Blackbird

Texting

I walk along the corridors leaving Andrew alone to calm down a bit and eventually run into the girls.

"Where have you been?" Mia asks eyeing my neck. 

I try not to blush and grab my jacket off of the chair in the dressing room by my bag pulling the collar up on it to hide the marks Andrew left. "With Andrew." The girls let out a little squeal demanding information but I quickly hush them. "I'll tell you all later, but no it didn't go that  far."

About an hour later we are all in the bus on the way back to the hotel. Most of the group is started to doze off a bit but as I look around Andrew, who is sitting near the front of the bus catches my attention. 

"What?" I mouth at him trying not to disturb anyone. 

He pulls out his phone pointing at it and pretending to text before looking up at me. I nod and pull out my phone, seeing a new message from him. I unlock my phone and read it.

Andrew: so are you going to explain earlier? I didn't mind but now I'm curious what else the girls bought with you. 

I type my reply. 'the girls just wanted to do something fun, thought it would be refreshing. The girls and I are going to head back up to my room and hang out for the rest of tonight.' I look up at him waiting for his response. Before he starts typing he looks at me trying to plead with those gorgeous eyes of his. My phone vibrates in my hand softly alerting me of the new message. 

Andrew: Please? I'm sure the girls will be fine without you for a night. 

I shake my head at my phone. 'Andrew no. Not right now, there will be plenty of time to hang out and show you.' I send the message and wait for a response. 

Andrew: Are you sure? Pretty please I'll behave.

I look up at Andrew. He's staring back and sighs knowing he's lost.  I type another quick message and go back to watching the streets go by. 'Another time love.'

At the hotel the girls are wide awake in my room waiting for details. I try to put it off as long as possible, changing into something more comfortable before cleaning off all the makeup and brushing my teeth. 

When we all settle down on my bed or on various furniture pieces Alana is the first to speak up. "Okay we have all waited now spill, how did that," she points to the bruise on my neck. "happen."

I brush my fingers over the spot self consciously. "Well Andrew said he wanted to talk right. So he pulled me along through the building up and down all these corridors before he pulls me into this small closet, it was so tiny too there was barely any room for the both of us."

"Did you guys actually talk or did you just make out?" Mia asks from her spot beside me as I take a sip from my water. 

"No we talked, he asked about why I was acting different. I didn't know how to respond at first I was almost ashamed of myself for acting this way. And then he kissed me, he said he likes how I look but I think all we did was worry him more even if it was a fun afternoon."

"Well then how do we do this?" Alana asks.

Rachel speaks up for the first time in a while. "Maybe it's not about changing who she is, but enhancing it. Let her be herself and then we highlight what makes Aria, Aria. What made him fall in love with you? If we can figure that out we can just make him fall in love all over again."

It's silent for a bit as we all process this, I think I like this plan a bit better than the last. It just may work, it did before didn't it?