This chapter is rated T for language and themes.

Enjoy. I can't say I had fun writing this but I can say it was kind of interesting thinking up what would happen. But I do like the last bit. It's a longer one as well. Please review, as I worked pretty hard on it. Also, if you want to check it out, I have a new one-shot up on my page, Crazy Little Thing Called Love:)

An hour and a half later we were backstage with the music up, celebrating another city out of the way. The boys had decided to stay sober for that one, for reasons we didn't even know. The next hour passed in a blur of dancing, eating, drinking and kissing Zac. By twelve everyone looked dead on their feet and we were ushered out to the bus, stumbling sleepily and the McFly boys waving to the fans who had lined the sides of the road to the bus as they walked out.

---

'Ahhh, so glad today's over... we got a hotel room to go to again, Tommy seems to of forgiven us, no more homework for you girls and we can finally have a proper sleep without ghosts knocking on the bloody walls,' Tom sighed as he strummed his guitar, lying on the couch. I couldn't agree more with him. I got the bunk for that night and everyone fell, fully clothed into their beds. I fell asleep after ten minutes and didn't hear anything else.

---

Something woke me up soon after. Snores and steady breathing filled the bus. I silently pulled my curtains across. A light down the opposite end woke me up a bit more. I quietly slid out of bed and walked down, carefully holding onto the side of everyone's bunks as the bus swayed around corners. Sophie was sitting in one of the seats, using her phone as a light, looking through a small purple book.

'Soph?' I whispered.

She jumped and looked up. 'Oh, hey Luce,' she replied, quickly wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

I slid into the seat next to her. Her ankle brushed against my hand. She was freezing.

'What're you looking at?' I asked quietly, motioning towards the book.

'Oh er nothing, just pictures,' she replied, wiping her eyes again.

I glanced down at the book. A photo album. 'Mind if I have a look?' I asked.

'No, go ahead,' she said quickly, wrapping her arms around herself. I flipped through the pages, not really concentrating on what was in the photos. Family photos. Her brother and sister and parents. And Benji. I was mostly concentrating on her. She was shivering and her breathing was shaky.

'I wish they were here. It's unbelievable how much you can miss someone. Having them there all the time, seeing them before you go to bed every night, making your meals, picking you up from school, being there when you got home, talking to you and holding you when something's wrong. I don't know how they do it,' she said, motioning towards the boys, all still fast asleep.

'I know Soph,' I murmured, sliding closer to her.

'I can't believe he's really gone,' she whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

'I know, I can't either,' I replied softly. She looked up at me with tears running down her face. They looked silver in the moonlight coming in the window as we drove through country with no streetlights. I put an arm around her and she pulled the photo album closer to her. She flipped through to a page with a tiny little Benji as a puppy.

'Look how small he is,' she smiled through the tears, turning the page.

'Remember the time when we were making a model of the earth for science out of play-dough and he took a huge bite out of it?' I giggled.

'Yeah, and then he jumped right on top of it after that. Then we spent about two hours trying to comb the blue and green stuff out of his hair!' Sophie was laughing, tears still streaming down her face.

She suddenly turned serious. 'Luce, how do you cope? It's hard enough just losing a pet. I'd die if one of my parents died,' she murmured.

'I dunno, I guess having you guys as friends makes it easier,' I smiled, giving her a hug.

'Thanks Luce,' she whispered into my shoulder.

'It's going to be so horrible going home and knowing he's not there. The morning before we left he must've known something. He came into my room with his old chew toy and he put it next to me, then curled up right next to my head, looking right in my eyes. It was almost like he was telling me not to go. I'm the one who lets him outside every morning and makes sure the gates are all closed and stuff. He always waits for me to take him for a walk and I wasn't there. I should've been there,' she whispered, beginning to cry harder.

'Soph, it's not your fault! There's nothing you could've done okay?' I replied, squeezing her tighter. She buried her head into my shoulder.

---

Sophie sat with her head in my shoulder for fifteen more minutes, crying silently. After her body had stopped shaking she sat up straighter and wiped her eyes.

'You okay?' I whispered.

