Never Regret

The next morning we headed towards our buses, ready to go to our next destination. Well, we were all still pretty much asleep, but you get my point. I had my duffel bag on my back, careful not to chip the intricate heart and glitter designs that Taylor had done on my nails last night. I was about to get onto my bus, when I heard my name being called. Spinning around, I grinned when I saw Michael.

“Hey, just thought I’d say a proper goodbye before our journey,” Michael explained.

“Michael, we won’t be apart for long!” I chuckled.

“No, but 6 hours is still too long for me,” Michael murmured.

I blushed and ducked my head as Logan and JC laughed, walking past. Michael ignored them and lifted my head up with a finger under my chin. He smiled sweetly before pressing his lips to mine, making me breathe in deeply and wind my arms around his neck as he rested his hands on my waist. I was a bit taken aback with how he kissed me. It was like he wasn’t going to see me for years. I didn’t know whether to be scared of how intensely he felt for me or to be happy that he cared so much. After a minute or two, our kiss slowed down, ending with a couple of short pecks. I pulled back, looking into his eyes.

“Call me if you get so lonely that you can’t cope, yeah?” I teased.

Michael rolled his eyes but laughed, and pecked my lips one last time before releasing me from his arms. I blew him a kiss before getting onto my bus, shutting the door behind me because I’m the last person.

“Aww can Chizzy not cope without you for 6 hours?” Reece taunted.

“Apparently not!” I mused, shrugging dramatically.

My band laughed, shaking their heads in amusement. I smiled slightly, pushing through them all to get to the bunks so I could dump my duffel bag onto my bed. I’ll deal with that later.

“Now, who wants to make me a mocha mix?” I yawned, flopping down next to JC.

I snuggled into JC’s shoulder as no-one answered, knowing if I waited long enough, someone would crack.

“Fine, I will,” Logan grumbled.

“Thank you!” I trilled, grinning.

“I’m immune to that trick now, by the way,” JC pointed out.

“You’ll crack soon enough. You always do,” I chuckled sleepily.

I closed my eyes as our bus driver Ron started the engine, smiling as we started moving.

“So where are we going next?” Taylor asked.

“Phoenix, Arizona. It’s a 6 hour drive, so get comfy,” Reece replied.

Taylor whined, making us laugh. I opened my eyes, smiling as Logan set down a mug in front of me. Mmm Mocha.

“Thank you, loganberry!” I said happily.

“Never call me that again,” Logan groaned, remembering Gabe’s birthday nickname.

We just laughed. Fuck, it’s good to be with my friends.

*

[2 hours later]

Reece and Taylor were competing on Mario Kart, as they had been for the last hour. I’m proud to say that Taylor is kicking her boyfriend’s ass. JC had gone to sleep in his bunk, so that left Logan and I. I was strumming on my beautiful black Fender acoustic guitar while Logan hummed in time with me, making up little melodies here and there. We weren’t playing anything in particular, but this was how we sometimes found new songs, by just playing random things. Then JC stumbled out of the bunks, holding my sidekick in his hand.

“It was vibrating on your bunk so much that it woke me up. Answer it al-fucking-ready,” he groaned, flopping down into the seat next to me.

I chuckled and flipped it open, biting my lip to hide my smile at the sight of ‘3 missed calls from: Michael x’.

“Aww how cute,” Logan crooned.

I stuck my tongue out at him and rested my acoustic in my lap, before dialling Michael’s number.

Michael: Hey, why weren’t you answering?
Mackenzie: My cell was in my bunk and it’s on vibrate. I didn’t hear it, sorry.
Michael: Oh, I see. I was just worried you were ignoring me.
Mackenzie: Ignoring you? Why would I ignore you?

I chuckled as my bandmates laughed around me.

Michael: They heard that, didn’t they?
Mackenzie: Only what I said, babe, don’t worry.
Michael: Oh good. So how are you?
Mackenzie: I’m okay. Just jamming with Logan while Taylor kicked Reece’s ass on Mario Kart.

“Hey!” Reece protested.

I grinned, sticking my tongue out at him.

Michael: What about JC?
Mackenzie: Are you really that bored to ask about all my bandmates?

Of course I was only teasing.

Michael: No! Of course not!
Mackenzie: Michael...
Michael: Okay, maybe a little.

I laughed, shaking my head in amusement.

Mackenzie: JC’s fine. Well, my sidekick was vibrating so loudly that it woke him up, but he’s sitting next to me now, so it’s fine.
Michael: Shit, sorry!
Mackenzie: It’s okay, he doesn’t mind really. And why are you calling me anyway? It’s only been two hours.
Michael: Knowing that I can’t actually see you drives me insane. I miss you, Kenzie.

I blushed, laughing at the sound of ‘Pussy!’ in the background from his side. Probably William.

Mackenzie: I miss you too.

My bandmates all made sarcastic ‘aww’ noises, and I swatted at Logan with my free hand. Then my sidekick beeped three times. Shit. Low battery.

Mackenzie: My cell’s running out of charge, I’d better go. I’ll see you in four hours anyway.
Michael: That sucks. Okay, I’ll talk to you later.
Mackenzie: Bye!

I ended the call and placed my sidekick on the small table in front of me, raising an eyebrow at the amused expressions of my bandmates. Even JC was awake again.

“What?” I asked, pouting.

“You two are sooooooo cute!” Taylor teased.

“Shut up,” I grumbled, blushing a little.

“He missed you?” Reece taunted.

“That’s kinda creepy. You’ve been dating for, like, 2 weeks,” Logan grinned.

“Ah, Chizzy was obsessed with Mack since the meeting in New York. That was in July. 3 and a half months ago,” JC corrected.

“You guys!” I whined.

“Mack and Chizzy,
Sitting in a tree,
Doing things they shouldn’t be,
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!”

My bandmates sang this in unison.

“You guys suck,” I pouted, folding my arms over my chest.

“Aww come on, Mack, you know we’re only messing,” JC chuckled.

“Yeah, but the thing is, I don’t know whether to be happy that he’s so committed to me or scared that he likes me so much,” I sighed.

The mood on the bus automatically changed.

“Mack, you shouldn’t be scared of Chizzy’s feeling. Fuck no,” Logan said seriously.

“He’s willing to go to the moon and back for you at the snap of your fingers. He really cares about you, and you shouldn’t throw that away,” JC added.

“Sure, it’s a little scary at first, but that’s just you adjusting to the fact that you’re starting to let him past your walls. He’ll be worth it, I promise,” Taylor smiled.

“We don’t let a lot of guys get near you, Mack, but we like Chizzy. He’ll treat you right,” Reece reassured.

I was kind of shocked at what my friends had said. Normally they supply me with reasons not to get involved with guys, not encouragement!

“You guys really like Michael?” I asked eventually.

“Yeah, he’s been good for you, Mack. Hell, you smile a lot more if nothing else,” JC said warmly.

“And it’s fun finally being able to make sex jokes about you. I’ve been saving them up for years,” Reece grinned.

I rolled my eyes as everyone laughed. Typical Reece.

“We just want you happy. And Chizzy makes you happy. So it’s all good,” Logan finished.

“It means a lot to me that you guys think that,” I smiled, biting my lip ring after.

“No problem. Now, enough mush! Let’s carry on watching Taylor kick Reece’s ass!” Logan grinned.

“Hey!” Reece protested again.