*****
“What are you doing?” Joey asked as he bounded onto the bus.
“What does it look like?” Sam replied a distant tone in her voice as she walked from the back with an armful of her stuff, shoving it into the open duffel bag resting atop the small table.
“You’re leaving?” he asked disbelieving.
“You sound surprised. I figured you’d be happy. You’ve never wanted me around here anyway,” Sam said as she walked back to the bunk she used mostly to store stuff in to grab another handful. She had just returned from seeing her family to their seats inside the venue. Not wanting to explain the awful turn her relationship had taken in the past 24 hours, she made excuses as to why Lance was no where to be found when they toured the backstage area, and the strain of pretending as if nothing were wrong was the final factor in Sam’s decision to depart.
“So you’re just gonna leave? Without even talking to him or trying to work things out?” Joey questioned, his sudden concern surprising himself almost as much as it did Sam.
“Don’t you think I want to work it out?” she replied as a steady stream of tears began to flow from her bloodshot eyes. “He has spent the whole day avoiding me at all costs and the one time we were within talking distance he wouldn’t even acknowledge me,” she finished sinking into the couch, holding her head in her hands as she wept.
In a moment of clarity Joey realized that JC was right. He was in pain and he wanted the people around him to feel miserable also. Only now that he had succeeded, Joey felt even worse.
“I’m so sorry,” he said sitting next to her and placing a comforting hand on her leg. “If I would’ve just keep my mouth shut about Justin then Lance wouldn’t have blown up and you guys would have been able to talk about the whole Scott thing and it all would probably have been over by now.”
“Huh?” Sam asked confused as she cleared the tears from her face.
“I saw Justin coming out of your room that morning Sam,” he clarified. “And I thought…I told Lance…”
“Nothing happened Joey.”
“I know that now. JC told me.”
“JC?” the brunette questioned furrowing her brow.
“Yeah, I guess he and Justin had talked about it after it happened or whatever,” Joey explained.
“Oh,” Sam said as she began nervously fidgeting with her hands.
“So the Justin thing was just a big misunderstanding, is there any chance that what Scott said to Lance could be also?”
“I’m not sure, I have no idea what he told Lance,” she sighed heavily.
“Well Lance didn’t tell me word for word, but what I got out of it was that Scott told him that you two had a sexual history,” Joey said, noticing how Sam darted her eyes away from him after he finished.
“I wish it was a misunderstanding,” Sam said barely above a whisper, a mixture of guilt and sadness gracing her soft features.
Joey flashed her an understanding glance; he knew what it felt like to be in the position she was in. “Well, whatever it is I’m sure you and Lance can work it out. He’s an understanding guy. You just have to give him some time to cool off, and then make him listen to what you have to say.”
“Thanks,” Sam said managing a half smile. “Um Joey, not that I don’t appreciate it, or that I want you to stop, but why are you being so nice to me? I’ve always gotten the impression that you didn’t care too much for me.”
“I’ve been quite the asshole haven’t I?” he asked smiling widely.
“You could say that,” she chuckled.
“It wasn’t you Sam, it was more of a ‘mad at the world’ type thing,” he said lowering his gaze to the floor.
“I understand. You know my offer is still on the table if you ever want to talk,” Sam reminded.
Joey looked up at her thoughtfully. ‘How could anyone ever hate this girl’ he thought to himself. She was going through hell right now, yet she was still concerned about his welfare, even after how horrible he had treated her and everyone else these past few months. Sitting there thinking he realized how easy it must have been for Lance to fall for her, she had to be one of the most caring, giving, and friendly human being that he had ever met.
“Joey?” she said breaking his thoughts.
“Sorry,” he smiled. “I know the timing sucks, but since you mentioned it…do you have a few minutes to listen to my sob story?”
“Are you kidding? Focusing on someone else’s miserable life would do wonders for me right now,” she joked. “I have all the time you need.”
Joey took a deep breath before finally revealing what he had kept locked inside the depths of his soul for so long.
“…and she never returned my calls and I doubt her roommate even told her I stopped by. I haven’t tried to make contact since then,” he finished with a pained expression in his brown eyes.
“Whoa,” Sam said obviously caught off guard by what Joey had just confided. “And none of the guys know about any of this?”
“Nope,” Joey said shaking his head. “This is the first time I’ve even said it out loud.”
