Everything After

by Melissa Toppen

  God help me. This is going to be one long summer...

  Chapter Five

  Killian

  “Man did you see that reporter chick?” Gabe flops down on the couch in the common room of the bus, which Sean has us packing up early. “Twenty bucks says I can land that within a week.”

  “A hundred bucks says you don't hold a snail’s chance in hell.” Aiden retorts, dragging his massive bag up the stairs and onto the landing.

  “You're on.” Gabe laughs loudly, clearly very confident in his ability.

  “We just met her two hours ago and already you are taking bets on whether or not she's going to sleep with you?” I interject, feeling oddly irritated by the way Gabe just assumes he can get inside any girls pants, though I am not entirely sure why that bothers me. It never has before.

  “A hundred bucks. You want in?” Gabe cocks his head at me. “I'll double it. Two hundred says I can bag her first.” He points at Chet. “You heard that right?”

  “I heard it alright. But I hate to tell you, my money is on Killian.” He laughs.

  “Fuck that. Why? Because he has an accent?” He throws the question out hatefully. “Big deal. I got the goods to deliver.”

  “Would you stop?” I pick up his duffel bag off of the floor and drop it into his lap. “No one is sleeping with her. Besides, she is way too smart to get involved with a dip shit like you anyways.” I say, laughing when he huffs loudly like a child.

  “Yeah well, we shall see.” He says, pushing into a stand, letting his bag drop to the floor. “All I'm saying is that girl is hot. Someone has gotta hit that this summer and hey, I'm all about taking one for the team.” He stumbles to the side when Chet purposely runs a shoulder into him as he passes towards the bunks.

  “Excuse you asshole.” Gabe bites.

  “Dude, she's not going to sleep with you.” Chet spins in the hallway to face Gabe. “Did you even bother looking at her? That girl has prude written all over her. Not even your charm could crack that one.” He says, throwing air quotes around the word charm.

  “I agree.” I tack on for good measure, hoping to deter Gabe before he makes an idiot of himself, or worse, actually ends up sleeping with her.

  I don't know why but the thought of him on top of her, his name falling from her lips, just doesn't sit well with me. I've just met the girl and already I am ready to stake a claim on her so that no one else can fuck with her, and I'm not even sure why.

  “Now it's a challenge.” He warns. “The suit has it hard for her already. Did you see the way he kept finding ways to touch her?” Gabe laughs. “I'll be damned if he's going to beat me to the punch.”

  “Just stop.” I finally cut in, my voice coming out a bit harsher than I intend for it to.

  “Whoa. What's got your panties all up in twist?” Gabe turns towards me.

  “Nothing. We need to get this shit packed up. So let's get it done already.” I say, pushing past him towards the back of the bus.

  Aiden chimes in something to the same effect, but by the time he finishes, I am too far out of earshot to hear what exactly he said or Gabe's reply. I drop my bag on the bunk I claimed last week when the bus arrived. If I have to sleep on this thing for the better part of two months, I am at least going to steal the bed with the window.

  The bunks are set up in twos and stacked on top of each other like typical bunk beds. Each bed has storage underneath, offering a small space for each occupant. There are four bunks on the left, four on the right, and two against the back wall, ten beds in total. A tiny little bathroom is wedged between the bunks on the back wall and the ones on the right. I push my bag to the edge of the bottom bunk against the back wall and sit down, dropping my head into my hands.

  I don't know what they fuck my problem is today. I feel super fucking irritated and on edge. It's got to be my nerves. The tour officially starts tonight and while I am excited to hit the road, I also know how difficult touring is going to be. As much as I love my band, I love my privacy even more. Being without it for nearly two months is going to be an adjustment for me.

  “Knock knock.” I hear Sean's voice and look up to see him standing in the hallway leading back to the bunks. It takes a second before I see the sliver of a pink shirt behind him and immediately I know Nora is with him.

  “Hey.” I reply casually.

