"Y'know," I mumbled, sat on the kitchen side watching Billie search through the fridge.

"Go on?"

"Maybe I should go and see my mom and dad,"

His head was pulled instantly out. "What?"

"I don't know. I don't want them thinking I'm scared of them still- I'm not I-"

"-Echo if this is what I said about it's okay for you to be afraid of them and you denied being, you don't have to prove a point that you aren't. Y'know that?"

"I don't wanna prove the point to you nimrod. I wanna prove it to them,"

"After you've proved your point and showed up what do you plan to talk to them about?" He asked, knowing my plan wasn't full proof.

I paused. "I don't know. What about what you said? Tell them how I better I did off with out them, maybe hear how they did with out me. It's not a bad idea,"

"Echo think it through,"

"You said it'd be good for me,"

"Well that's before I anticipated that you'd want to. I really didn't think you would,"

"Exactly. And that's why I'm doing it,"

He sighed giving in. Closing the fridge door as he walked over. Standing in front of me as I sat still on the side, budging my legs a little so he could stand beside them, his hands placed on my hips. "And when do you plan on doing this?"

"When your tours over. And we go back to California. My plan isn't really certain yet. But I'll get a phone book- or something. Or maybe I'll just show back up at my old house. See if they still live there,"

"And you really wanna do that?"

"I guess I kinda do,"

He shook his head. "Whatever you wanna do Echo,"

"You gave me the idea,"

"Should've known better than to give you ideas,"

I rolled my eyes playfully before pulling him in for a hug. He chuckled, but hugged me back.

"I'm only kidding," he whispered, moment after I pulled him in.

I rested my cheek on his head, his black hair tickling at my face. "I know that dummy,"

"I think it's pretty brave you'd wanna see your mom and dad after everything,"

I snorted a laugh, pulling him back. "Is that the equivalent of telling a child scared of the dentist you think it's pretty brave they didn't cry?"

"What? No I mean it Echo. It is pretty brave. Confrontations a scary thing, facing it head on is admirable,"

I tried not to smile. Before he defended himself again.

"I'm serious!"

"What can I say? Im an admirable girl,"

"Course." He mumbled, leaning his head on my chest as he hugged around my torso once again. "Even though sometimes you scare me,"

"Brilliant. Thanks Beej,"

~

It was pretty much another show tonight. Sparing the details today I stayed back stage. I felt too exhausted to be jumping around, so I watched from the live television.

Then after that, another show and the next other few days. And then once even that was finished, we were on a plane again.

This time I wasn't sat beside Tre. Billie instead. But, Tre and I had been awkwardly speaking... more? I guess I could take that as a win? Semi?

"There's so much packing and moving around with these tours." I sighed, slouching down to bad posture in the plane seat beside the window. Billie looked up from his phone and over at me.

"Well you were basically a hermit before this,"

"Who told you I was a hermit?" I asked insulted.

"Willow might've mentioned,"

"Shit." I realised. Gosh I haven't spoken to willow since telling her when the plane landed the first time?

Billie turned his phone off, confused. "What?"

"I haven't spoken to Willow since the day I literally left,"

He still didn't seem to understand. You'd think that would've said it all. But apparently not, he cocked his head back. "Yeah?"

"What do you mean yeah? She told me right before she left to keep in touch- and oh my god I haven't at all,"

"You've been busy?"

"No- you've been the busy one. I've just been following along,"

He sighed, turning his phone back on and turning his attention off from me.

I quickly turned mine on too, rushing to send Willow a text like the seconds I might waste looking for her contact would matter compared to the days I'd not tried to reach out.

Me:
Hi! Sorry I've not texted you, been busy. What's up? :)

It was brief and to be fair a kinda shitty excuse of reaching out. But it'll do?

When we reached ground floor, it was sort of repeat of last time. Grab our luggage, argue about where and what to eat, hire car at the ready, shoving and dragging suitcases round, pulling up in a big house.

Once again, another big temporary house.

I'm beginning to miss the feeling of having a real home.

"Another large house, just for two people," I noted. As Billie and I walked inside after unlocking the door.

I heard the scratching and dragging of suitecases on the floor behind me where Billie was. A few odd grunts. "If you'd like to help," he muffled out.

"How much longer of this tour is there?" I asked, straying away from Billie and his struggle as I popped my head through most rooms.

"Half way through," He grunted.

Finally, there was a smack and a bang. When I looked back into the hallway A few suitcases were laying on the floor, closed thank god.

"I'm not moving those any more," he told me quickly. Pointing to them.

"How many more states do we really have to go to,"

Billie looked away, down at his fingers as he counted on one hand. "Three," He nodded final.

