“Preferably you won’t be using my recording equipment while getting a blow job,” I counter.

Colton stands and heads to the kitchenette. “Trust me, if it’s going to happen, it’ll be Felix’s footage.”

Dev snorts in agreement.

Now I know not to review Felix’s footage around other people.

Colton returns with his own coffee and settles on the opposite end of the couch. He stretches his legs out on the cushions toward me. His socked feet sit a mere inch from my leg. In a weird way, it makes me feel included again.

Like he’s accepted me as part of the herd.

He swipes the remote off the back of the couch and turns up the volume. The playlist from my phone pours out of the speakers lining this part of the bus.

Dev nods along with the song, seemingly approving of the punk anthem, while Colton drops his head back on the wooden cabinet behind him. His eyes close. His toes tap to the beat.

The moment has me leaning over for my camera off the floor. Colton cracks a lid when I move, his lips tipping up at what I’m doing.

“Never stop,” he sighs out the words with a touch of disapproval.

I ignore him and hit record. The scene already unfolds in my head. An acoustic version of their song “Haunted” playing—if the label approves it—with cuts of their time on the road. Mostly on the bus. Candid moments like these. Ones like what I get by slowly panning from the landscape rushing by through the window to Dev on his couch. He has his head down in pure concentration, trying to paint the nails on his left hand. His profile is similar to how he appeared on stage last night, pouring every ounce of his focus into the finger movements of his bass.

From what I’ve learned, Dev’s the dreamer of the group. He told a story during our initial interview about the first time he performed—strumming a play guitar in front of his grandmother and her friends during one of their weekly get-togethers. Even while telling me about the sun shining through the windows and the rush he could feel over his skin, he appeared lost in the moment.

He’s wanted exactly what they’re doing now ever since: to change hearts with his music, repay his grandmother for every encouraging word she gave him growing up, to find a way to inspire the next generation to dream bigger than they can even imagine.

He glances up, breaking into a grin when he sees the camera, and with a shake of his head goes back to work. “Nothing is sacred now, huh?”