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The one day the Sheffield lads couldn't afford anything to go wrong was obviously the one day everything would go wrong. They didn't have the best of luck, but luck was usually superstition, so they didn't usually believe in that bullshit.
Oli hadn't had the best of mornings to begin with. He not only had woken up late, but had also managed to ignore a flood of phone calls from Alissa. He managed to throw himself together pretty quickly and head towards the elevator, meeting Nicholls on the way.
Nicholls looked as good as Oli felt, it's just that Matt didn't bother hiding how shit he felt. Oli smiled at him, offering a greeting to the male, which was ignored. Oli shrugged, not bothering to put in effort for the drummer. If he wanted to be ignored, Oli could do that just fine.
Oli sent a quick text to Lee, telling the older male he'd meet the others downstairs with Matt in tow, to which he was asked to wait for the other three. Oli obliged, telling Matt to wait for the rest of the band, and while Matt didn't say anything to the vocalist, the drummer clearly heard what was said and waited for their other three members.
A couple of minutes passed before Oli was met with the smiles of the bassist, the cheerfulness of the pianist and the silence of their guitarist. Oli greeted them all, receiving a verbal reply from the bassist and pianist, and a simple smile from Lee. It was good enough for Oli though as the five men stepped into the elevator, Nicholls pushing the buttons and continuing to ignore them all.
"Sleep well?" Jordan asked as the elevator slowly began its descent in silence. Elevators in England weren't like one's in America; they didn't play any sort of music and they certainely didn't work as efficiently as American one's.
"Slept alright, I suppose." Oli replied. "Pissed Alissa off, but that's just how things go."
"Mate, how the fuck have you already pissed her off?" Vegan snorted. "You've been away for like a day."
Oli rolled his eyes, shrugging.
"Dunno mate, honestly." Oli replied. "How're things between you and Tillie?"
"They're good. Her music's going well so..." Matt replied smiling sadly. Lee rested a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"You've been away for like a day," Oli mocked jokingly, "How can you already miss her."
Vegan chuckled, and Jordan smiled a little. Lee smiled widely, resting his head on Vegans shoulder, despite the height difference.
"Congratulations with you and Chloe, Matt." Lee said after a few minutes of silence. "Forgot to say yesterday."
Matt shrugged, not ignoring the boy, but not verbally responding. None of them ever ignored Lee, in fear of upsetting the quiet boy, and not even Matt was heartless enough to upset him on the first day of being back as a band, even if he was pissed off himself.
"How's thing with Emma and Eliot?" Oli asked, tapping the pianist on the shoulder. Startled, the male turned around, but before he could answer the elevator jolted.
"Of fucking course." Matt Nicholls muttered, shaking his head.
The elevator didn't stop there, though. It jolted several times over before halting to an immediate stop. Oli clutched onto the railing inside the metal box, Jordan holding firmly onto into his arm. Vegan and Lee held onto each other, and Nicholls gripped on the railing.
"The fuck?" Matt Nicholls shouted, slamming his hand on one of the walls. "The fuck is going on?"
"We don't have time for this." Oli muttered. "Is there some sort of emergency call button or some shit?"
No one answered him. Jordan kept his grip on hus arm, and whilst Oli was too nice to mention it, it was beginning to hurt. Lee anxiously ran his fingers through his hair, breathing deeply. Vegan finally looked over the buttons, sighing.
"Who installs an elevator without a help button." Matt mumbled. Lee closed his eyes.
"Don't suppose anyone has signal?" Lee asked. Nicholls shook his head.
"Phones dead." He muttered angrily.
"That's a lot of good then, isn't it." Jordan whispered, tightening his grip on Oli's arm. Matt flared his nostrils angrily, glaring at Jordan.
"What's the damn saying? If you don't have anything nice to say, don't fucking say anything at all." He spat. Jordan shrunk in on himself, and Oli wrapped an arm around the older males shoulder in concern.
"Fuck off Nicholls, s'not like you're helping." Vegan defended. Nicholls snorted, but stayed silent.
"Shouldn't take too long to get out, should it?" Lee asked. "They must know somethings wrong..."
"It's gonna be fine, Lee." Oli promised, though Oli was doubtful that everything was going to be ok.