"Then back in California?"

"Well... our last states Cali. So... maybe two more other states after this one, not enjoying yourself?" He pouted.

I didn't wanna say I wasn't enjoying myself. I was. I guess it was just weird to move out of my home and move around and around not getting use to one place.

"It's weird moving around place to place so frequently," I told him honestly. "It's tiring,"

"Awww c'mon, it'll be over before you know it,"

"Maybe," I dazed off, staring down at the few suite cases still on the floor between Billie and I still stood in the hallway.

"Wanna go look around the house?"

I shrugged. Smiling looking back at him. "Of course."

He leaped over the suite cases and we giddied around, rushing and running around the house like kids bursting through each rooms to look briefly through where we'd be staying.

Abandoning the suite cases in the middle of the floor, once going up the stairs we still left them there as Billie pushed open the first door on the hallway.

"Guess this is our new room,"

I followed behind him, staring around, the room was more somewhat spacious than the last one. With a tv. "I think I like this one better,"

He glanced over at me unsure. "Really? I don't know, I liked the bigger window in the last room,"

"As long as the beds nice I'm happy,"

He fell back on the empty mattress. Looking up at the ceiling fan in the room before nodding his head to the side and looking over at me. "Feels comfy." Before he sat up, seeming excited. "Wanna test it?"

"Erm... maybe after we put a sheet on the bed?"

He stared blankly for a few seconds. Before shaking the confusion off. "Of course- obviously." And standing up. Looking around.

"What are you looking for?"

"The laundry cupboard,"

~

"I don't know, I think this rooms bigger than your last one... right?" Tre questionably pointed out, stood in the door way of our new rooms.

"But the bigger window in the last one gave the room better setting," Mike pointed out.

Billie sighed relief with a smile. "That's what I'm saying,"

I stood beside the three, shrugging. "I think space comes over the window,"

"You'd think that." Tre muttered. Before spinning around making his way out. "I hope you got beers downstairs." And walking through to the hallway.

"Not for you!" Billie quickly said, chasing behind him.

I looked over at Mike who was chuckling slightly. When I spun around to join them seens as we was changing locations from our debate about the new room, Mike grabbed my attention.

"Echo,"

"Huh?" I stopped in my tracks, only just reaching the door way looking at him.

He smiled sorta... awkwardly? Why was he smiling awkwardly? "Can I talk to you?"

Oh. Makes sense. "Erm..." the question, although technically it's not really a question since you can't exactly say no, put me on nerves a little. I stared at Mike a long while making the 'err' noise until giving in to what misery he was about to inform me of. "Sure?"

He didn't say anything, instead pulling his phone at his back pocket as I cringed already.

Hesitant to ask, I asked anyway. "This isn't anything good, is it?"

His mouth drew to a line. "Not necessarily,"

"Dammit,"

He looked at his phone swiping and taping a few times. As I watched him, nervous. I didn't have a clue in mind what this could be, but I knew it wasn't welcoming.

He turned his phone screen towards me. "I did do what you said. To ignore her. Guess some things can't be rid of that easy huh?"

On screen was a second text in an empty conversation from Mae once again. Her first text still reading 'Hey Mike! Long time no talk :) if by chance you see this, maybe we could chat? There's a few things I've been meaning to ask you about. Obviously considering your bands uptake, are you still in Contact with Echo?' But her second text... a little more needy.

Mae Johnson:
Sorry to text again lol, surprised you even saw my first message! Being so busy with the band haha! I saw Echo on the front cover of a magazine with Billie the other day. Nice to see they're doing well :) if it's not much trouble, could you send me Echos number or socials? Cant find her anyway. Thanks !

Her texts always had been laced with enthusiasm. When you look at it from an outwards perspective, it's sort of odd. Especially how keen she was to speak to me.

I knew something like this would happen. "Brilliant." I sighed, finishing the text. Mike took his phone back.

"It's weird. I'll admit, but maybe she's got something important to tell you? Maybe that's why she's so desperate to text you?"

"I wish she'd take a hint and leave me be. I pray she doesn't still live in Cali,"

"Want me to block her? Or ignore it?"

"I guess just ignore it again," I shrugged. A lost for any other option to not cause drama for Mike. "She's gotta get the hint at some point,"

"You'd think that,"

A/N: I'm so sorry this chapter is so short omg. And my updates are so appallingly far apart. I've started a new job and it's so stressful, I work four days a week and the three days I have off I'm at college. So my schedule is so crammed it's draining.

I hope this chapters at least good to make up for the shortness. I promise the next one will be lengthy!

Thanks for reading as always ! <33