You remain silent. It’s probably best you just shut up and don’t cause any more trouble. You cause Jimmy so much annoyance all the time as it is. You hardly even deserve to be friends with him, let alone be in a band with him.
“You feeling okay?” Jimmy murmurs. “Not too sick?”
You shake your head. “I’m okay.”
Jimmy nudges you gently in the side. “How come you ran off to get drunk and have a nap? I mean, I also feel like doing that pretty much all the time, but… on a show day? Really?”
You glance at him and realise he’s not really telling you off. He’s just concerned for your wellbeing.
God. Jimmy is so good.
“Dunno,” you say. “I was just stressed and tired.”
“I relate.” Jimmy nudges you again, this time his forehead on your shoulder. “Maybe just talk to me about it next time? Instead of turning straight to the vodka?”
“Well, you know I would rather do anything except turn straight.”
You both snicker, but then silence as you hear footsteps approach. The footsteps stop, seemingly just outside your cupboard. You feel Jimmy squeeze your arm with one hand.
But then the footsteps move away again. You both let out a simultaneous breath.
“We’d better get back, I guess,” says Jimmy.
“Yeah.”
Neither of you move.
“Hiding in a cupboard is nice,” you say.
“Yeah. No one knowing where we are.”
“No one bothering us.”
Jimmy huffs out a laugh. “Shall we do it again sometime?”
“Yeah. Let’s.”
You both exit the cupboard. Jimmy guides you down a few corridors, the pair of you walking in comfortable silence, until you find yourselves face-to-face with Rowan.
