A Tour with Before You Exit

A buzzing from my phone woke me up. I groaned and reached over and grabbed my phone, I groaned even more when I opened my eyes. “Hello.”

“This is your wakeup call madam,” A posh voice answered. I laughed and laid back down onto my pillow.

“Why thank you kind sir,” I replied, Riley laughed losing the seriousness of the situation. “How are you this cheerful at this time in the morning?”

“Well...I’m talking to you,” I buried my head in my pillow to stifle my girlish giggle at his answer. “Well, I better let you go Thomas is picking everyone up in an hour and I know you’re like a zombie in the morning.”

“Okay, thanks for making sure I was awake,” I replied smiling.

“Anytime beautiful, okay I love you, bye,” He replied.

“Love you too.” After I hung up I laughed and walked out of the room to Braiden’s door. I knocked a few times. “B, are you up?” I shouted quietly trying to not wake my parents up.

He opened the door and gave me a tired smile. “I am now, thanks.” I laughed and walked back to my room. I quickly got changed into shorts and a flannel shirt and did my hair in a side plait to avoid it being over the left side of my head which was still a bit sore.

My stitches were finally gone after having them in after my accident a few days ago. The guys had been over here every single day since then making sure I didn’t injure myself again. They even took shifts so I was always with someone, I found it sweet. They normally tried to hide how protective they were of me and this was the only time it’s come across strongly.

When I was ready I grabbed my backpack and went downstairs, luckily I had packed last night so I didn’t have to rush this morning. After I made breakfast and made something for Braiden before walking back upstairs to my room. Braiden was rushing out of the bathroom when I got there. “I made food for you; it’s on the kitchen table.”

“Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” He asked giving me a grateful smile before running downstairs. I shook my head laughing and went into my room to grab my guitar and book.

I couldn’t wait to be with the guys alone again, I know it sounds cheesy but they meant everything to me. Riley had been the basically the only friend I had in school, I had known him for a long time seen as we were the same age, he always chose to spend time with me rather than his other friends. Thomas welcomed me into his family the second he met me. Even though he always made fun of me he always looked after me the most, whenever I need something he’s the first one to help me in any way. Connor treated me like the baby sister he never had, he’ll somehow manage to make fun of me but reassure me about something at the same time. Even when he’s saying something sarcastic I know in Connor language there’s a nice comment hidden somewhere in there. And Braiden....well he’s Braiden, without him I wouldn’t be who I was today, I would have gone insane.

I wrote down a few ideas before starting to play what felt natural.

Friday night beneath the stars
In a field behind your yard
You and I are painting pictures in the sky
Sometimes we don't say a thing
Just listen to the crickets sing
Everything I need is right here by my side

And I know everything about you
I don't wanna live without you

I'm only up when you're not down
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground
It's like no matter what I do
Well, you drive me crazy half the time
The other half I'm only trying
To let you know that what I feel is true
And I'm only me when I'm with you

Just a small-town boy and girl
Living in the crazy world
Trying to figure out what is and isn't true
And I don't try to hide my tears
My secrets or my deepest fears
Through it all nobody gets me like you do

And you know everything about me
You say that you can't live without me

I'm only up when you're not down
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground
It's like no matter what I do
Well, you drive me crazy half the time
The other half I'm only trying
To let you know that what I feel is true
And I'm only me when I'm with you

When I'm with anybody else
It's so hard to be myself
And only you can tell

That I'm only up when you're not down
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground
It's like no matter what I do
Well, you drive me crazy half the time
The other half I'm only trying
To let you know that what I feel is true
And I'm only me, who I wanna be
Well, I'm only me when I'm with you,
with you,
uh huh uh, yeah

“Did you write that song?” A voice asked. I jumped up in fright and fell off my seat on the windowsill; I sat up quickly and saw my Mother standing in the doorway with tears in her eyes.

“Umm, yes?” I replied hesitantly. I watched as she nodded and walked over to sit on my bed before patting the space next to her.

