We just got off stage after the last night of the tour.  The last night. It’s actually really sad, it’s just sinking in now. We just started and now it’s over. I don’t really want it to end; now I’m getting all emotional. I felt an strong, sweaty arm over my shoulder, before feeling Justin’s warm breath whisper in my ear, “Get in the fucking room.” Justin pushed me towards one of the locker rooms.

            There were a couple people already in the room, and people were slowly sprinkling in. I sat down on the edge of a locker, watching everyone carefully. We’re all like a family. It’s so true. We fight like we’re siblings, but in the end we’re best friends. I’m going to miss this.

            “Girl, what was up with you?” I heard Kenny’s voice while he sat down next to me.

            “What?” I asked with a laugh.

            “What? You were all up in my space.”

            “I was not!” I laughed and hit his arm, “get out of my face.”

            Kenny shook his head and stood up, looking down at me before he left, “You coming to Europe?” I didn’t answer him, probably because I’m still not sure. Part of me wants to go, but the other part knows I shouldn’t. I have this weird childhood crush on Justin and I feel

 like I’m setting myself up for failure. He, obviously, doesn’t feel even remotely close to the way I fell and he has a girlfriend. Every time I see her I want to slap her. I feel like it would be smart for me to move on and go home.

            But on the other hand, I wouldn’t mind seeing Europe. Plus I’m really enjoying my experience touring and I’m not quite sure if I’m ready to end it. I know I’ve been acting like I’m not into dancing but seriously; there is no feeling like being out there on stage in front of thousands of screaming people.

            “Alright,” Kenny continued, breaking me from my thoughts, “It’s cool, I’ll wait for the big announcement. Stand up, give me a hug.” I did as I was told, “It’s been fun girl. You got the moves, thanks for schooling us out there every night.” Schooling tends to be the word of the tour. Everyone is always schooling eachother. Honestly, before the tour I’ve never even heard that phrase.

            “Says the guy that tours the country giving lessons.”

            “Ay, you could do it too,” he threw his head down and smiled before moving on to talk to someone else.

            I stayed standing, since it seemed like everyone was making the rounds in search of hugs. Everyone is getting emotional, I don’t really know why. They’re all going to Europe, and then they’ll be together all the time just like they were here for the past few months.

Justin and Marty ran into the room screaming and dumping bottles of Champagne on everyone. I should have known that’s what they wanted everyone in here for. “Ya’ll come get a shot. I’m from the south, you know how we do,” Justin said as he held up a bottle of Jack Daniels.

            Justin handed me a glass before looking up and pulled it away with a smile, “No, I got the good stuff for you.”

            I made a face and he laughed, “You’re never going to give that up are you?”

            He poured extra Jack Daniels in my glass, “Later then, I got it,” he winked before handing me the glass. Why must he do these things to me? I grabbed the glass and rolled my eyes, ready to move out of the way, but he grabbed onto my wrist, “Don’t go too far, stay here.”

            Everybody formed a circle, “Alright, everybody got one?” Justin began, “Ya’ll know I’m going to be the sappy bastard but seriously, thanks to everyone so much for giving your all every night of the show. Ya’ll brought your own thing to the show and it would have sucked without each one of you. We were at each other’s throats for a good part of the tour, but, for real, this has been the best tour I’ve ever had. We schooled America, now we’re off to school Europe!” everyone shouted ‘schooled’ and laughter filled the room. Justin held his drink up and everyone else did the same, “Alright now, seriously, thanks to everyone for working so hard and putting up with my perfectionist ass. Put um up! For the best fucking show anyone’s ever seen!”

            I drank the shot and watched everyone giving hugs. People looked like they were about to cry, I’m not really into all these emotions. I turned around and Justin was gone, where the hell did he go? The rest of the dancers were making their ways back to the bus so we could go back to the hotel and get ready for one last party.

            I walked by Justin’s dressing room and heard him inside getting his things together, “Why are you hiding?”

            Justin laughed, “I’m not, I’m getting my shit together.”

            He looked up at me and his eyes were definitely looking like he was about to cry, “Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

            “Shut the fuck up,” he said with a smile, wiping his eyes, “I’m not about to cry, I have allergies.”

            “Yeah, ok” I laughed, “Allergies.”

            “Allergies Dallas, get over it,” he grabbed his bag and put his arm around my shoulder, “Did ya have fun?”

            “Yeah, a lot of fun. Thanks J.”

            These have become the moments I live for on this tour. The time where it’s just Justin and I. There’s no drama and it’s just like it used to be when we started. I’m glad everything made a full circle and we’re back to that.

            I followed Justin into the Escalade waiting to take him back to the hotel since everyone else already left. “So what was up with you chasing me around on stage?”

            Justin laughed, throwing his head back, “You liked that huh?”

            He literally chased after me, like we were playing tag in the middle of the show. The whole show was a lot less professional, being the last one, but he scared the shit out of me. You have no idea what it’s like to be in the middle of dancing and have a man come running straight for you, not even thinking about stopping. I had to run away. And I ended up doing laps around the stage until the song ended and he finally gave up.

            “How do you sing and do that at the same time?” I asked honestly. It doesn’t make sense.

            “It’s called talent Dallas. I didn’t get here on my good looks alone.”

