"come and gone, the perfect storm

on and on, never ending

, empty arms

Still remember a time when you felt like home

You and me up against the great unknown

You were my life, now you're out of my life

Can you hear me? I'm trying to hear you

Silence strikes like a hurricane

I'm singing for you, you're screaming at me

It's hard to see your tears in the "

✰

"I'm not going." Arlo declares, her eyes so puffy that they're practically swollen shut. "I'm an adult, you can't make me-"

"Oh, I am." Beck crosses his arms over his chest as he stands at the foot of the bed. "You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm leaving you here like this." He scoffs, beginning to pull the blanket the small girl is wrapped up in off of her body.

Arlo quickly tugs the blanket closer to her, wishing nothing more than to drown in the fabric, disappearing so far into the material that nobody else would be able to see her. "Like what?" She huffs, unwilling to give in.

Beckham Hale raises a brow as if to say, do you really want me to say this? When Arlo stubbornly pouts her lips, the green-eyed boy exhales, narrowing his eyes at her. "Heartbroken over a guy you swore you had gotten over. Like that."

Beck arrived home from last-minute rehearsals somewhere around one in the morning. He was already pissed considering he was going to end up with less than three hours of sleep and the boy was always too car sick to sleep on the tour bus.

The lights were still on despite the late hour and Arlo was nowhere to be found, not even the radio playing to keep her company as it usually was. Even though he had no idea what had happened, there was a certain emotion hanging in the air of the small apartment.

In fact, Beck almost knew that something was wrong before he even stepped foot inside the bedroom.

He found Arlo slumped against the wall on the floor with two books clutched to her chest. She must have fallen asleep due to pure exhaustion, for her makeup-or what was left of it- was still staining her cheeks, marked by tear streaks. She hadn't even changed into her pajamas, her jean shorts, and bralette top from earlier still on her body.

Her under eyes were so puffy and her cheeks so red that Beckham had to check that the girl wasn't running a fever. Although the dried tears on her cheeks and the crescent nail marks on her palm were a dead giveaway that the girl had been upset about something.

When Beck gently woke up Arlo, the last thing he'd expected her to do was clutch the two ratty-looking books to her chest and hide them away like they were her darkest secrets. She refused to tell him what they were or where they came from no matter how many times he asked.

It was safe to say neither of them got any sleep- Arlo was far too distraught and as a result, so was Beck.

"You can't make me go." Arlo shakes her head stubbornly, sinking further into the mattress. She rolls over and averts her eyes to the wall of the bedroom.

In fact, the mere thought of being around Luke after what she'd spent half of the night reading was enough to make her physically ill.

Arlo knew Luke cared for her. How could she not? He showed his care for her in everything he did- his words, his actions, his music. However, Arlo had no idea how deep this care for her ran.

It was safe to say that after reading the words he'd written, Luke cared for Arlo more than she even knew was possible and it made her feel horrible. Not only because she broke his heart that was so willing to give her love and affection, but because now, it would be a million times harder for her to be around him after reading what he'd written.

Arlo had fallen even more in love with Luke after reading his words and as each day passes Luke was falling more out of love with her, she was sure of it.

Beck merely rolls his eyes before striding over and ripping the blanket off of her body. Arlo gasps, whipping her head around with an annoyed expression that quickly turns into one of shock when Beck drags her out of bed and positions her small body over his shoulder.

"Beckham Hale!" Arlo's voice is muffled by his hoodie as she clings to the fabric for dear life, all of the blood rushing to her head and making her dizzy. "Put me down!"

"You're coming on tour, I don't care if I have to carry you all the way to the tour bus." Beck declares, walking through the apartment and towards the door.

The tour bus was parked in the back of the apartment building, something that wasn't out of the ordinary considering the sheer amount of artists that lived in the area. Luckily, someone had already come for their bags so all that was left was to get on the bus and leave.

