ELLY
I wake up a while later and realize I'm still asleep on Chase's shoulder, but now he is asleep, too. I look around and realize almost everyone is asleep. In the back of the bus, Madison and Jaden are sitting together, talking. Madison is sitting on his lap, facing him, but Jaden is facing towards the front of the bus.
I watch them for a few seconds until Jaden looks over. We make eye contact, but my expression doesn't change and neither does his. After a second, I turn away and hunch back down in my seat.
For a while, I scroll around on TikTok before getting on some random game I have downloaded. I see a text pop up and click on it.
   Hey. Madison fell asleep, Jaden says.
   So? I reply.
   You could come back here and we could talk if you wanted to.
I don't want to. Sorry, I reply, sending the text quickly. It takes a few minutes for him to respond.
   I don't know why you won't talk to me.
Because you almost kissed me while you're dating someone else? I send him.
   That's not a big deal.
Not a big deal? You practically cheated on Mads. I would consider that a big deal.
Let's talk later once we get to the hotel. I have something I want to tell you.
That you can't tell me over text messages? I ask.
   No. I can't. Let's just plan to meet up at the hotel by ourselves.
Don't try anything this time, I send him. He doesn't read the text or reply, so I decide on going back to sleep on Chase's shoulder.

About an hour after I fall asleep for the second time, the bus stops. This time, we all get off to greet Cash and Maverick.
   "Make a good first impression," Chase whispers into my ear with a laugh as we walk off the bus.
   "Sure thing, Chase," I reply, laughing quietly.
   After a few minutes, Cash gets over to us. "Hey Chase. Noen."
   "Hiya there, idiot," Noen says with a laugh as he leans against the bus. "Glad you're back with the crackhead crew."
   "So we got a new name for the group?" Cash asks with a laugh.
   "Yeah. And the group got new members. Cash, meet Elly. This is Griffin's younger sister." Chase points to me, causing me to smile.
   "Hi. It's nice to meet you," I say, then shake his hand. Noen gives me a thumbs up behind Cash's back.
   "Good to meet you, too. I'm glad you're here. We need more girls on tour." He laughs quietly.
   "We need more girlfriends on tour," Chase adds. Cash looks at him confused while I give him a glare.
   "I mean, kind of. Yeah. I'm going to go find Payton." Cash nods and walks off, and as soon as he is a few feet away, Noen and I groan in unison.
   "What?" Chase asks. "I'm dropping girlfriend hints so he'll start thinking about dating. When better to do it than when they are meeting?"
   "Never, maybe," I suggest. Chase glares down at me, but I just shrug. He shakes his head and starts jogging back up the bus steps. Noen and I follow him up and sit down with him in our normal seats.
   "I'm excited for our next stop. I'm starving!" Noen groans, falling back across both seats.
"Me, too. And after that we get to the hotel. Elly, getting to the hotel is always so much fun!" Chase says with a big smile across his face.
"Why?"
"Because we do this thing where we draw for rooms. Four people to a room, and every hotel we draw again. I really hope I'm with you two." Chase smiles again, propping his head up on his fist.
"That'd be fun," Noen says with a sigh. I nod in agreement.
"What happens if there are too few people for a room? Does one of the rooms just have less people in it, then?" I ask.
"Mhm. The managers won't put couples in separate rooms, though, so someone might get stuck with half a couple." Noen shakes his head with a sigh. "I'd hate to be that person."
"Me, too," Chase replies.
"Yeah," I sigh in agreement.