Each Days A Number

He held onto her hand tightly as they made their way through the venue and out of the entrance towards The Maine's van. Sliding open the side door, Garrett sat Dessie inside, placing his hands on her knees with his blue eyes staring deeply into her brown. A sigh escaped his lips and he tucked a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear.

"Alex's such a dick when it comes to pretty girls," Garrett said, putting his hand back on her knee. "He shouldn't be bothering you anymore, okay?"

Her breath lodged in her throat at his most sincere expression and when she realized he had basically called her a pretty girl. With a nod of her head, Dessie breathed in deeply. "Thank you, Gary."

A small smile formed along his lips and Garrett slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in a nice warm embrace. "You're welcome, Des," he pulled away, keeping his hands on his shoulders. "Maybe you should just stay in the van for a little while, you know, just to calm down a bit and whatnot. I'll come get you when the show starts?"

"I'd like that," Dessie smiled and nodded, pushing herself farther back in the middle seat.

"See you in a while," she waved before Garrett closed the door and headed back into the venue.

Random teenies already in line screamed loudly as Garrett walked by them stopping to take pictures and sign autographs, all while making small talk with them before entering the venue again. He spotted Alex Gaskarth talking in hushed whispers to Kennedy, David and Jimmie of Every Avenue, and Brooks and Jake of Mayday Parade.

With an eye roll, Garrett continued his way to where the bathrooms were located passing the guys at a mere ten feet. Alex caught sight of him and quickly excused himself, jogging up to Garrett and halted when he reached him. Stopping as well with an exasperated sigh, Garrett placed his right hand on his hip and shifted his weight to his opposite leg.

"What?" he asked rudely, catching Alex off guard.

"Dude, I'm so sorry, I didn't think there was anything going on between you and Dessie," he spoke quickly, talking with his hands. "I obviously wasn't thinking clearly, and I hope this doesn't affect our friendship, 'cause you're an awesome dude."

"Just," Garrett sighed, "just don't let it happen again."

"I swear to you, brah, it will never, ever, happen again," Alex assured him, lifting his hand that Garrett hesitantly gave a fist pound before walking off towards the bathroom.

"C'mon, guys! Chop, chop!" Dessie called out clapping her hands and motioning them towards the van. "Bus call's in five minutes, hurry up!"

"Technically, for us it's van call," Pat informed as he climbed in the way back of the van.

"Whatever, Patty," she chuckled and clapped her hands again. "Jared, Kenny, Garrett, John, c'mon! I'm driving, and I'm leaving at exactly one, with or without you."

"You wouldn't dare!" John tested as he jogged the remaining fifteen feet of his walk.

"Oh I wouldn't?" Dessie folded her arms over her chest just as the three other boys started getting in the van; John nodded his head vigorously. "If it were only you, I'd leave you behind," she smirked as his jaw dropped before pushing him inside the van and sliding the door closed.

John's faint voice was heard as Dessie made her way around the van and climbed into the driver's seat. He bounced up and down in his seat blabbing away how he couldn't believe their tour manager would actually leave him behind.

"John, Kenny could easily replace you as the new lead singer," Jared patted the singer's head as his jaw once again dropped.

"Oh hell no, I resent that!" John quickly turned around to face Jared in the back while sitting on his knees. All of the boys, including Dessie, couldn't help but laugh at John. "Take it back!" he pointed his finger in Jared's face.

"Hell no!" Jared laughed, smacking John's hand out of his face.

"I said take it back!" John yelled, a hint of laughter in his voice gave away that he was anything but serious as he once again put his finger in front Jared's face. "Ow! What the fuck!" John screamed, quickly turning around to sit on his butt while holding his finger.

All of the boys burst into laughter, their faces going red, making their breathing to become harder.

"What happened?" Dessie smiled, looking over her shoulder at John's pout.

"Jared bit me!" he frowned and swatted behind him at Jared who just continued to laugh with Pat.

"Oh, this is going to be a long night," Dessie chuckled, turning on the van and putting it in gear.

"They'll crash in about an hour," Garrett told her, changing the station on the radio.

For about the first forty-five minutes, the entire ride from Pensacola, Florida to Houston, Texas was filled with the boys cracking jokes and talking loudly until one by one, they all commenced to fall asleep. Kennedy's head was on John's shoulder with John's head resting on Kenny's. And in the way back, Pat and Jared were lying on top of each other, fast asleep and slightly snoring.

"Didn't I tell you they'd be out in no time?" Garrett chuckled from his spot in the passenger seat, head resting on the window.

"You sure called that one, Gar," Dessie smiled, rubbing her right eye and merging onto the middle lane of the highway.

"So, how have the passed few days been?" he adjusted himself into a more comfortable position, leaning the seat back and curling up to face Dessie.

"Perfect," she stated, glancing at Garrett before returning her stare back to the empty road. "It's just as I hoped it would be since the tour started twelve days ago."

"No one has been, uh, trying to get in your," he wiggled his fingers next to her thighs, causing her to laugh and slap his hand away. Garrett chuckled and used his hand as a pillow.

"No, no one has, and thank you for that," Dessie smiled but didn't look at him.

His blue eyes sparkled with the street lamps along the freeway as he flattened his light brown hair atop his head. "I won't let anyone mess with you, Des, I can promise you that much."

"I seriously can't thank you enough, Garrett," Dessie tousled his hair and chuckled, pulling her hand away before he swatted it. "You're basically like," she inhaled deeply, "my best friend," Dessie whispered.

Garrett felt a twinge of pain in his heart. "Best friend?" she nodded hesitantly. "That's all I can ask for." But in reality, it really wasn't.