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Almost Easy

Chapter Forty-Three: Worth it

I was so relieved to get moving again. Traveling to a new city meant that stragglers were all evicted from our bus and forced onto their own. It was refreshingly quiet. Jimmy and Chris had pretty well claimed the television, which left the rest of us to fill our time on our own. Brian was attached to his guitar. I was trying to read an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel but Brian was incredibly distracting.
We’d been on the road for nearly three hours. We had six hours to go. It was a long road from Nevada to New Mexico but I was grateful for some time spent (mostly) alone. Every time the other band came around, there was nothing but trouble. Sometime apart would surely do us all some good.
It was just after eleven when the bus screeched to a halt.
“Gas?” John suggested from across the table, noticing my alerted attention.
I shrugged, returning my focus to the book. But Brian was making eyes at me. I stayed strong; I must have read the same sentence fourteen times in my attempt to look busy.
The door swung open, banging loudly against the side of the bus.
“You two!” an angry Austin shouted, “Outside!”
The rest of the bus exchanged a chorus of “oooooooo”s. It was the equivalent of being called to the principal’s office as a child. There was no need to ask which two. We knew.
Brian sat his guitar on the floor and leaned it against Jimmy’s leg, which seemed a risky move given Jimmy’s temperament. He followed me outside, where Austin slammed the door shut and began to pace.
“I thought we had an agreement,” he finally said, still not looking at us.
Brian and I exchanged looks and both, without speaking, decided to play dumb.
“About what?” I asked like I didn’t know.
He tossed—and when I say tossed, I do actually mean threw—a magazine at me. I barely caught it.
“I’ve folded the page,” he hissed at me.
I flipped it open to find pictures of Brian and I plastered all over the inside fold. Immediately, I knew where these were from. The jig was up; but it wasn’t anyone we knew that had ratted us out. We had been impulsive and inattentive. Clearly I’d been wrong in Vegas. Someone had recognized us.
“I wonder how much they got for the pictures,” Brian smirked.
Austin rolled his eyes at my beautiful boyfriend. I leaned the page to give Brian a clearer view and used my finger to point at a specific picture.
“We should frame this one,” I told Brian, choking back a laugh.
He nodded, “I wonder if we could get the original.”
“It is a nice shot,” I added.
“Would you two shut it?” Austin snapped.
We did.
It was funny that Brian was taking any sort of shit from Austin. After all, Austin wasn’t his manager. Austin held no actual authority over him at all. I supposed that while Brian was touring with us though, maybe he figured it was easier/safer to just go along with Austin’s bullshit.
“I thought we talked about this,” Austin continued angrily. “I’m certain we did. We sat down, we drank coffee, we talked about the pros and cons of your relationship being public. We all agreed it was best kept secret. Did that not happen? Have I totally lost it?”
“It happened,” we both said glumly.
“So what the fuck?” he asked, his arms thrown out by his sides.
He was so mad. It honestly…it made me laugh. It made me laugh so hard.
I was keeled over, hands on my knees, trying desperate to stop. His face was red and a vein was sticking so far out that I bet I could have grabbed it. It just fueled my fire.
“Stop it,” he instructed me firmly. “Stop her.”
Brian raised his hands up, a smile creeping over his face too, “I can’t control her.”
“Oh my god,” I managed through my laughter. “You’re so mad!”
Austin slammed his hand against the bus dramatically, “Of course I’m fucking mad!”
“Dude,” Brian warned him, stiffening his back.
“It’s fine,” I assured Brian as I got my shit together. “It’s fine. He’s always mad.”
“Blair,” Austin said seriously. “I know you think it doesn’t matter. You think it’s a big joke—you think I’m just some asshole that’s hell-bent on making you do things that you don’t want to do.”
“Can confirm,” I nodded smugly.
He rolled his eyes again, “You’re a new artist. This is a tough genre to get ahead in. Ask your boyfriend, he’ll tell you the same thing.”
Brian looked away from me.
“If we can market you as a symbol,” Austin continued. “It will only do good things. Both for you and for the band. We can’t do that if you have a man attached to your hip.”
“So, what?” I groaned. “I can’t publicly date Brian because you want me to be, who? Marilyn Monroe?”
“As if you could be,” Austin scoffed.