She nodded and pushed her hair back behind her ears. 'A part of me just wants to go home. But I know if I go home, I'll never get the opportunity again. I just miss them all so much, even Bella and Josh.' She leant her head against my shoulder.

'I know Soph, but we're all here for you okay?' I replied. She nodded silently.

'Come on, do you think we should go back to bed?'

'Yeah,' Sophie whispered. I stood up, pulling her up as well.

'Night Soph,' I murmured as I got to my bed.

'Night.'

I climbed up into my bed and pulled my blankets up, shutting my curtains. Lying back on my pillow, I listened to the different noises. The boys snoring, Sophie shuffling around in her blankets and someone breathing deeply.

Sophie was right. How did the boys do it so often? Leaving all their families behind and touring around with just each other and the crew. It was amazing that the fought as little as they did. We'd been friends for just half as long as them, and we still fought more than they had all tour. I shut my eyes and tried falling asleep. Sophie's words were spinning around in my head. "It's unbelievable how much you can miss someone".

She was completely right. I sighed to myself and fell asleep.

---

I woke up to muffled giggling the next morning. I yawned and pushed open my curtains. Danny, Harry, Tom, Sophie, Nate and Zac were all kneeling on the floor next to Dougie's bed. His curtains were open and Harry and Danny had red jelly and were attempting to drop it into a sleeping Dougie's open mouth. They kept missing every time and Dougie's pillow, blanket and chest were covered in it.

'Give me a go Harry,' Danny whispered, leaning right over Dougie and tipping the spoon over. It landed in Dougie's mouth just as he inhaled. Dougie gasped, then choked, then sat up and began coughing, spitting the jelly (plus all his spit) all over Danny's face. Danny yelped and jumped back, banging his head on the bottom of Tom's bunk.

He pulled his head forwards, clutching the back of it just as Dougie leaned forwards. They bumped foreheads and Dougie moaned and lay back down on his pillow, clutching his throat and coughing, still trying to get rid of the jelly. Danny began giggling, still holding onto his head as he climbed back out from Dougie's bunk, still covered in the spat-up jelly. Tom and Harry quickly jumped back as Dougie slid out of bed to go and get Danny, his face covered in jelly as well. Dougie jumped on Danny and together they rolled around on the floor laughing and fighting.

'Are you sorry?' Dougie shouted, sitting on Danny's face.

'No!'

'ARE YOU SORRY?!!' Dougie shouted louder.

'No!'

Dougie moved a little bit.

'OKAY, OKAY I'M SORRY DOUGIE!!!!' Danny shouted.

'Say it like you mean it!'

'DOUGIE I'M SORRY!! I SHOULD'VE NEVER PUT JELLY IN YOUR MOUTH WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING!!' Danny shrieked, trying to move his face away from Dougie.

'Good,' Dougie smiled, getting up, kicking Danny in the side as he walked to a couch. Danny moaned and clutched his side.

'Maccas for breakfast lads?' Tommy called from the front of the bus.

'Yeah!' Harry and Dougie shouted together. Tom nodded and Danny just groaned.

---

We got to the next town and stopped outside a McDonald's restaurant. Everyone got their breakfast and we all sat in a booth along one wall. While the four boys sat talking to each other, Vanessa talked to me and Zac talked to Sophie and Nate.

'I'm gonna go get some more orange juice,' Sophie smiled.

'You've still got almost a full one!' Nate exclaimed, motioning to Sophie's cup.

'Yeah, well I'll get more for the trip,' Sophie shrugged, getting up and strutting over to the counter where there was a sort of attractive boy about our age serving. She flicked her long hair back behind her shoulders and leaned against the bench, thrusting her boobs out at him. The whole table fell silent as they watched her giggle and bat her eyelashes, flirting like she'd never seen a boy before.

'What the hell is she doing?' Tom hissed to Harry as the boy returned the flirting, his hand lingering a little too long as he passed her the change back. He wasn't even talking to her face. Instead his eyes were fixed down the low-cut singlet she was wearing; the one Nate had been fixated with - which so low that if she bent over it'd be exposing everything. It was something Vanessa would've done, not Sophie of all people, especially considering she had Nate.

