cont.
Sam's POV
"What do we do?" I said pacing back and forth in the room
"What do you mean what do we do, she left, she obviously doesn't want to be here." Jake said still looking at the floor.
"Maybe she is just with Rhiannon for the night," I said walking towards the front of the bus, Jake didn't move from the bed. I ran over to the hotel where I knew Rhiannon was staying and made my way up to her room, knocking frantically on the door. I heard footsteps and held my breath as the door opened, It was Josh, I pushed past him into the room.
"She's not here Sam," He said plainly. I turned on my heels in his direction,
"Where is she?" I said quickly
"Rhiannon took her to the airport," He said crossing his arms and shrugging his shoulders,
"what? what airport," I said walking back towards the door,
"Sam I don't thin-" he started
"WHAT AIRPORT" I yelled, I didn't have time for this. I couldn't let her leave like this, I had to get to her. Josh threw his hands up and revealed the name of the airport, I ran downstairs and got into an uber. My mind was racing as I tapped my leg repetitively the whole way to the airport, I knew Sloan had to be upset, we had given her an impossible ultimatum and then just left to go on stage, It was awful timing. At this point I wasn't worried about her choice I just wanted to make sure she was ok, and to know that if she did choose Jake she could stay on tour and I wouldn't mind. The car pulled up to the airport and I ran inside, I looked at the big electric board to figure out which direction I needed to go in. I saw a flight departing to Michigan soon and took off to the terminal, out of breath when I made it there I scanned the seats and there was no sign of Sloan. I ran my hands threw my hair and sunk into one of the seats. I was to late. I put my head in my hands and took a deep breath.
"Sam?" I heard a soft voice, I looked up to see Sloan standing across from me. I jumped up and embraced her in a hug almost spilling her drink in her hand. She melted into me, nuzzling her face into my neck as we held each other.
"I just had to make sure you were ok?" I said still holding her,
"Of course I'm not ok, I've been so selfish, I was just trying to figure out my feelings and I've ended up hurting both you and Jake in the process, and now I just don't know what to do. I can't stay here and watch both of you, or one of you get hurt. I'm going home." She said pulling away and sitting in a chair. I stood there silently for a second, I didn't want her to leave. We had 2 months left on the tour and I didn't want to go that long without seeing her regardless on if she chose me or not.
"Sloan," I said sitting down beside her and placing my hand on her knee, "Why don't you stay with Rhiannon tonight and just give us all a chance to think things over and then we can actually talk tomorrow." I looked up at her as she bit her lip, thinking about my request.
"I don't know Sammy.." She trailed off.
"Sloan please, I really think it would benefit everyone, Jake was pretty torn up about you leaving." I said
"Oh really? Then why are you here and he isn't." She had a point
"I just don't think he knows how to process what is going on, I think giving him the night to think will really help, We were rushed earlier and he had literally just caught his girlfriend with his brother" He said rubbing his chin as the words came out of his mouth. She slowly looked up at me and sighed,
"Fine. I'll stay, but we will talk when I am ready." She said standing up and grabbing her bag
"Ok, thats fine, thank you Sloan." I said giving her a hug, "Here I'll take that," I grabbed her bag and we made our way back to the front of the airport to wait for the uber. I looked at her as the wind blew her hair slightly and she looked up at the sky watching planes pass by. Out of the corner of her eye she caught me staring and turned to me.
"Sammy, I can feel your eyes," she smirked, I blushed and let out a small giggle,
"I'm sorry I just can't stop thinking about earlier." I said as I brushed her hair away from her face, caressing her cheek,
"Sam.." She said looking up at me,
"Just one more," I said as I kissed her lips, they were so soft, I longed for her in a way I couldn't explain, Like I couldn't breathe and she was oxygen.
She pulled away as the uber arrived, both of us slipping into the back seat. I gave the driver the address to Rhiannon's hotel and we went in that direction. I could tell Sloan was exhausted both emotionally and physically as she leaned against the window,
"Come here," I said gently coaxing her toward me and placing her head on my shoulder, she was a little tense at first but then started to relax. By the time we arrived at the hotel she was asleep laying against me. It took everything in me not to ask the driver to just drive around for an hour or so, just so that I could hold her like this for longer. She was out hard and when I tried to wake her she stayed asleep. I got out of the car and went around to the other side, picking her up. She slightly awoke and rubbed her eyes before wrapping her arms around my neck, and laying her head once again on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, I got you." I said as I continued into the hotel and up to Rhiannon's room. I got to her door and gave it a few gentle kicks seeing as I couldn't knock with Sloan in my arms.
