Chasing the Night

Travis was still wide awake when he heard a soft knock on the bus door. He’d been sitting on one of the couches in the main lounge, staring into space with a stupid grin on his face, daydreaming about Arianna. Now, his head snapped in the direction of the door. He glanced at the time on his phone to see that it was just past 5am, and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Who would be knocking on the door at this time of night?

With that in mind, he reached for the foam baseball bat that Danny had left on the floor that evening, holding it above his head and approaching the bus door with slow, cautious steps. He tried looking out the blinds of the window beside the door, but there was no way to do that without moving them, and therefore attracting the attention of whoever was outside. Who was out there? A crazed fan, maybe? Travis shook the thought off immediately after it entered his mind. No one was that crazy. Right?

Slowly and cautiously, he reached for the door handle with his left hand, his body shaking slightly. He gripped the handle and swallowed, taking in a deep breath. It was now or never. Suddenly, before the person on the other side of the door had time to react, Travis yanked the door open and swung the bat, hearing the soft thud it made as it connected with skin.

“Ouch!” Arianna yelped, rubbing the side of her arm. Travis dropped the bat in shock and immediately started apologizing. “Arianna, I’m so sorry! I thought you were a robber or something! I’m so sorry, please forgive me!” Travis said in a rush, his face twisted in guilt. Arianna rolled her eyes and sighed, looking up at the ginger-haired boy, who was flapping his hands around and still apologizing in his ridiculously cute manner.

“You’re forgiven,” Arianna said, raising her voice to be heard over his seemingly endless apologies. “Now, are you gonna ask me in or what?” Maybe she was being too pushy, too direct, maybe even rude. But it was hot outside and she was still in her stupid blue dress and she was lost and alone and miserable. Something that Travis seemed to pick up on when he finally found the courage within himself to look her in the eye.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked now, tilting his head to the side a little to look at her again. Arianna sighed and looked down at her battered shoes. “Anna? You can tell me,” Travis prompted her. Arianna snapped her head up to look at him. The only one who’d ever called her that was her younger brother, Caleb, and he was gone. He wasn’t coming back. But Travis was there. And the look in his eyes spoke volumes. He was there for her.

“No one’s called me that in a long time,” Arianna said, searching Travis’ blue eyes for an answer. Only problem was, she didn’t even know what she was asking. “Is it not allowed?” Travis dead-panned. Arianna cracked a smile. “No,” she said, a spark in her eye. “It isn’t.” Travis picked up the baseball bat and slung it over his shoulder, reaching out to Arianna with his other hand. “I guess that makes me a rebel, then,” he said with a cheeky smile, pulling Arianna up the steps. She smiled and followed him over to the couch, flopping down beside him. “I guess it does,” she said with a little laugh. Travis glanced down at the time on his phone, before turning his head to look at Arianna.

“So, what brings you here at 5:16am?” He said with a lopsided smile. Arianna sighed and leant back into the comfortable leather couch, staring up at the ceiling. “I got lost. I guess I panicked when I couldn’t find my van. I kept going in circles and before I knew it, I ended up back here.”

“I’m kind of glad you did,” Travis admitted shyly, looking down at his hands, which were folded in his lap. He’d sobered up considerably, and now he just felt exhausted. Arianna looked over at him and raised one eyebrow. “You’re kind of glad I ended up here?” She said sarcastically. Travis blushed and smiled again, looking over at the blonde again. “Yeah, I guess I am.” Arianna suddenly started laughing and Travis stared at her, confused. “What?” He asked her, suddenly self-conscious.

“You say it like it is, don’t you?” Arianna said, looking him in the eye. “What other way is there?” Travis replied. Arianna laughed again before settling back into the couch and closing her eyes. “I should really find my van,” she murmured, exhaustion taking over her. “I could help you find it,” Travis said, but it was too late. Arianna was out for the count.

Travis tilted his head and looked at her with a small smile, getting up off the couch and walking quietly into the bunk area of the bus to retrieve the blanket and pillow from his own. He took them back out to Arianna, carefully lifting her head softly to place the pillow beneath it. He reached over her body to tuck the blanket over her, and she reached out to him, wrapping her arms around his waist in her sleep.

Travis was in a very awkward situation. He was leaning over her still, and she had her arms around his waist. He was technically still standing. For such a small girl, she had a surprisingly tight grip. Travis wriggled slightly, but he was stuck in her grip. Not like he was complaining. Still, he felt obliged to be the good guy. He tugged at her hands until she loosened her grip on him and released him. He sat on the other end of the couch, Arianna resting her feet in his lap. He reached for the remote for the television and watched late night infomercials.

What had happened was unexpected. Everything about Arianna was unexpected. And maybe that was just what Travis needed.
______

It’s fair to say that Jase was freaking the fuck out. It was 7am and half the band was missing. They had to leave for the next city immediately if they wanted to make it on time, and two band members were missing. Jase ran his hands through his hair and tried calling Arianna again. It went straight to voice mail. He sighed and blinked rapidly, in an attempt to stop the tears from falling. He was extremely worried about her, and Embry, too, who’d also failed to make his way back to the van the previous night. Jase didn’t know what to do, and Lukas wasn’t helping. He was very blasé about the whole thing, insisting that they’d stumble back to the van in time to leave, but they hadn’t.

