-----Three days later-----

A new, temporary peace was found between Jane and Rob since they fell asleep, their bodies intertwined on the rooftop. They had woken up and not mentioned a word of it to each other, just like old days, and a smile was plastered on her face for the rest of that day. Although she felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off their shoulders, she knew it wouldn't last. She knew she would have to search deep down inside herself to get the answers Rob deserved. Leaving him in this purgatory wasn't fair to him, but at the same time, Jane was probably just as confused. He had always been her best friend, her confidant, her safety blanket. She tried to not thing of those qualities in him gone, but now that she knew how Rob truly felt about her, she remained slightly guarded around him.

Three shows in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee went smoothly, and the attention that In Bloom had been receiving was growing with each city. Money was pouring in from online and show purchases, and calls were coming in from booking managers to fill the band's off nights and also asking what the probability of extending their tour looked like. 

Their first night off in six days was scheduled for tomorrow, and as much as Jane would have loved to squeeze in an extra show, her voice needed a rest. It always sounded raspy and tired, but with each show, she got off stage with her throat hurting worse and worse, and she knew if she didn't get a break soon, she may damage something. She desperately needed a quiet night with honey, tea, and sleep. 

Their drive today from Memphis to Raleigh was long - 11 hours - and they arrived at 7:00 pm. Their set times had been getting later and later due to the band's growing popularity, and they were scheduled to play at 10:00pm with their load in at 9:00pm.

Jane spent an hour in her hotel room alone before the show, most of it in the shower trying to let the steam sooth her vocal chords. Upon exiting its warmth, she got a knock on the door. Austin.

"Hey, J. How's the voice holding up?" Austin asked gently, rustling the wet hair on the top of her head. 
Jane laughed and smacked his hand away. "I'll be fine. Gotta go easy on the cigarettes tonight." She always said that but never followed through. Limiting herself in any way was a major weakness. 
"Alright," he sighed and looked to her sternly. "You and Rob have been getting along lately. Wanna fill me in?"
Jane's eyes darted away from his. "Uh, nothing to fill you in on. We talked. Everything's cool."
Austin scoffed. "Doesn't look like it," he replied, bending down so she'd look at him. "You left him hanging, didn't you?"
She groaned. "How the fuck do you know [i]everything?[/i]"
He smiled, satisfied. "Look, I know you're not gonna follow anyone's advice. But, that's not really fair to him, is it?"
"I know, I know." Jane shrugged. "But, Austin, Rob isn't like me. He deserves someone who'll wanna settle down, have kids and a mortgage or some shit. I don't want any of that. And yeah, I love him. But I can't pick apart what that love is, you know? He's been with me for so long that I don't know how I feel. That's just how it's always been. We've been each other's. But... not. God, I sound fucking stupid." She put her fingers up to the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut. "We're on tour, man. We were all supposed to be having fun, getting fucked up, sowing our seeds."
This made them both laugh. 
Austin hugged her tiny body and sighed. "I know, J. I know. But if you love Rob as much as you say you do, and I know you do, you gotta make an effort to deal with it, or else it's gonna blow up and ruin everything."
Jane nodded. "Yeah," she mumbled. "I'll figure something out."

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After getting dressed in a tie dye shirt and jean shorts, Jane made a hot cup of tea and headed down to the lobby of the hotel to meet with the rest of the band. The places they were staying at were nicer and nicer, and Jane kept feeling the eyes of the staff staring at her bare feet, which just made her laugh. No one was born with shoes, right?

When Rob made his way down to the lobby, Jane flashed him a genuine smile. She tried to push down the thoughts of her having to open up to him, and instead focused on how great things had been lately. But Jane knew one thing, at least: her physical attraction to Rob had been growing. Usually when people admitted feelings for her, she was instantly turned off by them, but after the night on the roof, of him holding her, she began noticing things about him she didn't before. How well-built he was, his large, calloused hands, his mannerisms and movements, his dark eyes. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her not to act on her thoughts. It was new territory for Jane.

"Hey," she nudged him. "A night off tomorrow, huh? That's gonna be nice." Her voiced cracked at the end of her sentence. "Obviously I need it," she sighed as she eyed the car loop outside of the hotel.
"Maybe we can hang out. Relax, watch a movie or something?" 
Jane's thoughts immediately switched from innocent ideas for their night to panic. What if their conversations turned serious? What if he tells her more than he already did? What if -

"Come on, guys!" Sam honked the horn of the van as he pulled up in front of the hotel, and Jane quickly ran out and hopped in the passenger seat. She needed to chill out before she ruined the vibe they created. Things would be fine. She hoped, anyway.