Once a Fragile Design

Today was different. I felt it. So far on the tour Acey and I stayed in our little area in the back but last night John and Acey fell asleep in the back room and I fell asleep in Kennedy’s arms. Two weeks of this tour and I could already feel my self falling for him. I could tell something was different in Acey too. I was thankful for the lack of drama.

“Roxanne! Get yo’ ass up we have the day off and we’re going shopping!” Kennedy groaned in my ear as I opened my eyes to see Acey barely visible from the top bunk. “And come on I’m on my tippy toes and I can barely see you.” I heard John laugh, suddenly going behind her and he picked her up.

“Hey I can see you.” Acey rolled her eyes before slapping John to put her down. He shook his head with a laugh before throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her away from the bunk area. “Come on Kenny, get up,” I spoke softly turning over to face him. He shook his head, groaning like a child with his eyes still closed. I rolled my eyes before getting out of the bunk and stretching as soon as my sock clad feet touched the floor.

“Hey Rox, is Kennedy still asleep?” I found Garrett staring at me with this nervous expression. I cocked my head to the side, Garrett avoid eye contact as his fingers drummed at the side of his thigh.

“Yeah. What’s up Gare? You seem upset.” Garrett finally looked up at me, making eye contact that didn’t even last long. “Did Acey do anything?” Garrett shook his head. “John?” Garrett shrugged and I sighed. “Wake him up but I blame you if he’s cranky.” Garrett nodded and brushed past me to wake up Kennedy. I walked forward towards the kitchen area to see Acey eating a banana and John staring at Acey.

“You’re not getting this banana,” John pouted even more and I got an apple from the counter.

“So do you guys know why Garrett needed to talk to Kenny so bad?” Acey shrugged, John looked at me then looked back to Acey with a smirk forming on his lips. “Oh John, you going to tell? Because everyone knows you have a mouth of a sixty year old woman.”

“Hey! I will not break the bro code. He asked me something, apparently I am not good at advice and now he’s asking everyone else. I think Kennedy will help him out though,” he looked at me with a look like ‘see-I-don’t-gossip. I just laughed.

“I can’t believe he even came to you in the first place, John.” John flipped me off and I laughed even more, Acey joined in on the laughing.

“You do gossip a lot, baby,” John glared at her before she handed him the last bit of her banana. John smiled brightly before leaning over the table and kissing her cheek. “God, give the boy a banana and he no longer hates you.” Acey and I laughed as John started to ignore us while eating the banana.

“I’m gonna go get clothing from the backroom and get dressed,” I announced before getting a nod from Acey. I walked in the back room, trying not to listen to Kennedy and Garrett talking and grabbed a pair of jeans, a v-neck and a gray cardigan. I decided to get dressed in the room and once I pulled on my shoes I walked out towards the kitchen area again while putting my hair up. Acey smiled to me before grabbing her cigarettes and money, kissing John goodbye and we said goodbye to everyone who was still on the bus even if they were asleep or not.

“So who else is coming with us?” I asked knowing since tour started there hasn’t been much of just us.

“I was thinking Becca because Sierra and Victoria have to do band things.” I nodded as we walked towards Versa’s van and Acey knocked on the window scaring Jerry who was texting intensely in the front seat. Jerry rolled down the window, Acey smile before he asked “what?”

“We’re looking for Becca, have you seen her?” I asked and Jerry nodded before getting on his phone and pushing a few buttons.

“She said she’s getting coffee at the Starbucks right around the corner with Gabe.” We said goodbye to Jerry before walking to the said Starbucks.

“You should really get her number,” I told Acey who just shrugged.

“I have it if I didn’t lose my phone.” I started laughing as I rolled my eyes. She always loses her phone or something. “Starbucks straight ahead captain!” Acey pointed, speaking in a gruff voice like a pirate

“Full sails ahead!” I yelled while closing one eye and mimicking Acey’s voice. We laughed as we crossed the street to see Becca and Gabe walking out.

“Thanks Gabe, I really needed that talk,” Becca told before hugging Gabe. He whispered something in her ear before walking off. He gave Acey and I a nod, we just waved before looking at Becca. “Yes?”

“Thanks for what exactly?” Acey asked extending the uh sound in what. Becca shook her head, smiling as she did so.

“It’s just I needed advice and Gabe was willing to help me out, that’s all.”

“Rox,” I looked over to see Acey staring at me. I raised an eyebrow as indication for her to complete her thought. “This is the second person keeping things from us. I think we lost our touch.” I made a sad face looking at Becca knowing Acey is doing the same thing.

“Oh my God guys, stop, please! Those faces, oh no!” Becca began to shield away from us using her hands and started to run away. Acey and I followed our faces turned to smiles as we couldn’t stop laughing. “I hate you guys.”

“No! You love us!” Acey exclaimed raising her arms high in the air for dramatics, I just nodded.

“Fine. I’ll tell you but can we please go shopping? I need therapy in the form of cute clothes.” Acey and I nodded before we began our journey to the mall only a few blocks away.

--

“So you like Garrett? And you won’t just be like ‘hey, get in me?’” Becca and I stopped looking at shoes to look at Acey who was standing behind us. Her eyebrows furrowed before asking, “what?”

“You are so blunt,” Becca told and I nodded then we laughed as Acey began to pout.

“So! Come on Becs, get with Garrett! He probably likes you. That’s probably why he woke up John this morning like ‘bro! I need your advice on a girl I like.’ Unless it was about a different girl.” Acey stopped to look at a pair of red high heels before speaking again. “Yeah no I’m pretty sure it’s you.”

“I don’t know how you can be so sure, Acey. I mean Garrett and I talk and I guess we flirt but what if he likes Sierra? Or Vicky. Or even some girl at home?” This time I injected.

“Becca, there are no other girls at home. Acey scares them off,” Acey glared at me before laughing and taking a pair of the red heels in her size. “Seriously, Garrett doesn’t like Sierra anymore than a friend because I asked him already.”

“I like how he told you it’s not Sierra.” Acey butted in but I waved her off looking at Becca with a small smile on my face.

“Becca, Acey has a point. Hell I’m pretty convinced it’s you. Just talk to him.” Becca sighed in defeat.

“Fine, I’ll talk to him when we go back. Which, shit, has to be now because doors open in an hour and I still have to set up my table!” It was in that instant we finished our purchases and left the mall. We hurried to the venue, Acey and I were yelled at by Tim but we didn’t care. We set up our merch table quickly, spending time talking.

“So I should really go get my camera. Doors are about to open.” Acey told, I nodded before I watched her leave. I sat down staring straight a head to see the stage. At least this venue as the merch booth and doors at the end of pit.

“Hey Rox,” I looked up to see Kennedy standing there with a bright smile on. I instantly smiled before standing up to kiss him. “I missed you!” He exclaimed before jumping over the table and sitting in my seat. I sat down on his lap and nodded.

“I missed you too. So are you going to tell me what you and Gare talked about or are you actually gonna keep your mouth shut like John?”

“I can’t tell you Rox. You’ll see after the show, hopefully.” I rolled my eyes but Kennedy just kissed my cheek.

“We have the day off tomorrow. I think we should go on a date.” I just smiled.

“Okay.” I couldn’t even fathom how excited I felt just for this day off.