Arlo gives up on struggling as soon as the door of the apartment shuts, leaving Beck to lock the door with one hand while the other splays across her thighs to keep her from falling. "You have two options." He begins as he makes his way down the hall and to the elevator. "You either make up with blondie or you get the fuck over him and I don't mean just say you're over him- actually get over him."

Arlo whines, going limp over Beck's shoulder as she watches his feet take step after step. "It's not that simple and you know it."

Beck scoffs, rolling his eyes no matter the fact that Arlo can't see him as he stops in front of the elevator. "Yes, it is. He's literally still-"

The elevator dings, opening up to reveal the entirety of 5 Seconds of Summer. Beckham merely shoots them a nod in greeting before stepping into the elevator. "Oh, good morning gentleman."

Arlo's face pales despite the blood rushing to her head as a familiar four sets of beat-up converse and untied vans come into her line of sight, though she has no time to dwell on it as her world is suddenly flipped upright.

"Why are you kidnapping, Arlo?" Michael asks simply, the early hour of the morning evident in his voice.

Beck steadies her with a hand on her waist, making sure she doesn't stumble as a dizzy spell overtakes her from the quick change. Although, once Arlo's vision focuses and she's done glaring at Beck, she really, really wishes she were anywhere but in the cramped elevator.

For, Luke Hemmings leans against the far wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his biceps- which were far more built than they were three years ago- on full display due to his short-sleeved band tee.

His blue eyes have a certain fire behind them and he toys with his lip as he used to when his lip ring was there, almost like he still hadn't outgrown the habit. It's undeniable that the look on his face is one of anger or annoyance and that only makes Arlo's stomach twist even more than it had after reading what she had the night before.

"Confidential reasons." Beck shrugs simply. "Are we getting breakfast?"

Arlo swallows thickly, trying her best to force her eyes away from Luke. The guilt that she felt was overwhelming and she couldn't bear to look at him any longer. She averts her eyes to the floor, her fingertips toying with the waistband of her black leggings as she listens to the elevator descend each floor.

Maybe if Arlo had been looking at Luke she'd see the jealousy that flashes in his eyes when Beck tugs the hem of her cropped shirt down for her. The same top that had been misplaced from the way he had her over his shoulder, his hands splayed across her thighs, dangerously close to somewhere else.

"All I'm saying is that I don't think you should be allowed to eat takeout on the bus." Beck argues, his hands moving animatedly as the elevator door opens, depositing the group onto the ground floor. They take the back hallway, making their way to the bus.

"That's ridiculous!" Calum argues, tiredly rubbing his eyes, for he had been dead asleep on the ride over. "Just because you don't like the smell of reheated chicken does not mean-"

"You know you clear out every gas station we stop at anyway." Ashton groans, rubbing his temples. Sometimes, he thought Beck fit a little too well with their group. As a result, Calum was comfortable enough to argue with him.

"Hey, Arlo do you wanna play Mario Kart with me?" Michael joins the girl at her side as they exit the building into the parking lot. The arguing boys take the lead, hastily climbing on the bus while the two of them fall behind, a certain blond taking up the rear.

Arlo cringes, feeling guilty for wanting to turn him down. "Maybe later." She shoots him a sorry smile that takes all of her energy to conjure up. "I didn't sleep much last night."

The blond adjusts his black beanie on his head, brushing his fringe of hair away from his eyes. "Deal. I'm gonna hold you to that." Michael nudges her shoulder playfully before climbing onto the bus.

Arlo however, stops before she can climb the stairs onto the large vehicle. The girl just needs one last breath of fresh air before she can accept the fact that she was going to be in a confined space with Luke for hours on end.

As she leans her back against the cool metal side of the bus, the early morning air filling her lungs, she feels a presence next to her. She knows it's him without even opening her eyes- maybe that was a result of spending so much time with him, or maybe they were truly connected.

Luke stands before her, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Are you going to get on?" There's a certain bite in his tone that sets off warning bells in Arlo's brain and her body stills instantly.

"Yeah, I'm just... taking a breather, I guess." Her voice is quiet as she struggles to explain herself, her eyes having a hard time focusing on him due to how good Luke looks. With his messy curls and his bright blue eyes, Arlo wasn't sure how to look away.