            “Obviously,” I rolled my eyes.

            “You’re coming out right?” I nodded my head, “Good, gotta get some Patron then,” he finished with a crooked smile.

            We walked into the lobby of the hotel and my heart stopped beating when I saw who was standing by the elevator. “Surprise!” Jess shouted, holding her hands up in the air while giggling like a schoolgirl.

            “What are you doing here?” Justin asked, not exactly hiding the shock in his voice. It almost seems like he isn’t excited to see her.

            “I came to surprise you! On your last show! Congratulations!” she clapped her hands together. “Hey Dallas, congratulations!”

            Did she just call me Dallas? Please tell me she did not just call me Dallas. I felt my teeth clench and my hands form fists. I really need to slap this bitch. It’s my last day, I might as well go out with a bang.

            “Easy there, Killer,” Justin whispered in my ear before moving his arm off my shoulder, “I’ll see you over there, ok?”

            I nodded my head and headed towards the elevator. I really hate her.

            Why the fuck is this girl here? Honestly, she just left a few days ago and now she’s back. It’s not like I should be upset that she’s here, but it’s the last night of the tour, I’d like to chill with the people that I’ve been touring with for the past four months. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me gently, “Hey baby.”

            “I thought you were filming.”

            “I have the weekend off,” she smiled, she’s always so damn happy, “I just got in though, I missed the show. I really wish I could have seen in,” she pouted her lips out.

            “You’ve seen it before.”

            “Are you mad I’m here? I probably should have called, but I wanted to surprise you.”

            “No, it’s cool. I just wanted to chill with everyone on the tour tonight.”

            “Oh, well you can still go out. I mean, I don’t even have to come. I don’t mind staying at the hotel. I wanted to see you before you leave for Europe though.”

            Why does she have to be so understanding? Even when I’m a complete asshole and tell her I’d rather spend the night at the bar with my friends she’s ok with it. And she’s still fucking smiling.

            I felt like I had to tell her she can come, “No, of course not Jess, you can come.” but I’m not exactly going to be paying attention to her, that’s for damn sure.

            I jumped in the shower as soon as I got back to my room and realized I still didn’t know if Dallas was coming to Europe or not.  When we got to the club everyone was already partying. I saw Dallas sitting down talking to the girls; they looked like they were getting into some deep conversation. That worries me because they’re usually laughing and fooling around.

            Jess went off somewhere and I didn’t bother looking for her. Instead, I found Dallas and grabbed her with me. “Gosh, just drag me.”

            “I will,” I smiled bringing her to the bar, “I’ll have a Jack and Coke and she’ll have a Tequila Sunrise.”

            I heard Dallas laugh over the music, but she grabbed the drink as soon as it came out. I grabbed her hand again and brought her to the outside area so it would be quiet enough so we could talk and actually hear each other.

            “Where’s Jess?”

            I shrugged. I don’t really care. “Getting a drink I guess.”

            “She just showed up?” I nodded my head, “Didn’t she just leave?”

            I nodded my head again. It’s safe to say I can add Dallas to the list of people that don’t like Jess. “So, you’re coming to Europe, right?”

            Dallas didn’t answer me, but when I looked over at her she was shaking her head.

            “What?”  I shouted, she can’t be serious. My heart started pounding, “Are you serious?”

            “Yeah, calm down.” Why is she acting like this isn’t a big deal?

            “Why the fuck not?” I realize my voice is a lot louder than it should be, but I can’t help it.

            “I just don’t want to dance Justin, it’s not my thing,” she answered calmly.

            “That’s such bullshit. I’m so sick of you pretending you don’t have the time of your life when you’re up there. I see you up there Dallas; you’re not just doing it because you have to. You want to dance, it’s your fucking life.”

            “No, it’s not.  I had fun, don’t get me wrong, and it was cool. Thanks for taking me. But I did it. I gave it a try and I enjoyed it but I want to get going on my career. I’m not a dancer. I just finished school and I want to be able to do what I went to school for.”

            “You do not get that fucking feeling you get when you’re on stage in front of thousands when you’re drawing up a fucking room.”

            “You’re taking it personally,” she answered, still extremely calm. I’m the only one screaming like an idiot.

            “I am taking it personally, of course I’m taking it fucking personally. It’s my fucking tour Dallas. What the fuck do I gotta do? I need you to come on tour.”

            “You don’t need me.”

            “Yeah Dallas, I fucking need you on this tour,” I could feel my eyes getting watery and I can’t believe I’m getting so emotional over it. If I honestly thought that she wasn’t going to come because she didn’t like dancing I’d be fine with it. But it’s a bullshit excuse. There’s more to it, I don’t know exactly what, but it’s all bullshit.

            “You’ll survive Justin. You’ve got plenty of people on the tour that know how to dance.”

            She doesn’t get that there’s more to it than that. There’s so much more to it than that. And if I didn’t have my fucking girlfriend in the other room I would tell her that. I’m having a fucking crisis here. She has to come.

            I looked at Dallas and she looks like she’s about to cry herself. “I’m going to go back to my room, I don’t feel good.” She answered quickly, her voice cracking halfway through. She stood up and wiped her eyes but the tears were already starting to come.

            “Yeah,” I stood up wiping my own eyes, “These fucking allergies are killing me.”