“I’m not going to lie about it,” I shrugged. “We tried that. It didn’t work.”
“So your boyfriend is more important than your band?” Austin asked me seriously.
I looked at Brian, who was now looking back at me.
Was Brian more important than my band? I hardly thought I’d have to choose. They were entirely different beasts in my life. One was my livelihood, my passion. The other was a piece of me. Brian had become so intertwined with my life that he now seemed to be like an extension. I could never choose.
“They’re both important,” I answered carefully. “I don’t see it as choosing. Change your marketing approach, Austin.”
“To what?” he groaned.
I shrugged, “You use people daily. I’m sure you’ll work something out.”
“Brian,” Austin sighed as I pushed passed him. “Can you talk to her?”
“About what?” Brian retorted.
“You know what I’m saying is true,” Austin pleaded.
Brian shrugged, “Honestly, man; you’re not saying much.”
I climbed back onto the bus and regained my position at the table. I still had the magazine gripped tightly in my fist.
Everyone was staring at me. I waited for Brian—he could at least help field some of the eyes. They were obviously nosy. No one had voiced any issues with Brian and I openly dating, other than the obvious warnings about Austin’s wrath.
“How much trouble are you in?” John asked playfully.
“He’s pretty mad,” I said.
Jimmy shook his head, “I told you!”
Brian finally climbed aboard and immediately picked his guitar back up. He didn’t look at me as he pulled it into his lap and began to strum once more.
Sometimes the whole hot and cold thing was a little annoying. But I could play that game as well as anyone.
So I read my book. The whole book.
Tension was thick. Brian was no longer stealing glances. No one was speaking. It was silent and the air was dense. It was not a desirable atmosphere by any stretch of the word.
I wondered if I should bring it up with Brian…or if he was going to bring it up with me.
He showed no sign of budging. Maybe Austin had gotten to him. Maybe he was considering breaking things off—as far as the outside world knew anyway. Maybe he was regretting calling off the silence in the first place. I didn’t know. But I didn’t like it.
Sitting across from a Brian that wouldn’t look at me was too much for my anxiety. I excused myself silently and headed straight for my bunk. I pulled the curtain closed behind me; at least in the bunk I could hide away. I could bite at my lip as much as I wanted without anyone questioning what was wrong.
But my isolation didn’t last long. Within a few minutes, Brian’s head poked through the curtain.
“What’s up?” he asked me curiously.
I shrugged, “Tired.”
“I’m down for a nap,” he smirked and crawled into my bunk.
We lay side by side, staring at the bottom of Brian/Jimmy’s bunk. Jimmy would occupy it mostly but it was, in fact, Brian’s. Though he hadn’t actually spent any time in it yet. Given how cramped the space was, I imagined he’d spend a few nights up there.
“Is everything okay?” I asked suddenly, breaking our silence. “I really don’t want to ask but I can’t handle the tension.”
Brian chuckled, “Always so nervous.”
“You’re broody as fuck,” I told him with a grin. “It’s impossible to read you.”
“Good,” he winked at me. “Keeps you on your toes.”
“So you’re fine?” I asked.
He nodded, “I’m good. I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
He shrugged, “About if I’m a good thing for you or not.”
“And what have you decided?” I asked numbly.
He laughed, “It’s not really my decision, is it?”
I shrugged.
“You’re fine with what Austin said?” he asked me curiously. “You’re completely fine with throwing out his plan for you? For your band? Just for me?”
“It’s not just,” I corrected. “There’s no just about you.”
He rolled his eyes playfully, “Semantics.”
“No,” I smiled. “I’m serious. Besides, it was a stupid plan. I honestly don’t think it matters. I don’t see how my sex appeal effects anything. But, who knows, maybe I’m naïve. The reality is that I’m willing to take the risk.”
“Whatever you say, Crazy Lady,” he teased.
“You better be worth it,” I smirked.
He turned to wrap an arm over my waist, pulling my body closer to his. He looked at me with seduction dripping from his eyes.
“No promises,” he grinned. “But I’ll sure try.”

Notes

A short one to fill the void.

xx

Comments

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RamonaFoREVer RamonaFoREVer
6/18/19

@LostinDreams77
Oh!!! I'm so glad!!! <33

fyction fyction
5/13/19

Only on chapter 6 but I bloody love it already lol

LostinDreams77 LostinDreams77
5/13/19

@kiss my sas
Omg!!! Lol

fyction fyction
3/27/19

Ok, time for a re read on this one now :D
Baby Blair, come at me!!!

kiss my sas kiss my sas
3/27/19