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With a level of maturity I didn’t feel, I explained the decision we’d reached, and there was visible relief from everyone. I tried not to be hurt by their happiness that I was leaving. I knew it wasn’t about me being unwanted, it was about damage control, but I’d kind of hoped someone would fight in our corner.
Mack had been the only person to attempt to stand up for us, but he’d been shot down with glares and never spoke up again. I appreciated his effort, though. He was a no-bullshit kind of guy, and I respected his do-what-you-want-and-fuck-what-anyone-else-thinks attitude.
Plans were made for me to fly home the next evening on the same flight as Ellie, although only just. I got the last seat on the plane, and we’d get the train the rest of the way home from Bristol. I wasn’t really looking forward to that part, but I figured I could fake sleep for a few hours.
The rest of the day was long and uncomfortable. I felt isolated from everyone, even Jason to a certain extent because it was as if Ellie and Drew were watching us whenever we were together.
Maybe it was wrong, but a huge part of me blamed Ellie for the mess. If she hadn’t made a big deal out of Jason and me in the first place, we wouldn’t have had that talk outside the tour bus, we wouldn’t have been photographed, and I’d have been looking forward to spending an incredible day in Prague with her like we’d planned. Things with Jason would have worked out differently. Slowly. Privately.
Or maybe not. Maybe we were destined to cause controversy. Looking at the what-ifs of the situation wouldn’t change anything.
The day of fun in Prague I was supposed to be having was spent on the tour bus. Derek had left, but he’d also left strict instructions that Jason and I shouldn’t be seen together in public. Everyone else was free to go and do as they pleased, but Ellie was on full big-sister watch and apparently didn’t trust either Jason or me to be alone together, so she and Drew stayed behind too.
I’d thought dinner the night before had ended uncomfortably, but this took discomfort to levels I never believed existed. We must have looked like one of those videos you see on television showing different frames to display the passing of time. Every now and again, one of us would change positions or leave the communal area before coming back, maybe with a book or a guitar, in Jason’s case. It was how I imaginedBig Brotherto be before they edited out all the crap bits.
I was actually relieved when it was time to leave for the airport, but of course, the boys couldn’t come with us. Ellie and I were leaving in a cab, and I was only given five minutes alone with Jason while Ellie and Drew said their own private goodbye.
As Jason enveloped me in his arms, I let out a huge sigh. “This was the worst day ever.”
He placed a kiss on the top of my head. “I know. I’m sorry.”
I looked up at him. “This wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, but I feel bad that everything you’d planned for the next few weeks has been ruined. I really wanted to keep exploring new places with you. You’ve made touring fun again, and it won’t be the same without you.”
Closing my eyes, I leaned into him, holding him tightly. He was right. Everything I’d planned had been taken away from me. However, looking at it from another angle, I’d gotten a chance with the one person I never thought I would, so maybe two weeks apart wasn’t such a bad trade-off.
Okay, I wouldn’t be with Jason, but when he got back, we’d give things a try. I wasn’t crazy enough to put all my hopes on this insane relationship, but all I’d ever wanted was a chance. And I’d got it.
“Will you call me as soon as you get to New York?”
Jason nodded. “Of course. I’ll call whenever I can. And I’ll see you in fourteen days.”
“That sounds like the longest time ever.” I let out a sigh.
“I know. But you should keep busy. Find things to do, hang out with friends. The time will fly, and then I’ll be home. Well, in the UK.”
“I can’t wait, Jase. But we’ll still have to be careful. You know that, right?”
“I know. But when we get home, then we can start to work things out. It can’t come soon enough.”
Again, I looked up at him. I loved how his green eyes gazed into mine. The faint smile on his lips as he looked at me, the gorgeousness of his chiseled jaw. The sexy rock star the world knew was the sweetest guy. And he was holding me and telling me he couldn’t wait to see me again.
I didn’t want to leave him.
“Cheer up, Luce. When I get home, we’ll have loads of time together. At least four weeks to do whatever normal couples do.”
I chuckled. I figured Jason had about as much of a clue about what ‘normal couples’ did as me. He’d only briefly dated people for as long as I’d known him, and I was definitely not an expert either. If nothing else came of this, we’d have fun figuring it out.
I looked up at him. “Cheeky selfie before I leave?”
“For sure.”
I took my phone from my jacket pocket and moved in front of Jason so he had his arms wrapped around me from behind. We smiled for the camera, and I snapped us.
“Send me a copy of that?” Jason asked.
“I will.”
