Eclat

I didn’t have a set plan for tour.

I had a schedule to follow which included publicity junkets, concerts, recording sessions, and autograph signings. But whenever I had free time, I was clueless about what to do. If the bus took us to a town smaller than Joplin, it was extremely difficult to keep myself busy. Did I mention I have a band? It’s pretty cool, especially because we’re all friends. I’m living my life the way I want to, along with my friends, Carter, Caleb, Hayden, Dustin, Taylor, and Nathan. Oh, and let’s not forget Ellie and Dahlia. Both girls decided they wanted to go on tour with me; hopefully, there wouldn’t be any drama.

Rule number one of tour? Don’t take anything too personally.

“How long have we been on the road?” This was the fifth time Taylor had asked this and Carter was starting to become annoyed. I’d be frustrated too if I were driving the tour bus for over twelve hours with no sleep in the unforeseeable future. I rested my head on the wall and closed my eyes, deciding not to be a part of the conversation. The venue was still a long way to go.

“I’d say about ten hours, maybe more,” replied Hayden, “hey, give me the blanket, Lia. Liaaaa.” Even with my eyes closed, I knew what was happening around me. Dahlia had stolen Hayden’s blanket again, and Ellie was probably in the back lounge, safely tucked away in my bunk. It’s not what you’d expect though, huh? Dahlia shares a bunk with Carter. Think whatever you want, it’s not like that at all between them or Ellie and me.

“Aren’t you freezing, Chris? It’s so fucking cold in here.” I felt a blanket wrap around me, as well as a body cuddling into my side. Ellie. She didn’t want to be in the back lounge by herself. I wasn’t sure if I should’ve been flattered or confused. “I know you’re not sleeping,” she whispered, her warm breath caressing my ear.

I shivered, and it wasn’t because of the frigid surface of the wall I was leaning on. “Go to sleep, Ellie. It’s a known fact that you’re a total bitch without your eight hours,” I murmured teasingly, one corner of my mouth turning upwards as she pinched my cheek.

“I’ll slap that crooked half-smile off your face, Christofer Drew. You know I can.”

I didn’t doubt that she could. Ellie had been in various mixed martial arts classes for about four or five years. She had also been in dance class. “But the question is, would you really do it? I know you’re capable of it but are you willing?”

There was a sudden change in her tone of voice, an urgency that made my breath hitch in my throat. “There are many incidents where I willingly did things for all the wrong reasons. I try not to regret a good portion of them. It’s a difficult task. Sometimes I want to tell you all of them but. . .you---I---need more time.”

My arms enveloped her, the warmth from our bodies causing me to drift in and out of consciousness. I leaned as close as I could, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Take all the time you need, El. I’m not leaving anytime soon. I’d never leave unless you told me to.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Chris,” she replied softly. “I’m tired of empty promises.”

“Me too, darlin’. Me too.”