What It Cost

Home Town

The next few days passed in a blur, a quiet shift had settled between Lilly and Noah. Their argument, the hospital visit, the honesty that followed, it had changed something. Noah was more intentional now, as if he was making up for the short amount of lost time.

Lilly noticed he had started to touch her in subtle, yet sweet ways. A hand at her back when they navigated through crowded venues, warm and steady. He offered her bites of his food, and when she refused, he'd roll his eyes and feed her off his fork anyway. "Just take the damn bite, Anders," he'd mutter, grinning as she huffed but ultimately caved. When she sat hunched over her laptop, deep into editing, he leaned in close, his breath warm against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She tried to ignore the way it made her feel, but the butterflies in her stomach weren't so easily dismissed.

For the first time in weeks, she felt light again. The weight of exhaustion, the creeping sadness that had threatened to pull her under, was lifting. She laughed more often and more freely. The band noticed too. Jolly teased her about it one morning at breakfast. "Looks like someone finally got a good night's sleep."

She had, and it was the first time in a long while.

Noah shot her a quick glance but said nothing, just smirked into his coffee.

Their next stop was personal for Lilly, her college town. She hadn't realized just how much she missed it until they were hours away. Her phone buzzed constantly with texts from Tasha, their conversation bouncing between excitement and last-minute planning.

Tasha: dude i am counting the SECONDS

Lilly: girl you have no idea 😭 i miss your face

Tasha: i finally get to see my bestie.. its been wayyyyy too long

Lilly: i'll probs cry

Tasha: no cause if you cry then i cry

Lilly: can't wait, boo ♥️

Lilly was jittery with anticipation, practically bouncing on her seat as the bus neared the city limits. It had been months since she'd seen Tasha in person, and now, the reality of their reunion was setting in. She glanced at Noah, who was scrolling through his phone next to her. He must've noticed her fidgeting because he nudged her knee with his.

"Nervous?"

"No, just... excited," she admitted, grinning. "It's been way too long since I've seen her."

He nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. "She's gonna lose her mind when she sees you."

"Yeah, well," she shrugged. "So will I."

He chuckled, then, in a move that had become second nature, reached over and gave her knee a quick squeeze. Just like that, her worries had settled. She exhaled, sinking back into her seat, leaning her head against his shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips.

-----------------

They were just a few minutes out, and Lilly had told Tasha where to meet them. Her nerves were back, her leg bouncing in rhythm. As the bus made its last turn before the venue, Lilly took a deep breath and shook her hands in an attempt to get the nerves out. Noah noticed again and mumbled a soft, "Hey," to get her attention. She looked at him, and he placed a hand over hers, his large hand practically enveloping hers.

"It'll be okay." he smiled softly.

She exhaled. "I know... I've just missed my best friend."

The bus finally pulled into the venue and parked. Lilly spotted Tasha leaning against her car in the lot. She looked effortlessly cool, dressed in a pleather skirt with a matching corset top. Her hair was braided with strands of silver. Nicholas let out a low whistle. "Is that Tasha?"