“I know you think I’m a bad Mother but I only want what’s best for you and your Brother. We work a job that consists us of being away for weeks every few months and there is nothing I can say to make up for that. I didn’t even fully realise how much this was affecting this family until the meal and your accident,” She explained, I kept quiet and stared at the floor carefully watching her from the corner of my eye. “I deserve the award for worst parent ever! I haven’t even seen Braiden’s band perform and I didn’t even know you shared his talent in music. I can’t promise to be a better Mother, but I just want you to know how truly sorry I am.”

I smiled and hugged her quickly before pulling away. “I forgive you Mum. But you need to see Before You Exit! The next time they have a gig and your home, promise me you’ll go to see Braiden, he’s beyond amazing Mum.”

“I promise I will honey,” she replied kissing my cheek. I watched her walk out the door and raised my eyebrows when Braiden walked in from the opposite direction.

“That was...something,” He commented looking proud.

“You were eavesdropping? Shameful!” I replied smiling cockily at him.

He rolled his eyes slightly before turning to leave. “Good song by the way. The guys will love it when they force you to play it.” I laughed and followed him downstairs quickly before stopping at the bottom step.

“Wait...that was a joke right? Right?” I shouted after him before running to him. He smiled in response before walking over to hug our parents.

“Well, have fun, be responsible, look after your baby sister,” Mum told him as my Dad gave me a short awkward hug.

“I will don’t worry, but there will be three other guys watching out for her as well so I can have breaks.”

“You’re so funny,” I told him as I pulled out of Mum’s hug.

There was a horn beeped from the front of the house, I swapped a look with Braiden before grabbing my bag and shouting another goodbye. I walked out of the door after him and followed him to the car. Braiden took my bag off me to put in the back of the car while I got in and sat next to Connor who was sitting there. “Greetings,” Connor said as Braiden closed the door and sat next to me.

“W’sup,” Braiden replied, I looked at him weirdly before returning the smile of greeting that I was getting from Riley.

“How’s your head Emma-Bear?” Thomas asked from the driver seat.

“Fine thank you Tommy-Bear, nice hair cut.”

“Yeah, your newly shaved head,” Riley commented.

“Good thing you did that in summer and not winter,” Connor said.

“So, how long of a drive is it going to be?” Braiden asked.

“About an hour and a half,” Connor replied resting his head against the window.
I blacked out and rested my feet in the middle of Riley and Thomas’ seats when they all started to talk about what we were going to do when we got there. Thomas jokingly shoved my foot to other side before smiling at me. When we went around a corner my feet slipped and nearly got stuck in the small gap, before they could slide in the whole way Riley put his arm to balance on my legs keeping them in the same position.

I started to feel tired so I leaned my head against Connor’s shoulder seen as he was the closest to me. I always felt sleepy in cars so I knew I’d have no trouble falling back to sleep now.

...

“Emma, wake up,” I shot up and hit my head on something hard, a groan came from beside me. I looked up and saw Connor holding his head in his hand. “The one time I wake you up nicely and you head but me!”

“Sorry,” I mumbled and got out of the car after him. I walked to the back of the car and took my bag off Thomas and helped the others get their stuff out.

I looked up and saw the hotel we were staying in was right next to the beach which was already full of people. “Okay, let’s go check in,” Thomas commented while he locked his car. We all walked in a queued at the reception desk, when it was our turn Connor stepped forward and signed us in.

“Okay guys were in room 116, let’s go!” We all quickly followed him up the stairs and into our room, when we walked in; I looked at the others confused when there was only two single beds in there.

“Umm, Connor, how are we all going to sleep in here?” I hesitantly asked, I half expected him to say me and Riley would be sleeping on the floor.

He smiled at me before walking over and opening one of the doors, “Ta-Da,” I walked in a saw it was a conjoined room that looked exactly the same as the other room. “Okay, room arrangements. Riley and Emma, you two are in there so we can have peace and do grownup things. Should the three of us stay in here or does one person want to go in with them?”

“Three of us in here...” Braiden replied hesitantly giving me a suspicious look. I gave him an innocent smile before walking in the room behind Riley.

“Behave you two. And be ready in half an hour to go to the beach,” Thomas shouted over his shoulder.

