If I'm There - Noah Sebastian

Chapter 10 - Solace to my mind and soul.

We get back to the bus and start cleaning up, ready to head to Nottingham in an hour.

I ring May and Jesse to let them know I'm on my way to pick them up. May is a mess. She'll sleep in the car and be fine by tonight, hopefully.

I laugh at the sight of her. Messy bun, oversized band hoodie, and her Crocs, but still so beautiful.

We load the car and set off for Nottingham.
It's a quiet car ride most of the way as we're quite fragile from the night before. I'm singing away to Bad Decisions from The Death Of Peace Of Mind album. I look in my rear view mirror and notice Jesse is recording me. He does this a lot, and I immediately stop.

"Come on, Lou. You're such a good singer!"

"Ha, maybe to you because you're tone deaf."

I love to sing. I've sang ever since I was little. It was another escape for me growing up. I can hold a note, for sure, but I've never pursued it the way I would have hoped, so it's mainly the open road, my shower, and May and Jesse who get private concerts. I never sing in front of anyone else and never have.

It's only about an hour and a half drive to Nottingham, and we pull up at a Holiday Inn and get checked in. May gets changed into leggings but keeps herself the exact way she is.

"I'm not doing anything else. I'm too rough, and we'll be at the side of the stage anyway, so I don't need to make an effort. "

"Well, you should. You look as bad as you feel." Jesse jokes.

"Piss off, you little rat." She spits back. They bicker like brother and sister, and I love it. It's so entertaining to watch. I grew up an only child, so this is what I imagined having siblings is like.

We head over to the bus, and before we get to the door, Bryon walks out.

"Hey Bryan, can I see some of the shots you took last night?"

"Hey guys!! How are you doing? I heard last night was a fun one. Gutted, I missed it." He winked at May and as I look over, I see her mortified face.
"I've emailed Noah some pictures to put on the Instagram, I'm sure he'll show you them, but I'll email you some extras I took."

As we walk into the van, I see May retreat to the couch. She falls on to it and groans.

"You still rough, dude?" Jolly laughs at her.

Before she can open her mouth, I shout from the kitchen. "No, she fancies Bryan, and he's just seen her looking like this, so she's mortified."

"Awwwww Lou, what the fuckkkkk?" She fumes.

"No way!!! You like our Bryan?! That's cute, " Folio sassed at her.

"Go away, Folio. I'm too hungover to deal with your shit today."

Jesse is already playing video games with Folio on the sofa. "Well it's true, he saw you looking like shit and now you're gutted that he'll never fall in love with you,"

May launches a pillow at his head, and they all chuckle.

I grabbed everything I needed for a pasta bake before we got here, and I started prepping it. I feel a warm presence behind me, and it's Noah interlocking his hands around my waist and kissing my cheek.

"Hey you, how was the drive here?" He whispers in my ear.

"Hi love, yeah, it was good. Chilled. Quiet. Just what we needed after last night."

He unfolded his arms from my waist and started playing with my hair again. I handed him an onion and a knife, indicating for him to start helping to prep the food.