"Right." Luke nearly scoffs.

Truthfully, he didn't know the exact reason for his bad mood. It may have been due to how early he had to wake up and another failed hookup the night before. But, deep down he knew it was because the act of going to an apartment building where Beck and Arlo lived together and then watching them enter the elevator the way they did was enough to make him sick.

They lived together.

It made him wonder if Beck knew how she liked her coffee or that she always sits by the window right after she wakes up in order to watch the sunrise. Luke selfishly hoped that he hadn't seen the way the morning light makes her brown eyes look golden or how pretty she looks wrapped up in the sheets, her hair messy and her cheeks flushed pink.

Luke also wondered if she knew those things about him. Did Arlo know the little things about Beck? Did those little quirks and habits of Beck's take center stage in her mind and replace all the memories of him? Did Arlo remember how Luke liked his coffee or how he always woke her with gentle kisses on her cheeks?

Arlo swallows thickly, wincing at the annoyance laced in his tone. "You can go ahead, I'll be on in a second." She suggests, for she couldn't stand to be under his gaze any longer.

"I think I'll wait." Luke says nonchalantly, leaning against the tour bus beside her. It may have been a dickhead move, especially because he could see the look of distress on her face, but deep down he just enjoyed the fact that his presence could still make her squirm.

Arlo digs her nails into the soft skin of her palms, taking a deep breath as she tries to appear unaffected. But, every time she looked at him she just saw the words he wrote- they were inescapable, all of the things he said about her in-between stanzas of love poems and in broken lyrics of unfinished songs.

Suddenly, the small window above them slides open and a head of curly black hair pops out. "Get your asses on the bus!" Calum shouts down at them, impatient due to the promise of breakfast from his favorite place up the road. "Unless you were about to kiss... then please continue!"

Luke curses under his breath, running a hand frustratingly through his blond hair before striding up the stairs of the bus. Arlo has no choice but to follow behind, her heart in her throat as the doors of the bus close behind her.

Luke goes straight to the bunks in the back, harshly sliding closed the small door that separates the sitting area of the bus from the back. The sound of the door slamming echoes tauntingly through Arlo's head as she collapses onto the couch next to Beckham, who's already got a deck of cards in his hands.

The green-eyed boy doesn't question her for now, but a million different questions are running through his mind as Arlo rests her head on his shoulder and shuts her eyes. Beck simply places down another card, exchanging a glance with the other three boys across from him.

"Go fish."

✰

They'd been on the road for close to five hours and it was safe to say that Calum Hood was going stir crazy. He's already inspected every cabinet in the bus and tested out each bunk on the bed, examining them for differences, and played at least eighty games of Go Fish and at least one of Black Jack.

He made sure everyone on the bus knew how bored he was as well and eventually Ashton got fed up with it and decided they should stop at a gas station to stretch their legs.

And maybe while Luke and Arlo were distracted, the rest of the band had been scheming in a group chat. Just maybe.

"Do you want anything?" Beck asks Arlo as he tiredly stretches his arms above his head, his fingertips brushing the roof of the bus.

Arlo shakes her head from where she's curled up on one of the couches, her phone in hand. "I'm good, thank you though."

Beck furrows his brows as she makes no move to get up. "You're not even coming inside? Aren't you tired of being on the bus?"

Truthfully, Arlo was tired of being on the bus, but she assumed this would be her only chance to be away from Luke in the coming hours. Granted, it would be a short five-minute grace period where he was in the gas station, but it was better than nothing.

"No." Arlo shakes her head, right as the door leading to the sleeping area of the bus opens. Luke stumbles out, his hair messy from sleep and his phone in his hand.

Luke walks right past them, not even sparing the two a glance as he makes his way off of the bus and follows the rest of his band into the gas station. That's all it takes for everything to click in Beck's mind. "Oh, you're avoiding him. How mature."

