BLOOM • awsten knight

101

SEPTEMBER 2019

Elle's face lights up every time her phone rings, because nine times out of ten, she knows it's Awsten.

They've managed to keep their communication fairly constant and have been doing it well, considering time differences, as well as both of their busy schedules; but they do seem to be handling everything a lot better than expected.

Awsten is excited to be preparing for the upcoming album release, as well as tour at the end of the year, while Elle is excited for be playing shows almost every night, and she's settling further into being a performer, growing more and more comfortable on stage.

There's something validating about being on a real tour, with a bus, crews and big crowds; she feels more like a fully formed artist each day.

There's one thing that's bugging Awsten, though - he's due to fly out to Philadelphia to begin a small tour of acoustic shows, and it's the same day as Elle's show in Los Angeles; meaning that he won't only miss her show, but he'll only get one day with her, out of the three days that she's back at home.

It's a frustrating clash of schedules, but he's trying not to let himself get too caught up on it.

Instead, he's trying to work out a plan.

Elle is on the way back from sound check when her phone lights up, displaying Awsten's contact photo.

She smiles at the picture as it graces the screen. It's one that she'd taken while they were on Warped Tour; he's walking slightly ahead of her, turning back with a bright grin, with his sunglasses balanced on the bridge of his nose, and his cheeks tinted pink from the sun.

It could be her favourite picture of him, and she remembers mentioning it on Twitter before, but she doesn't think she got ever the chance to post it; maybe she'll do that at some point.

She answers the call, once she's snapped herself out of her daze.

"Hey!" Awsten grins, his face gracing Elle's screen. "I thought you weren't gonna answer me for a minute there."

"Yeah, sorry, I got distracted," she smiles back at him.

"Where are you?" He asks, looking around at her background, as Elle holds her phone up.

"I just had soundcheck," she replies, opening the door to the bus.

"Is anyone else on the bus?" Awsten questions, as Elle heads inside, and settles herself onto the couch.

"Uh, no," she glances quickly down the bus, before looking back at him with an odd look. "Why? What's up?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about something," he shuffles in his spot, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees, holding his phone out in front of him.

"Is everything okay?" Elle frowns, putting her phone against the arm of the sofa, as she crosses her legs beneath her.

"Oh, yeah! Everything's good," Awsten assures. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so serious."

"That's okay," she lets out a small, relived breath.

"I kind of, maybe have a plan," he begins, earning an intrigued look. "You've got a couple days in between your Indiana show, and your Wisconsin show, right?"