Don't Get Close

Lucy woke up the next morning in Moline feeling rather refreshed. She found that Fallen was missing from her bunk, until she realized he probably jumped out when the others woke up in hopes of finding food. He was such a little pig.

She slowly climbed down the steps, but missed the last one. She was waiting to fall backwards and come in contact with the floor, but she never did. She looked up to see a shirtless and half awake James holding her. Lucy’s face began to heat up when she realized she could feel his bare chest on the parts of her back her tank top didn’t cover.

“Thanks.”

James looked down at her, “No problem.”

She became rather self-conscious when she realized that because of James’ height and the way he caught her, he could see over her head and most likely down her shirt. She doubted he would look there, but he was a guy, after all.

After noticing Lucy’s discomfort, James set her upright and gave her a small smile. She smiled back and walked out of the bunks and into the lounge. He pulled on a shirt and followed her out.

“Corey!” Lucy called, “where’s your sweatshirt? I’m freezing!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Corey said, walking over to Lucy with his sweatshirt. James recognized it as the one Lucy was wearing last night at the pier. No wonder it fit her so well; she was only slightly shorter than Corey.

She smiled gratefully and slipped it on, the two guys watching her as she did so. James couldn’t help but feel a bit…jealous…when she hugged Corey as her way of thanking him and wandering into the kitchen without saying another word to James. Corey didn’t think anything of it and walked off into the lounge with everyone else.

It wasn’t that Lucy didn’t want to be around James, because she kind of did, it was just that it was kind of uncomfortable. She didn’t know why she felt so nervous and blushed when James held her, yet hugging Corey did nothing.

Paul greeted her as she walked into the kitchen. He held up a plate, “I’ve got some toast here with your name on it!”

Lucy laughed slightly and took the plate from him, “Thanks, Paul.”

He nodded and went back to preparing more toast for everyone. Not much for breakfast, but it was nice of him to do.

Lucy noticed Sid standing by the toaster, seemingly mesmerized by it. He looked up and waved at her, and she waved back.

“Morning, Lucy! Sleep well?”

She nodded, “I slept like a baby.”

Sid laughed and turned back to the toaster, watching it again. He cheered when the toast came up, but pouted when Paul took it away. Lucy laughed and walked back into the lounge. Today should be fun.

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Serena danced around the stage, humming along to the song the crew was playing during sound check. Lucy laughed and chose to bob her head and tap her feet instead.

In Serena’s dancing daze, she didn’t notice Mick come onto the stage and talk to the guitar tech about his guitar. It wasn’t a surprise when she bumped into him, causing him to fall on his butt, Serena following, and knocking over the guitar tech in the process. Serena had managed to find her way into Mick’s lap and tried to look innocent when she turned to him. Mick just shook his head, a smile on his face, as he helped Serena and then the poor guitar tech up. Serena apologized to both of them, and when she was done proceeded to dance around more until she bumped into Chris. This caused both of them to fall over Chris’ drums and cause an obscene amount of noise. Mick and a couple of the techs went over to help them out.

Lucy laughed again and took that as her cue to leave. When she turned around she ran into Joey and sent him to the floor.

She gasped, “I’m so sorry, Joey!”

He waved her off as she helped him up, “What is it with you girls and knocking over everyone in our band? You’re like walking dominoes!”

Lucy laughed, “Guess we’re a bit clumsy. Well, with me it’s because I space off, but with Serena it’s because she’s just a huge klutz.”

“So I’ve noticed,” he chuckled and starting to walk back onto the stage, “better see how everyone’s doing.”

Lucy nodded and walked off the stage, eager for the guys’ show. That is, if there was a show. At the rate Serena was destroying their equipment, they might not even have a show.

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Lucy sighed and sat down on what she thought was the couch. The guys’ show was amazing, as usual. She didn’t expect anything less.

Lucy realized she wasn’t sitting on the couch when it vibrated beneath her and she heard it laugh. She jumped off whoever she was sitting on and turned to see Corey laughing.

“You should’ve seen your face!”

She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him, “Yeah, yeah. Quit laughing her ass off, it’s not that funny.”

Shawn shook his head, “Sometimes I wonder about you, Corey.”

Corey shrugged, still laughing, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

James got up and walked into the kitchen, feeling the sudden urge to getout of the room something to drink. Lucy gave him a questioning glance at his sudden departure but he just gave her a small smile, which she returned.

When he got in there he found Joey sitting on a stool and sipping a bottle of water while Sid sat next to him drinking a Monster. James scowled.

“Joey! You let him have a Monster? You know what happens when he drinks those things!”

Joey shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips, “I might have forgotten.”

James shook his head, but smiled, “I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”

“Me either,” Sid said, chugging down another part of his drink.

James got a Pepsi and sat next to Joey, “Joe, I think I have a problem.”

Joey turned to him surprised, “What kind of problem?”

“Oh, you know, a chick problem.”

Joey smirked, “I think I know where this is going.”

“You do?” James asked. He didn’t expect Joey to know who he was talking about right away. Actually, he kind of did, since Joey seemed to be the one implying things about him and the girl he was having this…problem…with.

Sid, whom James thought was too distracted to be a part of the conversation, turned at looked at Joey also, “You do?”

“Yep. Jim here,” Joey put his hand on James’ shoulder, earning a meaningless glare from him, “finally realized he’s sweet on Lucy.”

Sid’s eyes widened, “Really? That’s so cute! I uh, mean, way to go?”

James laughed at Sid while Joey stared at him strangely, “Yeah, well. It’s about time. I know it’s only been a few days, but it’s pretty obvious you two have some sort of…connection.”

James shook his head, “I can’t believe I’m actually having this conversation.”

Joey shrugged, “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

James nodded and was about to say something but was interrupted when Lucy walked into the room. She smiled at all the guys, then noticed Sid’s Monster.

“Hey, have any more of those?”

Sid nodded, “Sure do. Want one?”

A big smile took over Lucy’s face, “Would I ever!”

James and Joey shared a look. The had a feeling this wouldn't be a very good idea.