Alone Together {Patrick Stump}

Chapter 27

*I'm going to skip to tour time because nothing interesting happens between her birthday and tour. Also the dates are a little messed up because I suck at lining up dates no matter how hard I try, so try to follow along if you can. If you can't I apologize now and I advise you to just ignore the dates. I still hope you enjoyed my extra long last chapter since I hadn't updated in a while :) I probably won't be able to update a TON because my grandma has been in town since Saturday and she'll be staying with us for a while. That's why the last chapter took so long to get out. Enjoy the new chapter :)  

Two days. In two days, I'd be leaving to tour with the band. In two days, I'd leave behind this newly familiar home to tour the country. Even leave the country. The girls were over helping me pack. We wouldn't be able to see each other for months. After the North American tour, it's off to Europe. It'll be fun to tour with Dad and the guys and see what they do, but I'll definitely miss my friends. We'll Skype all the time, sure, but it won't be the same.

"We have to make these last two days count," Chloe said while we packed my bags. "I say we don't practice tonight. Practice here early tomorrow morning and then spend most of the day shopping or doing something. We won't see Lyra in months."

"She has a point," Summer added. "If we don't make these last days together count, we'll regret it."

"Guys, it's not like I'm dying," I laughed. "I'll be back in a few months and we can get back to practicing and hanging out. And anyways, you guys all get to come to the Los Angeles The Boys of Zummer show. Backstage passes and great seats, remember?"

"You know she's right, don't you?" Danni laughed. We finished packing my bags.

We made the next two days count. We did all sorts of things together. It would be several months before we saw each other again. We were headed to West Palm Beach for the first show. I was excited, but reluctant to leave. We loaded everything on the tour bus and I said goodbye to my friends. We promised to Skype at least every other day. 

"Lyra," Dad called from the doorway of the bus, "it's time to get going. Finish up so we can get a move on, please." He gave me a  sympathetic look as I turned back to finish my goodbyes.

I hugged them. "I'll see you in a few months," I said. "I'll miss you guys. I'll take lots of pictures and videos to send to you."

"We'll miss you too," Chloe said. "Bye, L." 

We reluctantly let go of each other and I headed towards the tour bus. I looked back one last time as I got on. They waved to me the whole time we started driving away, until I couldn't see them anymore. I sat on the little couch and just sat there, silent. Dad walked over and sat down next to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Don't worry," he said, lightly kissing my forehead. "The girls will be fine and you'll have tons of fun. We'll be back faster than you think."

"Dad?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Is it bad that sometimes I miss my birth family?" I asked. I felt him tense up a bit. "Sometimes I wish my grandparents had kept me or my aunt had stepped up to take me in."

"N-No," he said. "I understand you miss your family."

"But that's just it," I said, staring across the small area at where my uncles were playing video games and eating snacks. "They aren't my family. This is my family. The guys are my family. You're my family. You, Pete, Andy, and Joe. Brendon, Sarah, and Dallon. This is my family. The people who have been here for me for months. Those people who abandoned me and left me alone? They aren't my family. How can they be? Family doesn't leave and abandon each other."