Pinky Promise

Six

I woke up before everyone else when the bus lurched forward and I fell off my bed. Luckily my fall was broken by some passed out guy cuddling a bottle of whiskey. He groaned and rolled over as I scrambled off him and stepped carefully around the people flopped on the floor. At least until the bus lurched again and I tripped back, falling into a bunk.

"Ughhh!" Someone grunted. I looked up to see Vic peeking out of the covers at me.

"Sorry...the bus tripped me." I said as innocently as I could, throwing a cute little smile in. How could he be mad at me? I'm fucking fabulous. The bus came to a halt, throwing me off of Vic and almost out of the bunk, but Vic caught me in a still sleepy embrace.

"Mmm...Why are you up?" He groaned.

"It wasn't really my choice. I fell on that guy when the bus jolted." I explained, pointing to the guy out of the curtain. Vic pulled me to him tighter.

"Did he wake up?" I shook my head. "Good."

"Why?" I asked.

"That's Jason Butler. You don't wake up Jason Butler after he's had alcohol unless you have a death wish. Other than that, he's a pretty nice guy." I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah all hung over murderers are good people deep down..." I said sarcastically. Vic chuckled and I slipped under the covers because I was already getting cold without my blankets.

"Shit, you're cold!" Vic gasped when my foot hit his leg.

"Yeah, well."

"You said you fell out of your bunk?"

"Yup." Vic chuckled.

"We'll have to get you those baby gates." I slapped his chest.

"We need to get a bus that doesn't aspire to be a blender." I groaned. Vic chuckled and kissed the side of my head.

"Mmm...go back to sleep." I turned my head to look at him.

"You know it's like eleven right?" I asked. He didn't answer just made a fake snoring noise to tell me to shut up. I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder.

--

"Audrey!" Someone yelled. I rolled my eyes to myself and tried to ignore the dumb ass trying to wake me up. "Audrey get up girl!" They yelled at me in a really sassy voice. Ugh don't they understand how much I hate the world? Someone walked into the bunk room and sat on the bunk next to me. I felt them lean down next my face and I thought Vic was going to kiss my cheek. "AUDREY WAKE UP!" I cringed and sat up, smashing my head against Vic's. "Ahh, fuck! I already have a headache I don't need more!" He groaned.

"Ugh, I didn't. Now I do." I said rubbing my forehead. "When did everyone get up? What time is it?" I asked, noticing that everyone was gone and the bus wasn't moving. Vic stood up and pulled me out of his bunk where I fell asleep earlier.

"They're all outside. We're staying here for a few days in the hotel. It's about six, you slept all day." He chuckled.

"Well, you guys did keep me up all night." I countered. Vic shrugged.

"Haha, sorry. But anyway, we kind of have a surprise for you." He said with excitedment in his voice. Oh, he was a sneaky one.

"What? What surprise?" I asked. He just smirked and shrugged.

"I don't know, I guess you'll just have to get dressed and come see." I rolled my eyes as he turned to leave. Well, I can't go back to sleep now, I guess I'll go check out this surprise...

I got dressed and ready for the day quickly and walked out to the front lounge. Mike had just run in and was geting something out of the fridge. He glanced up at me as he pulled out a case of beer and smirked. I cocked my head and he just wiggled his eyebrows at me before turning and walking out. I sighed to myself. Everyone was acting weird. I followed Mike outside and the other tour buses pulled in around us since everyone had been on our bus last night.

"Hey, Kiddo. Sleep well?" Austin asked, throwing an arm around my shoulders. I nodded.

"Ugh, I didn't." Jason groaned. "I had a dream that some kid fell on me or something. It woke me up this morning." Vic and I glanced at each other and laughed to ourselves. I squinted in the sun and realized everyone was wearing sunglasses. Maybe they were all just still hung over. But I glanced around us for the third time and then back at the group of people I was with, double checking my math.

"Uh, Dad?" I asked. He nodded. "Why is there a fifth bus?" I was pretty sure four bands equals four buses, but a fifth on just pulled in right in front of us. The equipment and stuff was carried in trucks and vans, not tour buses.

"Remember that surprise I was talking about?" Vic asked. I was about to answer when the door to the mysterious bus flew open and I was engulfed in a hug.

"Audrey!" I tensed up at first but I knew that voice so well.

"Alex oh my god!" I yelled and wrapped my arms around him as he lifted me up and spun me around. It felt amazing to be back in his arms after so long on tour.

"Oh, I missed you so much!" He groaned into my shoulder.

"I missed you too! What are you doing her?" I asked when he put me down. Alex chuckled and glanced at Vic.

"Your dad planned it out." He explained. I looked to Vic and hugged him.

"Thank you!" I said.

"No problem. Now go have fun." He said. I nodded and turned back to Alex. He smiled and took my hand. "But not too much fun!" Vic called after us as we walked away from the group. I rolled my eyes. and Alex kissed the side of my head. We turned around the side of the hotel and ended up near a pool. Alex pulled me to the edge and we sat down, letting our feet hang in the water.

"You don't know how much I missed you." Alex sighed. I looked up at him and he brushed some hair out of my face. He leaned his forehead against mine and kissed me.

"I missed you more." I said squeezing his hand. He shook his head and tightened his arm around my waist. We sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the sun slip behind the mountains in the distance. There was no one else at the pool and I just enjoyed sitting with Alex. I leaned my head on his shoulder and he ran his thumb along my wrist.

"I was so worried about you..." He whispered. I glanced up at him, expecting him to explain more, but he didn't. He took my wrist gently and slid my sleeve up a little. I didn't care anymore, he had seen them before. They crossed my arms in all directions and I had memorized the patterns by now. I had taken the bandages off a few days ago, but the ones on my sides and stomach hadn't healed completely yet. "You see this?"  He asked tracing some of the lines on my arm. "It looks like an A."

"A for Alex." I said. I don't know why I pointed it out but I did. Alex chuckled and nodded.

"That's right. I'll always be right there, and if you hurt yourself again, it'll hurt me too." I pouted at him.

"Please don't do that?" I begged. He cocked his head.

"Do what?" He asked. I sighed.

"Making me feel guilty about it." I looked down at the water swishing around my ankles. Alex squeezed my hand.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, kissing my arm. "I just hate when you're hurting." He kissed my cheek and I rested my head in the crook of his neck. We were silent for a few minutes. The quiet was nice. I liked knowing that he was here even if we didn't say anything.

"You know I'd stop if I could." I told him. He nodded.

"I know. As long as you're trying, that's all I can ask." He said.

"I am trying." I never wanted to feel like this. I always wanted it to stop, and that was the only way I knew I could control it. But it only made it worse in the long run.

"I know. I love you."

"I love you too." I closed my eyes and listened to the water lapping against the sides of the pool as I kicked my feet lightly. Everything was perfect.

"Hey Audrey!" I heard from behind me. "And...Alex?" I turned around to see who was calling me and froze when I saw her. Alex saw her too, but responded quicker than I could.

"Tay?"