Chapter 17 Elijah
SEVENTEEN
ELIJAH
“This is much bigger than what I pictured in my head,” Lily whispers more to herself as she looks around our home on wheels for the next couple of months.
“Leonidas and Trinity, this is where you’re sleeping.
Sorry, Elijah and Lily. I figured they’d get the double bed since they’re a couple.
” Fay rushes through the bus, doing her own “eye inspection,” as she likes to call it.
“Lily and Elijah, the two bunk beds are yours. Amelia is staying on Triple Threat’s bus because Levi wants her to stay with him.
So, that just leaves the four of you in here. ”
It boggled my brain, seeing our tour bus on our very first tour.
I’d imagined the bus being small and cramped, the washrooms gross and claustrophobic.
Back then my jaw certainly hit the floor when I saw a two-story bus.
With an up-to-date kitchenette, a spacious living room, a perfect-sized bathroom, stairs leading to a second floor, where there were two bunk beds and another lounge area, our buses are amazing.
“Try to settle in. We’re leaving in ten!” Fay exclaims before running off the bus, leaving Lily, my brother, his girlfriend, and me alone.
I gesture to Lily, who lingers back. “Trinity, this is Lily, Stella’s teacher and my childhood best friend.”
I pull her arm gently with an encouraging smile, and she gives Leonidas and Trinity a small, tentative wave as she settles by my side.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” she says to Trinity, who’s beaming, before turning to Leonidas. “And you probably don’t remember me, but it’s nice to see you again.”
Lily and I don’t expect him to pull her into his arms in a warm embrace, yet he does.
“Of course I remember you. My brother was a miserable prick whenever he wasn’t around you. Thank God you’re back.”
“Give me her.” Trinity pushes in front of her boyfriend, and he staggers with widened eyes. “Hi, I’m Trinity, Leonidas’s girlfriend. I already know you’re awesome because Elijah is. I can’t wait to get to know you!” she says brightly, rolling back on her heels.
Since when is Trinity all bubbly and friendly?
What the fuck? I mouth to Leonidas.
Confused, he shrugs, shaking his head.
“You’ll probably want to take that back after being locked in a bus with me for months,” Lily muses.
Lily is overwhelmed from all the attention. The way her gaze flicks to me several times is a sign she often did in the past when she felt overwhelmed.
“I’m only joking. It’s nice to meet you as well. You’ll have to fill me in on all the embarrassing stories you have of Elijah.”
Trinity bursts out laughing. “Get ready because I have so many. It’ll definitely take a whole night.”
Pushing past them, I yank open the curtain to my bunk bed on the top. “Absolutely not. I don’t give you permission to disclose any information about me.”
“Why do you get to pick the top?” Lily’s face is adorable when she’s trying to look frustrated.
“Because if the bed breaks and someone gets crushed on the bottom, it won’t be me.
” That’s bullshit, but nothing beats the look of shock on her face.
I just picked the top because I thought she would be scared.
“I’m joking. I assumed you would want to sleep at a normal height. You can take the top if you want.”
She places her hand on her hip that’s popped sassily. “You know what? I will take the top, thank you very much.” She swings her black purse that looks like it only carries her phone on the mattress.
“Come on, bro. Channel your inner Leonidas and be a gentleman,” my brother teases, walking to his bedroom with Trinity on his heel.
“Gentleman, my ass.” Trinity’s mumble can be heard through the quiet bus.
I don’t want to even know what’s going to happen in that room when my brother slams it shut and Trinity squeals a second later.
Strolling to the seating area, I let out an oof when Lily follows me because there is nothing else to do on this damn bus already.
“Are we going to have to listen to them having sex every day?”
“Probably.”
Her forehead hits the table. “Why am I doing this?”
I want to rub away the red spot I know will mark her beautiful face. When the silence becomes too heavy, she looks up at me through her lashes. If I wasn’t sitting, I would have fallen to the ground from just that look alone.
As a young boy, I would always hear people talk about Lily, saying things like, “She’s already so pretty; imagine when she grows up.”
Never really understanding why that would piss me off, I kept my thoughts to myself.
Yet they never quite predicted that she’d be a storm.
Now that she’s twenty-four, there’s something untouchable about her.
Her black hair flows down her back, shimmering like silk in the sun; her green eyes are full of mystery; and you can’t help but want a taste of her pouty pink lips.
Lily’s beauty comes naturally, like a waterfall in the middle of a forest.
If she wasn’t staring at me, I would slap my own damn face. I need to snap out of this infatuation that has only gotten stronger with age. Something in my head tells me that’s going to be impossible when we’re living on the same tour bus.
My anxiety is starting to stretch like guitar strings. “You’re doing this for your parents.”
A sad look pools in her eyes.
Shit.
She mutters like a secret, “You’re right … sometimes, I may need you to remind me why I’m here.”
“Not even just a small percentage is for me though?” I try to lighten up the mood, and it works because her foot kicks my shin.
“Keep dreaming.”