Leighanne, Amy, Kristen and Kyra had had a girly day out while the boys were doing sound checks and things-they had made lists of necessities that were lacking on the buses, even after only a week on tour-orange juice, milk, bread, cookies, apples, honey…Baylee had helped his dad to write "Ice cream" on the list, and was pulling at his mother's leg in the store once he had chosen the ice cream he wanted, as Leighanne asked Kyra how she was finding life on the road. "Not as I expected it…" Kyra confessed sighing, crossing things off the list with a pen as and when they collected them.
"You and Nick seem to get along well…" Leighanne instigated with a playful glance, as she took the ice cream from her son's hands and put it in the shopping cart. Kyra let a secretive smile creep across her face, one that hid her true feelings for Nick.
"He's great…" Kyra admitted breezily. "…He's very funny and we have a good time together…" Leighanne smiled lightly, but didn't comment further. She quickly changed the subject and reminded Kyra that she was there, if anything of a girly nature needed to be discussed. Kyra thanked her.
Kyra had bought pancake mix and was preparing to make pancakes for her and Nick for dinner as they would be spending another full night on the road. The destinations and the arrival times became a blur to her as they were sometimes to Nick.
"So, where abouts are we?" Nick asked his driver in a combined tone of confusion and embarrassment as they pulled up to the back entrance of a hotel only a few nights before. The driver chuckled light-heartedly.
"Miss Kyra…" He addressed as Kyra walked towards them with a rucksack slung over one shoulder. She leant on Nick's hip and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder-a routine adopted as common in a short space of time which both failed to question. "…Mr. Carter wants to know where we are…" He instigated and Kyra thought for a moment as Nick looked at her.
"Milwaukee." She stated as she freed herself from his mild embrace and stepped out of the bus, greeted by AJ who had also taken a distinct liking to her. Nick watched as she went, and winked at the driver before he stepped off the bus after her.
"Oh, crap!" Kyra exclaimed as she, with her elbow accidentally knocked over the pancake syrup in an attempt to toss a pancake. She picked it up as it began soaking through a small collection of magazines and newspapers which she would have to throw out-she hoped Nick wasn't keeping them for anything particular reason. She sifted through the magazines which were ruined and fed them to the bin under the small counter she was cooking on. She managed to salvage a few magazines and a few pieces of paper collected there also. She picked up the first piece of paper and realised it was stapled together. It was slightly creased, as if worn, and had a diluted, red mark on the white paper. She began to read it, her conscience not reminding her that this was not her property.
"…Nick carried the picnic and all I carried was the mint green, old- fashioned radio, as we searched for the perfect spot to sit and relax in…" She recognised it as her own a line or so in, and smiled. He had kept it. She had nearly forgotten about her story which had won her the place she had on this bus in the first place. She flicked through the pages and saw small doodles and sketches Nick must have drawn while reading. She was overwhelmed with an enormous curiosity over what his opinion was of her short story. It was a mere dream and a fantasy in which she had written down spontaneously after struggling to find any inspiration to enter this competition. Why had he kept it? She asked herself. She hurriedly shoved the pages back under the magazines as she heard Nick leap onto the bus, energised and positive, as he always was when he came off stage. He tossed a hold-all bag onto her bed and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek after smelling the sweet smell of warm syrup and pancakes… "Hi Kyra." He said enthusiastically. "Pancakes?" He enquired allowing the smell to once again flow through his nose.
"Yes, because I am not stopping for MacDonald's like last night…" She teased. They both had thrown up after stopping at around midnight because each was peckish and couldn't sleep. "Ok, go grab a plate." She instructed and Nick quickly grabbed a plate ready for his pancake, which he was going to lace with sugar and syrup. She slipped the pancake onto the plate and Nick stood beside her and poured syrup onto his pancake before munching on it hungrily. She poured the mix into the frying pan to make some more, which sizzled and crackled with the heat. Nick was frightened when she jumped back from the frying pan and clutched her left hand.
"What!?" Nick said putting down his knife and fork hastily and approaching her. She moaned slightly. "Did you burn your hand?" He asked and she nodded. The pancake mix had splashed and scolded her hand. "Well, let me see, let me see…" Nick said rather paternally and she revealed her red hand, the white spots of flesh on her fingers and flat part of her upper hand indicated where the skin was scorched. Nick winced, it looked painful. "It's alright…" He comforted her gently as tears formed in her eyes from the already chronic stinging. He raised her hand up tenderly and began to gently blow on her sore hand, trying to soothe her pain and panic. She wiped a tear from her cheek with her other hand. She felt a little embarrassed, she had been silly enough to manage to burn herself, but his touch was calming. Nick turned the cold tap on and the sound of the gushing water filled the space around them. He looked lovingly at her. His pale but piercing blue eyes, tinted with grey infiltrated her to her very core, her heart, her soul, each penetrated in a second by his eyes. He never dropped her gaze. He simply pulled her towards him and placed their joint hands under the gushing, chilly water. The sensation of the cold and fresh water covering their skin awakened them from their moment. She shivered gently as the cold water produced goose bumps on her bear arms. Nick noticed her discomfort and released her hand under the water. He wiped his wet hand on his jeans and unzipped his sweater jacket. He rested the large sweater on her shoulders to protect her from the cold sensation. The bus jolted as it began to move and Nick momentarily fell into her frame. She didn't stumble and Nick brushed her skin lightly as he pulled himself away. Nick's heart caught in his throat. "God, how can you be so beautiful…?" Nick whispered inside his head, longing to say it to her, but not having the courage. He hadn't had a panic attack in two weeks. He slept like a man with no troubles, and was optimistic about his recovery. "What is she doing to me?" Nick asked again quietly in his mind. Compelled by nothing more than emotion, Nick leant into her and closed his eyes as his lips reached out for hers. Her eyes closed, overwhelmed by passion and trust at his gesture to be close to her.
"What's burning back there?!" The driver shouted as loud as he could from the front of the bus, hoping he would not have to take his eyes off the road to try and find out. He could smell the burning and feel the smoke in the air. Nick leapt out of reach of her and removed the frying pan, placing it along with the burnt on pancake mix into the sink below her hand, before it caught on fire. She moved her hand away in fright, as Nick turned off the cooker. He sighed heavily, trying to relax. He noticed Kyra's hand was out of the comfort of the water which would heal her.
"No, no, no…" He said softly, placing her hand back under the water. She once again felt the cool sensation engulf her hand. "…You have to leave it under there for ten minutes…" He said with a shy smile, his cheeks turning slightly red over the knowledge of their near miss kiss. He wanted to kiss her, but was swiftly made nervous by insecurity and inadequacy. She smiled sweetly trying to ease the tension, which was slowly receding.
"I guess it is MacDonald's again tonight huh?" She said giggling at her fumbled attempt to make pancakes. He giggled too and brushed some strands of her hair that had gone astray, behind her ear. "I think you're right…" He said laughing. "…Unless we can find something else…" He said challenging raising an eyebrow at her, which made her giggle even more. Nick determined that this was going to be more than an interesting night.