Oli moved to sit onto the floor, coaxing Jordan to sit next to him. Jordan complied, leaning on the taller male, his breath ragged. Lee and Matt Kean were talking quietly, in hushed voices in fear of annoying Matt. Nicholls stood on his own, muttering to himself angrily.
"I was meant to take Eliot out today." Jordan whispered, ringing his hands together anxiously. Oli tilted his head. "Emma has a lot to do, and we weren't doing anything, and now this has happened, so who's going-"
"Jordan, calm down." Lee insisted, sitting beside the pianist. Vegan joined him, patting Jordan's shoulder encouragingly. "Emma won't leave Eliot on his own, and she's smart enough to know something must have happened."
"Emma won't mind anyway. You deserve a break from being a parent just as much as she does." Vegan added.
"But I promised-" Jordan began before Oli interrupted.
"No offence mate, but you're stuck in a fucking elevator. She aint going to mind." Oli stated.
"Emma's a nice woman, she'll understand." Nicholls muttered. "Just calm down and shut the fuck up."
Jordan stated silent, hiccuping before resting his head on Oli's shoulder.
"You going to be alright promoting the song later?" Vegan asked him. "I'm sure management will understan-"
"It'll be fine." Oli insisted. "I don't think it's me we have to worry about."
The males stayed silent, but no one needed to speak to state the obvious. It was clear that the situation affected some more than others.
"I promise you Jordan, you'll be fine, Eliot will be fine, and Emma wont be mad." Oli promised, and Oli was beginning to realise he was starting to make too many promises he might not have been able to keep.
They had been sat on the elevator floor for roughly twenty minutes when Oli realised Jordan wasn't the only panicked member of their group. Although he distanced himself from his band mates, Nicholls didn't look the most calm, and he kept muttering to himself. Luckily, it seemed Oli wasn't the only one who had noticed, as Vegan and Lee occassionaly glanced in his direction.
"You alright, Matt?" Lee asked cautiously. Matt's head shot up, his eyes darting around the room. Jordan leaned closer to Oli, and the younger male accepted the gesture.
"Mind your fucking business." Matt snarled, and it was the answer the lads needed.
"It's alright to be scared, y'know?" Vegan offered. "None of us are comfortable in here."
"Doesn't mean I have to play happy fucking families with you all." Matt retorted.
"That's not what we're asking. Just for you to be fucking honest with us." Oli snapped. Matt remained silent for a few seconds before sighing. Jordan raised his head.
"It's not that I hate elevators or anything... I just don't like not being in control." He admitted reluctantly. Oli smiled sympathetically.
"That's alright. We won't be in here for too long, and besides, you can be in all the control you want when we get out." Jordan replied softly, reaching a hand out to the drummer, who sighed, but moved closer to the group.
"Thanks, Jordan." Matt mumbled, and even though Jordan didn't reply, it was clear that the male was touched at the thanks.
Oli promised himself to make sure his band members knew how truly thankful he was of them, and he was definitely going to keep it.
"Y'know in the new song you say something about no one caring?" Lee said randomly, his head resting on Oli's other shoulder. Vegan shuffled up, moving from laying on Lee's legs.
"Something like no one cares if your dead or alive? That line?" Jordan asked. Lee nodded.
"What about it?" Oli asked. Lee thought to himself for a second before responding.
"You are aware that we all care, right?" Lee replied, moving his hand to hold Oli's. Oli tilted his head in confusion.
"What'd you mean?" He asked.
"Like... It's not true that no one cares. For starters, the fans love you way more than the rest of us-"
"Not sure why." Oli muttered, and Lee frowned.
"The fans always love the front person. It's mandatory in every band." Vegan replied. "Carry on though."
"And you remember how destroyed Tom was every time you were hospitalised from drugs. If we aren't a strong enough reason for you to believe that, then surely the fans Are, and if not, at least your own family care." Lee explained.
Oli closed his eyes for a second, leaning his head on the cold metal of the box as he thought about his brother. It had been months since he'd seen Tom, and he selfishly hadn't bothered to check up on his younger brother. Sure, Tom was more than capable of looking after himself, but Oli hated how much of a shit brother he was.
"Don't talk about Tom." He whispered. "Please."
"You two fell out or somethin'? Thought he got over Alissa." Matt asked.
It was a fair statement to make that Tom wasn't the fondest of his brother's girlfriend. Alissa hadn't been the nicest to Tom, though, and Oli could understand his disliking towards the woman.
