Never Regret

Eurgh, we are half-way through a 7 and a half hour journey to Denver, Colorado. I was bored out of my mind, having watched Reece and Logan play Mario Kart on the Xbox for over three hours now, my laptop holding no interest for me either. Then the bus pulled to a stop outside a service station and I leapt to my feet, cheering. Finally, I could get off the bus! Ron, the bus driver, appeared in the lounge. Woah, I swear he has serious ninja skills! I didn’t even hear him!

“Alright, we’ve got an hour break for lunch,” Ron smiled.

I just ran to my bunk, grabbing my sidekick as I ran off the bus, skipping around. Freedom! JC was next off the bus and he just shook his head in amusement. Logan was off next, and he ran at me, bending over as he got to me so his shoulder hit my stomach. As he stood up he picked me up with him, so I was hanging over him, my ass in the air with his arm secure around my waist. Then he started spinning.

“Looooogan put me dooooooown!” I shrieked, giggling.

He spun a few more times, before setting me on my feet. I stumbled slightly, crashing into someone. I blushed as I noticed it was Michael, with Mike and Adam behind him. Michael chuckled and put his hand on my shoulder to steady me. I blushed even further at the warmth spreading from his hand onto my skin. Logan narrowed his eyes.

“We were just checking what the noise was,” Michael mused.

“Three and a half hours of sugary crap,” JC chuckled.

“Plus sheer boredom!” I sang, jumping up and down.

“Alright, let’s get some real food before you explode,” Reece laughed, walking off the bus with Taylor behind him.

I just pouted, making the group laugh.

“Piggyback?” I pleaded with Michael, fluttering my eyelashes.

Michael just nodded, bending down. I leapt on his back and held on securely, giggling as he set off at a run. Everyone but Logan and JC followed us.

“What the hell is going on?” Logan hissed.

“Just leave him alone. I trust Chizzy,” JC said simply.

“You’re letting him get close to Mack?” Logan said, shocked.

“I told him he had one chance,” JC nodded.

“I can’t believe you! After all this time we’ve spent protecting her, you’re just gonna let him have a shot?” Logan exasperated.

“I don’t know about you, but I am fed up watching Mack be miserable. It hurts me to see her so alone. She tries to hide it, even from me, but it’s so fucking obvious sometimes. I want her to be happy, and I know that Chizzy makes her happy,” JC said firmly.

“Of course I want Mack happy – I just don’t want some hot-shot musician to hurt her when he’s done with her,” Logan muttered.

“Dude, that would be Gabe if we let him have a chance. Sure, Gabe’s a great guy, but he’s got no consideration for women’s feelings. Chizzy isn’t like that. Out of everyone here, I trust him not to hurt Mack,” JC explained.

Logan groaned, running his hand through his dark blonde hair.

“I don’t like this,” Logan said through gritted teeth.

“You don’t have to,” JC retorted.

Logan stared at his best friend, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Fine. I’ll give Chizzy one chance as well. But if he messes up...”

“Yeah, I’ve given him all the warnings. Come on, let’s catch up with everyone else, I’m starving,” JC interrupted.

“You’d better not be wrong about him,” Logan warned, starting to walk.

“I really hope I’m not,” JC nodded, smiling weakly.

*

I finished my food pretty quickly, so I decided to sit outside in the fresh air. Well, and have a cigarette. Haven’t had one all day yet! Sitting down on a bench outside, I realised I was completely isolated. Like, there was no-one out here. Oh well. I quickly lit up and took a deep drag of my cancer stick, letting the nicotine sooth down my throat. With a smile I exhaled, watching the smoke curl up into the air in amusement. I carried on like this until I’d nearly finished my cigarette, because Michael came out and joined me.

“I wondered where you went,” he said with a smile.

“Gotta get my nicotine fix,” I said, wiggling my stick in the air.

“Do you smoke around Jasmine?” Michael asked curiously.

I rapidly shook my head.

“Fuck no. I only socially smoke when I’m with the guys or away from home. Second hand smoke is a killer and I don’t want her near it,” I said with a frown.

Michael just nodded. He looked relieved, almost. Well, I suppose I did just prove that I’m not a totally shitty mom. I stubbed out the butt of my cigarette on a ceramic plant pot, flicking it into the car park as I popped a piece of gum in my mouth. Well, there are no trash cans around, what was I supposed to do? I was too busy doing this to realise two girls had walked up to us, one blonde, one brunette. They looked about 15 years old.

