It was two days before the start of the lights out tour Trent had asked the boys to meet up a few days early so that everyone could get to know eachother and bond.
Payton hasn't ever met any of the boys before he's been following some for a while and he follows all of them now after learning who was coming on tour.
Payton had maybe kind of stalked most of their pages and had seen that most of them were already friends they had met before at least once and had videos together. He was pretty sure he was the only person on tour that had never met a single one of these guys.
It's no wonder really Payton is always crazy busy with school and traveling for meetings he's been making music and trying to model and now that summer was about to begin it was supposed to be more relaxed but then he decided to join the tour.
His parents had encouraged him and wished him luck and sent him on his way to Phoenix to meet everyone.
Payton knew he was going to be the last boy to the hotel because of the group text he'd been added too.
Payton never chatted in the group only answering important questions or questions asked directly to him.
Being so young Payton was actually really shy, with his friends he was the biggest ball of childish energy it was he's safe space to relax and be a kid again with his friends back home.
But when Payton works he pulls himself together he's very mature and confident in front of management and set directors or clients when he models he acts grown because well he has a grownup job.
Payton was going to be the youngest on tour and sure there were other 16year olds but they were almost 17 Payton wasn't.
He'd had his birthday just last week and while his parents through him a grand birthday dinner with cake and all his friends he had spent all day before that working and had just arrived home from a job the day before.
So to say Payton was overworked was an understatement. He was stressed and overwhelmed and just wanted to relax before the beginning of tour.
Payton was currently gathering his bags at the airport and making his way to his Uber to take him to the hotel.
He was nervous he sent a quick text that he was on his way and another to his mom that he had landed and was safe. Payton bounced his leg rapidly and chewed on his hoodie strings.
God this is gonna suck he thought
It's not long before he arrives at the hotel he gets his luggage and makes his way into the hotel lobby he's greeted by Trent who takes him over to check in he's handed a key card and shoved in the direction of a loud group of boys sitting at the back of the lobby Trent follows behind him.
Payton's Pov: He hits the edge of the group and Trent clears his throat
"Boys" he calls and they quiet down a bit and look to him
"This is Payton" he starts simply
"Hi" I say shyly giving a little wave
"Aw he's so cute" someone coos I believe it to be Chase Hudson
I'm tugged down to sit on the arm of the plush arm chair I'm standing next to by Griffin Johnson he's one of the oldest boys on tour and he makes me feel really shy and I blush a little.
The boys start introducing themselves and wow there's so many of us
Chase H, Noen, Jaden, Anthony, Griffin, Chaser, Josh, Bryce, Tayler, Sam, Kevin, Joe, Jason and Harrison.
They talk for awhile I sit quietly feeling shy I chew on my hoodie string again swinging my feet lightly
"Payton you're 16 right?" Anthony asks
I look up and nod
"My birthday was just last week" I tell them
"Boys figure out who you are rooming with and make your way up to your rooms please" Trent instructs
The boys match or trade cards to room with who they want I stand to the side Griffin comes up to me
"What number is on your key?" He asks
"554" I tell him flipping the card over
"Looks like we are roomies" he laughs ruffling my hair
Everyone makes their way upstairs we are all on the 5th floor
I let Griffin lead the way to the room he opens the door and I follow him In.
"You can pick which bed you want first" Griffin tells me and I'm quick to plop my butt down on the bed closet to the window and balcony
He laughs and brings his stuff over to the other bed.
I plug my phone in and my laptop and settle back onto the bed before looking back over to Griffin.
He's settling in as well before he looks over to me
"Does your hoodie string taste that good buddy?" He jokes
I look at him confused for a moment before he walks over to me he gently tugs on the string in my mouth
"You've been chewing on it since you got here" he tells me
"Oh I guess I don't even realize I'm doing it" I tell him gently taking the string out of my mouth
"You're a cute kid" he laughs ruffling my hair again as he walks back over to his phone on his bed I can tell it's buzzing
I'm blushing lightly trying to fix my hair when Griffin answers the phone
"What's up?"
"Mmhm"
"Word"
"Yeah word down in a minute" before he hangs up I just look at him confused
"Come on kiddo we are going to get dinner with the guys" he tells me
I go to grab my wallet from my backpack and shove it in my pocket
"I'm not a kid ya know" I tell him as we are walking out the door
"What's wrong with being a kid" he says walking past me down the hall
We make our way down to the lobby and once again our group is talking loudly taking up to much space
Griffin goes to make a b-line to Anthony and Jaden I know they are pretty good friends from the amount of videos they have together. Griffin turns back to me realizing I don't really know what to do or who to talk to.
He comes back to me grabs my hand and tugs me along with him. As we get to Anthony and Jaden he tugs me in front of him and places his hands on my shoulders.
The boys smile down at me I know I'm fairly tall but these boys are taller I'm definitely having to look up at them I guess they can tell I'm a bit nervous.
"Are you guys good with Chick-fil-A some of the other guys were thinking in and out but I'm just not in the mood for it" Anthony says
Jaden and Griffin nod and they all look down at me I didn't really expect them to consider my opinion since I'm just tagging along but I nod quickly with wide eyes.
It ends up being us four and Bryce and Tayler going down the street for Chick-fil-A. We all ordered and go to find a table I'm pretty sure Griffin wants to sit next to Jaden and Anthony but he sits across from them and seats me next to him in between him and Bryce.
I begin to chew on my hoodie string again with out even realizing it they each tell me things about themselves.
I learn Anthony is 17 and while technically only being a year older I think he's closer to being 18 than 16 and he seems very mature. Jaden is 18 and he sings and makes music and Tayler also does music but he's the oldest at 22. Bryce and Griffin are both 20 and are very cool.
Griffin gently tugs my string from my mouth and I look over to him
"That can't be good for your teeth kiddo" he says as a lady come over with two trays carrying our food we thank her before digging in.
On the walk back the boys are ahead of me I'm starting to realize how tired and worn down I really am as I fall more and more behind again.
I stop for a second and rub at my eyes trying to stay awake I know we are just a few buildings down from the hotel I can make the walk back to the room and just pass out there.
As I pull my hands away from my eyes all the boys are in front of me and it takes me a second to realize they must have seen me stop and walked back to me.
My eyes feel heavy as I look up to them it's hard to keep my eyes open I rub at my eyes again and before I know it there's arms under my knees and behind my back and my feet are no longer on the ground.
I pull my hands away again and I'm met with Griffin looking down at me he's holding me bridle style.
"What" I start but Griffin cuts me off
"Just rest kiddo I'll get you back to the hotel" he tells me as he starts walking
I rest my head on his shoulder my hoodie string making its way back between my lips and I hold on lightly to his sweatshirt and before long I'm falling asleep in Griffins arms.
I don't wake again till I hear Griffin asking someone to open the door for him
Next thing I know I can feel myself being placed on the bed I hear more mumbling and I realize that all the boys probably came back to the room with us
"Shh you'll wake him up" Griffin hushes
"Aww Griffin is a good daddy" Jaden and Anthony coo
"Oh shut it" Griffin responds and I feel him gently tug off my sneakers he places a blanket over me and I hear the door open and the room gets quiet but then I feel my string once again gently tugged from between my lips before the bedroom door is softly shut and I fall back asleep.