Always || L.H.

Chapter Two

"Hi luke," I said as he gripped my hand.

"So you're the new gal who is going to tune our guitars for us?" He said, and for the first time I realized he had an Australian accent.

"Yeah I am. So I guess that makes you Luke Hemmings?" I asked, letting his hand go.

He grinned and nodded at me.

"I am the one called by that, and this is Michael, my drab green-headed friend, who also plays the guitar," he said, gesturing to a guy who my father would probably describe as a miscreant.

"Hi Michael," I said awkwardly.

"Hi Kate," he said, in the same manner of voice, smiling.

"So I guess we start work tomorrow on the specific tuning and such, but I also wanted to know if you guys had anything you needed me to do specifically when it came to how you tune. I just want to be ready," I felt the serious part of me click on, and I wish I wouldn't have to hide behind my job to talk to people. But I got anxious often, and that was usually how I coped.

"I mean, I don't have anything specific, just be good to my babies," Michael chimed in before like could get a word out.

I laughed at the term babies. I usually used that to describe my instruments as well.

"Yeah, same here. Other than that I'm sure you'll figure everything out pretty quickly,"

"Yeah, that's my job," I shifted back in forth onto the balls of my feet, and leaned to set my guitar down on one of the small cushions that seated the table.

But before I could Luke reached out and touched my hand that held the neck of the guitar.

"Do you mind if I play for a moment? We aren't allowed to bring our guitars on the bus, and I've really missed playing just for the hell of it," luke asked, a pleading look in his eyes.

I shrugged and handed it to him.

"Just, ya know, be careful. Betsy is pretty old, she and I have through a lot," I said, as I began walking towards the beds.

"You call your guitar Betsy?" I heard Michael call out from behind me.

"Yeah, I name all my instruments," I said, turning around and looking at him.

"Cool, so do I," he said, nodding at me. I gave him a small smile and headed back to the bed area.

Each bed had a drawer connected right under it to place all of your clothes in. It was fairly small but it would do.

As I unpacked my clothes and began stuffing them in the drawer I could hear a faint rendition of 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' By Jet, being played.

I smiled to myself and nodded along to Luke's choice of song as I worked. Are You Gonna Be My Girl has always been one of my favorite songs, and there wouldn't be a day where it wasn't.

After I finished packing all of my stuff into my drawer I crumpled up my bag and put it in a nearby storage closet.

And as I always do when I become uncomfortable on my first day of tour I pulled on my large Blink-182 hoodie and made my way to the front room, with my iPod in tow.

I glanced at Luke and Michael as I hopped onto the couch across from them, and I pulled my ipod out of my hoodie pocket.

But before I could even put my headphones in I heard Luke hailing me.

"Hey, Kate. Is that a blink-182 jacket?" He asked, momentarily stopping his guitar playing.

"Yeah, it was my dads. He got it when he saw them on the honda civic tour in 2001, and I just stole it," I said, grabbing it and pulling.

"That's amazing, I love Blink so much, they're great," he smiled wide and without thought began to play the beginning of Dammit on Betsy.

I smiled at his thoughtless playing, wondering if he did that often.

I guess I'll find out, I thought.

"Yeah, they are one of my favorites. I was actually just about to listen to them," I said, nodding to my iPod.

"That's cool then, I'll leave you to it,"

"Thanks,"

"But, uh, hey listen," he said, trying to, no doubt, get one more sentence in before I slipped into my music coma.

"There's a party tonight in the rec room of the stadium. It's only supposed to be for the three bands to hang out but you can come too if you want, I'm sure everyone else will be inviting others,"

"Wow, thanks, I'll try and come out,"

"Just uh, if you decide to go just walk up with us, other wise they won't let you in. It's starts in an hour so, yeah, if you're gonna go just be ready then,"

"Alright, sounds good," I smiled at him and stuck my earphones in before he could talk again.

He was really sweet but I wasn't feeling too social right now. I actually don't think I've ever been social.

I sighed and closed my eyes, letting Tom and Mark coax me to sleep.

But right before I was about to fall completely asleep my phone began vibrating in my back pocket and I groaned involuntarily.

I shifted to my side and picked up my phone to see my sister calling.

"Oh for fucks sake," I whined, sitting up and staring at my phone.

I yanked my headphones out of my ears and dashed out the bus door, answering as I closed it.

"Yeah, what?" I said, irritated that she interrupted my nap.

"Hey I just wanted to check in grouchy,"

"Yeah I'm fine, I was just about to go to sleep,"

"Oh. Isn't there friends to be made today? Or things to be doing?" She said cheerfully.

My sister was the exact opposite of me in every way. She was pleasant and beautiful, always full of pep, and I was perpetually angry, gross-looking, and always too scared to talk to anyone.

"Yeah, no. Kaitlin I really don't have time right now,"

"Isn't there some kind of first day party or something?"

"...no,"

"You liar,"

"I promise,"

"You are horrible at lying, especially to me. You're going to go to that party,"

"No, absolutely not,"

"If you don't go, and send me proof, then I'm calling mom and telling her that you are hiding a fiancé from her,"

"You wouldn't,"

"I would," I paused for a moment and thought over whether or not she actually would.

Mom would totally believe it, she was so crazed about marrying off her girls that she might even consider it was true. As undateable as I was.

"You know she would freak out, she'd never leave me alone,"

"I know, and that's why I'm using it as a threat," I grimaced, at her serious tone.

"Why do you even care?"

"Because maybe one day I actually do want to tell mom you're hiding a fiancé and have it be true," she said sadly, I could hear the concern in her voice and sighed.

"Fine, but don't try and make me go to anymore,"

"I won't have to, you'll go on your own," her voice flipped from extremely deadpan to completely chipper.

"Yeah yeah okay,"

"Have fun,"

"Yeah, whatever, bye,"

"Love you!"

I rolled my eyes and ended the call; walking back to the bus to get ready for a party.