Hearts in the Air

”I heard you’re talking shit again, I’m gonna sleep with all your friends,” he sang into the microphone knowing the effect it would have on me. ‘You already did genius’ I thought to myself as I pulled out my phone to read a text from Connor, ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking right now? Haha (:’ I could tell he was trying to make me feel better, he always tried to lighten the mood whenever he could. Usually it worked, but this time, not so much. I decided to leave the crowd and join Connor in the back, “I got your text, and I was by the way. Great minds think alike, or just people who had to go through the same thing. But I’m sick of feeling sorry for myself. And Brittany didn’t mean for it to happen, neither of them did. I don’t know, a lot has been running through my head since she told me.”

“I know what you mean, John and i have been really close ever since I can remember, we were always the closest in age growing up.” He said and looked up to watch some of the set. “I’m supposed to be up there right now but I had someone else take care of it.” He laughed and motioned for me to turn around and watch so I did as I was told and I saw Adam, the guitar tech for We Are The In Crowd, handing John and Stephen their acoustic guitars.

“I don’t think I can watch this tonight Connor, I’m gonna go on the bus.”

“I was instructed to make you watch this.” He said, I took one last look at the stage before making up my mind, I really didn’t want to stand there and watch them play one of my favorite songs with John watching me the entire time to see how it would effect me today.

“I can’t. Sorry.” I said before turning around and walking out of the venue doors just as Brian started singing ‘I’ve been staying awake in the front seat for days, let the wheel turn and take me away’. Once I made it outside I found Summer Set’s bus and knocked on the door waiting for the driver to get the door before making my way to the middle of the bus and climbing into Josh’s bunk. I fell asleep before I even knew it and there was a knock on the wooden panel above the bunk I was in. “Can I help you?” I asked a little bit irritated. The bus started to move which meant I was asleep for a while now.

“Do you mind if I take my bunk back?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll just go lay in the back or front.” I said and slid out of the bunk and in the front where there were no noises to bother me. It didn’t take long for me to fall back asleep.

I was woken up when there was a sudden bump and I started to fall off the couch in the front. I decided to get up and get a glass of water. The bus was usually not this silent so I figured everyone had a long day and was already sleeping. Suddenly I heard a loud noise coming from the back of the bus but it stopped right away. Curiosity got the best of me and I walked to the back while slowly opening the door.

Brittany looked up and noticed my head through the crack of the door, “sorry, did I wake you? I didn’t know my headphones weren’t in all the way.”

I shook my head, “no you didn’t, the bump a few minutes ago did.”

“Oh yeah, that’s what woke me up too and now I can’t go back to sleep.”

“That makes two of us.” I stated. She was playing with her headphones in her hands which over the years I learned that meant she was either shy, nervous, or mad and she didn’t want to talk about it with anyone. “What’s wrong?”

“Um, nothing.” She looked down at her hands and when she noticed how she was playing with the headphones she moved them off her lap and onto the floor.

I opened the door even more and walked into the back lounge. I closed the door behind me before taking a seat next to her. “I know something is on your mind B. I’ve known you for how long now? 7 years. I know you more than anyone else.” I started, “so, what is going on?” I asked.

She stayed quite for a few seconds and then turned to look at me. “Are we going to be okay? Connor told me that you left before Where Are You Now and I know how much that’s your favorite song to hear live. I just don’t want you to stop listening to them because of this. I saw you before when you stopped listening to them for a while and you got pretty bad. I just don’t want you to hurt yourself or anything like that, it would make me feel even worst.” She looked like she was about to cry.

I moved closer and gave her a hug, I didn’t know she thought I would end up hurting myself again. “I’m not going to do anything stupid or harmful to myself again Brittany. And I have you to thank for that, not just them but you too. Through everything that has happened the past 6 to 7 years you were there the entire time. The only two things that stayed consistent in my life were The Summer Set and you.”

And after hearing everything we just said to each other, I knew we could forget all of this ever happened and we’d be okay.