"What did you do kidnap her?" Josh said surprised as he opened the door, I rolled my eyes and let out a soft laugh
"No she fell asleep in the car." I said gently placing her on the bed. "Rhiannon is it ok if she stays here tonight?"
"Of course, I will bring her to the bus in the morning if thats what she wants." She replied
"Perfect thank you," I said in return. I stood in the room for a moment not wanting to leave her. She was asleep peacefully on the bed.
"Come on Sam, lets get back to the bus, lets leave the girls be." Josh said nudging me.
"Rhiannon you let us know if either of you need anything and we will take care of it." I said as we walked out the door. Me and Josh got back to the bus and I immediately searched for Jake. I walked to the back room and tried opening the door, it was locked.
"He said he doesn't want to talk to anyone," Danny said peeking his head out of his bunk. I was to stubborn to oblige.
"Jake can you just give me 5 minutes?" I said knocking on the door, I heard footsteps approaching. He opened the door, said nothing and then walked back over, sitting down on the bed. His face was emotionless, he wasn't mad, he wasn't sad, he was just there. He got like this when he was really hurt. "I found Sloan at the airport, I talked her into staying and hopefully all of us talking tomorrow." He still said nothing. "Jake, you know I didn't mean to hurt you. It just kind of happened and I really am sorry you got hurt." He just nodded his head as he turned a ring on his finger, still looking at the floor.
"What are we going to do." He finally mumbled, "I know I'm going to be devastated if she chooses you, and you'd be the same if she chose me." he placed his head into his hands
"I don't know. I guess one of us will just have to try and live through it." I said placing my hand on his shoulder, "I hate that one of us has to hurt in order for the other to be happy." He nodded in agreement.
"Well I want to get some sleep." Jake said. I took the hint and left the room, I obviously wasn't his favorite person right now and he probably just wanted to think.
"Alright, see you tomorrow."
Sloan's POV
I woke up and looked around the room, I vaguely remembered being carried up to Rhiannon's hotel room after me and Sam's talk at the airport. I looked around, no Rhiannon in sight. I got up and went to look at myself in the mirror. My eyes were puffy from crying so much, yesterdays mascara staining my lower lids. I just needed a shower and I would feel so much better. I stood in the shower letting the hot water run over me as I considered my options. Jake, Sam, or neither. I couldn't justify hurting one so maybe I just had to hurt both of them. But they both made me so happy. Fuck why were they both so damn perfect. Why couldn't one of them be unattractive, or a jerk. They made this so hard. I heard the hotel room open,
"Sloan, I brought us breakfast," I heard Rhiannon's voice from outside the bathroom door.
"Ok be out in a minute!" I said, maybe Rhiannon could give me some relatively unbiased advice. I turned off the shower and wrapped up in a robe. I opened the bathroom door to see her sitting cross legged on the bed eating, "mmm that smells delicious, hash browns are my favorite" I said sitting down across from her.
"So," She said taking a sip of her drink, "Are you doing better today?"
"Not really." I said fidgeting with the tie of my robe.
"No clarity after a night of thinking?" She asked looking over at me
"No, I am still just as stuck. Either way I go someone gets hurt." I said
"Ok, but what about you? Your emotions are important to, who makes you happy?" She said tilting her head, waiting for my reply.
"They both make me happy thats the problem." I said my eyes starting to get teary,
"Ok, which one makes you happier "
"I don't know that yet, It's like things with Jake happened so fast and then Sam came along and I've never really been able to give him the chance he deserves because I didn't know about his feelings till I was with Jake. I wish we could all just put all our feelings on the table and I could just have a trial period for the both of them" I sighed with a little giggle,
"Why can't you?" She said plainly, I looked at her in shock,
"No I was just kidding." I said shaking my head
"It sounds like you rushed into things with Jake but have feelings, and it sounds like you have feelings for Sam, why don't you just wipe the slate clean and start over with both of them or something like that?" she said standing up, she was serious. I sat and thought about it briefly, would that work?