“Well no wonder you’ve been such a butthead, keeping it bottled up like that. Why didn’t you talk them?” she asked, placing her hand on his arm. “They would understand.”
“Exactly, because it’s such a “Joey” thing to do. Everyone who knows me is probably amazed that it hasn’t happened sooner,” he sighed dramatically.
“I doubt that. They love you and they accept you for who you are,” Sam reassured. “Even I can see that the ‘ladies man’ part of your personality is only one side. I know deep down there’s a really great guy who just needs more time to shine.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Yes and you should too,” she smiled. “You know that advice you gave me earlier? I think you should follow it yourself.”
“Why should I make Lance listen to me?” he teased scrunching up his nose.
“You dork,” Sam said playfully slapping his arm. “You know what I meant. Go to her, talk to her, make her listen.”
“Now?”
“Well what’s stopping you?” she asked shrugging her shoulders. “I mean besides a concert and a venue full of 60,000 screaming fans.”
“Pretty much just that,” he laughed.
“Okay, so go after the show. I’m sure Jen can get you on a flight to Orlando tonight and you guys have an off day tomorrow. The other guys can handle any press or anything else that comes up,” she reasoned.
“Okay, I will make a deal with you,” Joey offered. “I will go to Orlando and try to patch up my problem, if you promise to stay here and do the same.”
“Ouch, you drive a hard bargain,” Sam grinned. “But alright, you’ve got yourself a deal. Put ‘er there partner,” she said extending a hand to him. He instead pulled her into a tight bear hug.
“You ain’t half bad, ya know that?” Joey said smiling vibrantly as they released from their embrace.
“You’re not too bad yourself mister,” Sam said as they stood to exit the bus. “When you’re not being a big, pissy bastard that is.” Joey turned to her with a pouting frown on his face. “Hey, you deserved that. You’ve got a lot of making up to do,” she winked.
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” he agreed swinging his arm around her shoulders. “So I heard the guys mention something about you and singing awhile back. What’s that all about?” he quizzed as they walked back into the venue.
***
“Lance we need to talk,” Sam stated firmly, drawing off her newfound confidence as a result of her conversation with Joey.
“Yes we do,” he said turning to face her in the long hallway of the large venue. “Who the hell do you think you are promising tickets and passes to every damn person you know?” he bellowed, his voice echoing through the empty space around them.
“What are you talking about?” Sam asked flustered, her poise fading.
“I’m talking about the group of your friends that just showed up claiming you promised them tickets,” he said with the same disconnected tone he had used the night before. “Someone named Katie, and your friend Scott too along with probably the majority of the damn town.”
“Scott is here?” she asked quickly.
“No, I’m sorry, you just missed him,” Lance said in a condescending tone. “I had security escort them back to their cars, but if you run real fast I bet you can catch up to them.”
“I didn’t promise anybody any tickets. They showed up on their own.”
“You better hope not, because if it happens again you will be fired,” he said flatly before turning and entering the dressing room.
Sam turned and headed for the bus to finish the task Joey had interrupted earlier. It was clear that Lance wasn’t interested in hearing what she had to stay. She needed to get away from everything; she didn’t want to be in this environment for one more minute. Stepping onto the bus, she raced to the back and threw the rest of her things into the bag still perched on the tabletop. After walking to the front entrance of the parking lot and hailing a cab, she pulled out her cell phone to call Jen and explain. She was relieved to hear the voice message pick up, Jen would have no way of talking her out of it now.
“Hey it’s me. I had to get out of there for a few days. I’m sure you know where I’m going. Do me a favor and tell my family that I had some last minute business come up or something. They’ll be wondering why I didn’t come back to sit with them for the show. As far as Lance is concerned,” Sam took a deliberate pause. “Tell him whatever you want. I need to decide if the job is worth keeping if it means having to look at him and see nothing but hatred for me everyday,” she exhaled as her eyes brimmed with liquid. “I’ll call you when I’ve figured out what to do,” she finished, turning off the phone and resting her head against the back of the seat as the driver made his way slowly through the heavy traffic.
***
Jen sat at the table fuming as the group hustled onto the bus directly from the stage. James, the driver, began to pull out behind the police escorts and head for the highway as the guys each took a seat and waited for their turn in the shower.
