Hey There, Delilah -DISCONTINUED-

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Delilah's POV

I carefully and intently watch the road that spreads out before me, zooming beneath the tires as we ride down the road at seventy five miles per hour. Caity is texting on her phone while I drive. We didn't stop at a rest stop or a hotel for the night, we continued on behind the bus after the show. Monster, Rockstar, Coffee and Red Bull have kept us awake, even though we weren't tired. I wasn't, anyways.

Caity and I stopped at a Walmart after the show last night to load up on energy drinks and iced coffe to put in the cooler she strategically placed in the back seat of the car for easy access on the road. We also loaded up on pop-tarts and junk food to keep us 'energized' while we're on our adventure. I'm going to end up gaining twenty pounds by the time I get home.

I hear Caity's phone lock and the leather of the seat slightly squeak and churn. I quickly look her way and see that she's turned in her seat to face me, her legs crossed beneath her. I look back to the road.

"So, tell me about Ben." Caity says.

"There isn't much to tell, really." I say.

"He was looking at you like a puppy dog, Lilah." She says and I laugh.

"Not hardly." I say.

"Yes, he was! Do you like him?" She asks me.

 "Cait, I'm afraid to like anyone. I don't want to fall and end up getting hurt again." I say, looking into the mirrors to switch lanes.

"I know, Lilah. But, he's a nice guy. Hayden says he stopped with the drugs and rarely drinks, which is a good siiiiign!" She sing songs.

"Hayden hangs out with him?" I ask her.

"More like he hangs out with Hayden. He's best friends with the guys." She says and I smile.

"You like him." She says.

"I don't know if I do or not, Caity." I say.

"But you think he's cute, right?" She asks me.

I sigh and laugh. "Yeah. I think he's cute. Really cute." I say.

"I knew it." She sing songs and I roll my eyes.

We finally get to Austin and stop at the venue.

"I'm fucking starving." I say, getting out of the car.

"I know, I'm fucking starving." Caity says.

I open the trunk and grab a change of clothes from my bag. I hop into the backseat and make Caity stand watch while I change. I put tee shirts over the windows and rolled the windows up so no one can see, and she put her little sungaurd in front of the windshield and back glass, so I'm good.

I change into an outfit that's slightly more comfortable, but more modest, which consists of a pair of light blue skinny jeans, a black tank top and a loose dark red sweater. I slip on a pair of converse and get out of the car to put my clothes in a bag.

I pop the trunk and hear a group of people talking in the distance, and I look to my right and see Denis and James exit the Asking bus, followed by Cameron and Sam. James sees me and waves, and I wave back.

Just when I start to wonder where Ben is, he steps off the bus and closes the door.

James claps him on the shoulder and not-so-discreetly points in my direction. I pretend not to notice and turn my head to drop my bag into the trunk and make myself appear busy.  Then I hear my name being called. I turn my head and see Ben waving at me, a huge smile on his face.

I smile back and wave, then James grabs him by the shoulders and steers him in the opposite direction.

Caity hops out of the car and chucks her clothes into the bag before zipping it shut and closing the trunk.

I clip my little backstage pass onto my hip and Caity and I head to go grab Hayden to get something to eat.

Before I know it, Caity is walking onto the bus to get Hayden, and I stay outside and scroll through my phone to make myself look busy.

I hear the door to the bus open, and I don't look up because I know it's only Hayden and Caity.

"Ready, Dee?" Caity asks me and I look up. I see her and Hayden walk down the steps of the bus. "Yep." I say and we start to walk.

"How'd you guys sleep?" Hayden asks, slinging an arm around Caity's neck.

"We didn't." Caity says.

"Caffeine is a wonderful thing." I happily sigh.

"You're so weird, Delilah." Hayden chuckles and I smile.

"I know." I smile.

The show starts around nine o'clock, and it's currently seven forty-five. Caity and I are hanging around the backstage area before CTE go on.

"Delilah, you're going to be graduating soon." Caity points out while we pick over the catering trays.

"May the fifth, I think." I add, picking up a baby carrot to dip it in the ranch dressing.

"Have you been thinking about college?"

"That's mostly all I've been thinking about lately, to be honest. I don't know where I'm going, but I want to study music, that's for sure." I say.

"Have you sent any applications or toured any campuses?" She asks me and I shake my head.

"David and I were talking about going around and visiting campuses around Texas." I say.

"Julliard has an excellent music program." Caity says and I scoff.

"Julliard is in New York, Caity. Besides, I don't have the money to afford going to New York, let alone to pay for school." I shake my head.

"You should at least send in an audition tape." She says.

"What do you play again?" She asks me.

"Violin, Piano, Guitar, Cello, Flute, Bass, and some brass. Mostly Piano and the Violin." I say.

"You should audition with the violin, they have a shortage on Violinist and Cellists." Caity says.

"How do you know all that?" I ask her.

"I might've looked it up." She shrugs her shoulders.

"Caity!" I say.

"What?" She asks me, her shoulders bouncing in a giggle. I shake my head, smiling.

"You're more than good enough to get in, and they'd be stupid if they didn't accept you." She says.

Throughout the set, Caity's words echo in my mind.

 Julliard?