1.1 The Chronicles of Us - Vice & Virtue

Chapter four

Where is my mind?

I must have left it behind when I bolted outside. Everything suddenly happened so fast. Maggie slapped me in the face. I'm grateful for it because it woke me up; unfreezing me. In less than ten seconds, we traded shoes and I was running.

I'm still doing exactly that. Running, as fast as I can. The Roxx is not that far away, but I might not make it in time. Time is running out.

Ha! That's funny!

Maybe I can outrun time if I move my legs a little faster. I take a sharp turn to the right. Cutting through the park might also help. Adrenaline rushes through my veins, forcing my feet to keep moving. I pass the pond where David and I used to feed the ducks.

Can't say that I give a flying duck right now.

Since it's actually quite a lovely day, the park is crowed. People stare at the crazy woman who's running around in a wedding dress whilst grinning like a maniac. I know many of these people. I'll be the talk of the town, for sure. I don't care, though. That was David's fear, not mine.

I manage to jump over a puddle of mud but the train of my immaculate dress drags through it. Who cares? I liked to play in the mud as kid! For what seems the first time in ages, the smile on my face is anything but empty.

The years I spent on the track team in high school are finally paying off. The sting in my leg muscles isn't bothering me at all, I welcome it. I could run for hours, for days even. Never in my life did I feel so alive as I do right now.

How long have I been running? Ten minutes? Twenty minutes? It feels like I could run forever but my never-ending run comes to an abrupt halt when I see the words The Roxx.  The tour bus is still here.

I made it!

I manage to sneak up to the front of the bus unseen and rest my back against the cool metal. Now what? Casually take a seat? He invited me but he didn't mean it. It was just a desperate attempt to make me sleep with him. I can't risk the chance of being told to go away.

I feel so high right now, I barely notice the fact that I'm completely out of breath. With the fabric of my dress clenched between my fists, I peek around the bus.

There are several men standing at the back of it, shoving bags and equipment in the luggage space. Two of the men, I remember to be in the band. The guy who kissed me is nowhere to be seen.

It's now or never.

I take precisely three deep breaths and enter the bus. With quick steps and my head low, I reach the back. I just need them to take me out of town. After that, they can kick me off.

At the very end is a sitting area with two benches in front of each other and a foldable table in the middle. I close the purple curtain to stay out of view. My heart almost beats out of my chest.

What now?

I look around but there is nothing except a blanket. I wrap myself in it and slide underneath the table. This way they won't see me immediately. I just need time.

A little bit of time.

A loud bang indicates the luggage space is being closed. They must be done packing up and getting ready to leave. The murmuring of voices is getting louder as they enter the bus. I can't hear what they are saying but I can hear them laugh. They don't know I'm in here. If they did, they would have confronted me by now. My heart pounds harder and faster when the voices get closer. They cannot find me. Not yet! When the bus starts moving, I sigh in relief.

We must have been driving for about twenty minutes. The bus is picking up speed, which means we are on the interstate. My muscles relax and I let out the breath of air I wasn't aware I  was holding in. We finally left town.

We left town.

WE LEFT TOWN.

My heart starts pounding again. My only thought was skipping town but now that we did, I have no idea what is next. Sooner or later they are going to find me. They'll think I'm crazy and drop me off at a psych ward!

Maybe not a far stretch.

It's probably better to let them find me sitting on the bench than hiding underneath the table. That would at least make it seem as if I'm not a completely deranged person.

I drag myself from under the table and sit down like it is the most normal thing for me to be here. Maybe I can make them believe I'm a ghost or something. I'm sure there's some folklore about murdered brides that haunt unsuspecting men on the highway. Maybe I can—

What was that?

Did someone say he's coming to the back? The floor squeaks a little under a set of heavy footsteps. I fidget with my fingers and focus my eyes on a wet spot on the table. With every footstep my heart thumps faster. I bite my lip when the curtain is being pulled open.

Here we go.

The loud gasp implies that I have been discovered. Wide-eyed and with his jaw on the floor, the drummer with the buzz cut stares at me.

Yep, I'm the epitome of crazy.

Not sure what to do, I offer him an awkward smile.

He blinks hard and long. "There's a chick back here!"

Someone jokingly shouts back, "Did some groupie fall asleep there?"

The drummer looks at me again, trying to make sense of what he's seeing. "I don't think so, she doesn't look like one."

A multitude of people hurry toward us. Six men stare at me, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. They look at me in complete silence like I'm a mirage that could vanish any second now. I won't, of course, because this is reality. I ran from my wedding to sit in the back of a tour bus with complete strangers. Three faces I don't recognize. The other three, I do. The drummer, the bass player and ... him.

After what feels like an excruciating eternity, the bass player breaks the silence. He seems curious more than anything. "What are you doing here?"

My eyes shift from face to face, skipping his purposely. Where do I even begin? "I—uhh."

My face must be Twizzler-red. I don't really have an answer. What am I doing here? I force myself to look at the guy who kissed me. His blank face is clear of any emotion, but his gaze is fixated on me.

Heavenly goodness! Light of day works in his favor, showcasing his sharp jaw with a barely there stubble, smooth features and blazing eyes.

clearly uncomfortable with my presence, he takes a deep breath before he grumbles, "I invited her."

♡♡♡♡

A/N

Here we gooooo 😬

X Dionne