Erin's POV:
I couldn't sleep at all, with all of the sweet texts I got from Mike and the longing looks from Jake, my mind was all over the place. I sighed before I flung the blankets off of my body and walked to the front of the bus where the small kitchen was. I rubbed my eyes vigorously as I poured myself a glass of water and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was already five am, I groaned before I took a long sip from the rim of the glass. I turned my head when I heard someone emerge from the back, it was Jake. I turned my head away from him quickly but as soon as he approached me he took my chin and turned my head towards his. Our eyes met and he connected his lips to mine, I kissed back for only a moment but then pulled away looking down. He tried to lift my chin again but I looked the other way, "Please stop Jake" I whispered with tears in my eyes. "I don't understand, I thought that-" "That after Caroline left everything would be exactly like it was before? You seriously thought that?" I asked now looking into his eyes as tears flowed from mine. "You think that it didn't break my heart to see you with her? For you to forget all about me as soon as you laid eyes on her? Jake I was a complete mess, I never showed it because after what happened with Austin I've taught myself to suck things up and get over it. I thought that you were different than him, I thought that you wouldn't hurt me." I said as I began to sob, Jake then pulled me in for a hug. "No! Jake, no! I can't do this anymore I can't keep making the same mistakes. I want to be someone's all or nothing, I can't be the side chick anymore. I can't be someone's second choice, I won't let myself go through all the pain for nothing. If you want me so badly, then I need to be your one and only. But you can't do that can you?" I said after I had freed myself from his grip. Jake stood there in shock, I knew he never expected me to put up a fight. But after all of the bull shit he put me though, I wasn't going back to him that easily. If I was even going back to him at all. "Goodnight Jake" I said sternly and walked past him so I could go back to bed.
I woke up the next morning to see Skate sitting at the edge of my bed, I groaned as I sat up and looked at him confused. "What's up?" I asked just before he got up pulling me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you" he said rubbing my back softly. "You heard us?" "All of us did, we're all really proud of you for standing up to him. But I think he's going to try to win you back" Skate said pulling away from me. My eyes rolled as I began to get up from the bed, "Yeah, we'll see about that" I said grabbing my phone and walking out to the front of the bus where all the boys were. "Morning" I said as I grabbed a mug to make myself a cup of tea. All the boys replied at once except Jake, he said it after the others. I sat down at the table across from Gilinsky who was blushing and smiling down at his phone. "Well someones happy this morning." I laughed before taking a sip from my mug. "He probably got nudes from Madison Beer again" Sammy teased laughing loudly with Johnson and Skate. "Dude she's like fifteen eww" he said before turning back to me. "It's just my friend Emily, we've known each other since we were in diapers. She moved to Dallas after graduation last year so she could be closer to her school. So she invited me to this tailgating party her sorority is having for the Cowboys game." he said with a shrug. I smiled sweetly at him, "Well are you going?" I asked and set my mug down on the table. "I don't know I don't exactly want to go alone" he said looking back down at his phone as it buzzed on the table. "Well if she doesn't mind we can all go with you" I said as I got up to put my mug in the sink once I had finished all the tea. "I just texted her and she said it's cool if we go" Johnson said standing up from the couch. "I also told her how nervous you were about seeing her again" he smirked as he walked toward his bunk. "What?! Johnson!" Gilinsky said going after him reaching for his phone. I laughed and turned to the other guys, "What's up with him?" I asked still laughing a little. "Gilinsky's been in love with Emily for years, he was supposed to come here for college so he was going to tell her at graduation how he felt. But after Johnson and him blew up on Vine and plans changed, he decided it was pointless" Sammy said putting a snap back on his head. I sighed feeling bad for Jack, no wonder he would always get so mad when people would talk about him and Madison. It was because he still loved Emily no matter what.
The party started at three so I had taken a shower and grabbed the outfit Gilinsky had picked for me to wear. A black lace crop top that was sheer at my stomach and a low neckline, paired with a black, short, silk, high-waisted skirt. I had my thick brown hair straightened and in a half up have down look. I did my makeup pretty simple considering how over the top my outfit was for a tailgating party. I pushed my long hair over both of my shoulders before walking out of the bathroom. I saw Gilinsky pacing back and forth in front of his suitcase trying to figure out what to wear. I laughed softly, "Here, try this. It's simple enough for her to love" I said handing him a black t-shirt, jeans, and his maroon snap back. He kissed my forehead smiling before he went into the bathroom to change. I loved the relationship Gilinsky and I had, I never had any siblings so it was good to feel like I had an older brother. I walked into the back to see Andrew grabbing his camera and Jake putting on some cologne. Jake had on a pair of jeans, his black shirt that said Faded on the front, and his lime green, white, and black, Puma jacket. He looked and smelt so good, it was almost too hard for me to resist him.
