“Fine.” I’ve already told him this. My voice is perfect again, but after watching them play as a bystander, I came to a conclusion that was hard for me to admit to myself. “Watching you guys play without me was hard as fuck, not gonna lie.” I shift in my seat as all their gazes lock on me. Shit, this was a dumb idea.
“I learned something about our sound.” My eyes flick to Penn, who’s watching me intently. “Penn’s voice is more suited for certain songs. Especially ‘Barbie Girl.’” His brows dip low, and he starts to shake his head. “I’m serious, that song was made for your voice. Well, it was made for your girl. You do it justice in a way I can’t.”
“I don’t want to sing.”
“But you should.”
“I agree,” Tanner says.
I knew he would. I expect it to sting hearing him say it, but it doesn’t.
“Nah, not for me.” Penn takes a drink of his water, still eyeing me, worry evident.
I understand. I acted like such a bitch about everything. Behaving as if I’m the chosen one, but this is a team effort. I wanted to be needed, but we’re all needed. I see that now.
“Well, just think about it. We can be one of those bands that have two lead singers, like Less Than Jake or Blink-182,” I tell him, staring into his eyes.
His lip twitches, and he nods.
The rest of the dinner is uneventful, but good. Despite being up each other’s asses all day, we haven’t really spent any time together just chilling. With everything that’s happened, we needed a night like this.
Everyone else files on the bus. Before Tanner steps on, Igrab his arm, forcing him around to face me. “Uh, I wanted to say sorry for punching you in the face.”
His brows raise, and a cheesy smirk hits his lips. I regret this already.
“Are you?”
“Yes,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Huh. Ok, thanks.”
He moves to step on the bus, and I flick the back of his head. “Don’t you have something you wanna say to me?”
His lips purse as if he’s considering it, then he shrugs. “No, I don’t think so.”
My eyes widen. “You slapped me in the face!”
He chuckles. What a weird sound. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard himchuckle.“I did, and I’m not sorry. You deserved it.”
My mouth gapes open. “Ass!” Here I was trying to make amends, and he isn’t sorry at all for the part he played. Sure, I started it—I was the one arrested—but damn, he could’ve pretended to feel bad. “I take it back then. I’m not sorry either.”
Stepping around him, I board the bus, and he chases after me.
“Oh, no. You can’t take it back now. You meant that with your whole chest. Let’s take a picture and commemorate it.”
“Fuck off.”
Since when does he have a sense of humor? He laughs as I hustle past him to my bed, but I can still hear him shouting bullshit after me.
Dick.
56
ELLIE
I’m watchingin awe from the side of the stage as Travis sings his heart out. His voice is finally back to its beautiful, raspy melody. My ears are about to orgasm just listening to him.
He’s having fun tonight, too, I can tell. Something about the way he’s moving around more freely, as if he’s taking it all in, like when the tour first started. It’s amazing to see, not to mention turning me on. He’s so fucking hot on stage. I mean, he always is. I’ve never once found him unattractive, but when he’s bouncing around the stage, he’s a force.
