*Later that evening*
"We leave for tour in a week..." Balz sighed. Although he loved touring more than anything, the thought of leaving his newly made friends made the prospect less exciting.
"Aw! What are we going to do with out you!? We don't have lives!" Bay pouted. Balz laughed and smacked her arms gently.
"I'm sure you'll live." Ricky said. Bay's smile faultered slightly. Ever since Bay and Ricky had first spoken he'd been acting slightly off. Some days he would be the best friend she'd always wanted and then others he would act like her presents made him sick.
"How long will you be away for?" Marnie asked. Her and Ang were tangled up in the arm chair across the room from where Chris, Balz and Bay were sat on the large leather couch. Ryan, Ghost and Ricky had taken up residence on the floor through lack of space on the furniture.
"About 3 weeks. Not to long." That brought a genuine smile to Balz's face.
"What are we going to do Bay!? Beau's knew girlfriend has been keeping him occupied so looks like it'll just be us!" Marnie sighed. She really didn't like Beau's girlfriend. Marnie had no real reason not to like her but something about her was just... wrong.
"We'll be fine. You never know, we might actually make ourselves useful." Bay chuckled, trying to hide her disappointment that the guys were leaving, if only for less than a month. Ricky smiled slightly at how much Bay had opened up since they first met. For some reason the way her smile had fallen slightly made him realise just how confident she actually was. He knew he was being a bit of a dick to her but it was the only way he could think to keep from digging his, already growning, hole any deeper.
**********************
"What the fuck do you mean 'she isn't doing it'!?" Chris' voice rang through the house causing Bay to jump awake. She heard Ryan's voice but couldn't quite make out what he was saying. Everything went quiet and Bay, being as curious as she was, decided to go downstairs and see what was going on. She pulled on a hoodie and crept, slowly down the stairs and peeked through the living room door to see Chris and Ryan stood in the middle of the room, talking. Chris was pacing slightly and Ryan was stood there, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Can't you get Kuza to do it?" Ryan piped up. Chris thought for a moment before turning to the guitarist and shaking his head slightly.
"No, he has enough to as it is..." Chris thought aloud. Another silence fell and Bay took the oppitunity to let her presents be known.
"Morning guys! What are you doing up this early?" She acted like this was a surprise to her and that she hadn't been eavesdropping on the pair.
"Panicing slightly..." Chris mumbled. Bay gave him a questioning look. "Our merch girl just quite... with a few days notice..." Chris said, his annoyence showing in his voice and face.
"Come on dude! Cut her some slack! Her mothers just been taken in to hospital!" Ryan blurted then regretted it when Chris' face softened.
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier! I wouldn't have been nearly as annoyed!" Chris said. Ryan nodded and turned to me.
"Why are you up this early?" He asked, trying to take the subject off of Allie
"Well... actually, I don't know." She chuckled. Bay thought about what the guys had been talking about but before she could speak Ryan started talking again.
"We need to find a merch girl with in, what, 5 days?" Chris nodded slowly obviously thinking, long and hard about the matter at hand.
"Hello! Unemployed girl who is capable of folding tee shirts, right here!" Bay chipped in. They both turned to look at her and a small grin appeared on Chris' face.
"You'll do it?" He asked, hopefully. Bay grinned and nodded
"That's why i offered!" She sniggered. Chris engulfed her in a huge, tight hug. When he finally put her down, Ryan spoke.
"You... Are a life saver!" He poked her nose and walked past her and into the kitchen.
"Wait, what about Marnie? She's going to be on her own!" Bay whined.
"I don't know...we don't have anymore space. Can't you guys skype and shit like that?" Chris shrugged. Bay sighed and nodded. She didn't know how she was going to tell Marnie but excitement still rushed through her at the thought of spending tour with the guys. Bay followed Ryan into the kitchen and grabbed a can of Monster Khoas out of the fridge.
"That stuff'll rot your guts." Chris reported. Bay pulled a face and looked down at the can.
"But it taste so good!" She whined and drank some more. Chris just laughed and left the kitchen. Ryan took something out of the cupboard and followed him, leaving Bay alone. Bay leant back on the counter top and closed her eyes, wishing sleep was that easy when she heard foot steps and looked up to see Ricky.
"What up Rickster!?" Bay chirped and hugged Ricky's small fame. Even for someone Bay's size he was small.
"Being sleepy you?" He smiled weakly. Hopefully today was a 'be friends with Bay' day, Bay hoped anyway.
"Talking to you, drinking Monster." Bay shrugged and set her can down on the side. Ricky came up and leaned against her, resting his head on hers and closing his eyes. Ricky loved how it felt to be with her, even only for a short amount of time.
"Sleepy much!" Bay laughed and wrapped her arms around his waiste, hugging him tight. Ricky took a deep breath and leant away from her.
"Your hugs are awesome!" Ricky smiled down at her. Bay grinned and moved around him to get to her Monster. She admired Ricky slightly; the way he could say so little but mean so much and the intensity in his eyes sent small shivers down her spine.
"I'm not going to be able to sleep after this." Bay shook her head at the can in her hand and looked up at Ricky.
"Come for a walk with me?" She pouted and, before he could answer, ran upstairs to change into clean clothes. As she crept along the landing she passed the large window and stared out of it at the small flakes of snow fluttered along in the cold breeze.
"GUYS WAKE UP! IT'S SNOWING!" Bay screamed like a small child.
"We live in Pennsylvania, what were you expecting?" Balz chuckled as he trudged out of his bedroom in only a pair of sweats. Bay pulled her eyes from his slightly exposed body and he smirked at her.
"Like what you see?" He winked, doing a weird dance. Bay blushed slightly and shrugged, not wanting to tell him a definite answer.
"Why'd you yell!?" Ghost groaned, walking out of his room.
"SNOW!" Bay giggled. Winter was always her favourite time of year. The cold winds and frosty mornings. "Go and change! We're playing in it!" Bay ordered, running into her room. All the guys except Ricky groaned and slugged back into their rooms to change. Balz smiled to himself at Bay reaction to his lack of clothes and pulled on the warmist jumper he could find and walked over to Bay's room.
"Hey short stack! You ready?" He knocked on the door. The door opened and Bay's beautiful face appeared, a huge grin on her face.
"Let's go play in the snow!" She grinned and took his hand in hers which made all the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. 'Just friends' Balz thought to himself as they walked down the stairs.
My Understandings by Of Mice & Men
