"How the hell would you know, Ashton?" Brandon growled.
Kaylee's head shot up to look at Ashton. It wasn't necessarily a secret that they had kissed, especially since it was on national television during the awards show. But she didn't think he needed to rub it in Brandon's face.
"Oh,
I know
. Trust me, I know," Ashton said, and winked at Kaylee as he passed by them.
"What was that all about?" Brandon asked after Ashton had disappeared.
"Who knows?" Kaylee lied. "Well, thanks for tonight. Goodnight," she said and fumbled her way into her room, shutting Brandon out in the hall with a quick click of the lock.
As much as Kaylee hated Ashton at that moment, she was also glad he had come along when he did. She was getting in over her head with Brandon, and she didn't know how to end it without completely brushing him off. As hard as she tried to like Brandon, she just didn't feel that spark with him. Tonight was an attempt at finding that spark, but it just wasn't there. She was starting to realize that she couldn't light a fire if there was nothing there to light it with in the first place.
Sure, he was a nice guy, and he wasn't lacking in the looks department, but some things just didn't add up with him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but sometimes about Brandon made her uneasy. It wasn't so much his inaction when she was almost raped that bothered her anymore - she had come to terms with that. Now it was something completely different, and she thought that maybe they just weren't compatible. Kaylee was giving it her best shot, but there was something...
She shook her head. This had to work. She was tired of being alone, and it was starting to affect her judgment, like it had last night with Ashton. Finding new resolve, she promised herself that she was going to make it work this time, even if her feelings for Brandon were less than stellar. Feelings would grow over time - that's how it worked, right?
She went into the bathroom and drew herself a bath, adding lavender vanilla bubble bath to the water. It was the perfect scent to help her relax, and hopefully it would lead to a good night's sleep. It was getting late, but she didn't feel the least bit sleepy. She wasn't sure if it was because she'd woken up so late that day, or if it was because her mind was racing with thoughts.
After the long, luxurious bath, Kaylee got out of the tub and dressed in a satin nightgown. She crawled into her toasty warm bed, finally feeling exhaustion set in.
What seemed like only minutes later, Kaylee was jolted out of her slumber by a slamming door. Ashton was back, and from what she could hear, he wasn't alone. He was with what sounded like a two-dollar whore. The woman kept screeching at the top of her lungs every time Ashton touched her in all the right spots.
When he started moaning, Kaylee had enough. Why he needed to be so loud when he knew that she was in the room right next to him, Kaylee would never know. All she knew was that she'd never get back to sleep with the action going on in the next room.
She threw the covers back and swung her legs out of bed. She went over to the door, grabbing her key card before leaving. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself pounding on Ashton's door. Her heart was pounding and her breath was short. She was furious and frustrated, and something else - something she didn't want to analyze. Right now she just needed to unleash on someone, and Ashton had put himself in her line of fire.
It took him a minute, but he finally opened the door. "You here to join the fun?" he asked, sporting his patented smirk.
That wasn't all he was sporting, Kaylee noticed. He stood there wearing nothing, so he could not hide his rock-hard erection. Her eyes flickered down of their own accord, then she looked right back up into his face. Her face was blazing with embarrassment and fury and a whole host of other emotions that she couldn't begin to sort out.
"You know, some of us are trying to sleep. You should learn some respect."
"Oh baby! You still want me to respect you in the morning?" he asked, sticking his bottom lip out as he mocked her.
"Fuck you Ashton. When are you going to grow up?" Kaylee was getting even more pissed, especially since she couldn't keep her eyes from roaming his body. It was like his simple presence there in the doorway was taunting her, daring her to look. She'd never been with a man before, but she had seen men naked. She wasn't completely innocent. Of all the men she'd seen, she knew immediately that Ashton was above average downstairs.
"Like what you see?" Ashton asked. "I can get rid of her, if you want." He winked at her. He watched the anger rise in her eyes and he realized what was wrong with her this time.
"Oh, I get it, you don't want me, but you don't want anyone else to have me either?"