“Who the heck let Justin get in there first?” Chris whined.
“I’m next,” Lance asserted.
“Says who?” Chris asked before Lance glared at him. “Whoa, never mind, it’s all yours big boy.”
A few minutes later Justin walked out of the bathroom with a towel draped over his wet curls as he sat down across from Jen.
“Is Sami sleeping already?” Justin asked, vigorously rubbing the cloth over his head.
“Sami is gone,” she answered.
“What?” he asked surprised, as he removed the towel that had been previously blocking his sight, noticing the enraged expression on the young woman’s face opposite him for the first time. “Where? What do you mean gone? Is she coming back?”
The four men turned to Jen as they waited anxiously for the information she held. Lance stood in front of the small bathroom door, JC had purposefully stood between him and where Jen was at the table. Justin still sat with her in the booth, and Chris was seated on the couch opposite them.
“I don’t know if she’s coming back. She doesn’t either, she said she needed some time alone to think,” Jen began calmly, her tone hardening as she continued. “Since HE made it painfully obvious that the only thing she has to stick around for is a job, she’s trying to decide if it’s worth putting up with all of his shit for it,” she forced out through clenched jaw.
The other men’s expressions dropped as Lance walked seemingly unfazed into the bathroom, causing Jen to become even more incensed.
“Uh, I don’t mean to downplay the whole Sam thing,” Chris spoke up. “But does anybody know where Joey is?” he questioned as JC and Justin just realized that Joey had not hopped on the bus along with them at the venue.
“He’s on his way to Orlando,” Jen sighed. “Something about taking care of something, said not to worry he’d be back in time for Thursday’s show.”
“What about the promotional stuff we’re supposed to do tomorrow?” JC asked disconcerted.
“Apparently this was more important,” the brunette replied, rolling her hazel eyes.
“Great, now all we need is one more ring and this circus will be complete,” Chris quipped.
***
“I HATE this,” Jen complained, resting comfortably on her stomach across JC’s chest as they lay in the sizable bed of her hotel room. “It just feels so wrong to be here without her. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be here in the first place.”
“I’m sorry,” JC comforted, as he ran his fingers over the back of her head, and down to the end of her shoulder-length locks, his other arm draped over her back. “Does it help to know that I would be really sad if you were gone too?”
“Yes it does,” she smiled before inching up to kiss him. “A lot actually,” she said laying her head directly above his beating heart.
“So do you know where Sam went?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Is she safe?” JC inquired, his voice taking on a serious tone.
“Why would you ask that?” she questioned once again raising her head.
“She looked scared at her parents house,” he said simply. “I’m not asking you to tell me what’s going on, but I know it has a lot more to do with a few simple lies.”
“You are a smart man Joshua,” Jen praised. “And yes she’s safe.”
“Good, at least there’s some comfort in that,” he reminded.
“Who is it?” Jen yelled as someone banged harshly on the door.
“Is it locked?” JC wondered, fearing that whoever was out there may just walk in.
Jen nodded her head yes as a deep voice sounded from the hall.
“It’s Lance.”
“Go away. You don’t want to talk to me right now,” she warned.
“I’m going to find Sam. I’m going to do it with or without your help, but it’ll take longer without it,” he hollered through the door, his tone was softened and saddened, a stark comparison to how it had been in the past day or so.
Jen walked to the door and opened it slightly, being careful to position her tall frame so Lance couldn’t see past her inside the room. The anger inside her faded when she saw his wretched body standing in front of her. His once brilliant eyes were dull and swollen as if he’d been crying and his clothes were disheveled and unmatched.
“I want you to promise me something before I tell you where she is,” Jen started as Lance gave an agreeing nod, and motioned for her to continue. “Promise me you’ll give her the chance to say what she has to. It will be difficult for you to listen to, but it will be even more difficult for her to say.”
Lance yielded to her terms and listened carefully as Jen explained where he would find Sam before heading for the elevator and the waiting car downstairs. Jen closed the door and re-locked it before returning to JC.
“I should get back to my room,” he sighed.
“Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?” Jen requested.
“Or I could just stay the whole night,” JC offered as they slid under the blankets and turned off the lamps.
“That’s an even better idea,” she mumbled as sleep began to take over her senses.
“I’m a smart man, remember,” he said, wrapping his arms around her as they both drifted off.