"It's not that-"
"Its been a long time, hasn't it?" Jordan asked. "Haven't seen him since he climbed up Kilimanjaro."
"I said stop." Oli spat, sitting up. Lee moved his head, and Jordan furrowed his eyebrows.
"Whatever Tom has against Alissa Slides and vice versa shouldn't stop your relationship. That's all I'm saying." Jordan replied. Oli sighed. Of course Jordan was right, but Oli couldn't see it that way.
"She says its him or her." Oli admitted.
"And you went for her?" Vegan asked, shocked. "After everything he helped you with?"
"If you're going to lecture me then fuck right off." Oli spat.
"Has he not tried contacting you?" Lee asked.
"Always said I was busy." He muttered angrily to himself. Lee sighed.
"You can't let her control you, mate." Matt replied. "She aint worth losing Tom over."
"I'll talk to her about it later." He promised.
That was something he certainely wasn't going to keep. If he dare mutter his brother's name in her presence, she'd flip.
"Is anything even happening?" Jordan asked, fumbling with his hands. Matt grabbed onto one, stilling the male in his movements. The pianist whined for a second before stopping, clearly uncomfortable with the restriction.
"The more you flap about, the more you'll panic." Matt mumbled. Jordan let out a shuddered breath, leaning back on Oli as he closed his eyes.
"Just take deep breaths." Lee offered. "It's going to be-"
Without a reason, the elevator suddenly lurched, Oli clutching onto Jordan in panic. Oli head a loud thud, followed by a curse before the elevator lurched one last time. He squeezed his eyes shut like a child, his grip remaining on Jordan like a lifeline. One the elevator stilled, he opened his eyes, looking at the scene in front of him.
Jordan had passed out, his head bleeding, resting on Matt's lap. Matt had been pushed back against the elevator wall, and although his head wasn't bleeding, he kept feeling around the area. Vegan and Lee seemed alright, Lee wrist just twisted from failing forwards onto it.
"Everyone okay?" Oli asked cautiously. Lee nodded, Vegan muttering a yes, but Matt remained silent. Oli shuffled over to the drummer, placing a hand on Matt's shoulder.
"Matt?" He asked.
"I-is he even alive?" Matt whispered, looking down at the pianist. Oli followed his gaze, carefully checking for a pulse. Fortunately, he found one, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"He's alive Matt, you can breathe." He replied. Matt choked out a breath, tears filling his eyes.
"Matt?" Vegan asked. "You alright mate?"
"I... I don't know." He whispered, holding onto his chest. Lee and Oli both shifted Jordan off Matt's lap as Vegan kept talking to the male.
"Talk to me mate, what's wrong?" Vegan asked again.
"I-I can't breathe." He choked out, sobbing. Oli looked up, shocked. He hadn't ever seen the drummer emotional, let alone crying.
"In through the nose." Vegan advised, placing Matt's hand on the taller male's chest. "Try and copy my breathing, yeah?"
"W-What if Jordan wasn't alri-" Matt began.
"But he will be. He's still alive, and when we get out he'll be even better, okay?" Lee interrupted. Matt nodded, taking a deep breath before sighing. He rubbed his neck awkwardly.
"Sorry 'bout that." He muttered, chuckling to himself.
"Don't apologise. If you ever need us, you just have to say." Oli replied, squeezing his hand lightly before running his fingers through Jordan's hair.
"Thanks, mate." Matt replied.
Jordan managed to rouse to consciousness soon after, incredibly confused and sporting a killer headache. Oli smiled at the male, quickly explaining the situation, and though Oli doubted any of it actually went in, Jordan seemed to understand.
"That's strange." He muttered to himself. Oli tilted his head, shuffling closer to the older male.
"What's weird? Everything alright?" Matt asked, looking worriedly at Jordan.
"My phone didn't have signal before, and it does now." He murmured, running his fingers through his hair. Oli carefully pulled Jordan's hand out of his hair in fear of the male aggravating the injury.
Oli checked his own phone, stunned at the revelation. Surely dropping a few metres wouldn't make that much of a difference, right?
"I'll call Tom, he'll reach management." Oli muttered, already dialing his brother's number. The other lads nodded, Vegan resting his head on Lee's shoulder in exhaustion.
"Oli?" Tom spoke carefully, "everything alright?"
