Bully

Chapter 36: Work

A/N: Enjoy ;)

**ABRIELLE'S POV**

I woke up the next morning and was still down about everything. It would be nice if Bill could find me work but I wasn't holding my breath. Not wanting to be social, I stayed in my bunk. Slowly, I could hear everyone else getting up. Laughter could be heard and it broke my heart. Why couldn't I have friends like these guys? Oh yeah, because I didn't deserve them. I sighed and willed away the tears.

"Is Abrielle up yet?" I heard Eric asked.

"Not that I know of. I'm a bit worried, she's usually up by now." Barry asked, "Go wake her up. Breakfast is done."

Great, now I have to act like I'm asleep and don't want to get up!

"Abrielle? Hun, breakfast is done. Get up." Eric gently shook my shoulder.

I kept my eyes closed making him shake me again and tell me breakfast was ready. He told me I needed to eat but I remained still. Suddenly I felt him move some hair out of my face.

"Come on, beautiful. You need to get up and out of your bunk. You need to sit up for a while and you definitely need to eat." He softly stated.

I sighed as I opened my eyes. Why was he calling me beautiful? He does that a lot and it always makes me wonder why. Groaning as I slid my legs out of my bunk made him grab my right upper arm. My knee was hurting some from the day before and I nearly tripped as I tried to walk up front. Eric was quick to grab me and pull me back into him. "Easy there, sweetness."  he cooed in my ear. My heart began pounding in my ribcage. Why did this make my whole body get tingly?

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"Uh...yeah." I swallowed, "Thanks for catching me."

"No worries." He said before finally letting me go.

Could he feel my body trembling? Could he feel how fast my heartbeat as he stood there with his arm around my waist? I limped my way to the kitchen table and sat down. There was already a plate waiting on me as well as a glass of OJ. Barry definitely knew my tastes! Scrambled eggs with sausage. Bill and Jake boarded the bus as I was slowly eating. Eric was sitting next to me with Brent and Barry across from us.

"I have all the information you'll need to work on those bands' tour posters. I've sent them a copy of your e-folio and they were all very impressed and said they couldn't wait to see what you come up with for their posters." Bill smiled at me.

My eyes widened at what he said. He already got me work? I mean, it's just putting together tour posters. That was easy. But it was work. In my field. While I was still in school. My reaction made him chuckle and said he had a flash drive for me. He explained that there was a folder on it for each band with all the pictures and info they wanted on their poster. Everything else was up for me to decide how best to put it together. It floored me that he had actually gone and found me work. Like he said he would.

These weren't well-known bands yet but it was a starting place. Barry urged me to eat. I was still shocked at what Bill had done for me but I finished my plate. The band had several interviews to do so after breakfast, I hobbled to the bunk area to grab my laptop and power cord. Eric had walked back there without me knowing. When I turned around he was there. I jumped making him laugh.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I just came to grab my phone." He told me.

"Ok." I barely whispered, eyes never going beyond his chest.

"Are you ok?" He placed his hand on my right upper arm.

Why did my pulse just speed up? I merely nodded, not knowing what to say to him. We just stood there in silence with him holding onto my arm before Brent called for Eric. He let me go to grab his phone. I slowly followed him to the front lounge where Jake was waiting. Sitting down on the left side couch, I plugged in my laptop and hooked up the flash drive Bill had left for me. There were four folders on it so I opened the first one and looked at the photos they wanted me to use.