“I told you before,” Keely began in a hoarse voice, stabbing at the grilled chicken on her plate.

A part of her probably found it amusing that one of the apparently “hip” places in New York had chicken that tasted like rubber. But for the most part she was focused on her growling stomach. Not to mention the annoyance of the conversation. It probably wasn’t a good combination.

“Yes, yes, I know,” Maureen answered impatiently. “You’ve told me again and again. But this isn’t going to change.”

Her eyes narrowing hungrily on the other woman’s fork loaded with pasta, Keely could feel her stomach starting to churn. Deciding to ignore the feeling altogether, she just returned, “You’re not listening to me though. I have a backup band.”

The woman rolled her dark eyes, somehow managing to stay dignified even with the childish action. “I’m not asking you to change that,” she retorted.

“But you’re asking me to undermine them completely.”

“You’re being unreasonable,” pointed out Maureen as if she was speaking to a child.

Irritated she just started cutting into the chicken; carving it into small pieces even though she didn’t dare bringing it anywhere near her mouth. “I can’t do what you’re asking me to do, it’s just not fair.”

“It’s just one show!” Ms Jones exclaimed, letting her fork clatter to the table. “You do know how hard it is to get a slot on Peter’s television show? He does what he wants and he’ll only bring musicians on that he really likes, do you really want to insult him? He’s practically got more control over popularity than MTV does.”

“I’m not saying I won’t do the show,” Keely countered, changing to shoving the bits of chicken around the plate with her eyes focused on it. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to stay strong if she looked into Maureen’s eyes. “I’m just saying I want to perform with my whole backup band, not three quarters of it.”

“You’ll only be playing two songs with Seth on the guitar instead of John. You’re going to be doing the whole interview with Seth anyways, Peter wants both of you. He thinks the chemistry you two have will boost ratings.”

Gulping she focused on keeping the heat away from her cheeks as she just continued to stare at her plate. “I have no issue with doing the interview with Seth. But I don’t want to do that to the band.”

In an exasperated tone, Maureen answered, “Have you even talked to them about it?”

“I have, and they don’t want to do that anymore than I do. They’ll do it if I force them, but I’m sorry, I’m not cutting my band up. They’d prefer me to play with a whole different band altogether for the show.”

“Where is he anyways?” asked an exasperated Maureen, rubbing her temples resignedly. “He was supposed to meet us here.”

With the edge of her lip twitching in disgust, Keely dropped her fork onto the plate and shoved it away from herself. She wondered if all mothers were opposed to people playing with their food or if that was just fifties housewives. “Maybe he heard about the food,” she returned, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back in the uncomfortable wooden seat.

Despite their little argument, Maureen laughed lightly in the back of her throat as she looked up. “It really is awful.”

Shaking her head Keely pushed back with her heels, tipping the chair absently onto its back legs as she pondered their previous words. “I don’t care,” she told the older woman softly as she stared at the wall. “I don’t care if they’d do it because I asked; I’m not going to consider asking them to split up their band, even for just one show.”

“I really should have signed someone less stubborn,” Ms Jones observed.

Arching an eyebrow she just felt one side of her mouth tip up as she replied, “I’m determined, not stubborn.”

“No, no, you’re just stubborn.”

Jolting slightly at the new voice, Keely’s eyes hastily found Seth as he took the seat beside her casually, as if he hadn’t just showed up an hour late.

Even though her pulse began to race and she was struck by the fact he could look so absentmindedly handsome with slight stubble crossing over his chin, his typical bed hair and a light grey hoodie, Keely kept herself from shifting away from him. That would be suspicious, wouldn’t it? With the thought crossing her mind, she focused solely on keeping her cheeks from reddening.

“I wouldn’t be talking if I were you,” she settled on her reply, arching an eyebrow casually as she reached out to grab her drink.

Barely hearing Maureen speaking but gathering enough to know she was pestering Seth about not showing up, Keely just stared down at her glass of water that she’d taken for her burning throat.