"Not really." He replied. "Stuck in a fucking elevator with these idiots."
"Could be worse, you could've been on your own." Tom offered, and Oli paused. He hadn't thought of that. Of course Tom would look at the positives of their situation.
"I suppose." Oli replied.
"Let me guess, you want me to talk to Sheep?" He asked. "Or phone for you to get some other sort of help?"
"Mate, that'd be brilliant." He replied. "You really are amazing, Tom."
"If you say so." Tom mumbled. "I better get going, don't do anything to dangerous."
Oli furrowed his brows in confusion. Did Tom not believe him when he was being honest?
"Yeah, we'll have to catch up soon." He stated. "I promise I'll phone you when we get out."
"Don't let Alissa know that." He muttered before hanging up. Oli sighed, pocketing his phone. The other lads looked away awkwardly, Jordan settling with laying his head on Oli's shoulder. Maybe his relationship with Tom should be his top priority.
Almost twenty minutes later saw the lads in the same situation as before. Lee, Vegan and Matt had resorted in playing I Spy, which was ridiculous in principal as there wasn't anything to see, and Jordan had fallen asleep on Oli. However, the males could hear some banging, alongside some voices shouting back and forth at each other. Soon enough, the door to the elevator cracked up slightly, and the boys sat up.
"I'm guessing your the men we were told about?" A female asked, in a classic red firefighter uniform.
Oli began shaking Jordan awake lightly, mumbling to the man softly. He awoke soon enough, staying silent, but remaining beside Oli.
"I guess we are." Vegan replied.
"Right. That's good then." She smiled.
"Can you just fucking get on with it?" Matt snarled. The women raised her eyebrows.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"Ignore him, he's always like that." Lee apologised.
"If you're sure." She muttered, turning to a male colleague. They began taking in hushed voices, before the door cracked open a little wider.
"The plan is simple; you all climb out one at a time." The man explained. "Just be careful, the elevator could go at any minute. We've tried stabilising it, though, so it shouldn't be an issue."
"Knowing our luck, it will be." Oli muttered, and Jordan flinched. Oli quickly apologised.
"Who's first? Lets make this quick." He asked. Oli looked towards the other three, and Vegan sighed.
"I'll go first." He replied. He stood up, dusting off his legs before walking over to the door, crawling through the gap onto a floor above, the male pulling him through.
"Next?" The man asked quickly.
"You wanna get Jordan out?" Matt asked. Jordan quickly shook his head.
"I'm alright, you go." He replied with a smile. Matt nodded, still unsure, motioning Lee to go before him. Lee complied, and left the elevator in the same fashion as Vegan had done.
Matt left next, rather reluctant. He seemed uncomfortable with leaving Jordan in the elevator, but understood that nothing would convince the male to go before him.
The elevator moved slightly at the transfer of weight, leaving Oil to hold onto Jordan closely, Jordan tucking himself close to Oli.
"You go before me." Oli mumbled. "I promise, nothing's going to happen to either of us."
Jordan nodded, still unsure as he looked through the entrance of the door. The man reached a hand down, impatiently trying to hurry Jordan up.
"Careful of your head." Oli warned. Jordan nodded at him before crawling through, and Oli breathed a sigh of relief. He'd be okay, his band mates had been, so he could relax.
He quickly walked over to the door, crawling through immediately after Jordan, standing quickly upon reaching the floor. Soon after he left the elevator it dropped, the box smashing to the ground floor. Oli breathed a sigh of relief, pulling his band members in for a hug.
"I told you we'd be okay." He whispered, running his fingers through Lee's hair. "Nothing happened to us, see?"
Matt snorted, laughing. Oli smiled, glad that the drummer was back to his usual antics.
"What a wonderful life we truly live, Sykes. Seriously. Nothing better than sat in an elevator with you wankers."
"Could've been on your own." Jordan replied, turning down the paramedic who attempted to look at his head.
"Would've been better on my own." He replied. "I would've been out in minutes."
"Yeah right, with your dead phone and panicking." Vegan retorted, and Matt rolled his eyes.
"I think we will all be alright, y'know." Lee interrupted, defusing the situation. "We always are in the end."
"Couldn't say it better myself." Jordan replied with a smile. Oli nodded, agreeing with his friends. Lee was right; it didn't matter what happened to them all.
They were always alright at the end of it.
THE.END