Two for Tragedy

6. Crossed Paths

After the meeting, Jo and her bandmates were led through the elegantly decorated halls of the hotel. It was obvious that the managers had gone all out for the opening night, securing them a stay at one of the finest hotels in the city. Jo knew it wouldn't be like this for the entire tour—luxury would quickly give way to smaller rooms and cramped travel accommodations. So, as she stepped into her spacious suite, she made a point to appreciate it while she could.

The room was sleek and modern, with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, a large bed covered in crisp white linens, and a bathroom that was bigger than her bedroom back home. She wandered over to the edge of the bed and sat down, her body sinking into the soft mattress. A sigh escaped her as she stared out the window at the Berlin skyline. The silence in the room was comforting, a welcome break from the noise and tension of the day.

But just as she was about to lie back and relax, a knock sounded at her door. She hesitated for a moment, but then got up and crossed the room. Opening the door, she was greeted by Bill, his face lit up with an enthusiastic smile.

"Hey," he said cheerfully, "we're thinking of ordering some takeout and hanging out in my room. You know, to get to know each other better before the tour kicks off. It'd be great if you guys could join."

Jo paused, considering the invitation. She knew it was probably a good idea to spend some time bonding with Tokio Hotel—they were going to be stuck together for the next year, after all. But at the same time, she was exhausted. The flight, the paparazzi, the meeting, all of it had drained her, and her social battery was running on empty. She opened her mouth to respond when Aaro's door creaked open down the hall.

Aaro sauntered over, completely ignoring Bill, his usual carefree expression plastered on his face. "We're heading out to get dinner," he said to Jo, barely glancing at Bill. "Come on, let's go."

Jo glanced back at Bill, giving him an apologetic smile. "Thanks for the invite, but I think we're all pretty wiped from the trip. I'll see you tomorrow at the vocal rehearsals though."

Bill's smile faltered only slightly, but he nodded, still friendly. "No worries, totally get it. See you tomorrow then. Have a good night."

"Good night," Jo replied softly.

She turned to follow Aaro, her steps slow and her mind lingering on Bill's invitation. As they made their way downstairs to meet the rest of the band, Aaro finally broke the silence. "What did he want?"

Jo shrugged. "He invited us to eat takeout with them, to hang out."

Aaro scoffed. "Figures. Look, you can go play nice if you want, but I'm not interested in being friends with them."

Jo gave him a sideways glance. "It wouldn't hurt to get to know them a little. We're going to be stuck together for a long time."

Aaro's expression remained indifferent. "Yeah, well, I don't care. I'm here to do the tour, not make friends."

Jo didn't respond, but as they stepped out into the cool night and joined the rest of their band for dinner, she couldn't shake the thought that maybe getting to know the other band wouldn't be so bad. Especially Bill.