You're Attractive but Bitter

[KATE’S POV]

Okay, so it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Caleb or even wondered ab0ut how he was doing or where he was. After what he did to me, it was clear enough that we both should never have been together. Well at least now I know that he isn’t what’s best for me.

Today, Kyle told me that he was leaving for tour but before I could say goodbye to him, he invited me to join the tour.

“You’re kidding, right?” I asked thinking about all the wrong possibilities that might happen if I did agree to going to the tour with them. ‘Them’ being the band which as you may already know included Caleb.

“C’mon, Kate, It’ll be fun,” Kyle said. We were in his room where he was packing so I guess – actually, I hoped – it was hard for him to think straight.

“You do know who your band mates are, right?” I asked rhetorically and he just looked at me with a blank look on his face.

“I thought you were over him,” he said grabbing his lucky pair of drum sticks and placing them in his backpack. It was quite amazing how he was able to fit all his things in two backpacks. But then again the other one was about twice as large as the other.

“You just don’t get it, do you?” I sat on his bed and stared out the window. I can’t believe I was actually having this conversation with him.

“Only a little,” he said getting up and stretching his limbs.

“So why do you think going to tour with you will help my helpless situation?” I asked exasperatedly as he sat beside me.

“Look, I asked you to come to tour with us because I wanted to show you how fun tour was. I didn’t ask you to come along because Caleb would be there. So since the bus is already downstairs and I have to go, here’s the address of the venue. You can either ask your mom or dad to drive you down the place or maybe you can be brave enough to come by yourself.” He said taking a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to me. “Either way, I just hope you make up your mind quickly because after tonight, we’ll be riding the bus all around the state and it’ll be harder for you to catch us.”

“But where am I going to sleep if I come with you?” I asked him and that made him think.

“The hotel, Duh,” he said grabbing his bags and walking out of his door. I watched as he made his way down the flight of stairs and out the front door.

I didn’t know exactly what I was supposed to do but I really did want to go. I just didn’t want to have to face Caleb and start having awkward, forced conversations with him. Maybe I was assuming too much or maybe I was analysing things too hard. Maybe what Kyle said could be a possibility but then again maybe it won’t be fun. As soon as I heard the bus leave the premises, I raced to my house and started packing my things. I needed to take a risk and if ever everything turns out wrong for me, then I’ll deal with the consequences but for now, I have to take this opportunity since this was more or less a once in a lifetime chance – or at least I’d like to think so.

But how was I supposed to get to where they were going to be? I had two bags filled with clothes and other necessities already. I thought I was all set but then the transportation problem dawned on me.

I was thinking of a way to get there when suddenly my phone buzzed.

“Hey Kate,” Blake greeted from the other line.

“Hey,” I said seeing the solution at hand so before giving him a chance to say anything else, I asked, “Blake, are you going with them?”

“Going with whom?” He asked curiosity evident in his tone.

“The band,” I asked hoping that I would hear the answer I’d been longing for. Why didn’t I just agree when Kyle invited me? That was so unwise of me.

“Oh, well look outside your window,” he instructed and I walked over to the right side of the room where the window gave a plain view of the neighborhood. I looked down and saw him leaning against his car while holding his phone to his ear with one hand.

I smiled as I hung up, grabbed my bags and went out the door. My parents weren’t home that day so I just left them a note to tell them that I wasn’t going to be home for the rest of the tour. I just told them to call Kyle so that he could explain. I just hope I don’t get into any trouble for this.

When I was certain that I had everything I needed, I placed my bags in the trunk of Blake’s Sedan and slid into the passenger’s seat. With him in the driver’s seat, he started the ignition and we were on our way.

“How did you know exactly that I needed a ride?” I asked him after he turned on the radio and turned it down a little so we could talk.

“I didn’t,” he said vaguely. “I just wanted to check up on you since I knew that FTSK would be on tour. But then I thought that maybe you’d already be on the bus since you know, you and Kyle are cousins but then since I know you more than you think I do, I just stopped by your house.” He said with a smug smile.

“Okay, you actually expect me to believe that?” I asked and he smirked.

“Not the checking up on you part since Kyle texted me as soon as he got on the bus but I did expect you to believe the part where I mentioned that I knew you better than you know,” he said.

I looked at him with an eyebrow raised but he didn’t meet my eyes.

We drove in silence until we reached the venue and weirdly, the silence didn’t feel awkward. Maybe it was because I felt comfortable around him since I’ve known him for so long. Once we got out of the car, we grabbed our bags and looked for the FTSK tour bus. Once we spotted Jonathan and Kyle with some friends, Blake and I rushed over to where they were hoping they could make our search for the bus easier.

When Kyle saw us coming, his jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide. “Kate!” he called out as he ran towards me. “What made you change your mind?” he asked and I just smiled at him.

“I’ll tell you later but now, Can you show us the bus so we can dump our bags in there since we don’t have anywhere else to settle in?” I asked and he nodded.

Kyle and Blake were talking about the line up of the sets the whole time while we were walking slowly towards the bus. While they were talking, I listened in so maybe later, I can go and watch some other bands play.

While planning on which bands to watch, we arrived to the spot where the bus was parked. Kyle said something funny and all I remember is walking in first inside the bus. I didn’t think anyone was in there so I didn’t bother knocking. But then I saw Caleb frozen in place as the girl who I guess he was arguing with ran past me and out the door.

I didn’t see any point in waiting by the door so I walked past him, dropped my bags on the couch in the mini living room they had at the back of the bus and walked back out. But I wasn’t able to walk out on him without him grabbing my arm and pulling me back. I wasn’t planning to deal with him so I just waited to hear what he had to say. When Blake and Kyle saw the girl run out of the bus, they didn’t plan on coming in anymore since they knew what was about to happen next, or maybe I assumed they did but that doesn’t matter.

“K-Kate?” he stuttered. I looked at him while I crossed my arms.

I didn’t say anything so he started saying things I couldn’t really register into my head since I tuned him out. I saw his lips moving and watched as he looked me straight in the eye but I didn’t really hear anything. I didn’t have to since I knew exactly what would happen if I did. I’d end up making the worst decision ever and I’d Have to face more problems and the tour had barely even started so it would be hard for me to just leave anytime.

Once his lips stopped moving and he waited for my reply, I just shrugged and left without saying another word. When I walked out of the bus, Kyle watched me intently. I think he half-expected me to cry but I wasn’t going to. I promised myself not to shed another tear for him and that’s a promise I’d like to keep.

“So what are we gonna do now?” I asked Kyle who was watching me as if I just performed a miracle in front of him.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m sure.” And from that moment on, I knew that the decision I had made was the greatest one I’ve made yet.

I knew this time of the year would turn out great. Maybe I’d meet someone on tour and fall in love and forget about Caleb and how he’s so full of himself.

This would be a fresh start and to tell you the truth, I think I’m going to enjoy this.