Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(68)

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Kellan adjusted his guitar strapped on his back, then stepped onto his bus and out of my sight. Jenny, Rachel and Anna came up to clump around me. Windows opened along the sides of the bus, and strange guys leaned out of them to wave to strange girls. Then our D-Bags appeared near the back. Kellan leaned on his elbows over the glass, lifting his hand in a small wave. Tears in my eyes, I waved back.

With all of us girls sniffling, we watched, disheartened, as the bus rumbled to life. Stringing my arms over Anna and Jenny, Rachel leaning on Jenny, we all softly cried while our men departed for their war with fame. Even through my sorrow, I wished them luck.

As the bus pulled away, the various boys popped back inside it, windows closing after them. All but Kellan. He stayed propped out his window, watching me fade into oblivion as he sped away from me faster and faster. It was so metaphoric, a physical example of everything I feared our relationship would become, that I couldn’t keep watching.

When he was far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to notice, I closed my eyes. Sadly, that felt metaphoric too.

When I reopened them, the busses were gone, vanished from sight, off to destinations unknown. The random girls wandering around the parking lot talked with each other in clumps before heading off to their separate vehicles. Most of them looked fine, like their boyfriends disappearing down the path to fame and fortune was no big deal. Shaking my head at the more chipper girls in the crowd, I wanted to run over and tell them,

“What are you so thrilled about? Don’t you know the odds are that you’ll be replaced as soon as they are household names?” But I was trying to keep my head in a positive place, so I didn’t.

Sniffing back the tears, I suddenly wanted to be at home, wetting my way through a box of Kleenex. My friends had other plans, though.

Jenny stepped in front of me, cupping my cheeks. She hazed in my watery vision as I stared at her. Shaking her golden waves, she said, “Kellan gave me instructions that I wasn’t allowed to let you mope after he left…so stop picturing all of the bad things you’re picturing and smile, so I can tell him that I did my job.”

She grinned after she said it and I blinked. “He…gave you instructions on how to handle me?”





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Jenny shrugged, dropping her palms from my face to grab my hands.

Anna laughed and put her chin on my shoulder. “Yeah, he talked to me, too…said I should take you out a lot, make sure you had fun and didn’t wallow too much.” I looked back at my sister and she giggled, rolling her eyes. “It’s like he knows you or something.” Quiet Rachel put her hand on my arm and I looked over at the mixed beauty. “He cares a lot about you, Kiera. He wants you to be happy while he’s gone.”

Blinking at her, I shook my head. “He talked to all of you?” They all shrugged and smiled and I shook my head. “I can’t believe my boyfriend assigned my friends to be my keepers…like I’d be popping Prozac and walking along bridge rails once he left.” Smiling, I laughed a little. “That jackass.”

They all laughed with me and I took a moment to look over each woman’s face. Even smiling, I could see a sadness in each of them and I swallowed, remembering that I wasn’t the only one suffering here. Putting my arm around Rachel, I asked, “I know I’m not the only one going through this…how are you guys?”

Rachel shrugged, her deeply tanned skin flushing. “All right, I guess.

Matt says he loves me and he’s not interested in anybody else. It’s all about the music with him…so, I think we’ll be fine.” I hugged her briefly, agreeing with her. Matt wasn’t the type to go after a girl when he had one waiting at home. Even before he’d started dating Rachel…that just wasn’t him. Jenny in front of me sighed morosely. “I miss him already, but I know Evan will come back for me.” She shook her head. “We’ve been friends for so long…I just can’t see him doing anything… ” she bit her lip and glanced at Anna, “…stupid.” Anna snorted and we all turned to look at her. “Well, Griffin and I aren’t the lovey-dovey couple that the three of you are, so I’m completely fine.” Smiling, she shrugged. “He gives me what I need when he’s around, and when he’s not…” her smile widened, “there are plenty of others who can.”





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She winked at us and I laughed and shook my head. At least Anna wasn’t head-over-heels for Griffin and wouldn’t get hurt over his…antics. I was fairly certain that he wouldn’t even try to be faithful and committed to her while he was gone. Hell, he wasn’t even faithful and committed to her while he was here! But she wasn’t faithful to him either and they both seemed fine with the situation.

Jenny smirked and shook her head while Rachel frowned. Being Matt’s girlfriend, she probably saw the most of Griffin, since the twin-like cousins were sort of inseparable, and if she was anything like me, she probably found him repugnant. Anna sighed and laid her head on my shoulder. “I will miss the multiple orgasms, though.” She sighed, forlornly. “No one can stroke me like that boy.” Jenny giggled while Rachel’s flush deepened. I reached over and smacked my sister’s shoulder, pushing her away from me. “Ewww, Anna, too much information…seriously.”