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“Nah. He left with Annabelle after the show. Didn’t come back. My guess is he was smart and got a hotel room. These beds are shit.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I force a smile, not letting him see how much that statement bothers me. “I’m gonna check really fast just in case he slipped in while you were sleeping.”
“Be my guest,” he says after I’ve already taken off down the narrow hall, past the bunks, to the bedroom at the back of the bus.
The instant I see the empty bed I feel like I’m in danger of losing the breakfast sandwich I scarfed down on the way here.
Taking a deep breath, I pull the door closed before heading back out to the common area. Zeke’s head pops up when I reenter the room.
“Did he know you were coming?” he asks, stretching out his legs.
“No, thought I’d surprise him. Mind if I wait?” I point to the chair in the corner, refusing to let my mind run wild with me.
“Not at all. I think we’re scheduled to leave in a couple hours so he should be back soon.”
“Okay, thanks.” I slide down into the chair, not able to shake the sick feeling that’s settled in the pit of my stomach.
Zeke pops in a pair of ear buds and scrolls his finger across the iPad in his hand, doing what I presume he was doing when I showed up and interrupted. Meanwhile, I’m sitting across from him, silently freaking out as every imaginable scenario runs through my head.
Hudson left after the show with Annabelle and didn’t come back? Just what every girl wants to hear about her boyfriend. And as much as I try to convince myself he would never do that to me, deep down I know that’s what everyone tells themselves when they’re in love. You never want to believe someone you care that deeply for could hurt you in such a way. But the truth of the matter is, it happens every single day.
Who’s to say I’m not just another stupid girl who finds it easier to ignore the signs than admit the truth? I shake away the thought. There’s no way Hudson could ever do that to me. I see the way he looks at me, the way he touches me. I feel it in his words, in his action.
I’m sure everyone thinks that way, the little voice in my head chimes in.
I go back and forth. The internal battle raging on and on as I wait. And I wait. And I wait...
—-
“Lennon.”
My eyes shoot open and I straighten. Looking up at Hudson and then around the bus, I feel a little disoriented, but it doesn’t take long for me to remember where I am.
“What time is it?” I stifle a yawn as I stretch my arms.
“Just before ten.” He squats down in front of me. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to surprise you,” I say, my voice groggy and sleep riddled.
“Well you definitely have.” He gives me a full blown smile but it quickly falls when he catches the shift in my expression as my earlier thoughts hit me like a bullet.
“Where have you been?” I ask, trying to keep the question from sounding accusatory.
“I decided to stay at the hotel.”
“Were you alone?” I can’t stop myself from asking.
“Why would you ask me that?” His forehead draws in confusion.
“You left with Annabelle after the concert and never came back.” I look around the room noticing that Zeke is not there to back me up. In fact, the bus seems completely silent.
“Lennon.” I recognize the tone of his voice. The irritation and frustration due to the fact that I’m going there yet again. I hate that I am too, but I can’t help it. It’s like a knee jerk reaction at this point.
“Answer the question, Hudson.” I cross my arms over my chest and wait.
He opens his mouth and closes it a couple of times like he’s not really sure what to say. The action only makes me more nervous and the knot in my stomach grows tighter with each second that passes.
“Len...” It’s all he gets out before I hearhervoice as she enters the bus.
