Issues

Chapter 33: Tour Bus Days Part I

Wednesday November 3, 2021 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Tanq POV

4:36 PM

So, we're about a day into the RAW cross-country tour and we've all been checked into our hotel rooms. While we've all been chilling out and relaxing all day, some of us are now preparing for a fan meetup later tonight. Luckily, the guys and I don't have a meetup appearance to make until next week, so we've actually split up for the day to do some touring and sightseeing around the city, Dean off with Renee and Joe while Seth is off...somewhere else with someone else or by himself, I don't really care. As for myself, I've been hanging out at a bar with my girls Nia, Alexa, and Joseann for the past half-hour enjoying some pre-happy hour drinks and catching up.

"We don't do this nearly as often as we should." Nia says and Alexa nods in agreement.
"We really don't and we need to." She adds in sipping on her virgin cocktail.
"You're right, but The World's Greatest Manager is always so busy with her beloved boys, we only really text and call anymore." Joseann sasses with a little smirk at me and I chuckle and hiss my teeth.
"Aw, Jo, don't be like that. Things have gotten a little crazy recently. I know I have the tendency to get lost in my work or just caught up in general, but I'm working on it. Look at me: I'm out with you guys while the guys are out somewhere else. I haven't even texted them since this morning."
"Not even Roman?"
"Nope."
"Oh, you know it's serious when she ain't even texting Roman, and he's her favorite!" Nia teases and they all laugh.
"Oh, whatever, he is not my favorite! I appreciate all my boys equally."
"Mhm, but rumor has it you appreciate Roman the most." Nia says sipping her beer and I choke on my own.
"Oh, stop it, Nia." Alexa retorts slapping her arm.
"Rumors are just that, rumors. You know everyone's just used to shit like that happening around here, but that doesn't mean they did it, too."
"I know, I know, I just like to fuck with her, especially since people felt so invested in this rumor to start a bet pool on it."
"Just so you know, I had nothing to do with it."
"Me neither."

Once they've finished with their back and forth banter, I silently nod my head and take another swig of my beer before responding.
"Joseann, may I speak with you privately, please?"
"Uh, yeah, sure." She says swiveling her stool around.

We promptly get up and leave Nia and Alexa confused at the bar while Jo and I head outside with our drinks. I don't really know what I'm expecting to get out of this talk, but I'm hoping she'll finally want to shed some light on this whole situation. She probably just wants to protect my feelings and not want any of my friendships to be ruined over it, and I don't want to make these next few weeks on the road awkward between us, but I just can't ignore it any longer and I'm not going to let her try to distract me from it anymore. Getting out front, we walk around the corner of the building and a few steps down the alley.
"Well, this isn't sketchy at all." Joseann jokes, but I only nod.
"Yeah, like that bet pool." I say cutting to the chase and she groans.
"Ugh, you're still on that? Why won't you just let it go?"
"Because I can't until I know who started it."
"And what's that supposed to accomplish, hm?" She asks crossing her arms and I shrug.
"I just need the closure, alright? Throughout my life, I've let way too many things slide that I know I shouldn't have and I can't keep doing that to myself for the sake of keeping up appearances; I can't keep pretending like I'm okay and that something isn't bothering when it's actually nagging at me every moment of every day. I need to know who's responsible so I can continue detoxing my life because that's a process that's been long overdue, something I should've done after I had my daughter; but I can't change the past, I can only plan for the future, and I don't plan to be this frustrated, anxious, or sad in the future."
"And you think knowing who started the bet will give you some type of closure?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I just said." I snap and she rolls her eyes at me.
"I think you're doing a whole lot for something that's not even that big of a deal."