Kaylee's heart pounded even harder. She fought off the urge to slap him hard. "Don't flatter yourself. All I want is to get some sleep," she growled. "You know what, make all the noise you want. I'll be in Brandon's room."
Kaylee turned to storm away. Unfortunately, she turned the wrong way to go downstairs, so she turned again and walked to the stairwell.
"I'm sure he'll love you in that hot little nightie!" Ashton yelled after her. Kaylee flipped him off without even looking back.
Brandon gladly let Kaylee into his room. He really thought she had fallen for him again, and excitement boiled within him. He didn't question why she would come there in the middle of the night, her face flushed and her eyes bright. He was just glad she was there, and he didn't put too much thought into the reasons why.
Kaylee went straight to the bed and got under the covers. Brandon crawled in behind her, cuddling up to her back. He tucked her close to his body.
Kaylee had no idea what was happening in that room on the floor above them, and that bothered her. Was Ashton still with that girl? Did they have sex? Was she spending the night? As hard as she tried to clear her mind of Ashton, the thoughts invaded and refused to leave. At least if she was upstairs, she would know exactly what was happening, and it wouldn't leave her imagination to run wild.
She suddenly wanted to cry. She fought the urge, not wanting Brandon to ask too many questions. She tossed and turned, trying to sleep, but there were nightmares every time she managed to close her eyes.
In the morning, Kaylee realized that she had barely slept. She crept out of Brandon's room before he woke up and went back to her own. There was no sound from Ashton's room as she whisked past it.
She showered quickly and packed her suitcase to take down to the bus, hoping to avoid any random women coming out of the room next to hers. She decided that she was better off not knowing, even though it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Kaylee and Ashton weren't together, and they never would be. He was free to do whatever, with whomever, whenever, simple as that.
Kaylee got on the bus an hour later, sad to be leaving the comfort of the hotel room, but glad to be back on the road. It was one stop closer to the end of the tour, when she could go back to her own house, and back to her own bed. She loved to travel and tour with the band, but it was all getting to her, and she would be glad when it ended this time.
She sat on the couch of the bus, reading one of her favorite steamy novels, when Brandon came up the stairs.
"There you are. You left without saying goodbye this morning." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I got worried when you weren't there when I woke up."
'What are you, a fucking girl?
' Kaylee wanted to ask. The snippy side of her had come out with a vengeance. Instead, she settled for something more civil.
"Sorry, I had stuff to do." Yes, the lack of sleep was definitely making her cranky.
"That's okay, at least we can be together now." He sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "What're you doing?"
'What the fuck does it look like?
'
"I'm reading," Kaylee told him with a roll of her eyes.
"Good book?" he asked.
'No, I love wasting my time reading trash, dip shit!
'
"Yup, one of my favorites," she answered, frustration evident in her voice.
"What's it about?"
"Brandon!"
'For the love of all things holy, leave me alone!
'
"What?" he asked, not getting any hints at all.
"Please, you can stay here, but I need some peace and quiet. I just want to read for a little while. There are magazines over there if you want something to keep you busy."
She knew she was being mean, but she just couldn't help it. She knew that Brandon had good intentions, but at the moment, good intentions really didn't matter much. She felt like a she had used him, like Ashton would use one of his women for a one-night stand, and then walk away. The thought made her feel even more down, and that made her dislike Brandon even more.
"Sorry." He got up and found a magazine to read, then returned to his spot next to her and put his arm back around her. He flipped the pages of the magazine with one hand, not really paying attention to what was on the pages he was reading.
A few chapters later, the rest of the guys came on the bus. "Okay, everyone's here. Let's head out," Jayden told the driver.
Ashton looked at Kaylee and Brandon, then gave a short laugh, shaking his head. He and Jayden went to the back of the bus to play a video game, while Noah and Colton joined Kaylee and Brandon up front.
No one really talked much; it seemed like everyone was in the mood for a relaxing ride. Brandon kept his position for hours, sitting next to Kaylee with his arm around her shoulders or his hand on her knee, except for the times that he got up to get a drink or something to eat.
