This Is Us - Chapter 41: Chapter 41
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THOMAS POV
"GOOD MORNING AMERICA!"
The four of us chant in unison to the camera pointed straight at us as we stood in front of the screaming crowd of thousands which were held back by metal railings outside of the ABC studio for the most popular morning news show in America.
We were then ushered back indoors by bodyguards and camera crews, waving hello to the crowd that had come just to see us perform and promising to come back outside when we were finished.
Four chairs waited for us in the middle of the brightly lit stage along with too many cameras to count as we sat down and prepped for the four-minute interview.
I watched Matty as he tried to hold in a small sigh in front of the crowd. He was a ghostly pale from being sick all morning and just holding out due to the number of protein shakes and Gatorade we pumped into him. He hung his head down and I carefully reached out with my hand on his knee in support and he takes it. His soft hand falling over mine as the cameramen started counting down to when we would be live.
"Just a few more minutes," I reminded him, wishing I could just scoop him up in my arms and take him back to the hotel so he could put his feet up and get some rest.
"I'm okay," He whispers back to me and we were live, the smile returns to his face for the cameras and I turned to face our audience.
"So I'm here with four members of NTB, the proven top boy band in the country who have broken records and are currently number one in 87 countries. The international pop sensations are here on our stage for the very first time, performing in just two days at the Times Square, Rocking New Years Eve Special! Milo, Kailani, Thomas, and Matthias!" Our interviewer Michael announces and the crowd screams from being overly excited by our presence.
"I have to admit, I'm not a boy band music kind of guy but there's just something about you guys which is different. I don't think there's a single person across the US who hasn't heard the name NTB in some way shape or form. How does it feel to be such inspirations, to LGBT youth especially?" He asked the first question and I took it.
"Well, we've always shared the same mission through our music of providing acceptance and love for ourselves before anyone else. Love is still love, no matter your sexuality and I think it's about time we stop pushing for straight to be a normal sexuality when there are so many to choose from," I said and he smiled.
"I think the message you guys are pushing is not only a beautiful one but is actually making a difference as more people are coming out. And what a lot of people forget or at least I didn't know until this morning is you two are actually married and you have a beautiful little girl. Sharing this picture before Christmas of her, how do you feel about the controversy surrounding your family and your daughter?"
He asked and I looked at the picture of Jayde, knowing it wasn't the beautiful Christmas tree that we spent hours decorating, my little girl's gorgeous red curls, or my adorable guard dog the comments were focused on.
It was the three sets of legs tangled together at the bottom of the photo that struck a fire in the hearts of millions of trolls.
Matty takes the mic from me and even laughs a bit in the microphone.
"I think what happens within my family is between me and my family. Jaydean, who's actually here today, hi baby! She's loved and cared for by her parents and that's all that really matters," he says.
I know he wanted to say more but was biting his tongue.
"You must be really good at ignoring all the backlash and hatred then which is another story you tell in your music...
***
"How are you feeling hon? You were looking so pale on camera,"
Luca pointed out when we got back to the green room where Jaydean was sitting on the couch, playing with her Nintendo Switch which we only brought out when we were traveling.
"Yeah, I just need to lay down," Matty sighs and tries to pull away from me but I refused to let him go, holding him up by his waist and he gives up the fight.
"Let's get you back to the hotel then, okay?" I said and nodded to the security team. Luca took up Jaydean in his arms and we followed them to our rides waiting outside. As we fell through the sea of people screaming our names, I held onto Matty for dear life, walking out to the car.
"MATTY!"
Almost, as if one person's voice stands out from all the rest, Matty turned his head to the direction of the voice and stumbled over his own feet.
"Azi," Matty muttered under his breath and the man who called his name was silent in the crowd. His tear-filled eyes stared straight at Matty, who only nodded to him and continued walking alongside me until we reached the car.
"Azi? Who was that?" I asked him as soon as the doors closed and Matty groaned, leaning his head against the cold glass of the window.
"Don't worry about it, it was no one,"
"GOOD MORNING AMERICA!"
