Jaded by Bright Colors and Faded Walls

“Jade.” Jade groaned from her spot. “Jade, get up.” She sat up glaring at Dan sitting in the seat in front of her. “Wanna tell me what happen to the side of the trailer?” He asked. She shrugged laying back down. She’d been up almost all night painting, she hadn’t even finished. “Jade, you’re the only one that’s an artist.”

“Then maybe I did it.” She huffed pulling the blanket over her head. Dan sighed and climbed over the bench seat and picked her up before dragging her out of the van squirming. “Put me down!” She hollered at him. He did as told and set her on her feet, holding her up right as she started to sink to the ground.

“You do that?” Dan asked pointing at the large brightly colored flowers and creeping vines on part of the side of the trailer, there were pencil lines for the rest of it. She nodded. “Why’d you flower and jungle-fy the van?” He asked she shrugged lightly leaning into him, her eyes closed. “Why’d you do it?” He asked again laughing.

“You know it’s cool.” Alicia laughed as she stared at the very realistic flowers on the van, some were simple color outlines, but the ones in the upper right corner were fully developed.

“I know but she normally draws and paints when she’s super exited or upset.” Dan stated wagging a finger at Alicia.

“She likes a boy and thinks he doesn’t like her back.” Alicia smiled at him, her arms crossed over her chest as Jade sank slowly to the ground fully asleep. Dan blinked down at her a bit startled. “She was up all night, I made sure she got to bed okay and that Button got back too.” Dan saluted, that was all he needed to know. Picking her up bridal style he moved her back in the van on a bench seat and tucked her into bed.

“That is pretty sweet.” Jake mused as he sat on the side walk near the street a cigarette hanging from his lips. He was trying not to have anyone but himself inhale the smoke. “I mean, she’s got talent.” He added with a dull shrug as he took a deep drag of his fag.

“Why does it have to be flowers?” Doug and Oliver complained.

“Because she’s a girl.” Alicia laughed. “Duh.” She added in response. “Where the hell is Aaron and Albert?” She added looking around. She hadn’t seen either of them for a couple hours, not since breakfast at least.

“They went to walk around.” Doug stated sitting on the bench in front of Denny’s up side down, his legs over the back of the seat as his head hung near the cement.

“Meaning Aaron’s been kidnapped and raped by crazy teeny fans and Albert’s found an amazing clothing store.” Oliver translated as he took pictures of Jake smoking with the traffic whizzing by him and his black, green and blue hair with his long grey scarf and black vest fluttering in the drafts the cars caused as then went by.

“I still think it’s amazing you guys already have teenies running after you, I mean. That means you guys are good and you’re going to make it.” Alicia laughed as the guys shrugged.

“That,” Jake stated, blowing the smoke out in a silver swirling cloud. “Or we’re just what’s cool on the scene like Jeffery Star.”

“Just because you think he sucks doesn’t mean he’s not good.” Dan lectured as he opened the trailer and climbed inside, climbing over they’re gear to get to something. Jake shrugged lightly.

“I don’t think so.” Alicia stated. “I mean you guys are good and Jade can really sing.” She stated honestly. Oliver smiled at her.

“I think she’s right.” He added. “Hey Danny-boy.” Oliver called he got a muffled and strained ‘what’ out of the man. “Pull out some Merch boxes.” He added.

“What the fuck for?” Dan gasped looking up from where he was as he lifted a case out of the mist of everything. “We’ve gotta rearrange this shit guys.” He added as he climbed over one amp then part of his drum kit.

“Because I wanna take pictures of it for the MySpace.” Dan looked at him a bit unsure. “You guys will model it and make it look way cooler than it really is.” Dan flipped him off.

“I think you guys should get Jade to design some shirts.” Alicia stated still looking at the side of the in amazement. She was surprised such detail and wonder had come out of the small girl, just like the first time she heard Jade sing. It seemed almost impossible that she could do it.

“Fine, whatever, just start pulling shit out so we can rearrange it.” Dan snapped. Oliver put his camera in the van as Doug and Jake jogged over to help. They began pulling the rolling cases out, spinning them a few times to amuse them selves as they did so. “Okay.” Dan breathed as everyone looked at him. He was the brains of the whole arrangement. “Let’s move Button’s cage out of the van and the stuff in the very back of it as well, so all the bags and stuff.” Alicia and Doug opened the two back doors of the van and began moving them out. Doug let Button out of his cage and set the cage down by the tire. “Now.” Dan mused trying to think his plan through. “Put the some of the merch boxes back there on the right side where we had Button’s cage strapped in.” Oliver and Jake grabbed and few boxes passing them to Doug and Alicia. “Don’t stack them, Button’s cage it to go on top of them later once I find something.”

They all stopped as something started to belt out Cobra Starship’s Hollaback Boy at them. They gazed around at each other before pulling their phones out.

