Cross My Heart

Chapter Seven

We walk back down the street to the tour bus in silence, but this time it’s not awkward. We walk close to each other, our arms brushing against each other. Eventually, I lean my head against his shoulder and he reaches up to stroke my hair.

            When we reach the bus, everyone else is up. Will looks out the window and yells something behind his back. Then they all come running out of the bus.

            “Hey!” Kyle says as he brings Dan in for a hug, slapping his back. “Where did you go?”

            “Yeah, you scared us,” Will puts in.

            “No note, nothing!” Woody adds.

            Dan puts up his hands to stop the questions. “Sorry, Katie woke up and there was nothing to eat so we went for a walk. We ate at iHop. That alright?” he raises his eyebrow.

            The boys accept this and we pile back onto the bus.

            Dan, Woody and I sit down on a couch while Will, Kyle, and the bus driver (who I’m told is called Rick) and Dan explains “Katie, as much as we’d like,” he says with a smile, “can’t come with us. We have to take her back home.”

            Will wiggles his eyebrows from across the room at me and I just purse my lips and shake my head. “My car is still at Gill Stadium,” I tell Dan.

            He thinks for a moment. “Okay, Rick, it’s really not that far back to town. We walked there. Could you drive us back in?”

            Rick leans back. “It’s lucky for you we didn’t go any further, boy,” he says. “But yeah I might be able to get you there.”

            “Great,” Dan says, ignoring the bitterness in Rick’s response. “Everybody get some breakfast and get ready. We’ll head back and…” He pauses, thinking hard. “Yeah.” He abruptly gets up and walks away.

            My face falls and I look to the ground. “Thanks, guys. Sorry for the trouble.”

            The group disperses and I sit back on the couch, hugging my knees. Woody leans over, “Hey, what’s going on?” he asks.

            “What do you mean?” I mumble, turning my head to look at him.

            “You know,” he says, gesturing at the air between me and Dan.

            I blow out a sigh and look away. “Uh… not much. He kinda kidnapped me, so yeah.” I force a laugh.

            Woody is silent for a few moments, but then he taps me on the shoulder and whispers, “Yeah, but that’s not it.”

            He gets up and gives me a look before going to get ready himself. I sigh and tuck my head between my knees. Am I that much of an open book?

            After everything is ready, Rick gets up and starts the bus. We spin around and start heading back to town. With each passing minute, my heart sinks lower as I realize I’ll be leaving Dan.

            And after all this! I think angrily. What’s he trying to do?

            Sadly, we reach the stadium. It’s nearly empty, just a few cars scattered here and there. Mine sits at the back corner, abandoned.

            I get up slowly and walk off the bus, making sure I have my jacket, phone, and MP3 player.

            Dan gets off the bus with me. We stand by my car, my hand resting o the door handle. I look back at the bus and watch as the boys all get out and start walking toward a store across the street.