The four of us chant in unison to the camera pointed straight at us as we stood in front of the screaming crowd of thousands which were held back by metal railings outside of the ABC studio for the most popular morning news show in America.
We were then ushered back indoors by bodyguards and camera crews, waving hello to the crowd that had come just to see us perform and promising to come back outside when we were finished.
Four chairs waited for us in the middle of the brightly lit stage along with too many cameras to count as we sat down and prepped for the four-minute interview.
I watched Matty as he tried to hold in a small sigh in front of the crowd. He was a ghostly pale from being sick all morning and just holding out due to the number of protein shakes and Gatorade we pumped into him. He hung his head down and I carefully reached out with my hand on his knee in support and he takes it. His soft hand falling over mine as the cameramen started counting down to when we would be live.
"Just a few more minutes," I reminded him, wishing I could just scoop him up in my arms and take him back to the hotel so he could put his feet up and get some rest.
"I'm okay," He whispers back to me and we were live, the smile returns to his face for the cameras and I turned to face our audience.
"So I'm here with four members of NTB, the proven top boy band in the country who have broken records and are currently number one in 87 countries. The international pop sensations are here on our stage for the very first time, performing in just two days at the Times Square, Rocking New Years Eve Special! Milo, Kailani, Thomas, and Matthias!" Our interviewer Michael announces and the crowd screams from being overly excited by our presence.
"I have to admit, I'm not a boy band music kind of guy but there's just something about you guys which is different. I don't think there's a single person across the US who hasn't heard the name NTB in some way shape or form. How does it feel to be such inspirations, to LGBT youth especially?" He asked the first question and I took it.
"Well, we've always shared the same mission through our music of providing acceptance and love for ourselves before anyone else. Love is still love, no matter your sexuality and I think it's about time we stop pushing for straight to be a normal sexuality when there are so many to choose from," I said and he smiled.
"I think the message you guys are pushing is not only a beautiful one but is actually making a difference as more people are coming out. And what a lot of people forget or at least I didn't know until this morning is you two are actually married and you have a beautiful little girl. Sharing this picture before Christmas of her, how do you feel about the controversy surrounding your family and your daughter?"
He asked and I looked at the picture of Jayde, knowing it wasn't the beautiful Christmas tree that we spent hours decorating, my little girl's gorgeous red curls, or my adorable guard dog the comments were focused on.
It was the three sets of legs tangled together at the bottom of the photo that struck a fire in the hearts of millions of trolls.
Matty takes the mic from me and even laughs a bit in the microphone.
"I think what happens within my family is between me and my family. Jaydean, who's actually here today, hi baby! She's loved and cared for by her parents and that's all that really matters," he says.
I know he wanted to say more but was biting his tongue.
"You must be really good at ignoring all the backlash and hatred then which is another story you tell in your music...
***
"How are you feeling hon? You were looking so pale on camera,"
Luca pointed out when we got back to the green room where Jaydean was sitting on the couch, playing with her Nintendo Switch which we only brought out when we were traveling.
"Yeah, I just need to lay down," Matty sighs and tries to pull away from me but I refused to let him go, holding him up by his waist and he gives up the fight.
"Let's get you back to the hotel then, okay?" I said and nodded to the security team. Luca took up Jaydean in his arms and we followed them to our rides waiting outside. As we fell through the sea of people screaming our names, I held onto Matty for dear life, walking out to the car.
"MATTY!"
Almost, as if one person's voice stands out from all the rest, Matty turned his head to the direction of the voice and stumbled over his own feet.
"Azi," Matty muttered under his breath and the man who called his name was silent in the crowd. His tear-filled eyes stared straight at Matty, who only nodded to him and continued walking alongside me until we reached the car.
"Azi? Who was that?" I asked him as soon as the doors closed and Matty groaned, leaning his head against the cold glass of the window.
"Don't worry about it, it was no one,"
End of This Is Us Chapter 41. Continue reading Chapter 42 or return to This Is Us book page.