  “I brought Nora by so she could see the bus and pick her bunk.” Sean says, stepping to the side and guiding Nora through the hallway. This time I can't help but notice his hand going to the small of her back, the comment Gabe made earlier rushing into my mind.

  “I'll get her settled.” I volunteer, not missing the look of surprise that immediately crosses her pretty face.

  My god, this girl is something sent from the gods. Bright green eyes, long thick dark hair, pale flawless skin, full lips and the cutest little fucking nose.

  “That's okay.” Her cheeks flush pink.

  “I don't mind. Here.” I say standing, pulling back the curtain to the bunk above mine. “You can take this one.” I say. “Or you can have this one and I'll take the top.” I add, gesturing to my bed.

  “You don't have to do that. The top bunk will be fine.” She says politely, stepping hesitantly past Sean who's eyes do not leave her as she crosses the small space towards the back of the bus.

  “Okay well, I have a few things to take care of before tonight's show. Nora, are you good to hang out here with the guys?” He asks.

  “Yes.” She says, stopping just feet from me as she turns back to Sean. “I'm good here.”

  “Okay.” He says, turning his attention back to me. “Make sure the guys don't give her too hard of a time.”

  “Oh you know us Suit.” Chet appears behind Sean and clasps his hands down on his shoulders. “We're all about giving people a hard time. Don't worry.” He directs his words to Nora. “If we do, it means we like you.” He smiles, releasing Sean as he slides into his bunk to the right of mine.

  The moment Sean turns and walks away, Nora turns back towards me, her cheeks transitioning from a pale pink to a deep blush. I must admit, something about how timid she seems really peeks my interest. Though, she doesn't really strike me as the shy type. Determined to make her feel more comfortable, I take the small bag she brought with her and toss it up on her bunk.

  “Best spot in the house.” I wink, offering her my hand to help her climb up the small ladder leading to her bed.

  “And why is that?” She asks, sitting on the less than comfortable mattress, her forehead crinkling as she realizes she is actually going to have to sleep on this thing.

  “Because these are the only two bunks with a window.” I point at the dark tinted glass behind her. “And, because I am the only one of the group that doesn't snore.” I can't help but smile when she lets out a small nervous laugh.

  “Good to know.” She looks around the small space.

  “Don't let him lie to you Nora. He snores too. Even the sexy Irish have flaws.” Chet yells loudly from his bed, his legs dangling over the side even though he has his curtain pulled closed.

  “He's right. I'm just trying to impress you.” I shrug playfully. “Thanks asshole.” I holler over my shoulder in the direction of Chet.

  “Hey Nora. How's it going?” Gabe appears in the hallway, dropping his bag on the bed across from Chet's.

  “Good. How are you?” She asks, looking at him curiously as he leans against the bunk frame.

  “So I was wondering, Sean said you will be interviewing us. Any chance you would be interested in getting started? I was thinking we could get mine out of the way.” He says, throwing me a cocky glare before looking back to Nora.

  She seems completely unphased by Gabe, which for whatever reason makes me extremely happy. Where I seem to make her very nervous, Gabe seems to have the opposite effect on her. She seems annoyed if anything.

  “Well it's a little early for that. I was thinking I would get to know you all a little better first before I start in with the in
terviewing process. Thank you for the offer though.” She smiles politely.

  “Well if you ever want a little one on one time, you know where to find me.” He gives her a seductive smile before peeling off his shirt, making sure she gets a good look at his body before sliding into his bunk.

  “Wow.” She mouths to me and laughs lightly.

  “Yeah, ignore him. He is under the misconception that no woman can resist his charms.” I laugh. “Here, let me help you.” I say when she positions herself at the edge of the bed, clearly preparing to just slide off.

  “I got it.” She insists, but that still doesn't stop me from grabbing her by her hips mid slide and lowering her slowly to her feet, the close proximity of our bodies immediately causing me to tense.