Her hand gripping it was shaking slightly.

As she watched the water skittering up the edges of the seamless cup, she could only decide that it was from nerves.

In the day that had passed since her record release, she hadn’t been within a hundred meters of him. If having that little time apart was a good thing or not, as of yet she didn’t know. All Keely knew for sure that his arm being a mere movement away from brushing hers was enough to make her heart pound against her chest.

Would he notice the change in her? If anyone knew her, it was him. Maybe he didn’t know every fact about her life, but he knew her and that meant more than knowing that when she was twelve she’d fallen from a tree and broken her arm. So if anyone would be able to tell that there was a difference in her emotions and behaviour, it would be him.

However, that wasn’t even the biggest question for her. The biggest being, did she even want him to know?

Yes, sure, she’d kept the fact that she’d had what she’d considered a little school girl crush on him a secret. But… love – even the thought of the word made her cringe – was a lot different than anything else.

He might deserve to know about the enormous swerve in her heart, even if it was just to tell her that she needed to get a hold of herself, but how could she tell him she loved him when she couldn’t even tell him she missed him when they were apart? Not to mention the biggest slice of her emotions were plain terrified. She just didn’t want to feel this way about anyone, even him.

The thought of being in love with someone just sent a deep spread panic through her bones. She wasn’t good with it; all she had to do was look into her history to gather that much. From her entire relationship with Tony all the way to what she now knew her parent’s relationship had been like. She wasn’t meant to be in love, it was practically in her DNA.

How on earth could she tell him she loved him but wished she didn’t?

“You okay?”

Tearing her eyes from the glass that she’d been staring at numbly, Keely jerked her chin up to look at the boy sitting beside her who was sending her a bewildered look.

“Yeah,” she answered hastily, “Perfect.” In her rush to pretend like she was a completely normal human being – instead of her obviously emotionally twisted self – she took an enormous gulp from the glass she was holding. But immediately started coughing when the liquid hit her throat awkwardly, causing her eyes to water as she sat straight up in her seat, her cheeks blazing.

Wordlessly Seth just grabbed the glass of water from her hand before she could send it flying, placing it safely on table. “I swear you’re getting clumsier by the second,” he told her, his gold eyes shimmering amusedly beneath the light.

“There’s–” the sharp words were on the type of her tongue, but the moment the first word escaped her dry throat, the coughing started up again. Yet this time it was more alarming, because it was only a word that caused the outbreak.

Heaving with her painfully rough throat, Keely covered her mouth, leaning down so her hair covered her face while her shoulders moved violently with the movement.

Instantly Seth’s hand was on her back, rubbing a small maddening circle that raised goosebumps despite the fabric separating their skin. Raising her head, her eyes once again filled involuntarily, she sent him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” he questioned, although now he looked less confused as he frowned down at her, his hand not even hesitating in the movement.

Swallowing dryly, she just nodded. “Yeah,” Keely croaked, her voice rougher than before after the coughing fit. “It’s just from the show; I should be fine in a little while.”

Seth nodded slowly, his eyes searching her face as if trying to discern hesitation even though her words had been completely honest. “Okay,” he answered after the long pause, pulling his hand away from her back.

Sighing deeply, Keely sat back up in her seat, leaning back carefully. She could only be grateful he’d taken his hand away, as much as she’d liked him to keep the movement up, it would keep her from doing something irrational if they had some space between the two of them.

“We’re all done now?” asked Maureen, reminding Keely of her presence. “Because we have to figure out what we’re going to do about Peter’s show.”

Slouching back comfortably in his seat, Seth just leaned his elbow on the rest as he reached forward with his other hand, picking up her water. “Has he still not budged about me playing?” he questioned, taking a sip.

“Not even an inch,” Keely muttered.

“And she won’t ask John to sit out for one song,” added Maureen sourly.

He just nodded easily, dropping the glass back on the table, though he did completely ignore the presence of the food. And that, in itself, Keely found dubious. After all, she’d lived on a bus with him and his two best friends, and beside from them doing some rather stupid things, they’d also eat like typical young men, devouring almost everything in sight. He must have heard about the food.

