In the living room area, a new post-show tradition is taking shape: mattresses piled in the center of the floor, forming an oversized cuddle space. What started as a joke quickly became reality when all of us realized that no one wanted to be alone. After that revelation, we just started building out the space, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Lily flops down first, pulling a blanket over her as she nestles into the middle. Marcus follows, stretching out beside her, and Dylan tosses a pillow at Enzo before groaning and dropping onto the pile beside Marcus.
Enzo, taking his time as always, leans against the wallfor a moment, his dark eyes scanning the room like he’s weighing whether it’s worth it to join us. Finally, he settles near the edge, the furthest from Dylan.
I take the spot next to Lily, between her and Enzo. I lay close enough to feel the warmth of her body but leave just enough space to breathe. Lying there, staring at the ceiling, I feel a sense of peace. Not the fragile kind that shatters the moment you move, but something solid, the kind that comes from knowing you’re surrounded by people who’ve seen you at your worst and stayed, anyway.
“Alright,” Dylan says, propping himself up on one elbow with a mischievous grin. “So, what’s the plan after this? Do we just crawl back to our caves and pretend none of this ever happened?”
Lily laughs softly, her voice a gentle hum that fills the room. “I think you’ve all earned a break after this tour. A real one.”
“Yeah, but where?” Marcus asks, his brows furrowed as he stares at the ceiling like he’s searching for answers in the paint.
We all have places scattered across the country—Marcus owns a sleek New York apartment, Dylan has a house on the outskirts of LA near his parents, my loft is in Seattle, but that’s never really felt like home.
Normally, after a tour or recording an album, we part ways and do most of our work virtually until we have to connect again. But this time feels different. None of us want to go back to the isolation we used to call normal. I know I certainly don’t.
“I gotta get back to Chicago,” Enzo says quietly, his voice low but steady. “My sister… I haven’t seen her in months. She’s been asking when I’m coming home.”
The room goes quiet for a moment, and I see everyone exchange glances. Enzo doesn’t talk about his sister often, but when he does, there’s a gravity to it that makes you pay attention.
“So,” Lily says, sitting up to face him, “why don’t we all go with you? Spend some time together in Chicago before figuring out what’s next.”
Enzo’s eyebrows shoot up like he’s about to argue, but then he just shrugs, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah… yeah, that could work.”
Marcus nods, sitting up as well. “It makes sense. We need a place to regroup, anyway. And it’s not like any of us are in a rush to go anywhere else.”
Dylan throws an arm over Marcus to reach Lily’s shoulder, grinning like he’s already decided. “It’s settled then. We crash at Enzo’s, eat all his food, and make his life miserable.”
“Like you don’t already,” Enzo mutters, though there’s a warmer undertone to his snark now. Like he’s realizing we weren’t even considering leaving him out of our plans, despite his obligation to care for his sister.
I listen to them talk about the future, and the gnawing pit of dread in my stomach feels smaller. Optimism starts to bloom in its place, hope filling in the cracks left behind.
Lily turns to me, her blue eyes soft as they search mine. “What about you, Jax? What do you want?”
The question catches me off guard. For so long, it’s been about surviving—getting through one day, one show, at a time. But now… now that I have choices, I’m not sure exactly what I want.
“I don’t know,” I admit quietly. “But I think I want to figure it out with you guys.”
Dylan leans over Lily and Marcus so he can clap me on the back, grinning. “That’s the spirit. Don’t worry; we’ll keep you in line.”
The teasing should annoy me, but it doesn’t. Instead, it makes me laugh. Really laugh. And damn, it feels good.
Lily shifts closer, resting her head on my shoulder. “We’ll figure it out,” she whispers, her voice steady, like she believes it enough for all of us.
The thought of the future doesn’t feel so terrifying anymore. I’m not going to be alone. The band, and Lily, won’t let that happen.
We turn off the lights as the night stretches on, relaxing further into our cuddle space. Eventually, the only sound in the bus is the soft rhythm of breaths as everyone slowly drifts off to sleep. I settle deeper into the makeshift bed, the weight of the last few months lifting fully. I take my first deep breath in what feels like months.
Beside me, Enzo shifts, his voice barely audible in the quiet. “Don’t screw this up, Jax.”
I chuckle softly, knowing that he’s just as worried about the future as I have been. I respond, eyes still closed, “I’ll do my best.”
CHAPTER 42
THE FINAL SHOW
MARCUS