Danny glanced back at Nate, who was frozen with his coffee halfway to his mouth, staring at Sophie, glaring. Sophie threw the guy one last flirty smile and took her drink. Everyone busied themselves once again with their food, starting up fake conversations and glancing over at Nate every few seconds.

Sophie slid back into her seat, smiling. 'I got some,' she grinned, flashing the orange juice at Nate before sitting it on the table in front of her. She went to put her arm around him but he slid away.

'What?' she asked, pulling her arm back.

'What do you mean what?'

'What's wrong?'

'What's wrong?! Sophie, you're full on flirting with a guy right in front of me and you're asking me what's wrong?' Nate snapped.

'I wasn't flirting with him, he was flirting with me,' Sophie said defiantly, taking a bite of Nate's McMuffin.

'Don't!' he snapped again, snatching it off her.

'What the fuck is your problem Nate?!' Sophie practically shouted.

McFly's four heads snapped up and their made-up conversations about whether the bacon in Harry's McMuffin was real, stopped.

'My problem is Sophie, that you can't help flirting with a guy when you see one! It's not just today; it's every time you're around one other than me. Am I not good enough for you or something? I travelled all the way from England to see you and yet you're blowing me off for other guys!' Nate's voice was getting more and more heated with every word he said, clenching his hands into a fist.

'Come on guys, I think we'll get back on the road now,' Tom said quickly, standing up, taking his food and ushering the other four out the door. Vanessa, Zac and I quickly followed on. Nate and Sophie took a little bit longer, fighting the whole way.

---

Tom pushed the door of the bus open, balancing a cup of coffee and Dougie's hotcakes in one hand. He sent Sophie and Nate down one end of the bus, shutting the curtain behind them.

'Figure it out alright?' he said harshly before coming back to us, tossing Dougie his hotcakes and throwing himself into a seat. 'Shit, shit, shit, shit,' he muttered to himself, putting his face in his hands.

'Tom, language,' Harry warned, switching the TV on.

'I don't care about my language Harry. What are we going to do if they break up? I can't send Nate home now,' Tom snapped.

'Tom, they'll be fine, they'll sort it out, they always do,' Danny reassured him, leaning back on the seat.

'But did you see what she was doing? What the hell is wrong with her?!' Tom exclaimed.

'Are her and Nate even still on together?' Danny asked.

'What do you think Danny?' Harry sighed.

Danny shrugged and watched TV.

'Sophie, do you even love me anymore?! What the hell were you doing?! If I hadn't of been there you would've been getting it on with one of the guys that were at that party a while ago!' Nate's voice was yelling from the other end of the bus.

'Oi! Keep it down or you'll have the rest of us in there too!' Tom called.

'God and you have to bring that up again! That's the past, get over it!' Sophie shouted. They obviously hadn't heard him. The TV had been turned down and everyone was eagerly (but guiltily) listening to their argument.

'Well I wouldn't have if you hadn't of been chatting up the McDonalds' guy we wouldn't be having this conversation!'

'I DON'T MEAN TO DO IT NATE!!!! I'VE JUST LOST ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, AND YOU'RE HAVING A GO AT ME!!!' Sophie's voice yelled even louder.

'YEAH WELL MY PARENTS ARE GETTING DIVORCED, HOW DO YOU RECKON THAT FEELS?!'

'AT LEAST NEITHER OF THEM IS DEAD!!'

'YEAH WELL I MAY AS WELL BE FOR ALL THEY CARE!!'

'I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR PARENTS!'

'WELL I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU!!! If this is the way you want to be then Sophie, a stupid slag who can't keep one guy, even one who's travelled thousands of miles to see her, then I guess we're finished!'

Those were the words Tom dreaded to hear. Everyone's eyes flicked onto him as he bit his lip and stared at the floor of the bus, wringing his hands. You could practically see his mind working overtime, trying to work out a solution.

'YEAH? WELL MAYBE IT IS!!' Sophie screeched.

'FINE!!!' Nate stormed through the curtain and down to us. 'Tom?' he asked harshly.

