The Girl At The Rock Show

-Atlanta, GA.-

Matt’s POV:

When Matt walked up onto the bus, he was expecting it to be empty since everyone was either getting ready to go on stage or helping the band get ready. So seeing Tessa curled up on the couch with a book was the last thing he was expecting. She glanced up when she heard someone walk up and instantly frowned and a hurt look flashed in her eyes before she went back to her book, ignoring him as usual. But it was really nothing new; she had been doing so for the last three days.

“Hey Tessie,” he said as he passed her and just like the last few days, he didn’t get a response or a second glance.

He sighed quietly to himself as he walked past the bunks and into the back lounge to where the extra cabinets were where they stored some extra stuff that they needed. Opening them and rummaging through all the things inside, he finally found what he was looking for. Why Vinny come and get these himself was beyond him and he was going to give him a piece of his mind when he saw him once he finally found what the merch guy needed.

Sighing in relief, he finally found the bag full of ATL guitar picks that he needed, he slammed the cabinet shut and made his way back to the door. Seeing Tessa still sitting where she had been when he first came in, he paused, wondering if he should say something. They haven’t even talked in the three days since they had been back on the road and it was killing him.

All he wanted to do was drop everything and explain everything to her. But there were a few faults in that. Tessa wouldn’t even stay in the same room as him for more than five minutes. The fact that she was still in the same spot after he had come in the bus was surprising to him. He had full expected her to be gone by the time he came back, but for some reason, she was still there ignoring him. He didn’t know if it was good, but he was taking it as progress.

But with one more look at Tessa ignoring him, much like she had been for three days now, he decided against it, giving her a quick bye before heading back towards the merch tent. When he got there, he threw the bag of picks down and glared at the merch guy.

“Next time you need something, get it yourself, I’m not your errand boy. I have plenty of other things to do other than running around for you.” Matt said, the irritation dripping from his voice. He had been on edge for the longest time now and he felt bad for always taking it out on the others.

“Did you talk to my sister?” Vinny asked, completely ignoring everything Matt had said.

Matt sighed as he realized why exactly Vinny had made him get it for him, “That was all to talk to your sister?”

Vinny nodded, “And by your reaction and pissed off expression, the answer is yet again, no.”

“I need time Vin, I can’t do it whenever everyone expects me to, and I need to figure out what to say and how to keep her in the same room as me for more than five minutes.”

Vinny sighed, “It’s been three days, how many more do you need?”

“Just give me time Vin, it’s a little harder than it sounds.” Matt said as he took the empty seat right next to him, pulling out his phone as he heard it buzz. Reading over the new text, he sighed as he explained that he was needed and got up.

He heard Vinny call him and he stopped and turned to see him with a serious look. “Maybe you should try to stop over thinking things and just go with it.”

Matt just nodded, not knowing what else to say as he turned and walked to the stage. Colussy had texted him needing his help by the stage setting something up. So that’s where he was headed, but he couldn’t get what Vinny said out of his head.

Vinny was many things but this was a whole new side he had seen of the merch guy. Usually he was crazy and care free but now he was more serious and worried. Matt could understand why though, he had always been protective of his sisters and now after everything that happened between him and Tessa, it was no wonder Vinny was acting different.

But in all honesty, he was grateful to the merch guy. He was basically the only one he really told everything to about what was going on with Tessa and he began to realize that he was getting closer and closer to him throughout this tour. He never realized how good of advice Vinny gave and really appreciated it.

Then he began wondering how the hell he was going to get Tessa to talk to him. It was going to be hard as it was to keep her in the same room as him, but to talk to him? Well, that was another story.

But that was thoughts for another time, for now, he needed to focus on his job and figure out what huge problem the crew had made now. God knew it was something simple and that they were making a big deal out of it.