Page 138 of Five Summers

Right on cue, the side door swings open and Reg emerges, engrossed in his phone. Seizing the opportunity, I have a quick look in the room through the open door. Inside, I spot a cozy double bed and a compact wardrobe. It seems way more comfortable than the tight bunk beds in the enclosed area at the back, where the money-makers sleep.

The bus starts to slow down and eventually stops. I turn my head and gaze out of the window, taking in the large roadhouse where we have stopped.

“Kit reserved the entire cafe. So make sure you're in there in the next ten minutes,” Reg says, not bothering to acknowledge any of the guys as he exits the bus.

“Yeah, good morning to you too, asshole,” Nate says, as he finishes Theo’s coffee.

“Yo, Xander, wake the fuck up,” Theo yells, throwing an empty water bottle in his direction.

Reg comes back onto the bus. He slips his phone into his pocket and looks around the group.

When he looks at Xander, his brows furrow, and he gets this pissed-off look before he turns to Theo.

“What the fuck have you done?” He yells. His voice is so loud that he wakes up Xander. “He’s the fucking lead singer, center stage, performing in the spotlight in front of thousands of fans!”

“Why do you just assume I’m the one to blame?”

“Because, who else could it be?”

“Chill out, it’s not like it’s a permanent marker,” Theo says.

Xander, still half-asleep, sits up and rubs his eyes before looking up.

Ace accidentally spits out his coffee, causing some of it to land on Reg.

"What the fuck, man?" Reg says, eyeing his pricey shoes, before re-entering his room and closing the door.

Theo and Nate erupt into laughter, catching Xander’s attention. He shoots Theo a stern glare, his eyes narrowing as he senses something amiss. Determined to find out, he rises from the couch and strides towards the restroom. Once he arrives, he forcefully opens the door.

We're all waiting, giving each other looks, waiting for Xander to come back.

“You better run you fucking asshole,” Xander yells.

“Well, it’s been nice knowing you,” Theo says, grabbing his shirt from the back of the couch. “See ya at breakfast.” He bolts off the bus.

“Where is he? Where’s that little prick gone?” Xander says, coming back out.

Reg opens his door, and I notice he’s wearing different shoes.

“Remove that shit off your face before you go in there,” Reg says. “I’ve already cleaned up enough of your mistakes in the media.”

Xander moves forward, and I can tell from the way he's staring at Reg that a fight is about to break out.

"Time to go," I butt in, tugging Xander's hand and leading him toward the restroom to ease the tension.

He willingly comes, even though he is still angry. I can feel the tension in his arm as I lead him into the restroom and close the door behind us. His presence makes the already tight space feel even more confined. Being this close to him sparks a strange sensation in my body.

“Do you guys always pull pranks on each other like this?” I open a drawer to locate a washcloth.

“No,” he says firmly. “Theo’s the only idiot who pulls this kind of crap.”

I turn on the tap, feeling the cool rush of water against my hand as I wet the washcloth.

"Sit," I say, motioning for him to take a seat on the toilet lid. It’s not a request, but a demand.

As I gently move the washcloth across his cheek, his captivating dark brown eyes meet mine. I swallow hard, attempting to hold back the intense sensation building in my chest. My attention is solely on his striking face and the task of erasing the drawing of a large penis from his cheek. I try my best to disregard the way his fingers delicately brush against the back of my leg. Though I should speak up and ask him to stop, my voice fails me.

The silence stretches between us, growing heavier with each passing moment. I hold my breath as his fingers slowly travel up my leg, inching beneath my skirt. He watches me, waiting for a reaction. When I stay quiet, he dares to go higher, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin as he approaches that sensitive area. My breathing becomes irregular as I attempt to remove the black marker from his face, but he’s distracting me with his actions.

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