Beautiful Mess

Chapter 12

 “So where have you two been?” Ian asked as Chase and I walked through the bus door. I immediately began to flush, knowing all too well where this was going to end up. Chase shut the door behind me as I walked up the few flights of steps. Lucas and Adam had made themselves at home on the sofa propped up against the wall. Ian was two feet in front of them, plucking some strings on his guitar. When we opened the door, all eyes were on us. I already hated being the center of attention.

 “Probably doing something nasty,” Adam mumbled. I felt my face heat up. Chase smirked from behind me. He climbed the stairs and sat down on the couch.

 “You know it,” he agreed. I coughed, slightly uncomfortable with this conversation. Lucas glanced up at me and smiled. He pushed his blonde hair aside.

 “She’s uncomfortable,” he exclaimed.

 “Then that must mean that something did go down,” Ian laughed. “I’m so correct.” Chase rolled his eyes and leaned back. I stood in front of the stairs, not knowing if I should sit down and take any more of this or go back into the bedroom and figure out what to do.

 “Give the girl a break. We just went out for some air, looked at some stars,” Chase said. He closed his eyes. Todd climbed into the front seat, slamming his door. He let out a huge sigh as he buckled his seat belt. We all glanced over at him. He shook his head in the rearview mirror and put the bus in drive. The bus lurched forward and I stumbled to gain my balance.

 “Look, Chase. You got her wobbly in the knees. It must have been some good star dazing,” Ian laughed. I was pretty sure my face was as red as a tomato by now. Lucas punched him in the arm. Chase remained quiet and I was secretly hoping that he would say something in rebuttal.

 “Ian, wasn’t it you who told me to lay off the comments a couple of nights back?” Adam snapped. I looked over at him, confused by the sudden haste. Chase opened his eyes, raising his eyebrows. Adam glanced up from his guitar and looked around the crowded space. “What?”

 “Dude, what crawled up your butt?” Lucas asked.

 “Why don’t you come and find out,” Adam hissed. Lucas raised and eyebrow. He got up and made his way over to Adam. Adam looked disgusted and pushed him aside. “Dude, that was sarcasm.”

 “I know,” Lucas replied as if that was a stupid remark. “I was getting up to get a coke.”

 “Really? Because it seemed to me like you took my remark seriously,” Adam snapped. I sat down on the step deciding staying here was probably best. Especially now since the subject had adverted from me. Chase sighed.

 “Can we please get through one night without some sort of bickering from the two of you?” he asked. Ian smirked in reply. Everyone, including me, knew that this was not possible. I had only been with them for less than a week and I already knew that that was a negative. Adam and Lucas were too similar for quarrels to not arise. Adam was like a big brother to Lucas. Brothers bickered and fought. Much like them.

 “Well, if Lucas would mind his own fucking business, I wouldn’t have to turn it into an argument,” Adam answered.