This town

Chapter 11

Val had finally completely packed his bag at 2 am. He lay down in bed and sent another text to Sharna. She had been in his mind the entire evening, which is why he took a little longer. He had been thinking about what to text her, but again he kept it short. 

"Hey Shar, are you done packing?"

Val took a shower, before heading to bed and he checked his phone. Sharna hadn't responded to his text this time. But he thought she might be sleeping at this time. At least he should be sleeping. 

He was able to sleep a couple of hours before his alarm clock sounded. He got out of bed, got a quick breakfast and got his bags to get to the bus. The first tourstop was close by, so they were going by bus. Val knew there were going to be two buses, but he didn't know yet in which bus he would be staying. Normally they would divide between a 'party' bus and a 'sleeping' bus. And he knew he wanted to be in the party bus. He just really hoped Sharna would be there as well.

When Val arrived some of the other cast members were already there and were discussing in which bus they wanted to stay. When everybody had arrived the division was made and Val was, as he expected, staying in the 'party' bus. He put his bags inside and was about to leave the bus when he heard someone say his name and his heart jumped a little. "Val, could you help me with my bags?" 

Sharna was standing outside the bus and he saw her bags standing in front of her. "I think I will be able to get them in the bus, but it would be easier if someone could help me."

"No problem, I can help." Together they lifted Sharna's bags into the bus. 

"So you are staying here as well?"

"Yes," Sharna said. "I want to party and enjoy this tour. And Laurie is staying here as well and so I have to take care of my little nugget."

"Hey, that is my task." Val laughed.

"Well, she needs someone a bit more responsible than you to take care of her during the tour."

"Auch, that hurts." But Val knew that the smile on his face betrayed that didn't really feel that way.

"Oww, you know I'm right." And she gently slapped him on his arm. 

"That hurts," Val joked and he rubbed the place Sharna had just hit him. 

"You are a pussy." Sharna said, before she turned around and left the bus. Val quickly followed her and just before she was out, he had caught up with her. 

"You don't get to hit me and walk away from that." And he lifted her in the air by her middle, spinning her around. "You will get punished for this."

"Put my down Val," Sharna couldn't stop laughing. And Val threw her on the couch and before she got back up. Val got on top of Sharna and started tickling her. '

"Stop it Val. Please stop!" Sharna couldn't help but laugh all the time. 

"I can't stop right now, because this is your punishment." But Val did stop and he got off Sharna. He offered her his hand and he helped her up. Sharna gave Val a death stare, before laughing at him. And she left the bus. Val followed her outside and the moment he did, Laurie jumped in his arms.

"We are on the same bus and Sharna is as well."

"I know nugget. And I'm excited for the upcoming two months."

"Me too." 

Val watched Laurie jump onto the bus and Val followed her with her bags, which she had forgotten outside. After everybody had loaded their stuff onto the right bus and everybody got seated they went on the road. 

While the bus was driving to their first venue, Val was discussing with everybody who was going to sleep where. It was very soon decided that Sharna and Laurie were sleeping in the two bunks on top of each other, where Sharna would be getting the top buck. The rest of the guys still had to figure out where they would sleep. Eventually it was decided that Val would sleep in the lowest buck, under Laurie and Sharna. And he was happy with that place. 

Val was sitting behind his laptop, but he wasn't really paying attention to what was on his screen. He was watching the two girls sitting opposite of him. Sharna and Laurie were playing a card game and totally invested into it. It was amazing seeing Sharna with kids. She was such a natural with them. He knew that she wanted kids herself and he surely wouldn't mind being the one to give them to her.

The moment he thought that, his head stopped working. He had never thought about that before. Off course he had always said he wanted kids, but he never knew with whom, or when, but now for the first time he saw the woman he wanted to have children with. And within a second he could beat himself up, how did he ever let her go.

He was woken up from his pondering by Sharna's laugh, probably because Laurie had said something funny. 

Val just couldn't take his eyes of her. And during the rest of the drive he kept a close eye on her. She looked really happy and Val hoped that she would be this happy around him.

A couple of hours later they arrived at the first venue. Everybody walked around for a couple of minutes, before Mandy called them on stage. She explained to them the schedule for the next three days, and on the third day they would perform their first show. After that the tour would really start.

This day they were off and after checking out the dressing rooms and backstage, they walked to the hotel they were staying. They left some of their bags in the bus, but they still needed some clothes. So it took some longer to walk there. When finally everybody got their room key, they decided that they would meet up for dinner later that evening. That way everybody had some time for themselves.

Val realized his room was as far away from Sharna as possible or at least if he looked at the other rooms divided among the dancers. He had secretly hoped that he could visit her in the evening, but now that might be harder. 

The guys were going to the gym, and so 15 minutes after he had seen his room, Val was already in the gym. He liked working out, also because he always got a lot of attention from the girls. But today he didn't feel like showing off, or at least not for the girls in the gym. 

Val was halfway through his routine when he heard Alan yell: "Look who finally decided to join us!" Val turned around and his heart made a little jump. The girls walked in, in sportswear. His eyes immediately darted towards Sharna and his breath stoked. She was so beautiful. But he wasn't the only one who noticed. 

Sharna started running and immediately a guy came on the treadmill next to her and started talking to her. Val couldn't deny that he was a good looking guy. And Val noticed he was getting jealous, especially since Sharna also liked the attention he was giving her. From his spot Val could see they were talking all the time and they were both invested. 

And when Sharna was done running, that guy followed her around the gym. He even pretended to help her with some of the apparatus, even though Val was sure Sharna knew exactly how they all worked. Val had to stop, so when he saw some of the castmembers leave he decided to walk to Sharna. He wrapped his arm around her and ignored the guy standing next to her. 

"Hey babe, you ready to go to dinner?" He asked casually, hoping to scare off the other guy. But the answer he got from Sharna surprised him and it was not what he hoped for.

"No, I think I'm finishing my work-out first. Bye."

And before Val could react she had put his arm off her shoulder and walked off with the other guy. In the distance she could hear him say. "No, don't worry. He's just a friend, nothing more, nothing less." And Val had no other option then to go to the dressing room and get changed.

When he left the gym he saw Sharna and that guy still working out. And on the way back to the hotel he couldn't forget the smile Sharna had on her face while she talkes to the other man.