The van pulled up to the airport later that afternoon, and I watched silently as everyone gathered their things in order to board the plane. Sadie was talking incessantly again and the guys of SME were throwing something at each other that looked suspiciously like either a foil wrapped condom or a stink bomb. I really really didn't want to know.
"I'm guessing they've all had their shots, right?" Tommy asked suddenly from behind me, and I spun toward him with a laugh—shouldering my duffel bag as I did.
"Rabies, distemper, tetanus…yep, I'm pretty sure we've covered them all." I replied with a smile as he grinned down at me before brushing past me toward the plane. My face fell dramatically as I watched his retreating back in fascination—wondering as I did about the things the two of us had been through over the past two years. I was still so angry at him—so hostile in a way. Maybe the distance between us was my fault. Maybe I had put it there as a way to protect myself. I hadn't let him even try to explain his reasons for leaving the way he did to me since his return. I hadn't wanted to hear it.
"He's one baffling son of a bitch, isn't he?" Kwest asked from beside me as he came to a stand still next to me while following my gaze with his. I just looked down at the ground as Kwest shrugged.
"One minute you think you've got him completely figured out—you think you might actually be getting somewhere with him and then the next it's like you are starting all over again. I've known the man a long time, and he's always been that way." Kwest stated simply as he raised a brow up at me. "Don't put yourself through the stress, Harrison, unless you're willing to stand up to the heat." Kwest finished with a sigh before brushing past me too. Why did I suddenly feel as if I was going on anything but a vacation? I shook my head resolutely as I started after them all—almost tripping over Jamie as I did. He grunted, and I laughed at his uncomfortable expression.
"Have I ever told you that I don't like the sun? I'm like a vampire." Jamie remarked as Patsy came up behind him while rolling her eyes. That's what he gets for scouting out the girl that ended up opening for me on tour. Patsy certainly was one of a kind. She always managed to wake up the crowds before I took to the stage. It was a great lead up. I shook my head at them as I walked by humming "I wear my sunglasses at night." I could feel Jamie's eyes boring glaringly into my back and I chuckled. That was everyone—everyone that had been involved one way or another with the third album and with the tour that promoted its release, and I felt grateful to them all—almost all. Stumbling onto the plane, I took a seat next to the window as everyone else filed past me—looking out over the runway asphalt as someone took a seat beside me. I looked next to me to see Tommy settling in warily. My hackles rose. We had been too quiet with each other lately. I was just waiting for one of us to get angry first—for the whole charade to suddenly explode in our faces. That's what happens when you put off confrontation as long as we had. Tom shrugged.
"It was either here or with Liam. I chose the lesser of two evils." Tom replied quietly as I raised a brow. I certainly hope he hadn't meant that as a compliment.
"I'm so honored." I remarked sarcastically as he shrugged as if saying 'yeah well.' I took in a deep, steadying breath—our earlier attempts at civility forgotten. "Should I contact airport security in case you find yourself in a sudden need to escape without warning." I stated coldly as Tommy's eyes narrowed. It had been a low blow I know—referring to the way he had left before, leaving me without a producer and most importantly without a friend when I needed it the most. Not to mention, he hadn't trusted me enough to use me as a crying shoulder when his sister had passed away in Montana. Nope, I had had to find out about it through Darius of all people. Tom clenched his jaw before turning toward me suddenly.
"You're really so trying lately, aren't you, Jude? Is stubborn really the way you want to be viewed because you are really really good at it." Tommy retorted as I sat back in my seat huffily. I needed to stay angry at him—needed to protect what was left of my heart.
"Stubborn works for me, Quincy. It keeps me grounded—keeps me from doing something stupid like trusting someone too much." I replied pointedly as Tommy stared at me a moment in silence before turning away. I could see the fire spark in his eyes at that comment—could tell that it had hit home.
"Jude…" He began in that tone that he always used right before he apologized. God, I didn't want him to. It would melt my resolve.
"Don't." I stated simply before placing my hand gently over his mouth.
"Just don't." I remarked again in a strangled tone as I realized his lips were against my skin. Okay, not a smart move on my part. Tom almost smiled against my palm as I quickly pulled my hand away. He seemed to realize how much it affected me. He leaned in close to me.
"You can stop me from apologizing, but you can't stop me from trying." He whispered as I shivered from the tone he used. My heart trembled unsteadily as the plane started to lift off. The South Pacific seemed way too warm a place for me right now. Tom raised a brow before sitting back against the seat as the plane kept climbing. He looked out of the window next to me warily, and I quirked a brow up in sudden amusement.
"Not afraid of heights are you, big man?" I asked him on a small laugh as he threw me a scathing look.
"Shut up, Harrison. Just close the shade would you?" He asked nicely as I grinned wickedly. Yeah right. I lifted the shade up higher from the half way position it was in at the moment. Sunlight streamed in as Tommy closed his eyes.
"It's a long way down." I stated in a sing song voice as he reached out his hand and pinched me on the arm—hard.
"Ow!" I remarked loudly as he cracked a lid open when the seat belt sign dinged off.
"That's for being obnoxious." Tommy replied before leaning over me to pull down the shade. I pulled it up again. This time he admitted defeat. A stewardess walked by with a whimsical expression on her face as she gave us both courtesy bags of peanuts. I upended mine quickly—starving after walking out of my apartment with not so much as a hint of breakfast that morning. I looked over at Tommy.
"Going to eat those?" I asked him cheerfully as he groaned before handing them over. Something told me the open window had caused him to lose his appetite. I just grinned.
"Just you wait, Harrison." Tommy grumbled as I upended his bag too. "Just you wait."