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Nikolai’s lounging across one side of the couch, eyes half watching the video game playing on the large TV on the wall, half tuned into his phone.
Hayden and Walker perch on the edge of the opposite side of the couch, controllers in hand and completely zoned in on the game unfolding in front of them. They jostle each other, trying to distract the other, teasing one another into messing up. It takes a moment for the three of them to register my presence, but when they do, the humor on Walker’s face drops, leaving with him a cold stare fixated on me and instantly my entire body shakes with a chill.
I wait for them to say something, but an awkward silence fills the space instead. “Can I join you?” I ask.
Again, too long of a pause, before Nikolai clears his throat and sits up, swinging his legs to the floor to clear a space next to him for me to sit. “Come on in.”
Taking the seat he freed up, I hold out my snack plate to him to offer a bite, to which he grabs a couple strawberries and nods his head in thanks. I do the same to Hayden and Walker, but Walker resumes the game and earns a disgruntled, “Hey,” from Hayden as he wasn’t prepared for him to start the game back up that quickly.
“Who’s winning?” I ask.
“Walker, but only because he’s played this game for years and I haven’t since our last tour. But once I get back into the groove, I’ll be kicking his ass,” Hayden nudges Walker’s arm, goading him.
Walker’s eyes don’t move from the screen, and at first glance it might look like he’s just really concentrating, but by the number of red splotches that are flashing across his screen, it doesn’t look like his character is faring too well.
I nibble on a few crackers, watching the game play out but it isn’t long until Walker’s top half of the screen goes black, signaling his death.
“Hell yeah!” Hayden cheers, elbowing him in the ribs, rubbing in his victory.
“Whatever.” Walker tosses the controller on the cushion beside him and stands to leave. “I’m headed to the gym,” he grumbles, tightening the strings around his hoodie so it pulls closer and lower on his head, partially obscuring his face. He doesn’t even make eye contact with me once on his way out.
After he exits the lounge and I hear the door slam at the front of the bus, I look to Nikolai and Hayden with wide, questioning eyes.
“What’s his problem?”
Nikolai scoffs. “You’re joking, right?”
My brow furrows.
“You’re not an idiot, Scar, but I also didn’t peg you as a liar.”
Woah, what the fuck?
“Excuse me?” I straighten up, offense coloring my tone.
“Okay,” Hayden takes over, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, brown eyes boring into mine. “Did you, or did you not, promise Walker you would watch our set last night? Or more importantly, watch him perform?”
My mouth opens but no words come out.
“And did you watch our set last night?”
“Well, no…” I start, before Nikolai interrupts me.
“I think that makes you a liar. And let me tell you, there’s nothing more that I hate than a liar.” I’ve grown accustomed to seeing the playful Nikolai, the one who’s always cracking a joke to clear the tension or try to make someone smile.
But this side of him takes me by surprise. His posture is stiff and distant, his normally welcoming eyes are shuttered closed, on the defensive for his friend.
“I’m not a liar,” I say. “I mean, yes, I did promise Walker I would watch last night but…” I don’t really want to give these two a whole glimpse into my life when I haven’t even shared certain things with Walker yet.
“I got a call last night and it just kinda upended my evening. I barely made it through my own show before I felt like I had enough energy to get back to my hotel room, let alone stick around for another two hours.”
“And never once did you think you could’ve texted Walker to let him know you weren’t up to staying?” Hayden probes.
“I don’t have his number.”
But as I really think about it, there are other ways I could’ve let him know, which Hayden brings up. “You could’ve let Vik know, or Boone. There were ways.”
“Fuck, I know.” The situation starts to sink in that I actually hurt Walker’s feelings, that his gloomy mood this entire morning has been caused by me. “I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
