CLOSER (SAM FENDER)

TWENTY-NINE

Sam

No one heard from Jake all through the night.

Not any of the guys, our manager, the label...no one.

We'd left Reading after waiting around an extra hour for him, hoping he would at least show and we could figure things out, after all, we were his ride home. But he was still missing in action, and I could see the concern on everyone's faces. His bag was still unopened in his bunk, his beer he bought still in the fridge. At least, what was left of it. Everyone looked uncomfortable about Jake's disappearance, but no one knew what to say about it. We hadn't even scratched the surface of that conversation yet.

That was the hardest part. Watching my bandmates all watch me. They looked disappointed, mad, and sometimes, relieved. But none of us had discussed anything. I'd been gone all night and I didn't get back to the bus until ten, having soaked up as much time as I could with Violet. And they knew where I was. Even without telling them, I knew they knew. It was evident all over me. I felt the boyish smile and the lightness in my attitude every time she crossed my mind.

My chest ached at the thought of my evening with her. We hadn't stopped touching each other until the sun came up. I couldn't get enough of her, especially knowing she was mine. It was like a switch flipped, and everything I felt about her before was amplified a hundred times over. I smiled to myself at the thought, anticipating our homecoming when I could have her in my arms again.

Dean cleared his throat next to me. "You look lovesick."

Drew sighed at his comment.

"I'm fine." I said looking down and trying to wipe the smile off my face.

Drew clicked his tongue. "I'm so shocked about...everything. I don't even know where to start."

"You could start with the fact that Sam and Violet having been sneaking around for months, it seems." Joe said coldly from the table.

"Look...I'm sorry guys, okay? I didn't think it would go like this."

"That's the thing about you, Sam. You never 'think' about anything until it's created a problem. How could you do that to Jake? I mean...what the fuck?" Joe's voice was laced in hurt.

Before I could open my mouth Dean, spoke up from the couch. "You were there last night, Joe. Jake's been sleeping with someone else for months. It's not just Sam who's been doing something wrong."

Joe took a sip of his water and then squeezed the bottle in his hand, the plastic tightly screaming at his movement. "Yeah...yeah, I get that. But it doesn't excuse anything. He's your best friend. Or was."

"You can't be mad at him without being mad at Violet, too." Drew spoke up from behind me and I turned to look at him coldly. I didn't want anyone putting anything on her, but I knew they would. She'd been a friend to all of them as long as Jake and I had. Of course they would have an opinion of her. Of course they would throw some shade at her. But she didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve the shit I knew they'd say about her.

"It's my fault. Don't blame her." The ice in my tone was noticeable. They all heard the bite.

Drew held up his hands. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. Just that, it takes two to tango. And it's not like you're the only bad guy here."

Joe shrugged. "Even if Jake's been sleeping with someone else...why wouldn't you guys just do this the right way?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do we need to find a new guitarist? God...."

Dean cleared his throat. "One, he was sleeping with someone else. Two...I think they planned to do it the right way but shit got out of hand. What matters is we're here now and we need to focus on finding Jake and moving forward. With or without him."