"You mean like date both of them...?" I said looking at her confused
"Yeah, set some ground rules and then just get a better idea of your feelings and who makes you happier. Yeah it will be weird but maybe it will work?" She said shrugging
"You think the guys would go for that?" I asked looking back at her
"I think the only way to know is to ask," She said plainly.
I texted both of the boys and asked them to meet me in the hotel lobby. I wanted this conversation on middle ground and I didn't want to be back at the bus if they didn't go with my plan. They both agreed to meet and talk. I sat in the lobby as I waited for them to arrive, I was so nervous about what I was about to ask. Sammy walked in first, giving me one of his comforting soft smiles. He always looked so good in everything he wore. He made his way over and sat down across from me.
"Morning," he said leaning forward and placing his crossed arms on the table, I just gave him a smile.
Next I saw Jake gliding in through the doors, god he always looked so good too in his half buttoned shirts and jeans, he didn't smile but his eyes told me he was happy to see me, this was the first night we had spent apart in weeks. The thought of sleeping without him shook me for a moment before I snapped out of it. He sat down at the table next to Sam. I took a deep breath, here we go.
"So I'm going to talk and both of you are going to listen, and when I'm done, then we can discuss. deal? I said, trying hard not to let them hear the nervousness in my voice. They both gave me curious looks and nodded.
"Jake," I said looking over at him and taking his hand, " I love you, and I'm so sorry I hurt you. It was selfish and I truly am sorry. And I hate to admit it but I am questioning our relationship because I do have feelings for Sam. I can't keep lying to myself and the both of you." I let go of Jakes hand and sat back up straight so I could address both of them. "You both make me happy, and I feel stuck, I need to know who makes me happier, and I can't decide that with the way things are now. So I have a proposition." They both looked at each other before turning to look at me. "I want to date both of you until I can make a choice."
"I'm sorry how would that work" Jake interrupted, leaning back in his chair and shooting a look at Sam who was probably thinking the same thing.
"There would be ground rules." I said looking back and forth between them
"Like what?" Sam questioned
"Well for starters I wouldn't expect either of you to be exclusive with me, because thats just not fair. I would sleep in the back room by myself. No fighting between the two of you, we will figure out a way for things to be equal opportunity."
"What does that mean?" Jake said abruptly
"Well I will try and spend the same amount of time with both of you until I can make a decision." I said
"What about sex," Sam said raising and eyebrow, Jake grit his teeth and looked the other direction.
"I haven't decided that yet, I figured I'd let you two decide" They looked at each other for a moment before getting up and walking a couple feet away and whispering to each other. They finally made their way back over.
"We agreed that its free game as long as the other isn't around. " Jake said reluctantly. I gave a confused look, "Like no fucking Sam in your room if I'm in my bunk." he said annoyed
"Yeah and no sucking Jake's dick in his dressing room if I'm right across the hall." Sam chimed in.
"At the very least just try not to make it so obvious to the other." Jake said
"And we can't intentionally sabotage the others time with you. And no getting butthurt if you spend time with one of us a little more than the other." Sam said looking at Jake,
"That sounds fair," I said blushing, thinking about their words, "Does this mean y'all are on board?" They both looked at each other before looking at me.
"I'm down." Sam said smiling
"I guess." Jake said shrugging
"We just want you to be happy," Sam said, Jake nodding in agreement.
"Alright then, I'll go get my stuff and I'll be right back down," I got back to the room
"SO, how'd it go?" Rhiannon asked biting her cheek in suspense
"They agreed to it, I can't believe it." I said sitting on the bed to process
"Well, I hope it brings you clarity." She said, "I'll see you tomorrow at the show?"
"Yeah see you then, thanks for everything" I said as I gave her a hug before heading down stairs. I got back to the lobby to see both Jake and Sam waiting for me.
"We didn't know who you wanted to ride with?" Sam said his hand behind his neck. Jake looking at me and waiting for an answer.
"Uh why don't we just take the same uber." I said nervously,
"Fine by me babe," Jake said as he kissed me on the cheek before walking outside
"Yup me too," Sam smiled before kissing my opposite cheek and following behind Jake. I sighed as I watched them stand outside waiting for the car.
This was going to be interesting.