A Mean Tongue and Codeine

Chapter 14

3 days.

It'd been almost 3 days since they left New Orleans.

3 days spent on that tiny, suffocating tour bus. If forced proximity was a trope, it was lost on Maia and Andrew. Maia sat at the back of the bus, editing photos behind the bathroom, while the rest of the band sat at the front playing some board game. They – well, Kristen – had invited her, but she couldn't be around Andrew, not with him acting like she was a stranger. It was hard enough to avoid him in the damn tour bus.

Andrew had barely said more than a few words to Maia, not for lack of her trying. The morning after was the worst. She was late getting out of her hotel room, holding ice cubes to her eyes and cheeks in a desperate attempt to get the swelling down. When she finally made it downstairs, her normal spot next to Andrew was taken by Alex. He gave her a sympathetic shrug while she slumped down at the end of the table, their conversation sounding muffled in her ears. Then, when they loaded the bus and all took seats on the couches, Andrew all but ran when she sat down next to him.

After that, she decided to just seek refuge in the back alcove.

She couldn't blame him. His words, how long he'd been waiting to kiss her, echoed in her head. His face when she took off... She was thankful her tears blocked her vision when she tried to call him her best friend again.

An email notification broke her out of her self-pity.

From her substitute teaching supervisor:

"Dear Maia Stephens,

Due to a sudden increase in external media attention, phone calls, and emails regarding you, we have suspended your substitute education privileges until further notice to protect the safety and privacy of students and staff. Please contact the office if you feel this is in error.

Littleton Public Schools"

She bit back the tears that burned her eyes again. At least someone got privacy, she couldn't help but hatefully think to herself.

"Hey," She croaked out at the sight of Andrew making his way down the hallway. He meant to use the restroom, she knew that, but she couldn't help herself. "I just finished this picture of you and the band during Jackie and Wilson, want to see?"

He shrugged. "I'll see it on the socials."

"Yeah, maybe David will pick it."

He paused, barely turning towards her, the bathroom door still mostly hiding him. "What do you mean?"

"I gave David control of social media again. I had to delete all of my stuff...and even the Hozier stuff was too much."

He froze, and for a second Maia's heart did a flip. "Well if he chooses it I'll see it then, or when I look at the server."

"Andrew I just lost my job," Maia breathed. "People are calling and emailing the school district asking about me and you. They're calling my dad's old company, the company he hasn't had anything to do with in 3 years. That's why I freaked out. I was scared everything that's happening would happen."

His grip on the bathroom door tightened. "I'm sure David will help you land another gig."

Something stilled in Maia with the sound of the door shutting. She was tired of it. She'd tried to apologize, tried to explain, try to get him to just listen to her, and every single time she had a door or a curtain or something shut in her face.

She was going to get another gig, not because of David, because she was a damn good photographer. She wasn't going to be shut away and made to hide for the rest of the tour either, not when she'd become friends with the rest of the band. Closing her laptop and tossing it in her bunk, she held her head up and walked into the common area. Maia took the spot next to Alex, ignoring his look of slight panic.

"Someone teach me how to play, I'm tired of editing." She smiled at Kristen's cheers.

Andrew met her eyes when he walked back in the room. "I was sitting there."

She shrugged, looking through the cards Kristen had just dealt her. She set one in the middle, looking up at Andrew. "Looks like there's another chair over there," She gestured at the empty seat at the other end of the table.

Maia felt like she was coming back into herself. She hadn't realized what her 3 days of somewhat self-imposed isolation had done to her. Of course, she still felt pangs of – everything – when she found Andrew's eyes, but she was able to shrug it off her shoulders and throw herself back into the game.

"What are you doing?" Andrew gripped her arm in the bunk hallway that led to the bathroom.

She threw him off her, willing the fire she felt burning inside her to shine through her eyes. "I'm playing a board game with my friends. That a problem?"

"I thought you were editing." He ground out.

"I'm way ahead of deadline," she hissed, allowing a devilish smile to spread across her face. "I've got plenty of time to hang around with you guys." Maia shoved past him, flipping her hair. "Oh, and if you're thinking of messing with my schedule so I have to go sit back there again," She turned and gestured behind Andrew with raised eyebrows, "You don't set that, David does. And he's beyond thrilled with what I've been doing, so good luck with that."

Maia ignored the sound of her heart breaking again as she found her seat next to Alex and tried to focus her energy back on the board game, on Natalie and Kristen screeching at each other. She didn't even look up as Andrew re-entered the room.

She pulled out her phone, feeling the buzz of an incoming text.

"It'll be fine. You two have fought before and gotten over it. He's probably still hurt. Just relax."

Maia smiled a bit ruefully at Lauren's texts. "Even if it isn't, I'll be damned if I let this man ruin this opportunity for me."

"Atta bitch!" Laurens reply came immediately.

Maia read her friend's message before looking up and locking eyes with Andrew. She curled her lips and held his stare, nothing familiar in his eyes.

He'd once said he'd wanted to see her temper in full force. Well, baby, let the games begin.