- billboards {h.s.}

3

Ryan and I ended up being the last ones awake. We sat and talked all the way from nine o'clock past midnight, just him and I. We definitely had chemistry. I just didn't know whether I was ready to break the 'all work and no play' façade I'd had going on.

Ryan didn't push me either and I respected that so much, it made me see him in an even brighter light than before.

"So who'd you leave behind to come on tour with us?" He asked me, tapping his fingers, on the table. I guessed that was his way of asking if I had a boyfriend back home.

"No one," I said truthfully. "I move around too much and I'm always traveling, working away from home anyway, I really never have time to form bonds." I pushed my wavy black hair over my shoulder and looked down at the table. "I don't know why I just told you that."

He smiled, revealing dimples similar to Harry's. "Don't worry, I prefer deep conversations anyway." He paused. "I'm the same way too, you know. I'm always going here and there to work with artists and do events. Sometimes I feel like I'm just following my camera around the country."

"Wow," I was slightly speechless. He said that in such a nonchalant way, but I knew words like that didn't come from barely-there emotions. That feeling haunted him, but I knew how he felt. "You're not alone. Sometimes I wish I could separate my talent from me and just let it do it's own thing."

He laughed. "It could be worse though. We could be spotlight people."

I groaned. "I've had a little taste before. I had a little stint with Brody Jenner. Worst mistake ever."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Nothing is private when you're with a celebrity. I like my privacy."

"Me too," he nodded. He was silent for a while looking at his camera before he picked it up, smirking. " But I'm a paparazzi at heart. You mind?"

"Oh, no, go ahead." I said as I giggled and shook my head.

He clicked a few buttons and it came to life. The lens came out and he held it in front of his face before snapping a series of pictures.

"I have this collection on my website. Still shots of beautiful people I meet on tour." He said flipping through the shots.

"I'm one of those beautiful people?" I asked, half-smiling.

"Honestly, you're the most beautiful so far." He said, reciprocating my facial expression. "I know you said you don't like mixing work and play but I don't often 'play' when I find a girl I click with."

I smiled down at the table. "You're very straight-forward, Ryan. I like that, I'm the opposite. I'm a bush beater."

He chuckled. "A bush beater, you're too cute."

"Ryan, I-"

"I know... We really shouldn't do this. If it ever goes bad, it'd be awkward. One of us would end up leaving the tour early. I wouldn't want that either-"

"That's not what I was gonna say, but you're right." I nodded. "I was gonna say I was heading to bed, but I guess you're right." I stood and put my hand over his. "Just know if I had to choose. I'd choose you over Kasey, any day."

That made him smile, and even blush a bit. The first day on the road was nothing like I'd expected. I'd made friends with the band, the singer, and the photographer. I was definitely on a roll.

Harry

I woke up to giggling toward the front of the bus. I noticed we were stopped so I went ahead and got up. As I stood there stretching I caught a glimpse of who was making the commotion up front. It was Ry and Summer. She had her hand on his arm and her other hand was clutching her stomach as she laughed.

He was standing there with a goofy smile on his face, gazing at her. I just shook my head. We didn't need those kind of distractions. My band was acting like a bunch of horny teenage boys who hadn't seen a girl in ages. Granted, Summer was a pretty girl with her light green eyes and freckles, but we all just met. We barely knew the girl.

I walked up to the front rubbing my eyes. "Morning guys, where's the driver? We're not in Smithville yet are we?"

Summer shook her head. "No, did you look at the schedule at all? We won't get into Smithville until it gets dark. Sherry went to get a pack of cigs, that's it." She looked out of the front window. "I'm actually gonna run in and get a cup of coffee. Anyone want anything?"

"No thank you," I grumbled in my morning voice.

"I'll take a coffee," Ryan said.

"Okay, I'll be back." She said in her mousey little voice before skipping off the bus.

Ryan watched her as she walked across the pavement and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What is it about her that's got you and Kase so worked up?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Ryan looked up, not even ashamed that he'd been caught ogling. "There's something about her vibe, and she's so complex but still down to Earth. Plus she knows her worth and when you actually sit down and talk with her one on one, without a ton of people around, she opens up its like she's a totally different person. She has so much to say." He finally looked at me when she entered the store.

"Really?" I couldn't imagine her saying too much. I knew from experience a lot of writers in general are usually introverts and recluses, so that's what I expected of her when she first isolated herself from the group. That's honestly why I didn't approach her. I was just giving her space.

"Yes really. You read through those songs. You gotta know someone capable of work that caliber has something to say and a story to tell."

"Did she tell you hers?" I inquired.

He nodded. "She told me she dated Brody Jenner before. She's on the road a lot. She had a car named Jasper, but someone stole him her first week in LA. She has a kid brother named Trey and he's 17-"

"Just stop, you need to focus. I need your head in the game okay? She's a coworker, if you will. She's not fair game. She's off limits." I put my hand on Ryan's shoulder. "C'mon mate, get your camera, get out there and take pictures of our first stop. Don't get distracted."

He took a few seconds but he finally nodded. "You're right. I don't need this. I just broke up with Trina too. A relationship is the last thing I need right now." He nodded again, looking back out of the window. "Thanks for the reminder bro," he said before stepping off of the bus.

I would've felt bad if I thought he'd actually liked her. But I knew he only interested in her because she was there.

an - I'll make a small list of characters here bc I'm writing this on my phone and i cant enter in a cast so here we go

Summer - main character
Harry - singer
Ryan - tour photographer
Kasey - bassist
Craig or C - drummer
Jimmy - guitarist
Sherry - driver

I know no one's reading this yet, but feel free to suggest a cast. I already have Summer picked out tho. In my mind she's the girl in the picture. She's @\snitchery on insta and she's a bomb ass makeup artist btw.