The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Chapter 49 (Cheryl's POV)

"I swear that would not happen," Hailey objects, looking at me with an amused grin on her face.

"Yes it would," I say stubbornly.

"No it wouldn't, dude."

"What wouldn't?" Pete asks, coming into the living area and plopping down next to me.

"Hailey doesn't think I could successfully run up and down the streets naked without getting arrested, but I do."

Pete just looks at me and opens his mouth, only to close it again. That repeats about two more times, when I roll my eyes.

"Did I make you speechless, Wentz?"

He just rolls his eyes and looks at the ground, telling me I succeeded.

"So, what do you think about man thongs?" Hailey asks after a second.

After she and I start a full blown debate about male lingerie, Pete repeatedly hits his face with a pillow and groans, walking out, making us laugh. But then Hailey's face twists in that familiar expression of pain, gripping her side. I feel a pang of guilt.

She wouldn't be in that much pain if it weren't for me.

She notices me looking apologetically at her, and she shakes her head.

"Cheryl, I'm okay-"

"No, you're not fucking okay! That doesn't look okay to me! Don't lie to me, Hailey; I can clearly see you're miserable," I suddenly yell. Her eyes widen and she winces at the sudden rise of my voice.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"No, I'm sorry," I interrupt again, pressing my fingers into my temples to try and stop the headache that's starting to form. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm just- I'm really sorry, okay?"

"Its okay," she repeats.

"No, its not. Its my fault you're hurt."

She looks utterly confused. "How is it your fault?"

"Allie sent me threatening texts saying that she would hurt you if I didn't split you and Patrick up. I thought she was bluffing. I wasn't going to split you guys up, but I could have done something before she got you. I could have helped and I didn't. Now look at you. Bruised ribs, black eye. Some friend I am."

"No, there wasn't much you could do. What would stop her? Nothing. Its kind of good that this happened, or else we wouldn't have the proof we needed to put the bitch behind bars and away from Gracie. Alright? This isn't your fault, and I mean it."

I don't say anything, and neither does she. The bus becomes silent, only the sound of Pete's videogame in the distance filling the empty void. Then we hear the bus doors open, and our heads whip in that direction to see Patrick walk in, holding Gracie's hand, Andy following closely after. They smile at us, and we smile back, the previous conversation forgotten.

"Wait, where's Joe?" I ask curiously.

Patrick rolls his eyes. "He saw a "pretty flower" on the way back from the park and had to sit on the ground and admire it for a while. We couldn't gather round and fawn over it; we had to come back so we had time to get ready for the VMA's."

"Not bad, Joe!" Pete the Meme Queen yells from his bunk.

"Are you guys sure you don't wanna come with us?" Patrick asks Hailey and I.

"Someone's gotta watch Gracie," Hailey replies.

"I could stay behind." Andy shrugs. "I don't really wanna go anyway. I don't feel like talking at the red carpet... The carpet isn't even red."