'Yeah?' Tom's voice was small.

'I want to go home.'

'You can't go home Nate, we're in the middle of country Australia on the way to Perth! We've still got another week here,' Tom said getting more and more flustered.

'Well I'm not spending another week here with her,' he sneered as he said the last word, motioning back towards Sophie's end of the bus.

'Her has a name!' she shouted. Nate ignored her.

'Nate, you're going to have to put up with it, I'm sorry. If it had've happened earlier we could've sent you home, but it's too late now.'

Nate glared at Tom. I had never seen Nate so angry, nor Tom so annoyed and flustered. His plans were all falling apart. Having us three girls and two other guys, all happy families. That had all crumbled to pieces now. Nate's blue eyes bored hard into Tom's.

'But if you really want to go home, I can arrange it I guess,' Tom sighed.

'Wait, Nate why don't you give it one more day, you never know,' Zac butted in quickly.

'No mate. I never want to speak to her again.'

'Just give it a chance please?'

'No.'

Zac threw his hands up in the air and sighed, leaning back onto me.

'You gonna take the weak way out huh? I always knew you were a wimp Nate, running away instead of fixing things,' Sophie sneered. She'd appeared in the doorway, red faced and angry.

'And I guess I always knew you were a slaggy bitch who treats people like dirt and doesn't care!' Nate snapped.

'Well what do you call Vanessa then if I'm that then huh?' Sophie snapped back.

'Sophie!' I gasped as Vanessa stiffened beside me.

'What? You know its true Lucie, I know you think it. Why else would Alex break up with her?' Sophie smirked.

'Sophie, I think you should-,' Harry began.

'You think I should what Harry? Huh?! Go and pretend everything's okay and that me and Nate are fine? Well we're not! If he didn't overreact on every tiny little thing, we wouldn't be having this problem!' Sophie snapped and Harry looked taken aback, numbly sinking back into his seat.

What was her problem?!

'Sophie, how would you feel if I started chatting up Vanessa here?' Nate asked, putting an arm around Vanessa's shoulders.

'I don't want any part in this,' Vanessa muttered, pushing his arm off her, teeth gritted in anger.

'Well hypothetically then,' Nate said.

'I would be fine with it, because I knew that you loved me anyway,' Sophie replied.

'No you wouldn't be; you'd be having a go at me, like always!' Nate snapped.

The tone of his voice set Sophie off again, and she began hurling abuse at Nate like there was no tomorrow. Nasty names and comments and every horrible word I'd never even dream about coming out of Sophie's mouth was thrown out into the air of the bus for everyone to hear. And Nate began throwing them right back at her.

'WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO BACK AND LIVE IN YOUR STUPID LITTLE PERFECT HOUSE WITH YOUR PERFECT FAMILY?!' Nate shouted eventually.

'How is my house so perfect Nate?' Sophie spat. 'You think having a house with big rooms and expensive looking furniture means my family is perfect? My dad's a solicitor in Melbourne. How often do you think I get to see him? Well the day that we left was the first time in six months. Still think my house is perfect?'

Vanessa and I glanced at each other. We knew Sophie's dad worked hard and was away for a long time, but we didn't realise it was that long. Nate paused, trying to think of a comeback.

'Yeah. That's what I thought,' Sophie sneered.

Nate sat down next to Zac. 'Tom?'

'Yeah?'

'When does the next Perth plane leave for London?'

'Ohhhhh here we go again. Wimpy Nate can't even face his demons; he has to run away from them. What a loser,' Sophie mocked. There were tears spilling over her cheeks but she didn't even make an attempt to brush them away. Dougie and Danny had slunk back against their spots on the couches, hoping they'd made themselves become invisible. Harry was sitting forwards, his face worried. Zac just looked pissed off, as did Vanessa.

I didn't know how to feel.

Everything was falling apart and there was nothing we could do about it. What were we going to do now?

'Sophie, just go back to Melbourne and ask your daddy for some money. I'm sure it'll be able to fix everything.' Nate was tired of playing her games.

