Too Late? (5SOS)

Chapter 21

(A/N: So, I'm speeding up the timeline a bit. But, don't worry. Things aren't going to be too fast: the past two weeks were just uneventful for them.)

TWO WEEKS LATER

*Tiana's POV*

Another day, another concert.

It's pretty much been the same routine for me for the past two weeks. I wake up, roam the place we've arrived in with the boys, head back to the arena for soundcheck and just hang around backstage until the whole show is finished.

Of course, no day would be complete with the extreme lack of privacy, increasing number of death threats and the ever-growing hole in my heart that misses my home. But, I've sort of gotten used to it.

Anyway, the boys and I have headed to San Antonio, Texas. I've never really been anywhere besides Australia and Los Angeles, and I've only heard about Texas from Sandy Cheeks. Boy was she right! It was absolutely burning hot! Thanks to someone's bright idea, we were all walking around in 100-degree weather, trying to look for a decent restaurant, since Management said that sound check wouldn't start until about an hour later.

"Seriously, guys. We passed three McDonald's stores and a KFC, why aren't we stopping yet?" I ask impatiently, sweat trickling down my neck. I felt more unattractive than I looked, oh God.

"Calum here wants a Mexican restaurant, and he can't seem to find any, sheesh." Ashton says, almost as pissed as I am. He holds his iPhone up in the air and after a few seconds, he starts babbling.

"Hello! We're here now in the middle of Texas, trying to look for a Mexican restaurant," he says, flashing his dimples. Oh, he was making a Keek, lol how slow of me.

"IN 100-DEGREE WEATHER!" Michael shouts quite obnoxiously, which makes us all laugh a bit.

"Yes, and this is all Calum's bright idea. Uh, yay?" Ashton brings up again, dumping all the blame on him.

"Hey, hey! I've been craving fajitas for the past few weeks, ya know?" Calum retorts, waving to the camera. Suddenly, he stops in his tracks, failing to hold all of us back with his minimal reach, and points at a sign in the distance.

"EL POLLO LOCOOOOO!" he shouts at the top of his lungs. Ashton cracks up, and sends his Keek. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket: whoop, that must be my subscription.

"Guys, guys! What are you waiting for?! Let's goooo!" Calum says, as he races us all to the entrance. I'm left with no choice, so I just run, drenched in sweat in my sleeveless muscle tee and ombre shorts.

When we finally enter, I breathe in the fresh scent of cilantro and the distracting smell of beans: the wonders of a Mexican restaurant. Luke and I wanted to go here the week before, but I've had a couple of dates with Michael in the bus, so I've been postponing it ever since.

Then, I feel Luke's arm slither around my waist. We've both warmed up to our situation pretty quickly: no more awkward silences or conversations about our past. Just normal talking about whatever comes up.

"So, what do you want to order?" he asks me.

"Uh, I don't really eat much Mexican food. What do you recommend?" I ask him. It's the truth: I've only eaten at a Mexican restaurant twice. I've been in some a lot, because Kenzie adores tacos, but I'm not a really big fan.

"What?" Luke asks, as if it's a crime. "Well, if that's the case...hi! We're going to have eight of your best hard-shell tacos, five burritos and five fajitas. And another five of those rice shakes." he says to the cashier, cheerfully.

The forty-something cashier just punches in orders, and says "That'll be thirty seven dollars and twenty cents." in a monotonous tone. Meanwhile, all of us turn to get our own tables.