We finally got to the stadium parking lot and Gilinsky practically ran off of the bus. I giggled along with the rest of the boys as we all followed off after him. Once he found Emily he immediately pulled her into a hug, picking her up and spinning her as he did so. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen, the way they looked at each other and whispered back and forth was absolutely adorable. He put his hand on the small of her back as they walked over to us. All of the Omaha boys and Jake gave her a hug before Jack brought her over to Andrew and I. "Em, this is my adopted baby sister Er, and her camera-happy friend Andrew" he said chuckling as Emily gave us both hugs. "It's so nice to finally meet you! Jack told me all about you and how talented you are!" she said smiling as Jack put his arm around her whispering in her ear. "I'll see you in a little bit. Come on Andrew" Jack said before walking away with the rest of the guys. "He really cares about you, you know?" I said to her as she watched him walk away. "You really think so? I mean I never can tell with him, but here I am going to be sophomore in college still in love with the same guy I fell for when I was six." she said with a sigh as we walked over to where the rest of the party was. "You might not be the only one who feels that way" I said with a laugh and a smirk. "Haha I like you, but I don't think I'm the only one who does" she said gesturing over to Jake who looked over at me with a sigh and his hands in his pockets. He had longing eyes once again as they met mine. I sighed turning back to Emily, "Yeah, that's a long story" I said as I pushed my hair over to one side. "You get played by Foosh?" She asked handing me a drink, I nodded in response. "It happened a lot last year with Caroline, or at least that's what Jack told me. But I've known Jake for over a year now, and I've never seen him look at anyone like that before." I just sighed and took a sip of the drink she had handed me.
I was glad to see Gilinsky so happy being around Emily again and she seemed to be just as happy if not more. We all stayed in the parking lot during and after the game, it was getting dark so someone made a fire with one of the charcoal grills. Emily sat in between Jake and Gilinsky, Johnson sat next to him and myself, and Sammy, Skate, and Andrew sat to my left. Johnson had brought his guitar out from the tour bus and was just playing a few random songs, then Emily spoke up. "Hey will you play one of the songs you guys do on tour?" she asked looking over at Johnson. Gilinsky looked down at her "Which one?" "Well don't you sing one with Erin? I want hear her voice since you tell me about it all the time" she said smiling up at him as they both blushed. "You up for it Er?" Johnson asked turning to me. I shrugged, "Yeah sure go ahead" I said as Johnson wished us luck and Andrew turned on his camera before Johnson strummed the first chord. I pushed all of my hair to the left over my shoulder as I sang the first verse. All eyes were on me but I kept mine closed until I heard Gilinsky singing with me. When he took over his verse, he sang to Emily the whole time. My eyes moved to Jake's once I sang the words "You've got to try, try, try again baby" even as I continued to sing and close my eyes at certain parts, somehow whenever I opened them they would find Jake's. We finished the song and everyone clapped and Emily kissed Jack's cheek before Andrew turned his camera off.
The party came to a close at around twelve and we all headed towards the bus. Gilinsky waited outside with Emily trying their hardest to say goodbye. I looked out the window at them hugging each other tightly, just then Jake came up behind me to see what I was looking at. "That could be us you know" he whispered into my ear before walking to the back of the bus. I sighed, that was us at the beginning of the tour, now I don't even know if we're friends. I watched as Gilinsky kissed Emily cupping the sides of her face, as he pulled away he whispered something against her lips and she just nodded her head. He smiled widely taking her hand and bringing her onto the bus. All of us turned to him as they walked up the steps, "So do you guys mind if I bring my girlfriend on the rest of the tour with us?" he asked and then smiled widely pulling Emily into his side. I smiled just as wide and gave them both hugs before the rest of the guys could. But I suddenly felt sad, I did want that to be me and Jake, I wanted that to be us.
Author's Note:
Seeing so much love and support for this story, it honestly warms my heart and I can't thank you guys enough for it! Keep commenting and voting please, it's one of the things that keeps me writing. So if you want more spread the word and some love!