each other's company a little too much for it to be 'just a walk.'"

Nick gave them both a sidelong glance, pretending to ignore the teasing but secretly enjoying it. "You guys are ridiculous."

But before he could respond further, a familiar voice rang out from across the room.

"What the hell is going on here?"

It was Noah. He had just entered, his eyes immediately finding Nick with a sharp look of annoyance.

Nick sighed inwardly, knowing exactly where this was going. "What's up, man?"

Noah's tone was more biting than usual as he strode over, his gaze flickering between Nick and the rest of the band. "You've been spending way too much time with Nalani lately. I've seen how you two are getting all buddy-buddy. It's not helping anyone. I don't even know what you've found in her."

Nick's expression hardened slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Noah."

"Oh, you don't?" Noah snapped. "It's obvious. We've all noticed it. You think you're the only one who sees it?"

Nick didn't reply immediately. Instead, he met Noah's gaze, his patience fraying. "I'm just trying to be a good friend, Noah. She's been through a lot. You don't have to worry about it."

Noah's jaw clenched, and the tension in the air was thick. His voice lowered, his irritation clear. "Don't pretend like I'm the one who's got something to worry about, Nick."

"I cannot really understand what's wrong about Nalani and being her friend ? What are you worried about, Noah ?" Nick raised his eyebrow, being completely tired of Noah's enigmatic and rude hints.

"Oh, c'mon, Nick, we all know that she's slowly turning into your little love interest. That won't be beneficial for you, I'm telling you."

"Are you serious ?" Nick furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief. Noah's behaviour was getting more and mire absurd. "I've told you million times that I'm just being friendly with her, and that's it. You cannot decide for me whether to be her friend or not."

The room fell silent as the tension between the two men simmered. Jolly and Nicholas exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the rising conflict. For a moment, it seemed like things might escalate further, but Noah turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving the rest of the group in an awkward silence.

"I'm telling you, he has something for her," Jolly was the first one to break the silence Noah left. "Look at him, he's dying from jealousy but he won't ever admit that."

"I swear, man," Nicholas agreed, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed. "Noah's acting like you're about to steal his puppy or something."

Nick sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. The interaction with Noah had left him feeling off, and he wasn't sure how to shake it. "I don't know, Jolly. He's been like this for a while now. I get it, we're all friends, but—"

"But that's the thing, Nick," Nicholas interrupted, narrowing his eyes as he glanced over at him. "It's not just about friendship, is it? We all know what Noah's been like lately. It's not the same. This... this feels different."

Nick looked between Jolly and Nicholas, both of them waiting for him to say something. He shifted uncomfortably, his fingers tapping on the edge of the table. "I mean, I guess," he said slowly. "It's like he's acting like a jealous boyfriend or something."

Nicholas leaned in, his tone serious. "Maybe the problem is that Noah's got some kind of thing for Nalani, and he doesn't know how to deal with it. You know how he is. Always too proud to admit anything. But you're getting too close to her, and he doesn't like it. Hell, he might be jealous."

"I don't know if he has 'claim' on her," Nick said slowly, the words coming out more quietly than intended. "But it's hard to ignore how much he's been on edge lately. Especially after last night. I thought it was just me being paranoid."

Nicholas gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, if it helps, you're not the only one who's noticed it. It's been pretty obvious."