"Hey have you seen Will?" Lennon asked a passing crew member.

"No," he said with a shrug.

She continued walking down the long hall, stopping every person she passed.

"Do you know where Will is?"

"I think he is out by the stage," one of them said.

"Thanks," she called over her shoulder, picking up her pace.

The London arena was busy as the stage got put together and men in harnesses worked on the lighting. She quickly scanned the crowd, looking for Will and spotted him towards the back talking to one of his security guards. She approached slowly and waited off to the side until the conversation was done.

"Hey Lennon, what's up?" He asked cheerfully.

"Nothing much. How about you?" She asked.

She tried to hide how eager she was to get to the point.

"Well I - "

"Ok I lied," she said cutting him off. He laughed a little. "What's going on with Kade?"

"Is he being mean?" He asked, his expression becoming serious.

"No. That's why I want to know what's going on."

"He must have finally come to his senses."

"It's weird."

"No, it's nice."

"No, it's weird."

"At least he is making an effort," he said.

She gave him a suspicious look, sensing there was more then what he was saying but he kept his face innocent.

"And how did this all come about?"

"He must have realized that fighting with you for the next year was a lot harder then being nice."

"And..." She prompted, knowing there had to be more to the story.

"And Matt told him you two would start to drop hints about dating towards the end of the tour and then it would be official and you would have to hang out all the time."

"And..."

"And Noah and I told him you're not so bad."

She thought about taking that for an answer but there was something more that he wasn't saying.

"And..."

He seemed reluctant to continue. She folded her arms and gave him a look that told him she wasn't going anywhere until he continued.

"And I might have told him I would punch him if he didn't start acting nice to you."

"Thanks but you didn't have to do that," she said.

"Trust me, it was more for my sake then yours. I'm tired of the tension whenever he is in the same room with you. Plus it's just really stupid. You're nice, he actually isn't that bad when he isn't pinned into a corner."

She started to roll her eyes but he spoke up.

"Serious Lennon. I know he has been a jerk and I'm not excusing any of what he has done but he really isn't that bad. I've known the guy forever. It's just been a rough few years."

Will's voice was serious and it cut short any sarcastic comment she had planned on responding with.

"It's weird," she repeated.

He groaned in frustration.

"No, it's him trying to make an effort. Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Yeah, like three months ago when this all started."

"Better late then never, right?"

"It's really late and after he was a jerk."

Will looked at her somewhat pleadingly and she suddenly felt guilty. She hadn't even stopped to think about how it had effacted him. He must have felt so torn. He had been Kade's friend for so long it would have been easy to take his side and ignore her but Jessie had made that impossible when she became friends with Lennon. She studied him for a moment, debating what it would take to give Kade a second chance.

"Fine," she said. "If he is going to make an effort then maybe I can give him another chance."

Relief covered Will's face and he smiled.

"Good. It might be slow but I think you guys can be friends and make it out of this whole thing alive."

"Let's hope so," she said

*****************

"Lennon," Jordan called, giving the dressing room door a light knock as he entered.

"You do realize knocking while opening the door kind of defeats the purpose of the knock."

"How are you feeling about tonight?" He asked, ignoring her comment.

"Ready."

"Good."

He sat on the couch, his knee bouncing up and down.

"And how are you Jordan?" She asked, turning around to face him.

She could tell there was something he wanted to talk to her about but he was doing his usual roundabout way of getting there. She might as well cut to the chase for him.

"How are you liking the tour so far?"

She studied him as he worked hard to keep his face neutral.

"Things with Kade have improved," she said, turning back to the mirror to continue getting ready.

"That's great to hear" he said enthusiastically, realizing after the words were out of his mouth that she hadn't answered the question he had asked but the one he had wanted to ask.

"You didn't answer my question," he said.

"I answered the only question you wanted to know," she said, catching his eye in the mirror. "I think you forget that we have seen each other almost every day for three years. I know you."

"I am happy to hear things with Kade have improved because by the end of the tour you will be spending a lot of time together," he said,

She could tell he was studying her to see how his words affected her.

"It's about time I get to spend some time with my fake boyfriend. I only signed the contract because I knew it meant I got to kiss Kade Matthews!"

He chuckled and she could see his shoulders relax. She was about to add something when she saw the back of someone pass her dressing room and cringed.

"I was kidding!" she yelled and the figure stopped and turned.

"I always figured that was the reason you signed the contract. It's nice to know I was right," Kade said flatly, cracking smile just as Lennon began to worry he was being serious. "I mean I am Kade Matthews."

She laughed involuntarily, shocked that he had made a joke about something that would have had him in a rage a month ago.

"Kade," Jordan said, standing up.

"Jordan," he said, accepting his hand shake.

"It's good to see you. How are you liking the tour so far?"

"It's going good. How are you?"

"Great."

"Good. Well I better go."

Lennon held back her laughter until she was sure he was gone and then dissolved. Jordan didn't seem to find the situation as funny as Lennon had, giving her a serious look until she stopped laughing.

