Sparrow of the Dawn

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round and Round and Round and...

Alright quick life update: I JUST GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. LOOK OUT WORLD.

------------------------------------------------------

Jake and I don't spend much time together over the next three weeks because the boys have been preparing for their tour and I have been busy building up work hours so I can afford to take the dates off. Jake discussed it with everyone involved with the tour and got me approved to stay on the bus for two whole weeks! A whole two weeks with the most adorable human being on the planet? I'll take it. I'm getting nervous and excited just thinking about it!

***

I wake up early Monday morning, beyond ready to get this Greta party started. I'm packing the last of my clothes, finally deciding on which cute "pajamas" to take on the bus with me, when I hear a loud honk from outside. I run outside with a gigantic but sleepy smile on my face, carrying three large bright green suitcases. Danny races out of the bus almost as quickly as I ran out of my house. "Lex! Let me help!" I hand him two of the bags and take the third one onto the bus.

"'Scuse me miss, it's too early for those colors," Josh says, sitting on a beanbag chair toward the back of the bus.

"Shut up, this bus screams 1974, you hippie," I say, pointing at the wall and shaking my head. Josh laughs quietly and walks into the bathroom. I turn to look at Sam, "hey, where is Jake?"

Danny walks back onto the bus just as I finish my question and answers, "we gotta pick him up. He's uh, getting something."

"Oh. Great," I say. I was hoping to see him right when I joined the gang on the bus, but oh well, I suppose. Sam gets up and walks to the very back of the bus, pulls the wall curtain up as a partition and lays on one of the small beds. And so the immaturity begins.

With that, Danny turns around, gets in the driver's seat and turns the key. It's finally time to embark on the first leg of the tour!

"Danny," I say, grabbing a seat at the makeshift dinner table located behind the driver's seat, "are you really ok with driving this big ass bus around the country? Is that even allowed?"

Danny looks back at me through the rearview mirror, "Allowed?" he chuckles. "Well, this part of the tour is covering the whole midwest, and our normal bus driver is currently in Virginia on a long vacation, so we thought it would be a good idea to just take turns driving ourselves around until we start the east coast leg of the tour when we can meet up with him." I nod and sit back, trying not to be awkward.

What is Josh doing in the bathroom? It's been about ten minutes. Is he okay? Should I check on him? No, he's grown and can take care of himself. Why is Sam being a kid about this? Jake isn't even here yet... I thought we were friends, why is he acting like I just stole his cookie?

The bus stops, jolting me out of my tornado of thoughts. All of a sudden, I hear some loud blues coming from what sounds like old speakers. "Lex, take a look outside," I hear Danny say from his seat.

I look through the blinds on the big window to my right. I see my adorable Jake, dressed as a stereotypical modern blues artist, in sunglasses, a black jacket, some jeans, and suede boots. If I were an emoji, I'd definitely have some huge heart eyes right now. "Holy..." I start. Someone off to the side hands Jake a guitar and he begins playing to the recording. I don't recognize the song, but then I see the pedals at his feet and realize it's something Jake must have looped earlier. He's beyond talented. At this point, a sizable crowd has begun to form and to my surprise, Jake starts to sing!

"Baby won't you come closer,

It's been so long dear,

I want to hold you near....

I love the sound of your voice,

So devine.

I need you right here,

Won't you be mine?"

Danny, Josh, and Sam are all watching from inside the bus now too, each with a different expression. Danny seems to be overwhelmed by the cuteness of Jake's gesture; Josh looks proud; and Sam, well, he's pissed. "Did you guys know he was going to do this?" I ask.

"I'm the only one who really knew. Obviously. We're twins!" Josh says with a 'duh' look on his face.

"We knew he was going to do something, but I had no idea it would be this!" Danny says smiling.

I run out of the bus and into Jake's arms, kissing every part of his face not covered by the big sunglasses. "I didn't know you were capable of being this cute!"

"Wait. This was supposed to be funny, not cute. But, uh, don't underestimate me!" Jake shoots me some finger guns and puts his arm around my waist. "Now come on, let's get on the bus and get...rollin'." He fires off a couple more finger guns, laughs, and picks me up wedding-style and carries me back onto the bus.