“Makes sense, so are we sending another huge musical figure the finger, metaphorically or literally?” he returned, sending his charming crooked grin in her direction.

Before she could answer, Ms Jones cut in hastily, “No, we are not. We’re trying to find a way around Keely and Peter being stubborn.”

“We’ll find her a new backup band,” put in Seth as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Not even wanting that to proceed any further than the words, because she had a feeling she knew where it was going, Keely piped up. “No, thanks Seth, but as much as I like playing with you guys, I can’t do another show with NSR, it’s fine to do it at the concerts to make fans happy and just for fun. But I’ve been on TV playing with you three so much lately; people are going to think I’m joining your guys’ band soon.”

“Why would anyone think you’d want to join NSR in the first place?” he snorted derisively. “Anyways, NSSR sounds like crap. But I wasn’t talking about the boys; we’ll just throw you together a makeshift band for a show.”

“You’re insane,” she stated clearly, staring at him from under high eyebrows. “Why would people even want to do it just for two songs?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Seth replied sarcastically, “Maybe the fact that it’s a worldwide television show. They’d be getting free publicity from an artist who’s album debuted at number four on the US and UK Charts.”

Frowning slightly, Keely threw back, “The show is only two days from now. How do you expect to put together a band that sounds even somewhat okay after two days of practice?”

“Why are you making this so difficult?”

“Why are you acting like it’s so easy?”

“Could we stop with the bickering?” exclaimed Maureen, successfully causing them to halt in their words. “Seth,” she started, focusing on the boy in question, “Just put it all together and make sure you’ll sound halfway decent. And Keely,” she changed her focus to the girl, “Deal with it.”

Instantly she opened her mouth, about to send a sharp – and what she felt was a reasonable – reply to the woman, but her hand was gripped quickly, hauling her out of her chair.

Barely having time to grab her bag from the back of her chair before Seth had dragged her from the table, Keely called a hasty goodbye to Maureen while she swung her bag over her shoulder, hastening her step behind him. They were undoubtedly leaving her with an enormous bill for some horrible meal, but since Keely was taking it personally that she’d not been able to eat yet, she found she was okay with that.

Being dragged out of the restaurant into the frigid air, it was Keely who tugged her hand out of Seth’s grip casually. “I still say you’re insane,” she observed, stuffing her hands into the pockets of the knit grey cardigan she was wearing over her simple white v neck. The absence of a concert t-shirt being forced by the rather expensive nature of the restaurant, though her jeans still head a tear in the thigh, but Keely felt that the black flats she was wearing counter acted it. “We practised for weeks before we played that show together at the Chrome Palace.”

Grinning, he ran his hand habitually through his hair, stepping back casually, making the people walking down the street dodge around him, sending second glances over their shoulders. “Ah, but you had no warning about the Christmas show.”

Finding that she couldn’t send him a flat look in response to that contagious grin, she felt the corners of her lips tipping up in a smile. “But I’d been practising with you lot every day inside the bus.”

“What about the record launch?” he countered seamlessly. “Most of that show was on the spot.”

“My previous argument still stands, but for my back up band instead.”

Apparently not being able to let her hold onto her reason, Seth stepped forward, filling in the space between them and forcing her to tip her head up to look at him. “Just trust me, okay?” he told her softly, his eyes smouldering.

“Keely?” asked a timid voice, “Could I maybe have an autograph?”

Tearing her eyes away from Seth, Keely smiled at the young girl with her blonde hair pulled back, although she couldn’t help but wonder if her expression was slightly absent. “Sure, sweetie,” she replied, taking the pen that the girl offered.

After a quick conversation that left the girl’s eyes shining and her braces shown to the world, Keely found herself once again alone with Seth.

“Who are you planning on for the band?” she asked in defeat. How could anyone keep their will strong when he’d been looking at them like that? Even if there had been a slight interruption, it was burnt into her mind.

