"Come to the tour with us— with me."
I was frozen. What did he just say?
Backing away and gulping, as if he had just realized what he had said, he scratches the back of his head with an awkward smile. "I-I was just kidding! It's a joke!"
....huh?
"I...I mean it's impossible, right?" Toby nervously chuckled. "With school and everything, it'd be really impossible. Plus! Your parents wouldn't let you-"
I cut him off by grabbing one of his hands and pulling him close to me. "Do you mean that?"
Toby stays quiet; his dark brown eyes staring back down at me. "D..do you really want me to come along to the tour with you?"
He averted his gaze down to the ground, looking to his feet while I search for his eyes. Toby clears his throat as I gently let go of his wrist, and finally he looked at me. "Yes."
My jaw dropped down to the ground as my eyes widened in surprise. As Toby and I looked into each other's eyes -as if we're both looking deep into one another's soul- and lips are trembling out of nervousness. It seemed like the time had stopped for a moment.
"I want to be with you longer.." I heard him whisper when I turned my head down then tucking my hair behind my ear. So I slowly raised my head back up to look at him as he added, "But I'm not going to force you. If you want-"
"I do!" Toby jumps in shock then takes a step backwards with wide eyes. "I will go!"
Toby giggles then nodded his head. I started to feel hot, quickly turning my back on him while he keeps chuckling softly. I must have looked really excited when I told him that I will go to the tour with them— with him. I smiled and blushed at the thought, to be with Toby -the man I love- for over a month, isn't that like a dream come true? I mean, it has been a really long time since we spent so much time with one another so of course I missed being with him! To be able to go to different places with the man that I'm so deeply in love with, I must be dreaming...
Slowly spinning myself around once again, I watched Toby buying the both of us some cotton candies. Tilting my head over to the side with a smile plastered on my face I thought, is it wrong to think that he might be in love with me, too?
*
"Be careful, okay?" My mom whispers before wrapping her arms around my neck one more time and pulling me closer to her body. "When you have time, call us alright?" She adds in making me giggle as I tap her on her lower back.
"Don't worry Mrs. Gilbert," Toby smiles as I felt his hand on my shoulder. "We will take care of Evette— I will." He adds in.
I pulled myself from my mother and smiled. "It's not like I'm going to be away forever, mom. Don't cry!" I laughed.
"I know!" Mom laughs with me, wiping away all of her tears as she gets my hair out of my face and flashing me a beautiful smile. "Take care of yourself, Evette."
I smiled back. "Yes mom, I will. You and dad, too."
Nodding her head, I hugged her before Toby takes my bags inside of the tour bus. Swallowing an invisible lump in my throat, I squeezed the strap of my bag and entered the bus where I have my friends waiting for me. I was greeted by big and tight hugs as well as wide smiles- which almost moved me to tears. As Riley unwrapped his arms around my neck and my own from around his small waist, Toby throws an arm onto my shoulders making me jump.