“Of course we get the crap room,” Riley commented seeing the bathroom door hanging off the screws slightly. I sighed and sat down on the free bed. I screamed slightly when the bed fell underneath me into pieces. “Oh God! Are you okay Em’s?” Riley rushed over and helped me stand up.

I looked back down at the bed in shock before laughing slightly. “Shallow Hal moment,” I replied jokingly. He laughed before turning to look at the door which was opening.

“What did you break?” Thomas asked suspiciously. Before we could answer he saw the bed and started laughing. “Never mind.”

“We should get changed,” I said, Riley nodded before grabbing his bag. We did what we normally do and faced the other way to change. I put my bikini on and grabbed a towel to put around me... I hated wearing one but I knew people would look at me weirdly if I was the only one on the beach wearing clothes in the sea.

“You done?” Riley asked throwing his bag onto the floor. I quickly pulled the towel around me before turning around. I gave him a smile before stopping myself from checking him out seen as he was shirtless. “Have you got sun cream?” I nodded and handed him the bottle I’d brought with me. I watched him from the corner of my eye and waited for him to finish, I laughed when I saw him struggling to do his neck and back. I walked over and did it for him before starting to put on me.

“Need help?” I nodded and handed him the bottle before turning so he could put it on my back.

“Let’s go see what the idiots are doing,” I said when we were both done; he laughed and gave me a quick kiss before leading me to the other room.

When we walked in we saw them throwing grapes at the wall and trying to catch them in they’re mouths. Connor threw one at the wall and opened his mouth but burst out laughing when it went to the opposite side of the room.

Riley burst out laughing, Connor turned and glared at him slightly. “Like you can do better.”
“Let me try, throw one at the wall for me,” Riley replied getting cocky. Connor gave him a smug look before throwing one at the grapes at the wall, Riley somehow managed to catch it in his mouth and turned to give Connor a smug look while he stood there in shock.

“Do it again!” Braiden shouted. I laughed and went to sit next to him on his bed and handed him the bottle of sun-cream.

After watching Riley catch nearly a whole bagful of grapes one by one in his mouth it still didn’t get boring. “We need to get this on film!” Connor shouted. “Alright, were hanging out, in this place, no what’s this place? What’s this room called?”

“The beach,” Riley replied slightly serious.

“The beach? No were in room 116, we’ve got some grapes here and a wall there. Ready? Slow motion.” After Riley caught the last grape we all headed down to the beach.

“Let’s go!” Thomas shouted rushing out of the room.

When we got down to the beach I kept my towel around me while the guys wrote ‘BYE Spring Break 10’ in the sand while they look turns to film it. “That looks awesome!” Riley shouted.

“Okay, let’s find a spot,” Braiden shouted over walking towards a free spot to put his towel down. The others put their towels down while I automatically tightened mine around myself.

“You coming Emma?” Connor asked starting to walk towards the sea with the others.

“Yeah,” I replied weakly before putting my towel at the end and following them. I cringed slightly when I saw a group o boys looking my way, I weren’t used to boys other than the ones I’m around constantly even paying attention to me. The others except Riley were already halfway across the beach while Riley was glaring at the group of boys I had noticed earlier.

He walked over and pulled me into a hug while kissing my forehead, “Stop looking so conscious, your more beautiful than every single girl here put together.”

“Thank you,” I replied quietly. “You look pretty darn good yourself.” He laughed before leaning in to kiss me. I closed my eyes and waited for the kiss but burst out laughing when he picked me up and started running towards the others.

“Ah it’s cold!” Riley shouted as we reached the water. I hold on tighter to his neck and laughed at his reaction. “Oh, you think it’s funny do you?” He kneeled down slightly grinning at me.

“No don’t!” I argued.

“Give me on reason why not to,” He replied smugly.

“Because you love me,” I replied cheekily. He smiled at before diving into the water with me still holding on. When we resurfaced I held onto him tighter. “That was freaking cold!”

“I told you that ten seconds ago and you laughed at me,” he replied before swimming us over to the others who were having a water fight.

...

