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

The next week breezed by so fast that It felt like I never left the van after that night. Which led me to where I am now, in the van driving to Texas while the guys are at home getting a little break before tour. Jake is the only one that stayed behind. He knew that I was still upset with him and he refused to leave until I told him it was ok.

So here we are, we've been switching off on driving shifts of 8 hours so we could each sleep and get to Texas faster. We would have five days before we get the bus and seven days before the first show and when the guys got there. Jake had made it clear that he wanted to demo some tracks while we were there and I was having a friend do them because I was still mad at Jake and didn't feel like getting into a huge fight with him before a big tour. I hadn't told him yet, but I was planning on doing do at the next food stop. Yet, I avoided it.

I pulled off the high way where there was a Love's stop with a Subway in the station. I started filling the tank.

"Where are we?" Jake emerged from the back of the van.

"We just got into Texas, I'm gonna grab food and then we can go." He nodded and stood waiting for the tank to be filled.

"Let's go over there and talk while we eat." He pointed to a dinner across the street. I sighed.

"Jake I want to get-"

"We have plenty of time to get there. Just sit down for a little bit."

I just stared at him for a long time before I just shook my head. I had no reason to say no.

"OK" I relented.

Jake smiled and finished pumping the gas for me just to get us across the street faster. I had blankly followed. He even had to grab me by the hand and pull me into the diner. He shoved me into one side of the booth before sitting opposite of me and took the menus the young waitress handed us. All I could do was stare at my hands.

"Are you going to look at the menu?" Jake finally asked me.

"I'm not really hungry." I heard him scoff.

"Jax, I've seen you eat more food than 6 other people in one sitting. Don't tell me you're not hungry." I rolled my eyes at him and picked up the menu, using it as a shield from his very questioning eyes.

This technique worked until I felt his stare burn through the hazy, bendable plastic menu held in my now sweaty hands. He was waiting for me to put my menu down so he could talk to me.

"I'm not having this discussion right now..." I noted.

"Then when do you plan on having it? Because you know we need to have this conversation..." His words were gentle and calm, but I could hear the frustration in his voice.

I dropped the menu just low enough to look over it at Jake. He had his elbows on the table and his chin resting on his hands. He was biting his lip rings, like he always does when he gets nervous. His eyes were the only thing giving away just how upset he was. I sighed and folded my menu onto the table.

"What do we need to talk about?" He let out a huge breathe and sat back, crossing his arms.

"I didn't mean to make you upset. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

JAKE

"I'm sorry, really." She just stared at me.

Ever since I had known Ajax she had been a pretty independent person. And I mean that as she is pretty and she is independent. She won't take someone coming to tell her what to do and not to do. Yet, here I am trying to do just that. Her demeanor slowly changed the more times I tried to do this and this last time she finally snapped. I have to fix it before Warped started or else she will sign up for those classes as she plans and stay mad at me. All of that on her shoulders will just make her more stressed.

"You were right." My eyebrows raised at her small confession.

She sat forward in a professional matter with her hands clasped on the table and a small smile on her face.

"I don't have time for school." I frowned at her.

I moved forward and placed a hand on her clasped ones.

"Abigail.... it's not that you shouldn't go back to school. It's that you shouldn't over work yourself. Between TMing for us and whatever other band, school, and other work you're going to get stressed out," She tried to say something and I stopped her," Don't try and deny it. Remember I'm the one you come to when you're upset or stressed out..." She frowned at my statement, it was full of nothing but truth. She moved her hands to wrap around mine.

"I love touring, and I love being with and around you guys...." She trailed off.

"But...." I encouraged.

Her face fell even more and she sighed loudly.

"But I can't do this forever...." I frowned.

This was a conversation that had come up several times in the past. The stress had already taken its toll on her physically. I don't know what I'd do if it took its toll anywhere else or any more than it already has...

"Then just take a few steps back like I asked. Please...." She sighed, but her head gave a small nod.

"I'll try." I smiled as gently as I could and entangled our fingers. She'll still sign up for classes but at least she knows to slow down.

I scooted out of the booth and moved over to her side. She immediately leaned into my side and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. It was a huge stress reliever to be around her. Her being mad or upset with me is something I could never handle since we first met.

The waitress came over then with a small bowl of ice cream.

"We didn't order this..." Jax said politely.

"Compliments of my manager, she said you are the cutest couple ever." She smiled and left the spoons and the ice cream.

I felt my cheeks heat up and I moved away from Jax slowly. Jax however pulled me closer, on purpose or subconsciously I'm not sure. I still settled where I was no matter how much she tried to pull me to her. She eventually gave up on trying to go back to the way we were originally and we ordered while eating our ice cream. Our dinner/breakfast was over fairly quickly and we were back on the road. I drove through the morning while Jax slept calmly in the passenger seat.

"Cute couple" I scoffed quietly at the statement.