Somewhere in the Middle

Please

Today was a good day. In fact, it was a great day.

Jamie hadn't had a great day in months.

But it was like he'd released some sort of weight. Like he'd been carrying around too much, and the movement of his fingers on guitar strings, the way they'd scribbled out words on the page of his notebook, had released some of the pressure—like air being let out of a tire that was too full for too long.

He didn't feel like he was going to burst anymore.

The pressure was gone. The doubt was gone, if only for the moment. The annoyance with the world around him was gone. And even though it was cloudy, even though it looked like the skies were about to open up and release their wrath this morning, Jamie couldn't help but think how beautiful it all seemed.

"I'm going back to sleep," Greg mumbled once they'd all piled onto the bus. Jamie had his guitar strapped to his back, and he didn't want to put it down just yet. Didn't want to let it go just yet. "It's too freakin' early to be alive right now."

Jamie only smiled at his friend, who wasn't paying him a bit of attention, then took in a sharp breath when she squeezed in beside him, her chest skimming his arm as she sidled her way past him.

"Sorry," she said, glancing up at him with bright green eyes as she scooted further into the bus, away from the front door.

Sorry. Like she had something to apologize for.

God, it was okay. It was more than okay. She could do it again if she wanted. She could do that as many times as she liked, and it would always be okay.

Jamie didn't say any of that though. He just widened his smile for her, watching as she set her bag down in the booth, enjoying the way she seemed surprised and smiled back. Then, Luke came up to her, leaning forward with his hands in his pockets to whisper something in her ear. Something that made her smile widen.

There was a twist of pain in Jamie's gut at the sight.

"Alright everyone," Pete said then, breathing heavily as he boarded the bus behind Jamie. Jamie removed his guitar from his back and sat on one of the couches to let Pete through, knowing full well that Pete couldn't squeeze in beside him like Evie had. But Jamie didn't mind, and he kept his guitar between his knees when he sat.

"We've got a few hours ahead of us." Pete didn't even glance at Jamie when he said the next part, "How 'bout you guys head into the back? Just need a few minutes with Jamie."

Evie and Luke looked between Jamie and Pete with a clear question in their eyes—it was the same question Jamie felt form on his face.

"Sure," Evie said after a quiet, unsure moment. She met Jamie's eye then, and though Jamie's heart still leapt into his throat, he felt his happiness—the pleasure he'd been enjoying thus far today—deflate like a tire that had run out of air entirely.

"We'll, uh," Evie said, looking at Pete again as she lifted a hand and placed it on Luke's arm. Luke and Jamie both zeroed in on the point of contact at the same time. "We'll be in the lounge," Evie finished, turning to look Luke in the eye.

Her hand was still on his arm. Luke didn't seem to mind that.

Jamie wished he didn't either.

Still, Jamie wanted to call after Evie and Luke as they headed into the hallway toward the back lounge. He wanted to tell them to stay, tell Pete that whatever he had to say to Jamie, he could say in front of them.

But he didn't know what Pete had to say. Probably something having to do with where Jamie had disappeared to last night. And as much as Jamie was scared that Pete would hold true to his word and pull the plug on the tour, was as sure as he was that Pete couldn't actually do such a thing.