“H-Hi, are you Michael Guy Chislett and Mackenzie Wilmot?” the brunette asked shyly.

“Yeah,” Michael nodded, smiling.

I just chuckled at how excited they looked.

“Could we have a picture?” the blonde asked hopefully.

“Sure. I’ll take it,” I nodded.

“We want both of you in it,” the brunette said nervously.

I was surprised, but nodded again, standing up. Normally people only want photos of TAI or the Cobras. But I’m not going to complain. The blonde pulled out a camera and the brunette stood between me and Michael. We both put our arms round her, and I did a peace sign too. Flash.

“That’s awesome,” the blonde grinned.

The girls switched, and this time I hooked my thumb in the pocket of my jeans. Flash.

“Thank you so much!” the brunette girl said happily.

“It’s no problem,” Michael chuckled.

“Nice meeting you!” I said with a smile.

The girls waved enthusiastically to us as they walked into the building that we were in front of.

“Why did you think they wouldn’t want a photo with you?” Michael asked curiously.

“My band isn’t as famous as yours. You guys have a lot more fans that we do and you guys are always asked for pictures,” I shrugged, being honest.

“Have you not realised how popular your band became in your first year? Your album wouldn’t have reached gold if you hadn’t had such a big fanbase,” Michael pointed out.

“I just figured that they would want to have a photo with someone more...I don’t know...out there,” I explained with a hand flourish.

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, Kenzie. Your band, especially you, have a lot of talent, and people recognise that,” Michael said softly.

I blushed lightly, ducking my head. I’ve never been good with compliments. Michael chuckled.

“Do you want to walk back to the buses?” he asked with a smile.

“Sure,” I nodded, taking a deep breath to calm my butterflies.

Why I had butterflies was beyond me. Michael’s smile widened and the two of us set off in silence. The butterflies were still going and it seemed that Michael noticed them.

“Are you alright, Kenzie?” he asked with a small frown.

I nodded, leaning against the side of my bus, the two of us blocked from view between his bus and mine. He raised an eyebrow, making me sigh.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said a calmly as I could.

Michael’s eyebrow stayed raised and the corner of his lip curled into a smirk. He’s planning something. My eyes widened as he stepped closer to me, leaning his head down. But I didn’t move. As his lips got closer to mine, my heartbeat started beating like crazy; it was so loud that I swear Michael could hear it. But as his lips were about to touch mine, he quickly moved to my ear.

“Am I making you nervous?” he whispered softly.

I scowled and hit him in the chest. Michael chuckled, rubbing the sore spot.

“Ass,” I growled.

“Relax, Kenzie. I was only messing,” Michael grinned.

A flash of hurt passed through my body but I tried to hide it. I guess I failed because Michael frowned.

“I’m not messing you like that,” Michael said sincerely.

“Then what are you doing?” I challenged, folding my arms across my chest.

Michael just pressed a gentle kiss to my temple, lingering a bit longer than just a friendly kiss would. My cheeks blushed again, but this time Michael didn’t laugh. His expression was completely serious and his eyes sparkled with thought.

“I think you already know,” he said quietly.

I stayed silent and still as his warm hands ran affectionately up my folded arms and rested on my shoulders, unsure of how to react. It had beenover 4 years too long since any guy had touched me like this and I didn’t know what to do. One of Michael’s hands cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking my cheekbone. His touch left tingles on my skin. The good kind of tingles. The kind of tingles that sent my butterflies into overkill.

“Just know that I would never hurt you, okay?” Michael murmured.

“Michael...I...”

I stopped talking as I heard the cheerful shouts of Logan and Reece heading our way. Michael dropped his hands but pecked a kiss to my cheek, before walking onto his bus without another glance my way. My fingertips rested on the spot his lips had been, and I couldn’t help but let a small smile creep onto my mouth. It scared me that I liked it.

“What’s got you so happy?” Reece snorted.

I turned my head towards him, dropping my hand.

“Nothing,” I said simply, the smile still on my lips.

Reece raised an eyebrow but dropped the subject. Logan had his suspicions but didn’t say anything. He hadn’t seen me smile like that in a long time and he wasn’t going to be the one to make me lose it.