The hotel lobby was quiet except for the trickle of water coming from the fountain near the front desk. The man behind had asked, in a thick accent, if Lennon needed anything and she assured him she was fine. She sat on one of the plush couches forming a square off to the side of the lobby and quietly plucked the strings on her guitar.

She had landed in Paris earlier that day with her band and Jordan. She had tried to sleep on the plane, but it had been restless. She should be tired now that it was almost three in the morning, but her brain wouldn't stop.

She knew the next day would be long. She had tried to sleep. She had laid awake for an hour before she deemed sleep unreachable, and ended up in the hotel lobby. Her head had been swimming with the sights she had seen with her band as they had toured around Paris.

She was trying to find a melody to a few lines she had running in her head when the elevator dinged. She looked up to see Kade walk off. He looked different. His hair was longer and his skin was tanner.

"Hey!" she said, when he met her eyes.

"Hey," he said slowly, looking around to see if anyone else was there.

"What are you doing down here?" She asked, the excitement of the day and the feeling of seeing a familiar face in a foreign place erasing their last encounter.

"I could ask you the same thing."

He stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets, silent. Lennon was about to respond with something funny about lack of sleep when their last conversation met up with her and she felt awkward and guilty.

An internal battle took up residence in her head as she tried to form words. One voice was telling her to apologize and the other, telling her he deserved it. She wasn't surprised the good voice sounded a lot like Charlotte.

"Hey, about what I said after the dinner in LA," she started to say.

Some emotion flickered across Kade's face and it made her dread increase. He probably wanted to relive that night as much as she did but she had to clear the air.

"I just want to apologize - "

"Don't," he said, cutting her off.

She was surprised the word didn't sound harsh.

"I - " he started but paused, looking down at his feet, then looking back up at her. "I should be the one apologizing."

Lennon was silent, unsure she had heard him right.

"I have been awful to you and you didn't deserve it."

His words hung heavy in the air and she wasn't sure how to respond. Lennon felt too stunned to talk as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"I know this doesn't even begin to make up how I have treated you but I hope it can be a start," he added.

He wasn't being his usual arrogant self and it felt weirdly unnerving.

"I honestly don't know what to say" she said.

He gave a small nod and kept his eyes focused on his feet.

"Why?" She asked.

The question sounded ruder once it was out of her mouth but it was all she could think to say. He looked up and their eyes met.

"Because you were right."

Her face must have looked confused because he continued.

"That night after the dinner. What you said. It was all right."

These words should have eased the guilty feeling that had developed in the pit of her stomach but it only seemed to make it worse.

"I was out of line. I shouldn't have said anything," she said.

"But you weren't," he said simply. "I was being a jerk and I justified it by the fact that you had signed a contract and I was making you famous. In all honesty I hated you even more after that night."

His voice was getting bolder and his eyes focused on her.

"But your words kept pushing through and I had to face the fact that I was being a jerk. Signing the contract didn't mean I could be mean to you."

She remained silent, waiting to see if he was finished.

"I could give a million reasons why I acted the way I did, and believe me, I played this out on my head that many times, using ever single one but none of them matter. I was a jerk. It's that simple."

"You kind of were," she said after a minute of silence.

His expression turned to one of surprise and she smiled.

"It's nice to hear you agree. And I forgive you."

His face settled into a neutral look and he gave her a small nod.

"Not that I didn't have my moments of being a jerk also," she added.

He started to shake his head but she stopped him.

"It doesn't matter how you treated me, I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. A million reasons but none of them matter," she said, echoing his words.

"I think they all matter but I'll accept your apology," he said.

"Thanks."

They stood in silence, the tension fading away and in its place an awkward feeling. Where did they go from here?

"Were you able to see some of Paris?" he asked.

The question felt forced but she appreciated the effort.

"Yeah. My band and I got down to the tower and went on a boat ride."

"Good."

"How about you?"

"No, I came straight here. Well I should let you get back to your guitar," he said.

"Right, goodnight."

"Night," he said with a small nod as he walked towards the main desk.

She picked her guitar up. All of a sudden the tiredness that had been eluding her landed and every limb felt heavy. She picked up her things and walked to the elevator, catching sight of Kade at the front desk just before the doors closed on her.

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

"Lennon" Noah shouted as he arrived at rehearsal the next day.   

"McCartney!" she called back.

"How was your break?"

Noah and Will were energetic and wanted to hear about everyone's time off. Kade was quiet but friendly.

"I'm ready for the show tonight," Will said. "I've been dying of boredom this last week."

"I'm excited! Are the European crowds different from the American ones?" Lennon asked.

"I feel like they have even more energy," Noah said.

"I didn't know a crowd could have more energy after the LA crowd," Lennon said.

"It's different" Will said.

"They are more organized" Kade added. "A few years ago everyone brought glow sticks to a show in, was it Germany?" He asked Will and Noah. "They brought them out when we sang Distance and it was unreal."

"Yeah, each section was lit up with a different color."

"How did they even make that happen?" Max asked. "This arena holds what? Fifty thousand people and they pulled that off?"

"I told you, these Europeans are organized" Kade said.

Everyone laughed but Lennon could see Max and Ace giving her questioning looks. Kade, Will and Noah got pulled away and Lennon could feel her bands eyes on her.

"Kade was in a good mood," Ace said casually.

"I think he was actually friendly," Max said.

"Yeah, we ran into each other last night and we cleared some things up," she said.

"Really?" Max asked.

"That's good?" Ace said uncertainly.

"It was good," she assured them. "He apologized for the way he acted."

"It's the least he could do," Ace said. "But just because he said it, doesn't mean he actually meant it."

"I know," she said. "Hopefully it will be different but if it's not I'll survive."

"And I'll punch him in the face," Ace offered.

She smiled and shook her head, pushing him back to his guitar so they could finish rehearsing.

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

Lennon thanked the crowd once more and then followed Ace and Max off of the stage, every inch of her buzzing. She loved the high of performing and it was only amplified with such a large crowd. She handed her earpieces to the waiting crew member and turned to see Kade, standing along the side of the stage.

"Good show," he said.

She tried to read his face, see if there was an underlying meaning to what he said but his look was neutral.

"Thanks!" she said, deciding to take the compliment.

"Sorry it took so long for me to see."

"It's ok."

He gave a small nod.

"I guess I'll see you on stage then," she said after a moment of silence.

It was weird, this uncertainty that had settled between them. She didn't know how to act or what to say. They weren't friends but he wasn't being antagonistic like she was use to.

"I'll be the one announcing your name," he said evenly, adding a small smile.

Lennon paused for a moment before she realized there was nothing else to say and left.

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

Hello hello!

So I've told you about my train bae, Trevor. Well guys it seems as if it is not meant to be. Our lives are just running on different tracks. Still I have written a rap about my love and I will now share it with you.

I got my train bae
I see him everyday
He gots that suit and tie
He's looking so dang fly.

Amazing right! I'm pretty much the next Lin Manuel Miranda (The creator of Hamilton for all of you who have been residing beneath a mineral structure)

So you know,
Vote comment, follow
Don't leave me hollow
Show the love
By doing the above

Bam! Seriously I'm on fire right now!