A few hours later we were finally walked back towards the hotel, when we got back in the room Thomas rushed in the toilet in the other room while me and Riley walked to our room...was it bad that I liked the sound of that? “Okay, we’ll go out for dinner in about an hour if you all want,” Connor commented while we all nodded.

“I need to shower,” I moaned feeling dirty after being on the beach for so long.

“Me too, we could save water and shower together,” He replied winking at me. I got a spur of confidence and grabbed his hand to pull him towards the shower. “Really?” he asked in an exited voice. I laughed at him and nodded.

...

After showering and changing we both laid down on the bed that hadn’t broken. Riley was on twitter replying to people while read a book that I had brought with me. “You two look like an old married couple,” Braiden commented from the doorway. We looked up at him before getting off the bed and following.

After we had finished eating we walked back to the hotel the long way by walking back on the beach. “Ohh, look at them birds!” Thomas shouted before running towards the flock of birds near us, they all flew away, “Come back! Take me with you!”

“Thomas, the only thing those pigeons are going to do is crap on you!” Connor shouted over to him laughing.

“That would be so funny if I actually happened,” Riley said while Braiden and I nodded.

“Race you guys back to the hotel,” Thomas shouted over before running off. We all swapped a look before quickly following him; I caught up with them all and gave the employee at the reception desk an apologetic smile for their behaviour before following them upstairs.

I ran around the corner just in time to see Connor closing it, I moaned and knocked on the door. “Don’t be mean, just open the door.” I heard stifled laughter coming from the other side; I smiled and rolled my eyes at them. “Okay, I’ll just sleep out here and risk getting raped or kidnapped.” The laughing suddenly stopped and the door opened showing four serious faces.

“That is not a matter to joke about Emma,” Braiden scolded pulling me in the room before closing the door.

“I was just stating a fact....”

“Well...I’m tired I’m going to sleep,” Braiden said changing the subject. Before I could even blink me and Riley were being shoved in the other room and door was closed.

“Goodnight to you too,” I mumbled before grabbing my pyjamas, I turned to Riley who was smiling at me. “What?”

“Nothing,” He replied still smiling at me, I nodded slightly before changing.

After I had been in the bathroom I got into the bed next to him. I grabbed his arm and laughed slightly when he almost fell off the bed while he was trying to make more room for me. I moved closer so he would have more room but I was basically on top of him because the bed was so small.

“Night Ri,” I mumbled kissing his neck seen as it was the only thing I could from my awkward position.

“Night Em,” He replied kissing my forehead.

...

The next day we stayed at the beach for a few more hours before heading back to the hotel.
“I don’t want to drive back in the dark so can we leave early?” Thomas asked when we reached the hotel room.

“Sure, I think we just have to pack a few things and then were ready to go,” Braiden replied. I nodded and went to put all of my things in my bag before sitting down to watch Riley put the last few things into his bag.

“Were ready when you guys are,” Riley shouted when he saw I was done.

“Okay, Connor and Thomas have gone to check us out,” Braiden shouted from the other room.

After five minutes we were walking back to the car ready to go home. “That weekend went by too quickly,” Thomas moaned unlocking the car so we could put our stuff in.

“Yeah...But we get to go to Melbourne in a few days so it’s another road trip!” Connor commented.

“Whoo,” Braiden shouted out as he closed the door behind him.

...

“See you guys in two days!” Thomas said when we reached Connor and Riley’s house.

“Yes you will, see you guys!” Connor replied getting out of the car.

“Bye,” Riley said before quickly following him.

“Next stop the Wood residents,” Thomas joked before driving down our street. “And here you are, see you guys.”

“Bye dude,” Braiden said tapping him on the shoulder before getting out of the car.

“Bye Tommy, drive safe!” I commented while grabbing my bag.

“Well you walk safe and try not to fall from here to the house.”

“You’re so funny.” I waved once more before walking up to the front door.

“I’m so tired...” Braiden moaned before walking upstairs.

“Well you all did head bang basically the whole drive home.” He turned and rolled his eyes while smiling at me before turning back to carry on walking nearly bumping into the door.