Can You See Me?

When James and the rest of Asking Alexandria left, so did the three of us. “Wow that was hands down the best night of my life!” Said Stephanie.
“Yeah I can’t disagree.” Said Bridget
“What made your nights so special?” I asked with a smirk on my face.
Stephanie blushed and said quietly, “I got Ben’s number.”
I felt my jaw drop. “No. Freaking. Way.” I say staring at her as we walk to the car.
She giggles and I ask, “What about you Bridget?”
“I got Danny’s number!” She says in a high squeaky voice and I laugh. I’m glad they had a good time. “And you? We saw you sitting with Mr. James Cassells!” Yells Stephanie who I now, under the street lamp, I can tell is very drunk. I just shake my head and shrug my shoulder not wanting to tell them the truth. “Not much, he just said we should come back to another concert sometime.” I said to the girls.
“He just practically invited you to their next concert.” Said Bridget who was clearly a little less drunk than Steph. “Are you gonna go?” She asked.
I pondered this for a moment in my mind than I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I will.” I tell her and she starts jumping with joy. “You have to go alone so that you and James can get closer.” She says. We finally reach the car and this time Bridget gets in the front seat. I open the passenger seat for Steph and then help her in the car. She all giggly and talking nonsense. I laugh a little and step away from the car and close the door. This time I don’t get in the car I just grab my duffel bag out of the car and sling the strap around my shoulder and wrap it around my torso. “What are you doing? Get in the car.” Says Bridget.
I shake my head at her. “I can’t.” I tell her my voice barely rising above a whisper.
“And why can’t you?” Asks Bridget.
“Because you guys do so much for me already and I’m not going to move in with you guys.” I tell her sadly.
“Why?” She asks stunned.
“Because, I just can’t. I don’t even want to see that town anymore.” I tell her. “I want to be free and wild. Party and have fun because my whole life has never been like that except for when I was with you and Steph and I want to just be free.” I told her partly truthfully.
She sighed and smiled at me sadly, she looked a little hurt but the happy kind of hurt like how a child moves out of their parents house. “Okay, I understand. I really do. I know after your life you do want to just be free and wild.” She smiled, “And I totally respect that. I’d want that kind of life too.” She said smiling at me and I could see the tears in her eyes.
“Don’t cry.” I told her feeling tears stinging my own eyes. She got out of the car and hugged me. Then the other car door opened and Steph got out and hugged me too. “Thanks for being out best friend.” She said quietly.
“No, thank you guys for being my only escape and my sanity.” I told them hugging them back. I really did mean everything I’d just said. After about a minute they got back in their car and Bridget revved the engine. “Hey, just remember, we will come back for you on our 17th birthday. Remember that’s only one week from now. And we’ll meet you at the AA concert on the 17th, okay?” She said.
“What if it’s in some place like Europe or Japan?” I asked her.
“I know you have plane money and Steph and I have plenty of plane money so we will see each other no matter what!” She said seriously.
“Got it girlie?” Stephanie interjected and I smiled.
“I got it. I’ll see you guys in one week then!” I told them.
“Don’t have too much fun on the streets without us and don’t do anything nasty for money! Get a decent job please! And make sure you keep up good hygiene and get sleep and please be careful!” Sais Bridget slowly backing out of the parking lot.
“Okay mom! Geez! I’ll be good!” I said playfully.
She tipped her head “You better be!” She said laughing. I really was going to miss them. They were always closer to me than anyone else in the world. “Tell my mom and dad I moved out please too so that they don’t call the freaking cops! Just say I got an apartment over here or something. Tell the school too!” New York was my new home. The Big Apple was where I was going to be living. My parents wouldn’t care anyway so I didn’t really care what Bridget told them. “Alright.” Said Bridget and that was the last thing she said before she pulled away and left me on my own.

I looked at the time on my cell phone. It was exactly 30 minutes after we’d left the bar. I sat on the bench on the sidewalk and shivered at the harsh cold air. Suddenly, I heard a door opening and I jumped. I looked up and saw James coming out with his hand cupping a cigarette trying to light it in spite of the cold air blowing. Soon he got it lighted and looked up blowing out smoke. He looked at the bench and I waved. “Hey.” I said to him across the parking lot. He walked over to the bench and sat down. He was shirtless and I didn’t know how he could stand it in this temperature. “You decided you needed a place?” He asked and I nodded my head. “Yeah, I told the girls I just wanted to kind of learn the ropes of freedom. Be on my own for a while.” I told him.
“What do you really plan on doing for a place to live?” He asked.
“I don’t know, but it looks like I’ll be staying in New York City.” I told him.
He blew out some more smoke. “You can’t just go to hotels your whole life.” He said.
“Yeah, I’ll find a house eventually. Get a job first though.”
“The only job you’ll find on the streets are being a whore or a prostitute and you don’t seem like you’d do either.”
“I guess I’ll do what I have to.” I said looking down at my heels.
“Or you could pickpocket people.” He said smiling and I laughed.
“Yeah James that’ll also help me get a criminal record.” I said laughing.
“Really though, let me talk to the guys.” He said and I just looked at him.
“About what?” I asked.
“You. Staying and touring with us. When we’re off you could come live with me.” He said.
I shook my head. “James, I don’t want to be a burden to you guys!” I said.
“You wouldn’t be a burden!” He said putting out his cigarette on the concrete sidewalk the embers slowly dying. I sighed. “Okay.” I said and James smiled in a relieved sort of way.
“On one condition.” I said and his smile dropped.
“What?”
“I do something to earn my keep on the bus. Cleaning, cooking, helping, even driving if it’s ever needed. No if, ands, or buts, about it or else I’ll stay on the street.” James sighed. “You really are a humble girl. Fine you can help around or whatever as long as you stay with me on the bus during touring and when we’re off then you have to stay with me at my place.” He said and I nodded. “Right then, I’ll explain to the guys and you can start living with us tomorrow.” James said smiling.
“Alright. I don’t mean to be rude but can we go inside now? I’m really cold.” I told him and he smiled and we walked to the bus and he opened the door for me. There wasn’t much space to do anything and definitely not to dress without him seeing me. He pulled his pants down, leaving him in only his boxers and he crawled in his bunk and went all the way to the wall then patted the space next to him. “This is your spot.” He whispered just loud enough for me to hear him. “Where do I put my stuff?” I whispered back.
“That shelf right there.” He said nodding his head in the direction of the shelf. I dug around in it and pulled out some lime green pajama bottoms that has hot pink splotches on them and a bright yellow tank top. I took my heels off and looked over at James. He was propped up on one arm just staring at me like a girl undressing in front of him was foreign. Well actually I was just taking my heels off. I blushed. “Um can you uh-” He blushed.
“Oh yeah! Sorry!” He said turning onto his stomach and looked straight at the other wall right behind him. I quickly stripped off the skirt and top and put the tank and bottoms on. I took my dirty clothes and stuffed them in my bag again and zipped it up. I walked over to the bunk and got in and pulled the covers up around me and James adjusted himself to where he was facing me and I was facing him. He was so adorable. I thought then I was glad for the lack of lighting when I felt the heat rising to my face. “Good night.” I heard James whisper. I smiled in the dim light. “Good night.” I said back to him.