Forbidden

8

He rubs the top of my hand with his thumb for a while, until it stops suddenly when he falls asleep, though our hands stay connected. I stare up into the darkness, the rush from his skin on mine keeping me awake.

I'm not sure what this means. But I know what I feel about him now, and no matter how much I want to deny it, I can't. Being around him makes me feel like I'm a different person.

Since I've been spending everyday with him, and have been on this tour, I've noticed how much my mood has changed. I feel good, and like I have something to look forward to every day.

—

I wake up to an empty bed, and my hand missing the warmth of his. I assume he wanted to get out of here before the others woke up, which I can understand. It wouldn't look very good.

I take a shower and brush my teeth, throwing on an oversized flower print sweatshirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. When I make my way into the kitchen, Nick is seated at the table eating breakfast. Well, I guess more like brunch for this time of day.

"Hey Ellie." He says.

"Hi." I say, grabbing a bowl off of the counter. I take a seat at the table, grabbing the cereal and milk from him and making my own bowl.

"Where's Joe?" Kevin asks as he enters the room.

I look at Nick in question, wondering myself. "He went for a walk I guess." Nick says.

I stir my cereal around, trying to find an appetite. It's weird that he would go without me since that's sort of our thing. I hope he doesn't regret last night.

After my cereal gets too mushy to even consume, I get up and dump it down the sink.

"You okay Ellie?" Kevin asks. Nick looks at me from beside him.

"I'm good." I tell him, trying to give them an assuring smile.

I walk into my room and grab my phone off of my dresser. I have a text from Amy. I open it up,

Amy:
I won't give up on Joe without a fight! I will be in Detroit tomorrow no matter what to surprise him! Can you help me get into the show without him knowing?

My stomach twists into knots and I set my phone down. I shouldn't be surprised, of course she still wants to be with him. And I have to help her, she's my best friend. Just because Joe held my hand last night, doesn't mean he's suddenly over her and interested in me. I know I have to do the right thing.

I pick my phone back up and text her back, telling her I'll have everything set up to arrive as part of the crowd to surprise him.

I go back into the kitchen to find Nick, and he's still there. Kevin is gone and Joe still isn't back.

Nick raises his eyebrow at me, "You look pale."

"Oh?" I question. "Anyway, can you get me a pit ticket for Amy? She wants to surprise Joe tomorrow in Detroit."

"I thought they were on a break?" He asks.

"She wants to win him back." I say, grabbing his empty bowl for him and bringing it to the sink.

"I can get a ticket. But are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask with my back to him, rinsing the bowl.

"I saw him sneak out of your room this morning." He says lowly.

I turn around, eyes wide. He smirks at me but I shake my head, "it wasn't like that."

"Well I know we have plenty of rooms, so it wasn't because of that. Maybe nothing happened, but you can't tell me you don't have feelings for him. I can see it. And clearly he feels something for you, or he wouldn't be sleeping in your bed."