“I’ve got an idea, but depends on whose still in the city,” Seth responded, his eyes looking down the road before he looked back at her closely. “You want to come?” he offered, “My car is just like a twenty minute walk away because parking sucks.”

The moment he asked the question, Keely found herself ready to nod and agree. But she hastily stopped regretfully. “I’ve got to go talk to the band.”

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Seth dropped back a step, people parting way for him before he walked into them. How come it was so easy for him? If she tried to do that, she’d be face first in the pavement by then. “Well, whoever they’re going to be, we’ll practice tomorrow at the warehouse. Noon and bring food?”

“See you tomorrow,” she smiled at him.

Sending her one last crooked grin that she was surprised didn’t cause every woman on the street to faint, Seth just turned on his heel, presumably off to find his car, wherever he parked it.

Turning in the opposite direction, she walked down the busy street, her eyes on the ground as she absentmindedly rubbed her chest above her heart.

Slamming the door of the yellow cab that screeched off in her wake, Keely began pulling the things that she’d placed on the ground while speaking to the driver into her arms. First was undoubtedly her bag, after all it contained her songbook, and afterwards it was the plastic bags filled with the little white cartons of Chinese food.

Only when she had everything in hand and she straightened, did she glance to her side, taking in the cars parked on the street. There was Seth’s car and a beat up old car that she couldn’t name, although it was somewhat black. But what she could decipher about it was the boy pushing out of it.

“Hey,” she said, unable to keep the surprise from her voice as she moved her way over to the car in question.

Smiling at her easily – much more at ease than he had been at the record release party – Will hurriedly stepped forward. “Here, I got this,” he offered, taking the bags that were hooked around her wrists.

“Did Seth have to bribe you?” she joked, brushing her bangs from her forehead with her suddenly free hands while they moved companionably across the street to the warehouse.

Will chuckled easily, the brisk wind toying with his straight hair, whisking it around messily. “Yes with lunch, but no, not really. He made some good points though. I would have agreed anyways, I liked playing with you before even if it was for one song and I still feel guilty about what we did to you.”

“I’m over it,” Keely reminded him as she hopped up onto the curb.

He winced, his eyes looking down at her, and that shame he’d been talking about coming clear. “It wasn’t right that–”

“I’m over it,” she repeated, her hand on the door handle of the heavy door, “And you should get over it too. Like I said, I like the way things turned out and I doubt it would have ended up this way if you’d guys had stayed on. Plus, like you said, it wasn’t even your choice and the guy who did want that is out of your band anyways.”

Without waiting for his answer, Keely pushed the unlocked door open, her shoulder helping propel it forward. “I come baring food carried by an adorable boy,” she called easily, holding the door open for Will.

He just grinned slightly as he moved into the warehouse, but Keely didn’t miss the fact that his ears had reddened.

Shaking her head easily, she let go of the door and followed him in, tossing her bag onto the couch before looking up. A quick glance around the room showed that Will was putting the food down on one of the many boxes spread throughout the room and Seth was standing by the fridge, bringing a coffee cup to his lips.

Instantly her eyes darted down to the coffee maker that was just to the side of the fridge. “You bought coffee?” she laughed, “You know we’re only here for a couple more days, right?”

“And tea,” supplied another voice.

Surprised at the voice only because she’d been completely oblivious to the person’s presence in the room, it wasn’t a stretch to figure out who it was. After all, she’d talked to him a lot the record launch, not to mention she didn’t know many people with English accents.

Arching an eyebrow, she turned her head in Jake’s direction, unable to keep the smirk off her face. “You’re really going to go for that cultural stereotype, are you?”

Jake gave a yawn, pushing his long blonde hair behind his ears and crouching down to the guitar case at his feet. “Some things can’t be changed.”

Rolling her eyes easily, Keely changed her gaze back towards the coffee maker. “Well I brought food so–” before she could finish her demand for Seth to make her coffee, he was handing her a cup filled with the substance casually as he passed.