"Next time let's voice those thoughts a little more quietly," he said, returning to the couch.

"You got it Sarge!" she said, saluting him.

"As I was saying, we want the press talking about you and Kade more as the tour comes to an end, so we have planned some outings where you will be pictured together. The first one is tonight. The band is getting a tour of London by boat after the show and you will join them."

"You don't have to ask me twice," she joked.

**************************

Lennon studied the bright orange life vest the boat driver was holding out for her and then looked at him.

"No thanks" she said with a sweet smile, taking his outstretched hand as she stepped down into the small speed boat.

"Lennon, where's you life vest?" Noah asked, already seated on the bench.

His sitting position had pushed the vest up closer to his head and made his neck disappear. Lennon found it comical.

"I don't need one. If I fall out, I can swim."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why? Do you think everyone should suffer and look as bad as you do?" She asked.

"Hey, safety first."

"I'm with Lennon on this one," Will said, stepping into the boat after her. Kade didn't bother getting a vest either.

"I hate to think about this but I will say I told you so at all your guys funerals when you fall out and die," Noah said solemnly.

"Ahh Noah is always looking on the bright side," Kade said.

"Scared of the water?" Lennon asked.

"Always has been," Will answered.

"He was always the last one in at swim lessons," Kade said.

He reached out to tousle Noah's hair but Noah dodged Kade's hand.

"It's unpredictable," Noah said defensively.

Lennon turned away and tried to hide her laughter.

"You okay there Lennon?" Will said, slapping her back.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to contain her laughter.

She turned around to Noah's glare and Kade's smile.

"Alright, are we ready," the boat driver asked as he stepped down into the boat and the tour guide followed.

"They need life vests," Noah said.

He looked at the three of them before he turned and started the boat.

"They're alright. If they fall out we can circle back around. Eventually. Alright, lady and gents my name is Henry and I will be your guide around London tonight."

The driver pulled the boat out of the harbor and slowly moved along the docked boats until he got to open water and sped up. Lennon stood up by the driver and watched as parts of the city, all lit up, passed by.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Someone said.

"Unlike anything I've ever seen," she said, turning to find Kade, his eyes focused where her's had been.

"What do you think Lenny?" Will asked, coming to stand on her other side, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

"It's unreal. I'm still not sure I'm not dreaming!"

"If I threw you overboard that might help make it more real," he said.

"I think I just settle with convincing myself it's real," she laughed.

"Ok."

She glanced back to see Noah still firmly planted on the bench.

The three of them stayed up at the front of the boat for the rest of the tour and it felt comfortable. Lennon didn't say much, to overwhelmed by all the sights, but Will and Kade kept up a steady stream of jokes. It was only on their returning trip that she started to pay attention to what they were saying.

"And off to our right we have the famous patch of grass where the royal pup takes his daily poo," Will said in a ridiculous British accent.

"Up ahead we have the famous bridge where the inventor of Snapchat was hit while crossing the road and came up with the idea to create an app that could make the perfect snowball. After ruining several phones with water damage he dropped the idea and moved on to Snapchat," Kade said.

"Did you know that there is actually an apartment in the left tower of tower bridge? It was built in eighteen twenty-nine and was home to Tom Cruise during the filming of Risky Business," Will said.

"Tom Cruise?" Lennon laughed.

Will gave her a nod.

"It's true" Kade added.

They went under the tower bridge and Will pointed out the window where you could occasionally catch Tom Cruise's shadow.

"How about a picture?" Henry said, as they got just beyond the tower.

Will dragged Noah up from the bench and squished him in between himself and Lennon. They all squeezed together and smiled, the flash momentarily blinding them as Henry snapped multiple pictures.

Lennon was crawling into bed when her phone started to buzz and she reached for it. Will had posted the photo and tagged her and the comments were streaming in. She studied the picture, the glowing skyline of London playing as their backdrop. Her hair looked a bit wild from the wind but her eyes were bright and her smile was laughing. Noah had managed to plaster on a smile and looked comical in his life vest. Kade and Will were laughing and for the first time the picture actually portrayed what the night had been like.

**********************************************************************

What is hip hop happening people!

Yeah I promise never to say that again. I apologize that you even had to witness that. I feel so embarrassed! 😳

Anyways, so someone brought a pizza onto the train! 🍕Yes and it smells amazing. I'm seriously considering moving to sit by them, chatting them up and then stealing a piece after they have dubbed me as their new best friend. Brilliant plan right! I think it could work. I've been told my charm is irresistible! Or was it irritating? Nah, that couldn't be it. I'm as cute as a button. (Question, why a button? Are buttons really that cute? Why not baby hippo? Never mind that is not really flattering) I will get me piece though, you can count on it! Even if I have to buy it myself! (Insert emoji with smiley face and a fist in the air. Why they haven't created that one yet is beyond me, there is never a moment when it can't be used)

Also 300 views! I seriously can't believe it! You are undoubtably the best! Love you!👏🏻👏🏻

So on with life, but before you go vote, comment, follow!