The tears that Sophie had been keeping inside flooded over, spilling down her cheeks and onto her bare neck and chest.

'Sophie, I want you to come with me. I need to have a talk to you,' Tom said sternly, getting up from his spot next to Dougie, just as the bus came to a stop.

'We're here!' Tony called brightly, turning around in his seat to look at everyone. Upon seeing their faces he frowned and turned back.

'Harry, would you mind checking in for me?' Tom asked hopefully.

'Sure,' Harry replied, taking the card Tom was holding out. 'Come on guys.'

We began following Harry out of the bus with all our bags.

'No, Nate you're staying right here with Sophie and me thankyou,' Tom called as Nate went to leave as well. He sighed and dropped his bags, going back to the other side of Tom. Harry waited for the rest of us to exit the bus before pushing the door shut and wheeling his bag along with the rest of us to reception.

'Hi, how may I help you?' the receptionist asked chirpily.

'Hi, I'm Harry Judd, I'm here to check the McFly Clan in?' Harry said uncertainly.

She gasped and dropped her pen. 'McFly?' she squeaked, fumbling to pick it back up.

'Yeah,' Harry replied, unfazed.

'W-w-would you mind if I got your autographs?' she stammered, her cheeks turning pink.

'Of course,' Danny smiled as she handed them a piece of paper.

They signed it and handed it back and she began looking through her records. 'I was told a Tom Fletcher would be checking McFly in,' she said, glancing up at them.

'Tom's busy, he sent me. He'll be here soon,' Harry replied and she nodded.

'Right, straight up the elevator, floor nine, rooms three hundred and seven, eight and nine, I hope you enjoy your stay,' she smiled widely, handing Harry three key-cards.

'Thanks.' Harry forced his smile at her.

---

'Harry, what are we going to do?' Dougie asked once we were in the elevator up to floor nine.

'I honestly don't know Doug. Tom'll figure it out, he always does,' Harry sighed.

'But what if they fight and they end up going home?'

'Then they end up going home Doug, simple as that,' Harry replied.

He was sounding irritated now as the doors slid open. 'Here's your cards,' he murmured, handing Zac and I a key card.

I glanced down at it. 'Is it okay if we hang out with you guys?' I asked, looking back up at Harry.

I wasn't looking forward to being alone in a room with Vanessa. Especially after what Sophie had said to me and her.

Harry looked understanding. 'Sure, Zac can too.' He gave a little smile to Zac, who smiled back and followed us along the hallway to room three hundred and eight.

McFly's room was nice, probably the nicest we'd stayed at so far. Their four single beds were pushed up against each wall, with a small fridge, a couch, everything furnished and nice.

'Well this is much better than before eh?' Danny said brightly as we crowded around the door.

'What beds do you want?' Harry asked, looking around.

'Tom got the window one last time, I want it,' Dougie said defiantly, dumping his bag on top of the bed closest to the small window. Danny put his on the bed closest the bathroom and Harry put his closest to the door.

'Sit down if you want guys,' Danny said, motioning towards the couches. Zac, Vanessa and I put our bags next to the door and sat down in one line along the cream couch. No one spoke as Danny, Dougie and Harry emptied their bags into the chest of drawers beside their beds.

---

'Want to go for a swim guys? I'm boiling,' Danny sighed, lying back on his bed after he was finished.

'Sure,' Vanessa smiled.

'Well how about you go and get your stuff on and we'll meet you in the hall okay?' Harry said gently. They were all extremely quiet and everything they said was said like they thought we were going to cry or throw a tantrum if they said something wrong.

'I'll come with you Zac if you want, so you're not a loner,' Dougie said, clapping a hand on his shoulder as he went to room three hundred and nine.

---

'What the hell is Sophie's problem?' Vanessa was unpacking all her stuff. She'd chosen the bed closest the door this time. Mine was next to the window.

'I have no idea,' I replied.

'Hey Luce?' Vanessa asked uncertainly.

'Yeah?'

'What Sophie said. Is it true?' she almost whispered.

'Of course not,' I replied, in shock, reaching over and giving her a hug.