As darkness fell, Kaylee put her book away. It was getting too hard to see, even with the overhead lights turned on. The four of them were talking and joking around, slowly bringing Kaylee out of her bad mood. The only thing still annoying Kaylee was the way that Brandon wouldn't leave her side. Even worse, as he sat there, he kept stroking her hair, as if he were petting a puppy.
She'd finally had enough of all the petting, and got up to make some dinner. She knew that she should be grateful that he cared about her so much, but instead she found it annoying. Her attention was focused on the chicken that she was cutting up, trying to be extra careful with the knife, since the road was becoming increasingly bumpy. That's when it happened.
There was a loud thud and a sharp screeching sound. She felt the bus skidding, as if in slow motion. The knife fell from her hand, pulled away by the force. Kaylee was suddenly thrown across the bus. It felt as though the world moved in slow motion, like she was watching a movie instead of being in the middle of a real-life crisis.
Kaylee's head slammed against the back of the bench at the kitchen table. Her world went dark. She didn't feel the force of the blow, and she didn't feel anything as her body slammed into the floor. She didn't see the rest of the band being thrown around like playthings in a child's toy box.
The bus was tilted, still swaying, but it seemed to have stopped. The world was off-kilter. It all happened so fast, no one knew what had happened.
Colton was the first to come to his senses. He crawled to the other side of the bus, the side that was up in the air, and pushed out the emergency window.
He reached his hand out to help Noah. Noah stood slowly, unable to put any weight on his right leg. He hissed in a tortured breath and bit his lip hard, looking up at Colton with stunned eyes. Once Noah was on the right side of the bus, Colton climbed out of the window and pulled Noah out. The driver of the bus had crawled out of his window and helped to catch Noah on the ground.
Colton looked around. What he saw made his heart jump into his throat.
"Come on, you guys need to get out of there," Colton yelled back into the bus, his voice a bright edge of panic.
Brandon looked down to where Kaylee lay on the floor. "Kaylee, come on we need to get out of here." Kaylee didn't answer him, and she didn't move. "Kaylee!"
Brandon looked to the back of the bus and saw Jayden and Ashton slowly crawling to the front, trying not to make any sudden movements. Without any hesitation, Brandon carefully moved to the other side of the bus and jumped up out the window.
Ashton shook his head, the blood pouring from the gash on his forehead. The bus shifted again, teetering even further on its side. He saw Kaylee's lifeless body slide across the linoleum floor and slam into the other wall. The impact jolted the bus and made it rock ominously.
"We need to get out of here now," Ashton said in almost a whisper, as though speaking too much would tip things in the wrong direction. "Crawl up to the window and get out. Don't make any sudden movements. I'm going to get Kaylee and lift her up to you. Then I'll crawl out. Got it?"
Jayden could hear the fear in Ashton's voice, and he understood exactly how he felt. One false move and the three of them could instantly lose their lives. He crawled as quickly and as safely as he could to the window, then pulled himself up and out.
Once Jayden was out, Ashton crawled to Kaylee. He used every last ounce of strength he had and ignored the pain as he picked Kaylee's limp body up from the floor and made his way to the window. Colton grabbed Ashton, and Jayden grabbed Kaylee.
Jayden carefully lowered her limp body, then settled her in his arms and took off at a dead run, getting away from the bus. Ashton pulled himself over the ledge of the window as the bus began to creak.
One of the men hollered in a voice filled with panic: "Run, Ashton! Run, dammit!"
Ashton ran. Behind him, the bus teetered again and the tree that was holding it up finally cracked. The sound was immense, terrifying, solid, a noise that filled the whole world. The shock of it brought screams of terror from the collection of injured and terrified men, even though they were already in the clear. Both the tree and the bus crashed into the ravine, 500 feet below.
Jayden had dropped to the ground beside Kaylee. He had both his hands on her face, speaking to her, trying to make her wake up. Ashton scrambled to her side and grabbed her hand, felt for her pulse, and nearly cried when he found it. She was alive, and at that point, it was better than nothing.