a work of art

chapter 17: switch

We got on the bus after the show, Claire included. Our conversation in the hall backstage sat like lead in my stomach, but I tried my best not to let it show.

Billie shared her bus with Finneas, who often had Claudia with him. The latter was especially excited to have me there. I liked Claudia a lot, and we were getting to be closer with every show. I was just as happy as she was to share temporary living quarters.

"Here are all the snacks," Claudia said, opening a big cabinet in the bus kitchen. "We just have to tell the team what we want and they keep it stocked, it's great."

While she was sliding drawers out of the cabinet, I noticed that one had dark chocolate peanut butter cups, Hot Cheetos, and sour cream and onion chips. My favorites.

I looked at Billie, already lounging on the couch next to Claire. "Did you...?"

She nodded silently, a small smile turning up at the corner of her mouth. My heart swelled.

"And this is the bathroom," Claudia dragged me in to look at where I could store my toiletries and such. When we came out, she turned to the bunks. They were stacked, 4 in total on each side of the little hall, all black with heavy curtains to pull across and lock while we moved. They had cozy blankets and pillows, and little tv's that hung from the ceiling.

"One side is Billie's and the other is Finneas," she pointed first left, then right at the stacks of bunks. The hallway was seperated from the living space by a sliding door. A second lounge was at the back of the bus, through another sliding door.

"Yeah, so Finneas is at the top, and I'm under him," she continued, winking at me. "That is, when I'm not literally under him..."

"Gross!" Billie shouted from the couch. Finneas, sitting on her other side, shoved her with his foot, grinning.

I turned back to the bunks, specifically Billie's side. I couldn't imagine us being on the top bunks like Finneas and Claudia, who were significantly taller than both of us. "I know Billie's not on the top, right? No way she can scramble up there."

"I'm not sure. Yours is the very bottom, right Billie?" Claudia asked.

"Nope, that's Luce," she said, her smirk full on her beautiful face now. "My baby is always on the bottom."

Claire snorted. I scowled at them both.

"Oh, GROSS," Finneas half-whined. "That's so much worse than what Claudia said, come on."

Billie grinned at him and belched loudly. That's my woman.

I shoved my backpack into my bunk for easy storage, knowing I wouldn't be sleeping there anyways. Before I pulled the curtain across it, I crouched down and pulled my toiletries out, as well as a t-shirt and shorts to sleep in.

I slipped into the bathroom while everyone was goofing around noisily.

I washed my face in the little sink, scrubbing away makeup and the stress of the flight, our difficult conversation, leaving my life and my best friend behind. I held my wet fingers against my eyelids, shut tight, and tried to forget my talk with Claire. More than that, I tried to forget her sparkling eyes, wild hair, and pink dimpled cheeks.

I straightened up and dried my face. I rubbed my shoulders and tried to take calming breaths, then changed into my comfy clothes and headed back out.

Claudia had settled onto Finneas' lap on the couch, and the two were paying close attention to Claire as she explained the work she'd been doing on her next album.

Billie had moved to the little kitchen, and was busy heating up a frozen burrito.

"Hi, yummy," she said in a low voice, turning to me with a little smirk on her face. "You look good enough to..."