la vie en rose | blake richardson

eight

"Please don't be mad at me," Blake begs Cassie, who leans down next to him to get her suitcase from the bunk.

"I'm not mad, I'm cross," Cassie mumbles, finding the handle of her suitcase and pulling it out.

"Did you get some sleep?" Blake asks carefully.

"You know I can't get in my bunk by myself when it's parked, let alone when the bus is moving," Cassie side eyes him, "I watched a movie with Reece in his bunk."

"Oh, what'd you watch?"

"Hurry up and get your luggage," George stands above Blake, hands frustratedly stuffed in the pockets of his sweatpants.

"Sorry," Blake mumbles, getting his case and standing up.

"Got everything you need?" Reece asks Cassie, who nods before walking past George to exit the bus.

"What'd I do?" Blake sighs, standing up.

"You just don't get it," Reece shrugs.

"Is the going to sulk for much longer?"

"She's not sulking," Reece scoffs, pushing Blake over so he could get his own luggage, "she's hurt."

"How would you know what was going on better than I do?" Blake furrows his eyebrows.

"There's things about her that you don't know, Blake. You're her friend, not her diary," Reece states simply, standing up with his luggage in his hand.

"And you are?" Blake scoffs.

"Get over yourself," Reece looks at Blake blankly, "you're so invested in her, it's embarrassing."

"I-I just want to help her if she's hurt," Blake mumbles.

"Maybe don't hurt her and you won't have to help."

"If you two are going to be in a strop all tour, you can both go home," Ben speaks, motioning towards the door of the bus, "hurry up. We're all tired."

"I still just don't understand," Blake whispers as they walk past Ben, a sigh falling from Reece's lips.

"You weren't there when she bought that planB, so you wouldn't."

   "You were there?!" Blake's voice rises.

   "Yes, and you didn't see how ashamed she looked, okay?" Reece sighs, stepping off the bus after Blake, "I'm trying to help her, but I can't if you lead her to think that you know the extent of it, when you don't."

   "Got our key," Tanner yawns, approaching Cassie.

   "Thank God, lets get to bed," Cassie groans, hand rubbing her eye.

   "So you think I should just ignore it?" Blake asks Reece, teeth biting the inside of his cheek.

   "Just apologise for being an idiot and she'll probably get over it. Just, please, don't talk to her about guys. She's stuck in the mud and I'm trying to help her out," Reece asks calmly, Blake nodding his head even though he didn't understand. He still had so many questions and his mind was wandering to places he didn't want to visit.

   The next morning wasn't any different. Blake woke up wondering, and Reece woke up refusing to tell him anything. Blake was glad he could trust Reece to be a good, loyal friend to Cassie, but at the same time, he wished he had a bigger mouth.

   It wasn't any less awkward when the group met up for breakfast. Blake still had so many questions that he had to bite his tongue to avoid, but he didn't know how long he would last without asking them. He always told Cassie if anything was bothering him, so it felt out of nature for him to hide something from her, and vice versa.