I Just Wanted to be Edgy Too

Chapter Eighty-Nine

Van

Three Weeks Later

"That's the last of it." Bondy's voice was littered in bits of excitement, and I couldn't blame him. He loved touring. Today was different though. He was trying to keep his excitement reigned in. He knew how difficult this was going to be not only for me and Ellie, but for Bob and Allie, too. He knew that we'd all grown up in some sense, since those early days of touring, but Johnny Bond was terrible at hiding his excitement for anything. He had a sort of twinkle in his eye that only emphasized his little sideways smirk.

I nodded as I looked around the bus and frowned. It should make me happy that this time around, we got a bigger bus than ever before. The private room in the back was twice the size of the ones we'd been used to, and the living area had an extra couch. I should be celebrating all the things we'd worked hard for. We came from a van that broke down every fifty miles back in the early days, and now we were here. But here wasn't where I wanted to be. At least not right now.

I wanted to be at home with Ellie. At our home. I wanted to stay there, lost and hidden from the rest of the world, but I knew that wasn't possible. Just like it wasn't possible for her or Allie to come with us.

"At least they'll have each other." Bob said from behind me, no doubt thinking the same thoughts I was. I nodded and followed his gaze out the window, to where the two of them laughed and sipped on teas in cardboard cups. At least they'd been able to come with us for the night.

For the last night.

We were leaving from Manchester and heading into London to promote the first single. Tomorrow was April Fool's Day, and we'd kept everything under wraps this far. After that, we were playing several acoustic sets throughout England, before heading into Scotland to do the same. Bits and pieces of radio shows and interviews were being sprinkled in between already scheduled acoustic sets that the label arranged. I had a feeling the days would be longer than we were originally told, and that I'd have to carve out extra time to make sure I contacted Ellis. After the initial two weeks of promotions, we'd have almost a week to ourselves, before flying back to the US to promote the single, release another, and kick off the first leg of the American tour. Ellie was staying in England until mid May, and flying home for some east coast dates and to see her family. But that still left her with empty time. Time without me.

I stepped off the bus and adjusted my shades, trying hard to blend in like a local, but I'd already been spotted by several fans in the area who knew something was going on. I waved at them, again, and pressed a smile into the creases of my face. My gaze locked on Ellie's as she shrugged her shoulders. I stepped toward her and rested my hand on hers, aware that the fans were still watching me. The old me would have walked by her. The old me would have ignored her standing there, and treated her as if she were just another person. But I was tired of hiding her. Tired of keeping her to myself. Tired of not being the person I was when I was with her. She glanced at the fans and then back to me.

"We have an audience."

"Ought to make it worth their while then, aye?" I smirked as I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers softly. Allie smirked beside us and sipped her drink casually. Ellie froze, her eyes glancing between the fans who were staring, and me.

"I'm not going to get to do this for a few weeks, so if it's alright with you, I'd like to make the most of it while I still can." I smiled.