Die In California

10

Devyn's POV: 

I spent a week in Cleveland, as agreed with JP, and I have to say it wasn't all that bad. Don't tell him I said that though.

We spent most of the week at their house, watching movies, sleeping, relaxing, or they'd work on some music while I watched tv. I was sure that they were purposely not partying or going too wild to try and sell the idea of me moving in with them, to try and show that they weren't all crazy. But I knew it was only a matter of time. 

Don't get me wrong, they didn't completely change - they still smoked and drank every night, but they were a lot more chilled with it. I just didn't like that I was changing them, even if I wasn't intentionally doing it, but I knew they'd eventually go back to their old ways. At some point.

Cleveland definitely warmed up to me. At the start of the week, I'd have found any possible excuse for me to go home to Toledo, but by the end of the week... I don't think I was quite ready to leave. I told myself that it was just because I was used to being around JP again. I'd spent so long without him, and all those years blurred into one period. I told myself that when I saw him after the coma, it felt like I'd never left him. 

Of course that wasn't the case, not at all. If anything, I wasn't used to being near him. I still had to do a double take whenever I passed him in the hallway, I'd wake up expecting to be back at home, I'd be surprised whenever he'd call me from downstairs. I wasn't used to being with him so much, but I told myself that I was, so that it was an excuse for the little voice at the back of my mind, telling me that this is where I should be. With JP and his friends.

The guys decided to end my week with them with a show at a small venue in Denver, where we'd also go exploring and stop in New York on the way back for a little break. Apparently, to make it cheaper, they had decided to drive there rather than fly. In other words, I was going to be stuck in a minivan with a lanky blonde guy, a chihuahua that wouldn't hesitate to start a playful fight on one of his brothers, a stockily built man that would fill the entire row of seats, and yet another tall guy.
That was going to be fun.

I had packed my bags during the day on Tuesday, the last day of my week in Cleveland, then showered and changed into some grey sweatpants and a black hoodie, along with white fluffy socks and black Adidas slides - my travelling outfit. I tied my long brown hair up in a messy bun, then grabbed my suitcase and blanket and made my way downstairs, leaving my suitcase by the door where Slim's was while I laid on the couch with my blanket and watched 'The Conjuring 2'. 

At some point JP and Kells joined me downstairs, JP sitting on the corner of the couch I was on with my feet in his lap, while Kells was sprawled out on the other couch, the two of them passing a blunt between them. I snuggled up under my blanket, occasionally smiling at the film as the boys shot me a weird glace - what, with it being a horror film. But it really wasn't scary, more comical. Okay, maybe there was something wrong with me.

JP and Kells jumped at every single thing that was considered scary, while I just laid there, content. It was funny, seeing their reactions. I knew they weren't as gangsta as they made themselves out to be. Deep down, they were wimps. It was a good front they put up, but not entirely fool proof like they thought.

"We need to get going!" Ashleigh called out as she walked into the house. It seemed they never locked their front door, which was concerning, but nothing had happened so far. Kells and JP groaned as they stood up, JP holding his hands out towards me to help me up as I turned the tv off, wrapping my fluffy blanket around my shoulders as I grabbed my phone and followed them out to the black minivan that was waiting outside for us. 

There were two vans, one for our luggage and the guys' instruments and things, then one for the band. "Go on, then, get in the van with our bags." Kells teasingly pushed my shoulder as I flipped him off, fighting a smile as I followed JP into the minivan. JP, Kells and I were in the very back, with JP in the middle, while Slim, Baze and Dub were in front of us, and Ashleigh was in the front with the driver. The first thing I did in the van was kick my shoes off and curl up with my blanket, scrolling through social media on my phone while I waited for us to set off.