'Good,' she whispered, leaning her head on my shoulder.

'Poor Nate though. What the hell was going through her head?' Vanessa said, going back over to her bag and pulling out a bikini.

'I dunno,' I replied, getting mine out too.

'I feel sorry for Tom though, everything he's done; it's all falling apart,' she said.

'Yeah, thanks to Sophie and her stupid flirting. I mean, come on, he wasn't even hot,' I pointed out.

'I know! And if he was I would've been over there before her.' Vanessa winked at me.

'Ha-ha, I know Ness,' I laughed.

'Wonder what Tom's talking to them about.'

'Yeah, probably begging them not to break up. I dunno; Nate seemed pretty adamant that he wanted to. And I don't blame him,' I replied.

'Yeah. Ah well, let's just enjoy the time we've got alone with the boys. Ya know what Danny was telling me the other day? He's never seen a group of friends so comfortable with each other... apart from the boys. He also told me you look like "That blonde bird from High School Musical".'

'He seriously said that?!' I said, erupting into laughter.

'Yeah, but I have to say I agree with him,' she smiled, flicking my blonde hair. I poked my tongue out at her and went into the bathroom to get changed.

What Vanessa had said was going over and over and my head. Danny thought I looked like Ashley Tisdale?

I looked into the shiny mirror. But all I saw was baby-faced cheekbones and features and horrible stringy hair that didn't suit my face.

I heaved a sigh and began getting changed.

---

Danny, Dougie, Harry and Zac were waiting for us out in the corridor when we walked out the door. They were all in board shorts and were carrying towels, looking considerate and hot. I still couldn't get over being able to see McFly every day and seeing them in board shorts, even after all the weeks with them! 'Shall we go then?' Danny suggested and we nodded.

---

The trip in the elevator to downstairs was silent and weird, knowing that we were missing three essential members of the group. It just didn't feel the same without them, knowing two of them may be already on their way home. We walked into the lobby and the receptionist put her hands over her mouth, eyes wide, gawking at Danny, Dougie and Harry. They smiled at each other and continued walking across to the pool. It was pretty big complete with blow up pool toys and a spa and a diving board.

'Last one in's a rotten egg!' Dougie shouted, tossing his towel aside and racing to the side, bombing in, water flying everywhere. Danny and Harry smiled at us and bombed in after him. Vanessa took my hand, Zac taking the other side and we all jumped in, splashing the boys.

---

After many races up and down the pool, diving contests, and handstand contests, everyone retreated to the spa to relax. Tom had been in the stuffy bus with Nate and Sophie for an hour now.

'I wonder what Tom's trying to tell them,' Dougie sighed.

'Probably "You guys break up and I'll set my killer Wookies onto you!"' Harry giggled and everyone laughed.

All of a sudden the lobby door was thrown open and there stood Sophie, Nate and Tom.

'Hey mate! How'd it-?' Danny started but upon seeing the look on Tom's face, stopped.

Sophie and Nate began to storm to the elevator, pushing and shoving each other on the way. Tom's body seemed to crumble as he walked over to us, his face frustrated and irritated and sad. He kicked his shoes off and rolled his shorts up, sticking his feet into the spa.

'How'd it go?' Danny asked quietly.

'I got nowhere with them!! All Nate wants to do is go home, and Sophie will not accept the blame for anything, insisting it's Nate's fault. I have no hearing left, I swear,' he said, digging a finger into his ear.

'That bad eh?' Harry said and Tom nodded, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing his temples.

'Give Luce, Zac and me a go, we might be able to talk them out of their stupid fight,' Vanessa suggested.

'You can try, they may listen to you more than they do me. You've known them longer,' Tom sighed.

'Yeah, come on, I'm getting all wrinkly anyway,' Harry said, holding up his hands that looked like prunes.

---

We dried ourselves off and headed back to our rooms. Sophie and Nate were sitting on opposite sides of the corridor, unable to get into their rooms. When we opened the door Sophie stormed in, throwing her stuff down on the floor. Vanessa was standing with her hands on her hips. Uh oh...

'So that's what you really think of me Sophie? Huh?' Vanessa said harshly, standing in front of her.

'Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't,' Sophie sneered. All the fighting already had definitely not dampened her ability to fight some more.

'So Alex broke up with me cos I'm a slag, is that right?' Vanessa asked.

I sat down on my bed and put my face in my hands. Vanessa was making it worse. It was turning back into our trip to London.

'Yeah, everyone says it about you behind your back,' Sophie replied quickly, a smirk on her face.

Vanessa's face turned angrier. 'Including you?'

Sophie shrugged.

'I don't know why the hell I ever became friends with you!!!' Vanessa screamed her hard outer shell cracking.

'As I said before, Lucie thinks the same thing!' Sophie screamed back.

'Yeah well Lucie-,' Vanessa started.

I didn't stay around to hear it. I slammed the door shut behind me just as the tears started falling.

Why couldn't they just get along?

I walked along the hall and put my hand up to knock on Zac and Nate's door, but stopped.

'Don't you realise if you go home I'll be all alone! Sure McFly and the girls are great, but I need you Nate!' Zac was yelling.

'At least your girlfriend isn't acting like a complete slag!!' Nate yelled back. They were so loud it sounded like I was standing right next to them.

'Lucie wouldn't ever do that! She's too shy to!' Zac replied.

'Frigid more like it,' Nate yelled.

Gee. Thanks Nate.

It didn't look like they were going to help me. I walked along the corridor to McFly's room, in hope that their room would be a sanctuary away from all the fighting. But deep inside I knew my hopes were dead before I even got there.

'Tom! It's not our fault what they do! You don't need to take it out on us!!!' Harry's voice was shouting.

'I don't care Harry!! Why is everything always up to me?!'

'Excuse me, but who looked after Lucie when she was upset?!' Danny exclaimed.

'Well you had to Danny! She came to you! But why am I always in charge of fixing everyone else's problems?!' Tom's voice exclaimed.

Great, now I was just another responsibility; a task no one wanted to do.

I sunk to the floor in the middle of the hall, people's yelling voices surrounding me, loud, angry voices.

The sound of friendships breaking.

I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut.

I had to get out of there.

I stood up, tears blinding me as I ran down the hall and into the elevator. The stupid music irritated me as I travelled down nine floors, blinking back tears. The door slid open and I ran out and across the lobby. I pushed the glass door open and began walking down the crowded street. School was out and everyone was laughing and giggling as they walked along. I didn't know where I was going.

I just had to get away from them.

Their yelling voices were echoing in my head.

Sophie and Vanessa couldn't stop being friends. What would happen to me? I didn't have any others.

Zac and Nate. If Nate stopped being friends with Zac, he'd probably not come back and see me. Zac didn't like being by himself.

And McFly. I didn't even want to think about what would happen to them if they stopped being friends.

Tears clouded my eyes once again as the school kids pushed past me, giving me weird glances.

Where we going to have to cancel the show? We had sound check in half an hour. We couldn't play with everyone hating each other. I bumped into everyone as I blindly walked along the street.

'Oi, watch it loser.' A harsh voice echoed in my ear and a hard push into my shoulders sent me tumbling to the ground, my knees, face, elbows and palms grinding against the unforgiving concrete. I began sobbing, in the middle of the street, ignoring my injuries.

People whispered as they walked past, cutting paths around me, staring.

'Who's the freak?' someone whispered.

'Is she okay?'

'Why won't she get up?'

'Is she retarded?'

'What a loser.'

But I couldn't make myself get up.

Everything was broken.

More and more people carved a path around either side of me, keeping as far away as possible.

Someone seized me by the shoulders and picked me up off the hard concrete, carrying me. I leaned my head into their shoulder. They smelled familiar somehow. And comforting.

I continued crying.

The person still carried me, their hands under my knees and on my back.

Walking further and further.

Until finally they stopped and sat down, sitting me in a chair.

I looked up.

Into the face of Dougie Poynter.

He looked worried and stressed out. I couldn't help it. I began crying again, falling into his chest.

He silently stroked the side of my face, brushing away the tears that fell onto his t-shirt.