Before

Nicky's P.O.V.

I watched Richey as he sloped off towards the stairs. I wondered if he was alright. He had looked kind of uncomfortable sitting there as we talked. Come to think of it, he hadn't been himself in ages. He always seemed withdrawn and distant now.

I had tried to talk to him about it multiple times, but each time he had just shrugged and said 'I'm fine," though it was obvious he was not.

I had even tried to get James and Sean to talk to him, but they both got the same response. So we gave up on him, hoping he'd eventually snap out of it.

He never did.

I thought back to the previous night. The sadness and despair that I had seen in Richey's eyes when he sat opposite me on the chair. He had wanted to tell me something, I was sure of that, but he couldn't tell me. He couldn't find the words.

"Well, aren't you going to go after him?"

I jumped as I heard Sean speak. He was staring at me, imploring me. "Well?" He repeated, crossing his arms.

"Y-yeah, I was just going now," I replied shakingly. I stood up and walked in the direction Richey had went.

I found him in his room, staring at the wall with a blank expression on his face. When he heard me come in, he turned his head slightly to face me. "I want to be alone," he murmured.

He wanted me to leave, but instead I sat at the edge of the bed next to him. "Richey, you can't hide it from us anymore," I began. "Please, just tell me what's wrong."

Richey turned around properly. His eyes bore into me. "I've told you, and I've told the others. There. Is. Nothing. Wrong." He uttered the last few words slowly, his teeth clenched.

I recoiled. I'd never seen him this angry before. He was naturally a quiet and gentle person. He never raised his voice to anyone. He rarely got angry with any of us.

I placed my hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. He brushed me off.

"Nicky... just leave me alone." He looked up at me pleadingly.

I sighed. "Ok."

I stood up and walked out the door. We were supposed to be leaving the hotel in less than fifteen minutes, but Richey needed time alone.

Alone. I turned the word around my head. Enola / Alone. I could write a song about that, I thought.

I went back downstairs. James and Sean were standing near the stairs, waiting for me.

"Where's Richey?" James stared past me. "We're leaving soon."

"He needs to be on his own for a while," I explained. "He can come down when he's ready."

James looked like he wanted to argue with me, but he kept quiet. I was relieved. I hated arguing with James.

Richly appeared about ten minutes later, looking like nothing had happened. "Hey," he said.

We nodded back to him nervously, but he really did seem fine now. Although I thought I noticed a speck of blood on his fingers, i couldn't tell from where i was standing. I shrugged it off as nothing.

I followed the others outside into the morning sunshine. It felt warm and comforting on my face.

"A desert heat," I heard Richey whisper. I smiled at him.

The four of us walked down the long streets quietly. None of us said a word, although I heard Richey whispering to himself. Probably trying to write a new song.

"You have your very own number," I heard him say. "They dress your cage in its nature."

"Sounds good so far," I said to him. He looked up, startled.

"Thanks," he replied. "I think I'll call it 'Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky'."

I smiled. "Great name."

I thought I saw Richey blush slightly, but it could've just been a trick of the light.

I continued to walk beside him, staring ahead. Though it was warm when we first went out, it was starting to grow cold now. I wrapped my coat more snugly around myself.

We arrived at the venue where we would be playing at that night. We dropped our bags and stuff in the reception and walked towards the backstage area while we waited to do the sound check.

In the room we were waiting in, there was a few sofas scattered around, and very little else. We sat down on one of the sofas. Richey sat next to me at the edge.

The sofa was not very big, so we were tightly squished up against each other. So I was pushed right up against Richey. I looked at him apologetically, but he just gave a small smile. He didnt seem uncomfortable.

Eventually it was ready to do the sound check. We stood in our usual spots on the stage; James in the middle, Richey to the right of him while I was on the left, and Sean at the back.

James played the first few chords of 'Motorcycle Emptiness', and I was immediately lost in the music. All my worries about Rochey were gone, and replaced with pure joy. I was in my element.

The song soon finished, and we walked back to the sofa room together. This time we didnt sit on the same sofa. Instead Richey and I sat on one, and Sean and James sat on the other.

"You all did great," James announced. "Now, if we're even half as good tonight, it's going to be a night to remember."

We all smiled and murmured in acknowledgement. Tonight's concert was going to be a big one. Not only that, but it was Richey's birthday tomorrow. I had no idea what I was going to get him as a present. I decided I'd go out later before the concert and find something.

We didnt know it yet, but it would be his last birthday.

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