Page 65 of Goodbye Note

“Would you, like, sign something for me?” He rummaged behind the counter, coming up with a notebook.

“Sure thing.” I took it while he finished the transaction, trying to get this interaction over with as soon as possible.

“Actually, can you add a case of High Life?” Vallen said when he was offering back the change. He was already on the way to the back of the store again, leaving the guy hanging and holding back his cash. He set it on the counter and took the notebook to scribble in.

I didn’t say anything as we got back to the bus, and Vallen ignored the soda he’d bought, opting instead for one of the beers.

“You want one?” he offered, putting the rest in the fridge.

“Nah, it’s too early for that.” Was it bad I wasn’t upset he was drinking because they were calories? He looked thinner every day, and I hated the hollowness in his cheeks. “I’ll be so pissed by the time we go onstage, I won’t be able to sing. I don’t know how you do it.”

“Cat naps, bro. Cat naps. Or you got to ride it through so you stay at the same level of drunk all day.” He pounded the beer and opened the second he’d gotten out for me.

“We celebrating?” Fox asked, rubbing his eyes after he climbed out of his bunk. “How are the bathrooms in there?”

“We didn’t go in them.”

“I need to brush my teeth, and Vallen won’t clean up his fucking stubble in the bathroom,” Fox grumbled.

I lifted a brow, giving a side glance to Vallen. “Dude, we told you not to shave in the fucking bathroom.”

“I couldn’t deal with it anymore.” Vallen huffed behind his beer.

“I’m about to vote you the fuck off this island.” Fox pointed his toothbrush at Val. “Clean it up, or I’m leaving you at the truck stop.”

Vallen burst out laughing, spraying beer all over the both of us.

I don’t think I’d ever seen Fox so disappointed in his life, which made me laugh.

Fox wiped beer out of his eyes. “This is assault. I did not consent to spit.”

Whatever I thought he’d say, it wasn’t fucking that.

“You signed a blanket consent when you crawled in bed with me last night!”

“We were on the couch, and I cannot help that I’m a cat and like to curl up in people’s laps!” He darted forward, wiping his wet hand on Vallen’s face. “And consent can be revoked at any time!”

“But you didn’t revoke it before the spitting!” Vallen squirmed as Fox smeared the sticky beer all over his face.

This quickly devolved into an all-out beer fight with the remaining liquid in Vallen’s can. Fox, in a show of dominance or something, stole the can, took a drink, and then pulled open the neck of Vallen’s shirt and spit down it.

I couldn’t get a word out, crying and laughing.

Finally, Val upended the can and dumped the rest of it over Fox’s head, and he stepped back, sputtering. Shock and disbelief dropped his jaw.

“You have created a hostile work environment!” He stormed out of the bus.

“I’m going to have to agree with him on this one. That was homoerotic enough to make me uncomfortable, and I’m bisexual.” I somehow kept a straight face while saying it.

“You are supposed to be on my side.” Vallen chucked the can at me.

I turned, letting the can bounce off my shoulder. “I’m going to be on whichever side is funnier.”

“Fucking traitor!”

“At least my stars are wrapped in plastic and didn’t get assaulted too.” I clutched them to my chest, petting the packaging.

Bronx fell out of his bunk, making us both turn, and just laid on the floor. “Why are you guys so loud?”

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