Fool Everyone

This van was beginning to feel extremely cramped and I was starting to think I was overstaying my welcome on this tour. We were currently on our way back up toward the East coast, which means we’d been driving for 20 hours with only two bathroom breaks and I was slowly going insane. My phone and my iPod had died a long time ago and so I had resorted to actually trying to sleep considering it was at least five in the morning, but Nick and Debby were both awake and writing music together, which in turn really just pissed me off to the point of where I couldn’t sleep. I sat up, looking around and seeing that Justin and Andrew were sleeping and my brother was driving the van. I considered going up front and talking to him, but I really didn’t feel like having to answer 25 million questions about Garrett and if I’d apologized to him yet.

“Oh, did we wake you?” a sweet sounding voice asked and I looked over at Debby.

“I’m sorry if we did!” she said softly and I shook my head.

She hadn’t been rude to me, so I didn’t have any reason to be rude to her.

“Oh, no, you guys are fine. I just can’t sleep” I replied back and she sat her notebook aside.

“You can come sit up here with us!” she exclaimed.

“No, that’s okay, I wouldn’t wanna ruin your creative juices that you two have got going on” I said politely, knowing that Nick didn’t want me anywhere near him, but I couldn’t tell her that.

“Nonsense! We could use a third person to bounce ideas off of! Right, Nick?!” she said happily and I found myself wondering if she was this happy at five in the morning all the time.

“Uh..yeah sure…” Nick mumbled and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes, knowing that he was only agreeing with her to not make it seem like there was some kind of conflict going on.

I sighed, defeated and ran my fingers through my hair, knowing it was most likely a mess. I got up and made my way over to the row of seats that they were sitting on, plopping down beside Debby and she smiled at me. Honestly, I really didn’t know her. From the few days that we’d spent together, I’d gathered that she was an actress of some Disney channel show, and that she and Nick were working on an album for her together, and that they seemed pretty close. She got along with the guys well and they all seemed to like her. Honestly, as much as I wanted to dislike her, I couldn’t. She was nice, and not in the fake kind of way. I could see why Nick would be into her. She was everything I wasn’t. She was cute and bubbly, and obviously talented. How could he not like her? My thoughts were interrupted by Debby saying my name and I snapped back to reality.

“Yeah?” I asked and she laughed.

“I asked you what it was like being the only girl on this tour for so long” she said and I felt stupid for not paying attention.

“Oh, sorry! I was kind of spaced out. My mind is somewhere else entirely….” I admitted and I felt Nick’s eyes on me.

“Anyway…being the only girl is…interesting. I’ve never spent so much time with guys in my life.”

She laughed and started to speak.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here. I don’t really know anyone else besides Nick and so it’s nice to have a girl to talk to” Debby said, smiling.

“My brother is an idiot, so just ignore him. Andrew is quiet, but he’s a sweetheart…and Justin..I love him, but GOD he gets on my nerves sometimes!” I said and she giggled.

“Is this turning into girl talk because if it is, I’m going to sleep” Nick said in an irritated voice, shooting daggers at me with his eyes.

“Oh, you just hush and sit down!” Debby said and I laughed. She was definitely outspoken, that’s for sure.

“It’s nice to have some girl time, Nicholas!” I exclaimed, looking at him. It was the first thing I’d said to him in days.

He just rolled his eyes and the two got back to work. I could still see the faint outline of a bruise along his jawline and suddenly felt sick to my stomach. He probably hated me, and I couldn’t blame him for that. I had the urge to cry and Debby must’ve noticed because she touched my arm.

“Hey…are you okay?” she questioned in a concerned voice.

“Um..yeah. I just don’t feel that great all of a sudden..I think I’m gonna try and sleep it off” I lied.

Lying was something I was growing accustomed to these days.

“Oh..well I hope you feel better. Goodnight!” she said and I got up.

Nick didn’t even glance at me as I made my way to my designated sleeping area. My mind was reeling. I had promised Garrett I would try and work on a relationship with him, but how could I even consider that when my feelings for Nick were getting stronger and stronger? As I was lying there, I was disgusted with myself. I knew I’d let Nick win this round. I’d let him under my skin. Was this ever going to get any easier?