How Many Times Can You Race Around the Tree Before You Catch Me?

I chuckled.

"I'm used to it. The only concern that I have is that Christian won't be able to play tomorrow if he doesn't rest tonight." Vinny helped me into the car before getting in on the other side. We were taking an Uber to wherever we were going.

"He didn't hit that hard."

"No, he didn't but that doesn't mean that they won't do something stupid while we're gone." He just hummed in response.

the rest of the ride was silent as we traveled through the streets of Houston. It was nice to have just a few hours to not worry about tour, music, the guys, or something else. For the first time in four years, I didn't have to be somewhere doing something. And I surely didn't have to worry about missing something. After being around these guys for so long, I can already tell you what's happening.

My thought were interrupted when we stopped in front of a small building. Vinny thanked the driver and helped me out of the car before it drove off.

"I hope you like Italian." I chuckled.

"I'm from New Jersey. Italian is in my blood. Literally." We both laughed as we walked inside.

JAKE

I sat in my bunk texting Madi after I finished stitching up Jax. She left shortly after and I went to make my dinner.

"-Jax never dresses up..." Mikey finished his sentence to Niki. They were all out drinking in the front lounge.

"Who cares dude, if she wants us to know she'll let us." Niki went back to reading his book. He wanted to go back to school but the band is kinda preventing that.

"You can't tell me you're not curious." I sighed and pulled some hot pockets out of the freezer to make for dinner.

"I am-"

"She's on a date. She won't tell us who with and she won't tell you what happen and she surely won't admit that it's happening. Now you know and now you can leave it be." I put my hot pockets in the microwave after wrapping them in their sleeve and such.

"She's on a date?" Mikey's eyes were bulging out of his head and his jaw was practically on the ground.

"And you're ok with this?" Niki immediately looked up at me from his book, then at Mikey.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Mikey realized what he just said. No one else had know about my long time feelings for my best friend.

"You...." This time, it was Niki's jaw that was on the ground.

"DON'T-" Before I could finish my sentence he threw his book on the couch next to him.

"Since when?!" I sighed and didn't respond just waiting until after my hot pockets beeped.

"Come one Nik, why do you think he used to scare aware her boyfriends when we were still in school? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't because she was three years younger than us...." Niki's jaw dropped even more.

"This whole time and you never did anything about it!?" I groaned at Niki's shouting.

"It doesn't matter. She's happy and I'm happy, why fuck that up?" I took my plate and walked into the back lounge to watch TV.

Jax had stuff everywhere and forgot to unplug her straightener. I cleaned up and then sat down with my hot pocket to watch TV. However, I was greeted by my face when i turned on the screen. Out of curiosity, I hit play.

"That was a great interview guys. Is there anything that you don't want in there?"

"Yeah Jake doesn't want Jax to see the relationship question."

My only thought I almost screamed.

Fuck.

JAX

Vinny and I both laughed loudly over our cheesecake.

"Wow, these guys are a riot." Vinny loved hearing about all the stupid things I had done with the guys over the years.

Dinner consisted mostly of our stories. Both of us kind of just getting to know each other. Vinny told me about how he met the guys and what he was doing before. I also discovered his "rap career" and such. He found out about me meeting the guys, my school history and all the crazy antics I am pretty much known for.

"Yeah, I've definitely had an interesting few years. It's gonna be weird without having them around."

"Not having them around?" No one really knew, hell, I didn't even know if Jake had told the other guys.

"Well, Jake and I fight a lot. Like everyday, several times a day. I decided that we all needed a break from each other. The guys from A Day To Remember wanted to bring me back out as part tech and part TM. All it took was one call to Jeremy and I have a new job."

"Well that's always nice. You'll always have a job right?" I nodded while taking a sip of my lemonade.

"Yeah, and this is a much more laid back job. I decided I wanted to go back to school too. "

"What for?" Trying to remember what I was aiming for kind of gave me a headache.

"Well I already have a degrees in Geosciences, Astrophysics, Engineering, and a few other things. I want an Astrobiology degree, it's only a few more classes. I also want to look into a pre med or neurosciences degree." His face was a mixture of awe and surprise.

"Wow, you are insanely smart." I blushed, not being used to people commenting on something other than my idiotic ideas or my looks.

"Yeah..."

The conversation kind of died after that. It wasn't a bad thing, it was just silence. Something we probably won't get again for the next couple months.

"Well, we have about an hour until bus call. Wanna get outta here?" I chuckled and nodded.

"I'm ready if you are." I went to take out my money to pay but Vinny beat me to it.

"You can take care of it next time."

"Deal."

Both of us immediately stood and walked outside. Vinny pulled out his phone and called us another Uber.

"So tell me," He spoke after we had been sitting on a bench for a bit," was it worth it?" A smirk immediately made its way onto his face and his arm went over my shoulders.

"I haven't decided yet." The smirk faltered.

"What's wrong?" I chuckled at his nervousness. His change in attitude was hysterical for someone that has just radiated confidence for so long.

"I dunno, just something." I smirked at him, that's when he finally caught on that I was joking and gave me a playful shove.

"Oh come on, I mean really." I bit my lip and looked down.

Was it worth it? He was nice and we had a lot in common. He was also polite, talented, down to earth- If I can only say good things about him them he was the right guy. But was it the right time? I just received my biggest offer to date, curtesy of Kevin Lyman himself, and I also had quite a few stable jobs lined up with more to follow. At this point, if someone didn't want to hire me because I was female they would have already done it. So with no risks, and a guy a truly clicked with and didn't treat me like I was a porcelain doll(as evident by his joking nature and small shoves), I believe it is time.

"Yeah, it was."

I smiled up at him and he looked like he just won the lottery. His face was bright and I certainly wasn't prepared for when he placed both of his hands on either side of my face and kissed me. I wouldn't call it earth shattering, but it was definitely pleasurable. Also short lived, he quickly pulled back and looked at me with wide eyes.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to. I was just-" I kissed him again to silence him.

I pulled back with a laugh.

"Do you just not shut up so I'll kiss you?"

"Well," He hummed in thought," When you put it like that then yes." We both laughed and the Uber pulled up.

"Well my lady, shall we return to never ending questions, pranks, and overall tom foolery?"