  Her curvy frame feels too fucking good against my tightly wound body and for a moment, I stand rooted, the overwhelming urge to push her backwards into my bunk taking the forefront in my mind. She smells like vanilla. Vanilla and something else I can't quite pinpoint. All I know is that her scent is intoxicating.

  “Thank you.” Her words are barely audible but manage to break me out of my haze.

  “Yeah, no problem. I back away, feeling suddenly claustrophobic.

  “Quite the gentleman you are.” She jokes, giving me a one sided grin before gently slipping past me, making her way back out into the lounge area of the bus where Aiden is picking away at his bass.

  I wait a few minutes before joining them. I don't want to come off like I am following her or anything. What the fuck is my problem? This is my bands tour bus. I shouldn't be worried about where I go and why. I try to shake off whatever malfunction I seem to be experiencing as I make my way out of the back.

  When I enter the main part of the bus, Nora is sitting across the small four person table from Aiden, talking to him about his bass. If there is one thing Aiden can talk about for days, it's his custom Fender that he saved three years delivering pizzas to buy. Although I must say, he seems much more comfortable talking to her than I would expect him to be. She has this sweet nature about her that seems to put him at ease.

  I flop down on the couch across from them and listen in on their conversation. I am impressed with how knowledgeable she seems to be on the instrument and how much she knows about music. Within minutes, I find myself hanging onto her every word, captivated by how passionately she talks about the art of making music; the one and only love of my life.

  What is it about this girl that rattles me? Maybe it's because she is so fucking different than the usual girls that hang around us. She's got her shit together, that's clear. Driven, no doubt about it. A bit of a control freak, absolutely. That much is clear from the way she keeps re-situating the items on the table in front of her.

  “Alright fuckers.” Chet reappears from the bunk area. “I am meeting Kate for a pre-show drink at Thirstys.” He announces. “Who's with me?”

  “I'm in.” I hear Gabe yell from the back before he bounces in behind Chet.

  “I'm game.” Aiden replies.

  “What the hell.” I shrug, knowing there is no way I can say no.

  “Nora?” Chet turns on her and she immediately tenses, having clearly not expected to be included.

  “Oh. I'm not much of a drinker.” She says, her eyes meeting mine, a light pink color once again flooding her cheeks.

  “So what.” Chet replies, pulling her attention back to him.

  “If you're sure?” She smiles.

  “Hell yeah. Kate is dying to meet you anyways. You have no idea how happy she is to not be the only female on this bus.” He beams at Nora.

  “I must admit, I feel the same.” She laughs lightly, following the rest of the guys as they exit down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk with me following directly behind her.

  Chapter Six

  Nora

  “It's so nice to meet you Nora.” Kate, who stands at about five foot nothing, immediately pulls me into a hug seconds after we arrive at Thirstys. It's a little hole in the wall bar just off the main drag in downtown Athens and from what I gathered on the way over, is the guys go to bar.

  “It's nice to meet you as well.” I say, stepping out of her embrace.

  Kate is exactly what I would expect Chet's girlfriend to look like. Petite, short jean skirt, a fitted black tank purposely torn in various spots to reveal little slices of flesh, and black boots that nearly come to her knees. She is a rocker chick through and through. Despite the rock garb though, she's actually a pretty cute girl. The red pixie haircut and dark makeup are not really my style, but she pulls the look off well.

  “There's my favorite boys.” A big busted blonde waitress bounces up to our table just feet from the bar and immediately presses up against Killian. “How's my favorite Irish lad?” She giggles, throwing an arm over his shoulder.

  “A lot better now.” He croons, immediately turning up the charm for her.

  I can tell he's just buttering her up, playing nice, but something about the whole interaction makes my blood boil. I want to stand up and knock her arm off of him like some crazed, jealous woman. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “What can I get you guys?” She asks, leaning forward slightly, showing off her very exposed cleavage to the rest of the table. No one really seems to notice as Chet orders a round of beers for everyone, while I opt for water.

