KEEP DRIVING - H.S

Chapter 6

September 14 2021, St. Louis

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE, Alliah spent her birthday away from home.

Usually, every year, around her birthday, she'd go back home to Mexico, and spend a few days with her family. But this year, she was on the road, in the middle of a tour where she was the opening act.

Alliah had nothing to complain about. It was amazing to travel, and even if she'd known these people for ten days, she could already feel the bonds growing between them.

Nevertheless, being homesick was a feeling Alliah absolutely hated. She'd managed to see her mom yesterday, and it had settled a little bit of the unease within her, but she missed her dad and her childhood home, and the sound of the kids yelling on the street outside.

Alliah missed Takis, the family dog they'd had since she was sixteen. She missed eating quesadillas from the market, and getting horchata. Alliah missed Mexico.

But instead of México, she got on a bus that went down a bumpy road, only to board a packed airplane where she had to sit alone, right next to an arguing couple.

After putting on her headphones and listening to music, the flight was a little more bearable, and after they landed, Alliah caught sight of Harry and they walked through the airport together.

It was a relief to Alliah not to be alone anymore, and she struck up conversation with Harry, joking about the arguing couple next to her. That was, until she caught sight of some people pulling out their phones and taking 'sneaky' pictures of the two of them.

The grin on Alliah's face faded away as she could already imagine all of the comments and insults that would appear on all her posts. Calling her a whore or a slut, degrading her and hitting her where she was most insecure.

Alliah tried to listen to Harry talk, but she had already spiraled into the deep end, and it wasn't until he placed a hand on her shoulder that she snapped back to reality.

"Sorry?" She mumbled.

Harry frowned, scanning her face. "I was just saying that we should get in line for our lugagge. Are you okay?"

Alliah shook her head. "Uh- yeah, sorry, just zoned out." She forced a laugh, trying to be nonchalant and failing massively, from the look on Harry's face. He didn't believe a word she'd said. "Seriously, don't worry. I got a little distracted. That's all."

Harry pursed his lips, taking one last glance at her face before they walked to the moving track for the lugagge.

Half an hour later, suitcases in hand, they were in the back of a big van along with others from the band.

Sarah and Mitch whispered among themselves, laughing at their inside jokes. Paulie was in another world, headphones on and eyes closed. Ny Oh was sketching something in her journal, while Harry sat beside Alliah all the way in the back.

He tried to keep up a conversation, but there was a look in Alliah's eyes, signaling she was elsewhere in her mind.

"C'mon, that's enough already. What's going on? What's wrong?" Harry asked, finally having had enough. "Talk to me."

Alliah sighed, brushing a hand across her hair. "It's not... it's just a lot of things at the same time. I can't explain it."

"Try, please?"