“Yellow?” Jake answered. “Aaron!” He called into the reciver as everyone else put their phones back. “Then why the hell didn’t you call him?” Jake huffed. “Fine.” He sighed walking over to Dan and holding the phone out. “Learn to answer your phone.” He added as Dan took it.

“Hello?” He asked softly moving away from the group and pulling his phone out again, he hadn’t heard it ring. He hummed softly as the buzz of Aaron’s words in his ear. “So where’s Albert… he ditched you?” Dan snorted. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s really not funny.” Dan mused, trying to force the smile off his face. “So where are you...?” He asked softly as he paced in a small circle. “Well we can’t come find you, we’ll just get lost and waste gas… besides we’re reorganizing the trailer because it…” Dan stopped frowning. “Hey Super sniffer so track down your brother.” Oliver glared at him.

“I’m not a dog.” Oliver huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest tightly. He wasn’t going anywhere after that comment.

“No but you can track down Jake and Doug like no ones business so what’s the difference in finding your brother?” Dan shrugged as Oliver glared at him.

“Because these two,” Oliver pointed a finger at Doug spinning a large rolling cases. “Where the hell is Jake?” Oliver asked. Doug stopped the case, quickly unlocked all the locks and opened it. Jake fell out of it laughing. “See they cause destruction and scenes so I just go to where ever the cops are, or where ever there’s a crowd.” Dan rolled his eyes at them.

“Well good news for you it sounds like…” Dan stopped. “Never mind, He can see the Denny’s sign.” He laughed turning his back on them as Doug climbed into the case and Jake closed it, locking it. “Okay.” Dan called as Doug fell out of the cases moments later. “Aaron’s going to stop and get some nice, waterproof cases for the merch so just leave the boxes along side the van in a nice stack. Oliver and Alicia took the boxes they’d put in the back out again.

“Can I ask why we have this?” Jake asked pulling a large piece of plywood out of the trailer.

“Not a clue.” Dan sighed as Doug wiggled his fingers and got up.

“There’s more pieces.” Jake added as he let Doug look at the massive pieces.

“Do you know what we could build out of this?” Doug gasped at Jake, both froze as their eyes went wide.

“Nothing.” Oliver stated pointing at them. “Don’t do anything stupid.” He warned.

Jade yawned and sat up, she wasn’t sure how she got in the van or what time she’d gone to bed last night. Climbing out of the van she looked at Alicia sorting the merch into long, plastic tubs and the guys arguing over something.

“What’s going on?” Jade whispered lightly. Alicia smiled up at her.

“I think it works.” Jake declared. “You’re just angry you didn’t think of it!” He added. Jade sat down next to Alicia and leaned against her lightly.

“What’s going on?” Jade asked again.

“They’re trying to organize the trailer and Doug and Jake built something inside it, I don’t know, I haven’t looked yet.”

“Prove it, you two put everything back inside with that thing up.” Dan stated lightly. Aaron and Oliver turned looking at him surprised. Nodding Jake and Doug rushed off to do their work. “If it doesn’t work they take it down, if it works they leave it. I don’t know what the point of putting the wood up in there does but maybe it’ll serve a good purpose.”

“Like when we had those bright pink and orange cases.” Aaron mused. Oliver looked up at Aaron confused. “They decided they were artists way back when and Jake painted half our cases Pink and Doug painted half the cases Orange. They were really Michael’s cases and he took them when he left the band, but they were super easy to find when we played shows because we knew which cases were ours.” Aaron shrugged. Dan nodded.

“I think we let them do it again or let Jade paint them.” Jade looked up a bit surprised by her name.

“Let me do what?” She asked, all three looked at her and smiled.

“Well good morning Princess.” Aaron laughed as she smiled up at him. “Nice way to decorate the trailer.” He added pointing at the painting on the side, she gave a sheepish grin at them.

“Do you want to paint a few of the amp cases?” She shrugged lightly at them.

“Not really.” She whispered. They nodded.

“D and J.” Aaron called lightly as Dan tapped his chin, trying to find the right words to word his thoughts into.

“Si?” Both asked lightly, popping their heads out of the trailer as they rearranged the amps.

“Do you guys want to paint the cases again? So we can find them easily once we go back on tour tomorrow?” Dan asked.

“Fuck yeah!” They yelled high fiving.

“I can’t believe that works.” Oliver whispered standing in the back of the trailed looking at the wood pieces. They’re put the pile wood against the side bench and supported it on the other side with the wood using the other pieces of wood. All the equipment in front of the pile wood so they could roll it out, most of their bags, the cases of drinks they’d bought and the new tubs full of merch on the other side and easy to access through the side door of the trailer.

“Yeah, I told you, you just have to give them a chance sometimes.” Dan mused as he leaned in the door. “We’re getting something to eat, you wanna come?” He asked. Oliver nodded slowly and stepped out of the van.

“They actually figured out a good way to organize it.” Oliver whispered as Dan locked the van and Trailer up. “They can’t eve organize they’re own thoughts.” He gasped.