Lance started to wake up just as the sun was peeking into his bunk. He could tell he was the first one awake. He got up quietly in search of some food. As he walked past Sam's bunk he noticed that it was empty. He figured she fell asleep in the back with everyone else. He walked to the front and stumbled upon JC sleeping on one of the couches with his phone in his hand. It had practically been glued to his head the past few days. Lance grabbed some cereal and sat down to eat while reading a magazine. A few minutes later JC started stirring and sat up.
"Hey man, what time is it?" he asked stretching.
"I have no idea. I just got up a couple minutes ago," Lance said finishing off his breakfast.
JC looked out the window and noticed the familiar surroundings. He could tell they were close to the hotel. "Hey we better start waking everybody up, we'll be there in a few minutes."
"I'll do it," Lance said as he stood up and tossed his disposable dishes in the trash.
He walked to the back sitting area and his stomach dropped when he saw the two of them. They both looked so peaceful in each other's arms. The sun was shining in the window and seemed to be almost spotlighting them. It was perfectly accentuating the natural highlights in her light brown hair. Her small frame looked even smaller wrapped up in Justin's arms. Lance must have stood there for a couple of minutes and just stared at the two of them before JC came back to see what was going on. JC put his hand on Lance's shoulder as he spoke.
"Are you okay man?" he asked his friend.
"No, but obviously she is. She sure didn't waste much time," he said sitting down on the couch opposite them.
"What!?!" JC asked confused.
"Ah nothing," Lance said burying his head in his hands and running his fingers through his already messed blonde hair. "I am being such a prick. I push her away, yet I get upset when she runs to someone else. What did I expect her to do, run to me?" he asked rhetorically.
Justin was awake at this point. He spoke softly, trying not to wake Sam. "Do you want to know what she did last night?" he asked Lance.
"I'm not sure, do I?"
"She spent most of the night crying herself to sleep because of you."
Lance's heart was broken even more. "I hurt her that much?" he asked.
"Well, it wasn't just you, but whatever you said to her last night put her over the edge," Justin said sitting up slightly.
Lance just sat there stunned. He had no idea that Sam was that upset, or that she cared for him so much. She woke up when the bus came to a quick stop and looked up at Justin. "Are we at the hotel?" she asked him.
JC answered, "Not quite. We should be there momentarily."
"I'm gonna go brush my teeth and stuff," she said standing up and walking away while keeping her eyes focused on the floor. Partly because she was a little embarrassed that they all saw her wrapped up in Justin's arms like a baby, but mostly because she knew that if she looked into Lance's eyes, she'd just start sobbing all over again.
When Lance was sure she was out of earshot, he spoke up. "Man I screwed up so bad. She won't even look at me. What am I going to do?" he asked his friends.
"Well," JC started, "If you're not going to tell her how you REALLY feel about her, I'm not sure there is anything you can do but give her space."
Justin looked at Lance. He could tell he was hurting as much as Sami was. He thought of something that could help the situation. "Look Lance, I know you can't do much for her right now but I know someone who can."
They all spoke in unison, "Jen."
"Oh man, you know what you should do?" JC said excitedly.
"What's that?" Lance asked.
"Fly her out to Vegas, but don't tell Sam about it. That will definitely help to ease some of the pain you caused."
"I hope you're right," he said getting up.
***
The day certainly hadn't gotten off to a great start for Sam and when they got to the hotel it showed no signs of improving. The hotel was overbooked and Sam ended up in a suite with the guys. Everyone but Chris that is, he and Dani were staying in a private room since this would be the last chance they would have to spend time together before Dani flew back to Los Angeles in the morning. Lance, Justin and JC had each offered Sam their bed and she declined them all. She would be perfectly fine sleeping on the oversized couch in the sitting room she told them.
"Are you sure?" Lance asked again.
"Yes. Now go, you're gonna be late for soundcheck," she said, still being careful not to look directly into those stunning green eyes of his.
"You're not coming to the show tonight?" he asked surprised.
"No. I need some quiet time alone. I have a hectic day tomorrow remember?"
