Textbook Romance

After searching the venue without luck, I found Neil on the A Day To Remember bus. He was scarfing down a Hot Pocket as he watched something on TV. He was so zoned into the program that he didn't even notice when I climbed up behind him. It wasn't until I wrapped my arms around his shoulders that he jumped slightly.

"Hey, baby," I said as I came around to sit next to him on the couch.

He grinned and turned to look at me. "Where were you earlier?"

"Just went for a little walk. I needed a break from the bus."

Neil chuckled and nodded, "I bet it was great listening to Max and that chick all night long."

I shrugged and changed the subject. "How was your night?"

Neil shrugged too and wrapped his arms tightly around me. "Would've been better if you were here."

I chuckled and shook my head. "I'm sorry, Baby."

Neil pouted and rested his chin on my shoulder. Then he asked, "Other than the Max thing, how was your night?"

I shrugged, "It was..." I trailed off, wondering if I should tell him everything about what had happened. Including Max kissing me and then falling asleep on the couch together in a slightly drunken haze. "Good," I said, biting my lip and looking away from him.

Neil reached over and cupped my jaw before forcing me to look at him. "You sure?" he asked, causing me to smile lightly at the fact that he knew something was up and still didn't force me to tell him.

I shrugged, "The guys took me out last night," I said with a cautious smile, trying to gage his reaction.

When he didn't explode into an over-protective fit of rage, I continued. "We went to a club here in town," I told him, "And the guys got me a few drinks, and Max kissed me, and I danced, and it was a lot of fun."

Neil didn't hear a word after I mentioned Max. He rose to his feet and turned to storm off of the bus with a brooding anger just under the surface of his calm facade. I followed after him quickly and grabbed his arm, trying to yank him back onto his bus before he could go and find Max or hurt him. I knew Max was too cocky to turn down a fight, no matter what state he was in.

"Ginny just stop!" Neil shouted as he pushed me off of him. "Guys can't just go around kissing other guys' girlfriends!" Neil balled his hands into fists. "And on top of that, for him to kiss you and then hook up with some chick after... You deserve better than that," Neil said between clenched teeth as he looked back up to me.

"He was drunk," I told him softly, reaching up to cup his face. "He just needs some help right now. It's not really his fault, baby."

Neil shook his head. "Don't stick up for him. I know him better than you do. He does shit like this all the time. Tries to get with woman just so he can say he has. A girl who doesn't want to sleep with him is a challenge for him. He thinks of it like a game, Gorgeous."

I sighed and took Neil's hand in mine. "I can handle his 'games', Neil," I said, feeling like I could handle anything Max would dish at me.

Neil sighed and nodded before pulling me into his arms. "Are you coming back to the bus then?" He asked, "We've only got three weeks left together and I don't like the thought of Max being so close to you."

I sighed and thought about how to answer. "Baby..." I trailed off, "He needs a little support right now," I told him, hoping that he'd understand.

Neil shook his head. "No."

I sighed and nodded. "I have to look after him, Neil."

Neil rolled his eyes. "Why does it have to be you?" he asked, his fingers tightening on mine.

"Because I'm the one who said I'd help him get clean."

Neil's gaze snapped to my eyes automatically. "You what?"

I shrugged, knowing he had heard me but wishing that I had said something different. Neil let go of me hand and growled, reaching up to run the palm of his hand over his short hair. "Why do you anyways have to try and save the world, Ginny?"

I bit my lip and looked to the cement, wondering why he thought it was such a bad thing."Neil, I just want to help him. Nobody else will and I don't want to see him get so bad that he doesn't even know who he is."

Neil sighed, "Ginny, please, just stay on the bus with me. I don't like you sleeping there." He closed his eyes. "It's only been one day and I'm already worrying about you. Maybe this was a bad idea."

"What?" I asked automatically, looking at him and waiting for him to open his eyes and look back at me. "You're not going to have me fired, are you?"

Neil looked at me then. "You wouldn't quit if I asked you to?"

I looked into his eyes and shook my head. "No, I wouldn't."

Neil groaned. "Baby, please."

I shook my head. "No Neil, you can try and get me fired if you want to but I'm not quitting. I haven't even been to work yet." The mention of work caused me to reach for my phone so I could check the time. "I have to be to work," I told him then, picturing the man they had described. "Do you know a 'Tey'?"

Neil sighed but nodded his head and started leading me towards the arena. Luckily he had his pass so I didn't have to go back to the ETF bus to get mine. He led me in and asked a couple people if they had seen Tey.

We ended up in one of the back rooms and Neil called out to a man with light brown skin. If I had to guess I would say he was a mixed man. I grinned at him automatically, thinking of my cousins who had the same skin tone. "Hello, I'm Ginny," I greeted as I walked over to him where he stood near piles of cardboard boxes.

He looked up to me and grinned. "I'm Tey. You're Neil Westfall's girlfriend, right?"

I nodded. "Yep. But put me to work, what shall I do first?"

Tey chuckled and pointed to a pile of about ten boxes. "I like you. You're spunky," Tey chuckled and pointed to a pile of about ten boxes, "Lets get these moved out to the tables."