Tour Bus Troublemaker// c.p.

•14•

I took a breath as I began to type back in response to Bella's threats. I wasn't just going to let her get away with shit like this.

Me: do you mean Charlie?

Bella: wdym

M: your "bae"

B: I'm confused

M: don't play dumb Bella

B: I'm seriously so weirded out rn

M: I have the texts as proof and I'll be glad to show Charlie unless you confess

B: fine

B: it was me

B: plz don't tell him I was just kidding

M: didn't sound like it

B: tell Charlie I dare u he won't believe u

M: he will if I show him the texts

B: oh plz I'm his angel he wont believe u

M: I'm done with this conversation

B: wait

B: tell him

B: it'll make him hate you more

B: u were a "one time"

B: I'm his forever

I still read the texts, sure. But I didn't dare answer them because I knew I would say something worse than the devil himself. So I didn't respond to her.

Instead, I simply laid on the couch and ignored the messages. As hard as it was to not show Charlie, I wasn't the type of person to ruin someone else's happiness. At least not on purpose.

After an hour, Charlie and I headed into the American Airlines Center to begin sound check. After I sang a couple songs, with Charlie staring intently at me the whole time, he began to sing.

His voice still made my heart flutter. The way he would cast small glances at me, still, would make me blush. The way he delivered the lyrics so wonderfully and passionately always made me smile. Everything about him...it just made me feel special. But it was all his act, his performance. That's what fooled me most of all. He never cared about me, hell no. And he never would.

I kept telling myself this as he strode off the stage. I watched as he talked with Peggy for a while before heading back out to the bus, where I followed him across the parking lot.

"Charlie," I said. He kept walking, even picking up his pace a little to avoid me. I felt my cheeks get hot in anger.

"Charlie!" I called insistently. This made him turn around.

"What?" He said and shrugged his shoulders in exasperation.

I still love you.
I want you back.
I miss you.

Now was my change to tell him how I felt. I could've said whatever I needed to, in that moment, the perfect second....

"I was just gonna say you sounded really good," I muttered. Mentally cursing myself, I sighed and he flashed a confused look.

"Thanks," he replied slowly and turned on his heel back toward the bus.

I kept a slower pace behind him and climbed onto the bus. I immediately headed into the bathroom and applied my heavier performance makeup, curling my brown hair.