"Oh yeah, before I forget," he said smiling, "I went ahead and booked your room a couple extra nights so you could have some fun."
"Thanks, but how much fun am I gonna have by myself?" she asked.
"Oh I'm sure you'll manage," he said winking at her as he walked out.
Sam spent most of the night watching television and attempting to get a hold of Jen. She had no luck finding her friend. She was sitting on the couch staring at the wall when the guys got back from the venue. Joey, Justin and Lance quickly showered and changed to go clubbing.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us Sami?" Justin asked with his head cocked to the side and his hands on his hips.
Sam laughed at the sight of his gestures. "Yeah honey I'm sure. I have an early flight remember?" she asked while adjusting the collar on his shirt.
"Okay fine," he said pouting. "You better not leave tomorrow without saying good bye though."
"I won't. I promise. Now go find yourself some groupies," she said teasingly.
"That's just wrong. Groupies are people too you know," he said laughing as he walked out the door.
JC was in his room on the phone yet again so Sam just settled into the couch and tried to get some rest. She was still awake around 1:00 AM when JC came out to get something to drink. He noticed her stirring around.
"I didn't wake you did I?" he asked sitting down beside her.
"No I can't sleep as usual. Speaking of which, what in the world are you doing awake?"
"I just got off the phone," he said rubbing his eyes.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam asked sitting up.
"Talk about what?"
"Hmm, I don't know, how about the fact that your phone has been pretty much attached to your ear the past few days."
"It's nothing really. Besides you have enough of your own stuff, you don't need to hear about my problems," JC said.
"Okay first of all, it helps me to hear other people's problems. It takes my mind off of my own," she paused, "And second, there is no way it's nothing if it's keeping YOU from sleeping."
"Alright so you got me there. That is a dead giveaway isn't it?" he asked sighing.
"Yes. So tell me all about this girl and why she's got you so stressed."
JC was surprised. "How'd you know it was a girl?"
"Lucky guess," she said smiling. "Now come on, dish."
JC told Sam how he'd been dating this girl for quite awhile but he's known for a few months that it wasn't going anywhere. She just wasn't the one. He had even told her this several times and had been trying to break it off for the past week or so but she just wouldn't take a hint. And finally tonight he had to get harsh with her and she spent the rest of the time on the phone crying to him.
"I felt so bad because I didn't want to be mean about it, but she just wouldn't listen to me. And I'm so confused because it's not like she was too invested in the relationship either. I just don't know what she's trying so hard to hold on to."
Sam was biting her lip at this point.
JC could tell by the look on her face that she had something to say. "What? Come on, spit it out."
"Okay, I don't know this girl so I'm trying to refrain from judging her. All I'm gonna say is, if it's not you she's interested in holding on to then I think you know what she is trying to hold on to."
"Yeah I know exactly what you're saying," JC said frustrated. "That's why I knew I had to get away from her."
"I know it's tough now, but I really think it's the best thing for both of you." Sam smiled, "And your phone bill."
"No kidding," JC said laughing.
A few hours had passed and they were still sitting there talking. They didn't even notice that the rest of the guys had returned from the club until Joey came bumbling into the main room. He had obviously had one too many cocktails. He saw the two of them sitting there together and immediately shot off one of his typical comments as of late.
"So Sam, you've already moved on to JC huh? Does that mean I'm next in line?" he asked slurring his speech and tripping over a table on the way back to his room.
Sam and JC just laughed at him. "Yeah right like the two of us would ever work out," Sam said.
JC stopped laughing. "And why not?" he asked emphatically.
"Oh come on JC, we'd kill each other. We are way too much alike and you know it. We need somebody to stimulate us, to make us do those things we'd never do otherwise."
"Yeah you're right, we'd die of boredom. Besides you have plenty on your plate as it is," he said winking at her.
Sam wondered exactly what he meant by that comment and was just about to ask when they heard a loud crash coming from Joey and JC's room followed by a stream of expletives. "I better make sure he didn't hurt himself. Thanks for the chat; it helped to hear another perspective. Goodnight sweetie," he said giving her a quick hug before he stood up and walked to his room.