Feeling This

Chapter Five

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" Nicolette groaned when Mark pushed open the curtains to her bunk, causing bright light to flood the small space.

"Ten more minutes," she pleaded, pulling the blankets closer to her body.

"No can do, Nic," Mark denied. "It's already eleven. Travis says you need to get started on your school work."

Nicolette groaned again, making Mark chuckle. She rolled over onto her other side, facing away from the bunk's opening and away from Mark.

"Seriously, Nic, come on," Mark persisted.

When Nicolette ignored him, Mark nudged her arm. He clutched her shoulder, forcing her to turn back to him. Nicolette sighed heavily before slowly opening her eyes. Mark rolled his bottom lip and pouted at her.

"Will you please just get out of bed?" he begged.

"Ugh, fine," Nicolette consented, sitting up in her bunk.

"Thank you," Mark sighed with relief. He stepped aside in the hallway so that Nicolette could climb down. "Isn't this better than having to wake up at seven to get to school?"

"But at my old school I got to see my friends and be normal," Nicolette countered. She used Tom's bed as a step before she hopped onto the carpeted floor.

Mark gave her a wounded expression. "Are...are you saying that I'm not your friend? I'm hurt, Nic. After all we've been through."

Nicolette snorted a laugh, unable to contain herself. "Oh yeah," she agreed. "All twenty-two hours of it."

"Wow, time sure does fly by," Mark remarked. He glanced down at her clothes and blushed, as if he had just realized she was in her pajamas. "Well, I'll let you get dressed. We have rehearsal in ten, but the cereal is in the top cabinet above the stove."

"Thanks, Mark," Nicolette smiled. He nodded at her before heading down the hallway towards the communal area of the bus. Nicolette turned in the opposite direction and walked towards her closet. She was surprised to see Tom in front of his own closet across from Nicolette's, even though she shouldn't have been since it wasn't that big of a bus. There were only so many places he could've been.

"Did you just wake up too?" she asked, standing in the archway that separated the bunks from the closets. Tom turned at the sound of her voice and smirked at her.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he greeted. "And no. I don't think anyone could sleep as late as you."

"Then what are you doing?" Nicolette asked confusedly. Tom was already dressed, not that she approved of his outfit choice. The blue Hurley shirt was fine; it was the extremely baggy gray shorts Nicolette didn't understand. He looked as if he had just finished skating down the railing on the steps in front of her school, which Nicolette supposed must have been the look he was going for.

"Just trying to figure out what to wear tonight for our opening show," Tom shrugged. Nicolette smiled to herself, finding it cute that he was nervous about the tour.

"You look fine," she assured, knowing that the fans would be there for the music, not to see the clothes the guys were wearing.

"Although," Nicolette continued, stepping closer to Tom. "I'd lose the hat." She removed Tom's backwards baseball cap and ruffled his short hair with her free hand. "It's sexier."

Tom's mouth opened slightly and closed just as quickly, reminding Nicolette of a goldfish. She giggled and pushed his hat against his chest. Tom took it from her, still giving her a blank stare.