The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows
Party/Friend
“I swear, if any of you are too hung over for the interview or just setting up in the morning-” I start warningly, but no one’s listening. They’re all either talking or out the door before I can even finish my sentence, but I don’t let it bother me.
“Lighten up, mom,” Leo states, sticking his tongue out at me. I roll my eyes and follow everyone to an unfamiliar bus.
It’s packed with people I don’t know, not that I’d been expecting anything else.
Ari and Leo make their rounds greeting everyone they’ve already met even though it’s only the first night of tour. Meanwhile, Ian chooses some inconspicuous place to stand and observe. Trevor trails faithfully behind him.
As I’ve already predicted, most of the guys on this bus have their undivided attention directed at Ari while I follow Ian’s lead and retreat somewhere near front of the bus.
I watch in disinterest as a buff-looking blonde guy gets my sister a drink. I happen to glance back over at Ian, who is watching her too. I sigh inwardly.
But I’m used to frustration by now. And that wringing feeling in my stomach.
If anyone would ask, I’d admit that yeah, I do know I’m delusional thinking anything could ever be between Ian and me.
Still, I’m so distracted that I don’t notice the guy who’s all of a sudden standing next to me, and apparently talking to me, too.
“Sorry?” I answer, snapping out of it and turning to face him.
“I said you look bored,” he repeats, running a hand through his high-lighted brown hair.
I can only shrug in response.
“Want to have some fun?” he asks, when I don’t say anything else. I quickly study him before I decide. He’s grinning playfully and his eyes are brimming with half-drunken excitement.
“Sure,” I say. He grins and he starts walking towards the door. I don’t know why I go with him. Although, him and his brown eyes look harmless, anyway.
Or at least that’s how I reassure myself as I follow him off the bus with a quick glance towards my friends. No one notices I’m leaving.
“That your bus?” I manage to ask.
“No,” he replies, leading me towards another bus. I get some breaths of fresh air right before the distinct odor of weed makes my throat feel dry.
“You smoke?”
“Sometimes,” I reply, wishing I had more to say about anything at all. "Rarely."
"Yeah, me too," he continues. "Kinda kills my voice, y'know?"
The opposite side of the bus reveals a small bonfire with about 15 others mulling around.
“Hey, Alex,” they greet, and I feel out of place throughout the exchange. By now, I’m half-wishing I’d stayed at the first bus.
“Oh, guys,” he says, turning to tug me into the group by my arm. “This is my friend, ah…”
“Adie,” I finish for him. He smiles at me and the group of guys nods in response.
I accept a can of beer from my new friend.
“Lighten up, mom,” Leo states, sticking his tongue out at me. I roll my eyes and follow everyone to an unfamiliar bus.
It’s packed with people I don’t know, not that I’d been expecting anything else.
Ari and Leo make their rounds greeting everyone they’ve already met even though it’s only the first night of tour. Meanwhile, Ian chooses some inconspicuous place to stand and observe. Trevor trails faithfully behind him.
As I’ve already predicted, most of the guys on this bus have their undivided attention directed at Ari while I follow Ian’s lead and retreat somewhere near front of the bus.
I watch in disinterest as a buff-looking blonde guy gets my sister a drink. I happen to glance back over at Ian, who is watching her too. I sigh inwardly.
But I’m used to frustration by now. And that wringing feeling in my stomach.
If anyone would ask, I’d admit that yeah, I do know I’m delusional thinking anything could ever be between Ian and me.
Still, I’m so distracted that I don’t notice the guy who’s all of a sudden standing next to me, and apparently talking to me, too.
“Sorry?” I answer, snapping out of it and turning to face him.
“I said you look bored,” he repeats, running a hand through his high-lighted brown hair.
I can only shrug in response.
“Want to have some fun?” he asks, when I don’t say anything else. I quickly study him before I decide. He’s grinning playfully and his eyes are brimming with half-drunken excitement.
“Sure,” I say. He grins and he starts walking towards the door. I don’t know why I go with him. Although, him and his brown eyes look harmless, anyway.
Or at least that’s how I reassure myself as I follow him off the bus with a quick glance towards my friends. No one notices I’m leaving.
“That your bus?” I manage to ask.
“No,” he replies, leading me towards another bus. I get some breaths of fresh air right before the distinct odor of weed makes my throat feel dry.
“You smoke?”
“Sometimes,” I reply, wishing I had more to say about anything at all. "Rarely."
"Yeah, me too," he continues. "Kinda kills my voice, y'know?"
The opposite side of the bus reveals a small bonfire with about 15 others mulling around.
“Hey, Alex,” they greet, and I feel out of place throughout the exchange. By now, I’m half-wishing I’d stayed at the first bus.
“Oh, guys,” he says, turning to tug me into the group by my arm. “This is my friend, ah…”
“Adie,” I finish for him. He smiles at me and the group of guys nods in response.
I accept a can of beer from my new friend.
♠ ♠ ♠
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