Arlo purses her lips, narrowing her eyes at the boy in front of her. "I am not."

Beck gives her a knowing look, holding his hands up in defense as he turns on his heel and makes his way off of the bus. Besides, he was counting on Arlo staying on the bus, as was the rest of the band.

Everything was going according to plan.

He's the last of the group to make it into the gas station and by the time he enters the door of the small store, the entire band seems to have raided each and every aisle, their hands full of any snack you could think of.

Beck makes his way to the drinks first, intent on grabbing an energy drink for himself and something for Arlo as well, despite the fact she said she didn't want anything.

Luke is grabbing a water out of one of the large freezers in the back of the store when Beck approaches. He tries to ignore the ugly feeling in his stomach, but it's no use when he opens his mouth.

"What do you think Arlo would want?" Beck asks, admittedly intent on instigating. Not to rub the breakup in Luke's face, but to give him a little push in the right direction. "Water, an energy drink, coffee-"

"Arnold Palmer." Luke blurts before he can even think about what he's doing.

A specific memory of her getting the very same drink that night in the diner across from the bookstore flashes through his mind. She'd begged him for weeks to take her back to the diner just so she could get the drink again, but they'd always been too busy with band shit.

Beck furrows his brows, for in his three years of knowing Arlo not once had she ever asked for an Arnold Palmer. "Dude, are you sure because-"

The blonde clenches his jaw painfully, suddenly losing his appetite. "Then get whatever the fuck you want." Luke scoffs, slamming the door of the freezer shut. "Since you know her so well."

Beck watches with a slight smirk on his face, his green eyes flashing with mischief as he makes eye contact with Calum, Ashton, and Michael who watch eagerly. He had no idea how the hell this had managed to work and he decides in that moment that Calum Hood is a fucking genius.

Calum gives the other three boys a sight nod and a salute before discreetly beginning to follow Luke out of the gas station. He makes sure that the blonde doesn't catch sight of him as he steps onto the tour bus.

The driver of the bus stands a couple of feet away, waiting to hand Calum the keys. He does so and the tan bassist slips him a twenty. As soon as Luke steps onto the bus, allowing the doors to slam behind him, Calum quickly locks the doors before letting a laugh of disbelief slip past his lips.

Inside the bus, Luke is fuming.

Arlo sits bewildered on the couch, her mind reeling as Luke stands in front of her with a lethal expression on his face. "Since when do you not drink fucking Arnold Palmers? When did they stop being your favorite? Because you used to beg me-" Luke cuts himself off, clenching his jaw. "What fucking changed?"

Luke wasn't talking about a drink and they both knew it.

Arlo swallows thickly, hugging her knees to her chest and wishing she could curl into a ball so small that nobody would be able to see her. "They don't taste the way they used to."

"And who's goddamn fault is that?" Luke snaps, pacing in front of her. One of his fists is clenched at his side and the other tugs at his curls. He opens his mouth to speak again, but the shocked look on Arlo's face only gets him off. "Don't sit there and act surprised either you know what you did!"

"I tried to apologize!" Arlo defends immediately, for she wouldn't have Luke thinking for a single second that she didn't feel bad for what she did. "You wouldn't let me! Every time I tried to tell you how sorry I was you cut me off!

"Because I know you don't mean it!" Luke shouts back, his voice steadily rising. He shakes his head in disbelief, tearing his eyes away from where she sits as he begins striding toward the door, intent on hiding out in the gas station for longer. "Fuck this." He mumbles under his breath.

"Why did you call me the other night?" Arlo asks, her voice suddenly closer than before. She's standing only feet away from him now, her arms crossed across her torso as if she was preparing for the damage his words might do. "If you don't believe me then why did you waste your time calling me?"

"I'm not doing this Arlo." Luke denies, reaching for the door of the tour bus, only for it not to budge when he pushes on it. "What the fuck?' He mutters under his breath, continuously pushing at the door.

Arlo gazes hesitantly over his shoulder, her brows furrowed as she watches him slam his hands harshly at the door. "What?"