On Your Side

It was the first off day on the month long tour and everyone was still asleep, who could blame ‘em? Not Sarah, who was lying awake after having yet another stupid dream.

Sighing, she got out the bunk as quietly as she could and walked into the kitchen connected to the front lounge.

She started making a cup of coffee when John appeared from the table behind the wall “what’re you doing up?” she asked, startled.

He blushed slightly, “I was on Skype with my Mom, she’s just gone out with Shane though. What about you?”

‘‘Ugh, a dream.” She laughed nervously

He raised an eyebrow “you wanna talk about it?”

She poured boiling water onto the coffee grounds and sighed “not really.”

John laughed “no seriously, tell me. Dreams don’t keep you from sleep.”

She shook her head.

“Why was it like a sex dream or something?”

Her cheeks filled with colour, John gasped “dirty. Joel wouldn’t have kept you awake...”

She sipped her drink, imaging cogs going round John’s brain as he figured it out “Nick.” he whispered, his eyes wide.

She covered her nose and lips with her mug, just staring at him over the brim “mhm.” she answered quietly

“You sleep cheated.”

“I didn’t cheat.”

John was suddenly serious “you had a dream about Nick, you keep getting upset over him again.” he paused “what the hell is going on with you?”

“I don’t know.”

-------------------------------------

Just after midday there was a knock at the bus door, Sarah jumped up from the sofa and ran to it.

It was Joel. He had a huge smile spread across his face “happy five month anniversary.”

Although she was looking at him, her focus was on the boy tearing through the contents of his bag outside the trailer. She smiled before Joel kissed her “I’m taking you out later, ok? Just me and you.” he said brushing her hair back.

She nodded “sure, I’d like that.”

“Get ready, I’ll see you at 4.” he smiled, as he walked back to the van.

Nick glanced up as she was about to go back up the steps, he flashed her a smile then looked back into his bag. She looked back into the bus, noone was even paying attention to her, so she walked over.

“Hey.”

He looked up again “Hi”

She looked at the bag “you want a hand?” she chuckled

“Found it.” He said pulling out a shoe, then picking up a bunch of clothes and shoving themback in the bag.

“No.” She stretched her arm out to stop him.

“what?” he sighed

“fold them.”

“too much effort.”

With a roll of her eyes she sat in the edge of the trailer, pulling his bag from him “I’ll do it.”

Nick sat next to her humming until she’d finished “done, see that wasn’t that hard.”

He smiled “thank you.” then asked “so what did pretty boy want?”

“He’s my boyfriend, he doesn’t need to want anything to talk to me.” she sighed “he’s taking me out later. it’s our ‘five month anniversary’.”

“You’re kidding?”

She shook her head “I’ll be honest, he makes me feel a little claustrophobic, he’s ALWAYS there, his apartment is the building next to mine, he comes into work to speak with Tim, he calls me the second he wakes up and right before he goes to bed, he texts me what he’s doing as he does it, then he‘s on this tour and everything.”

“Sounds clingy.”

She laughed “I don’t know whether it’s because we were long distance and I just got used to that or what.”

John suddenly appeared with an almost angry expression “sorry, Nick, could I just borrow Sarah. I need to show her something.”

“Ugh, yeah sure.”

Sarah looked at him and shrugged before standing with John “what’s up?”

They walked over where they were out of earshot of everyone and John pulled out his phone, “Eric just sent me this..” he passed her the phone it read ‘I don’t know if we should tell Sarah, I don’t want to hurt her.’ then the image finished loading.

It was Joel kissing some bottle blonde.

“Wow.” she muttered

“I know I gave you shit this morning about your dream, but I was only messing around.”

“Could I borrow this?” She asked, still holding the phone and locating Joel, with Sean outside their van.

She was honestly hurt, although her feelings for Nick were slowly coming back, there were still feelings for Joel and he’d humiliated her.

John followed her stare “sure. I‘ll be back on the bus.”

“John, who else knows about this?”

“As far as I know, just me and Halvo.”

She nodded “ok, thank you.” she took a deep breath and stormed over to her boyfriend.

“Hey baby!” He smiled when she stopped in front of him.

He took in her expression and his smile dropped “what’s up?”

She lifted the phone “what the fuck is this, Joel?”

Sean gasped “dude, not cool.” before walking away from the argument.

Joel looked back at her “I’m sorry.”

“Save it, Joel. I’m done, ok? Happy five months.”

She started walking off “can we talk about this?”

“No.”

After getting back on the bus, she slammed the door and walked quickly through the front lounge, tossing John’s phone to him and whispering a “thanks” before getting into her bunk.

Jess climbed in a few minutes later “you wanna talk?”

“He cheated on me.” she said, her voice breaking.

“Joel?” she gasped “but he was always so lovely.”

“Right?”

“You want a drink?” Jess half smiled

Sarah looked at her hands and whispered “I want Nick.”