  “Water?” Gabe gives me a hard time as he slides onto the stool next to mine and leans in a little too close for comfort. He's harmless I know, and a part of me actually enjoys that he thinks he stands a chance with me.

  “I don't drink.” I say, shrugging indifferently.

  “Ever?” He gapes, clearly seeing his hopes of getting me all liquored up and then taking advantage of me, quickly flying out the window.

  “Other than the occasional glass of wine, no.”

  “Why?” He asks, like he can't even fathom the thought.

  “I don't know. I guess I don't like that I am not in control when I drink.” I answer, suddenly feeling like maybe I am revealing too much about myself.

  “But that's the point isn't it?” Gabe bumps his shoulder with mine. “To let loose, give up control for a while, see what happens.”

  “I like control.” I answer flatly.

  “Do you now?” His eyes narrow in on my face causing me to immediately burst into laughter. The sound echoes all around us and I suddenly realize that I have captured the attention of everyone at our table and a few other people sitting nearby.

  Gabe leans back slightly, not sure if he should laugh too or be offended by my outburst. “I'm sorry.” I apologize, looking around the table. I meet Killian's eyes and immediately look away before glancing back at him again.

  He's looking at me with an amused smirk, having clearly witnessed the entire conversation between myself and Gabe. He shakes his head playfully and then reaches for his beer that was delivered sometime during Gabe's attempt to pick me up.

  “I like this girl.” Kate announces, holding her beer bottle up and waiting until I grab my water before clinking her drink with mine.

  “I second that.” Chet agrees, holding his bottle up and tilting it in my direction before taking a long gulp.

  Gabe leans back slightly and crosses his arms in front of his chest. I can feel his eyes on the side of my face but I refuse to look at him. He seems like a good enough guy but his attempts to impress me over the course of the day are starting to grate on me.

  Looking around the room, I spot a pool table in the far right corner, completely vacant at the moment. Wanting to find a way to break into the circle without pushing myself on everyone, I opt to find something in common with them.

  “Anyone play pool?” I ask, silently hoping that Gabe does not say yes.

  “We all do.” Aiden chimes in. “But if you are looking for a challenge, Killian is your man.” He says, tilting his beer bottle at Killian who is sitting directly across from me.

  “Is that so?” I turn my attention to Killian, mentally trying to r
emind myself that I am going to have to get used to being around this fine man at some point, might as well start now.

  “I've been known to shoot a little.” He plays modest.

  “You wanna play?” I ask, gesturing towards the pool table.

  “Loser buys the winner a shot.” He suggests.

  “You're on.” I challenge, deciding I will just decline the shot if I manage to beat him. “I must warn you, I've been known for being a bit of a shark.” I laugh, stopping next to the pool table to select my stick.

  “Well then, I will be sure not to take it easy on you.” He grins, his Irish accent making even the simplest conversation sound incredibly sexy. It's smooth and not so thick that it distorts his words.

  I can tell that he has lived in the states for at least a few years given that he speaks more like an American than an Irishman. Not that I am well versed on anything Irish but I know enough from movies to know that they have certain phrases they are known for using. Thus far, I have yet to hear Killian say anything even remotely Irish sounding. Other than the accent, I would have never guessed that he wasn't born and raised right here.

  “So tell me, what's your story?” He asks, lining his stick up to break after I insist that he go first.

  “Not much of story to tell.” I shrug, watching the balls scatter across the table as he takes his shot. Two solids roll into the corner pocket and his mouth turns up in a satisfied grin.

  “Now I don't believe that. Young girl like you, working for the hottest entertainment and music magazine in the country...” He lets the statement hang there for a moment, seeing if I will bite.

  “Well that should tell you everything you need to know.” I say, watching him sink another shot without even really trying.

  “Well it certainly tells me how driven you are. But that doesn't really tell me anything else.” He continues, making two more shots before finally missing the next. “Nothing huh?” He cocks his head to the side, not missing the fact that I still haven't responded.