The Reason Why

Chapter 1: Don't Waste My Time

2001

A few weeks after they released their first album, the members of Little Big Town had a performance at a local country festival in the south. They were still on their way to the festival in their tour bus. The members sat next to their partners, except Jimi and Karen. Jimi was still single and Karen’s husband Mark had his own performances as bass-player in a band. Karen has been looking out of the window all the time and Jimi gave up his try to sleep, he realized he was starring at Karen the whole time. 

‘Is there something wrong?’ She asked him.  She felt a little bit uncomfortable because he was starring at her for like five minutes. 

‘No, just day dreaming.’ He tried to smile but he felt awkward, immediately he looked out of the window. 

‘Is anyone else starving?’ Kimberly asked. She heard the conversation between Jimi and Karen and noticed more than one time that Jimi stares at Karen, a lot. They all agreed and stopped at a little café. The waitress brought them to a table for five. They all took a seat. 

‘Move on, Karen.’ Said Kimberly and she pushed Karen to get a seat next to her. This is too small, Karen thought. She couldn’t even breath without touching Jimi, that’s how close they sat next to each other. 

‘Are y’all excited for tonight too?’ Phillip asked. They all were. They were having a conversation about their college years. Everybody was laughing and talking loud except Karen who kept starring at her food, she didn’t ate a thing yet. 

‘Excuse me Kim, I need to go to the ladies room.’ Kimberly stood up and Karen passed her and went to look for a restroom. 

‘What’s wrong with you sweetie?’ Kimberly walked in the room.

‘Nothing. Why?’ Karen tried to express a suprices face, without any succeed.

‘Come on, I know you longer then today. Are you feeling sick, maybe?’ Kimberly sounded worried. 

‘Yes. Yes, I have a head ache, I didn’t want to say it because of tonight. But I’m doing fine.’ Karen felt horrible to lie to her best friend. 

‘Aw, sweetie.’ Kimberly hugged Karen. ‘I have some aspirins in my bag, if you want some. ’ 

‘Yes, please.’ The girls walked back to the others, who already paid and stood outside the bus. 

‘Are y’all ready?’ Phillip shouted. Everybody sounded excited, even Karen.

That night Karen decides to step over her feelings and enjoy their performance, and she did. The crowd was amazing. Some people on the front row screamed all the lyrics back. For some reason Karen stood next to Jimi during the whole performance, Kimberly and Jimi were running all over the stage that night, Karen wasn’t really in the mood. She liked to enjoy the audience behind her microphone stand. During the Don’t Waste My Time-performance Jimi kept looking to Karen. She knew it but actually didn’t worried about it. She secretly liked it. When they finished the song she turned to Jimi and smiled to him. Jimi looked right into her eyes and was surprised that Karen actually smiled to him, they didn’t had a real conversation this day. Her eyes, he thought. She walked to him and gave him a hug. And then he realized, that he’s in love with her.