Jase was furious. How could they be so reckless? Lukas couldn’t care less. Embry could go jump off a fucking cliff for all he cared. Ditching him for some guy? There was no greater sin in Lukas’ book. Embry had bailed on him, and although he’d never admit it, he’d hurt him. Lukas was hurt. The worst part was, he couldn’t even begin to explain why.

“Should we start looking for them, then?” Lukas suggested casually. He was sitting on the floor of the van, his legs dangling out of the open side door. He pushed his sunglasses further up his nose and glanced lazily over at Jase, who was pacing back and forth in front of him. Most of the other bands had already left. The place was almost deserted.

“Where are we gonna look, Luke? You tell me,” Jase said, clearly frustrated. Lukas sighed and leant back on his hands, soaking up the warm summer air. He failed to see how Jase could be so stressed out when it was such a beautiful day. “There’s hardly anyone here. That just makes less places to look,” Lukas stated bluntly. Jase rolled his eyes and ran his hands violently through his hair again. He was reaching his limit.

“Lukas, do you not even care that Arianna and Embry are missing? That something could’ve happened to them? Do you have no sense of responsibility?” Jase screamed at him. Lukas raised his eyebrows and held up his hands. “Whoa, settle down there, Dad,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Lukas, I’m on my last nerve and you’re - ” Jase was cut off my his phone, which was now ringing loudly. Lukas looked over at him and raised his eyebrows, as if to say I told you so, and Jase held the phone to his ear, muttering a greeting.

“Jase, it’s me,” Embry’s quiet voice came over the line. “Where the fuck are you?” Jase screamed back at him. “Jase, please,” Embry said. “Don’t yell at me.” The drummer exhaled loudly and walked over to the van to lean against it. “Just tell me where you are,” he said, feeling exhausted. “I’m on All Time Low’s bus. I fell asleep last night and the bus driver took off this morning pretty early,” Embry explained. “Good God,” Jase said, shaking his head. “I know,” Embry replied. Jase shook his head and banged the back of his head against the side of the van. “I guess we’ll meet up with you in the next city, then,” he said with another sigh. All the stress had really taken it out of him. “Yeah,” Embry replied. “Sure.”

“One more thing,” Jase said, before Embry could hang up. “Yeah?” The bassist replied. “Is Arianna with you?” Jase had his hopes up. If Arianna was with Embry maybe everything would be okay and they’d all meet up in the next city and… “No.”

“What?” Jase screeched. “What do you mean she’s not with you?” Embry sighed. “She’s not here. Didn’t she go back with you last night?” Jase felt a pang of guilt in his stomach. He as the most reckless one of them all. He couldn’t remember most of what had happened the previous night and now he’d managed to misplace his girlfriend. “No, she didn’t. I have no idea where she is,” Jase admitted bitterly, the first few tears falling down his face.

“Hey, maybe she’s on someone’s bus, too,” Embry suggested. “Have you tried calling her?” Jase wiped at his eyes and turned his back on Lukas, switching the phone to his other ear. “Yeah, but it goes straight to voice mail. Her phone must be turned off.” Embry wracked his brain for an answer. He could just imagine how upset Jase must be. “Wasn’t she hanging out with the We The Kings guys?” He said, remembering seeing them with her briefly the night before.

“Yeah,” Jase said, brightening slightly. “I could call them! But wait! I don’t have their numbers,” he said, his spirits plummeting just as quick as they’d lifted. “Hold on a sec,” Embry said, holding his hand over the phone. “Do you have Travis Clark’s number?” he asked Zack, who was cuddled next to him on the couch. “You’re already looking at other guys?” Zack asked him, pouting slightly. Embry smiled and pecked his lips. “Of course not, silly,” he said, ruffling his hair. “We’ve managed to misplace the lead singer of our band and we think she may be with Travis,” he said. Zack nodded and reached for his own phone, flipping through the contacts.

“Jase, you there?”
“Yeah.”

“Zack just called Travis, but he’s not picking up. We’re guessing they’re all still asleep. Chill out, man. I’m sure we’ll meet up with Arianna in the next city. If she was in trouble, she’d call you,” Embry assured him. Jase sighed and climbed into the driver’s side of the van. “Fine,” he said, leaning against the steering wheel. “Bye.”

“Bye, Jase,” Embry replied before hanging up. Jase started the engine and Lukas climbed back inside the van lazily, sliding the door shut behind him. He lounged across his seat and rolled down his window, resting his feet on the windowsill. Jase focused on the task at hand, if only to stop worrying about Arianna. What if they’d left and she wasn’t on someone else’s bus? What if she had no way of finding them or getting anywhere? What if her phone was flat and she couldn’t call? What if something awful had happened to her?

Where the fuck was Arianna?