The Boy Band Who Adopted Me!

Chapter 21: Rose Garden

AN: Aaaaaand we're back; enjoy :)

I heard screams, gasps, and laughter in the pitch darkness. I reached for Gavin's hand in the darkness, and he intertwined his fingers with mine. The moonlight from the skylight dimly illuminated the side of Gavin's face, so that I could just barely see him looking at me, inches from my eyes. There was a silent pause between us, then we both laughed at the awkward moment. I laid my head on his shoulder. I could hear people running around us in the confusion. Gavin wrapped his arms tighter around me.

"Ugh!" I heard Cody's voice from the stage, louder than everyone else's. "They were thiiiiis close!"

A loud beep sounded through the auditorium, then Principal Safflower's voice bellowed over a megaphone.

"The power has gone out, students! We are turning on the backup generators in the hallway. Please find your way to the exit. The dance is over! No tripping each other! This way, this way!"

Kids rushed out of the auditorium laughing, turning on their phone flashlights to see by.

"Buy our album!" Cody practically screamed. "We'll be here all year!" I could hear Safflower ushering him out of the building.

We all met up when we saw Will waving his phone around, flashlight on. "Let's get burgers," he said. Everyone just nodded and headed to the car; Cody rode on Jamie's shoulders.

"You're... heavy..."

"Ride on, steed!"

Will asked for six #1 meals, but the cashier misheard us and gave us #10's... kid's meals. Nobody was complaining, especially not Cody. We drove to Wonderland and enjoyed our tiny meals.

"Look! I got a racecar! Race me, Gavin!"

"I got a princess," said Gavin, "but I can still race you! VROOM!"

"You can have mine," Will said, tossing his toy into Cody's lap.

"Sweet!" Cody said. "A kitten!"

We were starving, but still managed to have fun. Everyone messed around with their toys on the ground amidst tiny empty fry-boxes and small crumpled wrappers. We balanced bottles of apple juice on top of each other and threw toys to knock them down.

Cody suggested a game of hide-and-seek in the dark, abandoned neighborhood.

"That's kind of scary..." I said, looking around me. The only light was from a little plastic lantern Emmett toted along in his backpack.

"Difficulty level: hard! It'll be fun. Just text us where you are if you get too scared."

I reluctantly agreed to participate in the boys' game. Cody tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear:

"Jamie's scared of the dark, too. You're not alone!" He patted my shoulder softly.

"Gavin's it! Start running!"

Gavin turned around, startled. "W-what?!"

The guys bolted, laughing, except for Will, who lingered long enough to clap Gavin on the back. Then he ran, too- "Wait up!"

"Uhhh..."

I stood alone with Gavin. It seemed the boys had planned it that way.

"Well, are you going to hide?" Gavin asked me, in the lamp-lit dimness. I laughed and looked at my feet, not knowing what to do.

"Do I have to?"

"Not necessarily..." he appeared to be a little shy despite his normal charisma.