Seeming to Go Nowhere

"Hey Brendon!!! You've got yourself a customer. Smells and sounds like somethin' horrid!" I hollered as the driver and his passengers jumped off the bus... or what was left of it.

Mason rose up just enough so that the strangers could hear his authoritative bark. The men looked at the car, wondering where the bark was coming from. "That's right, Mason. Scare off what customers we've got," I laughed. I blew a big bubble and popped it as I hopped off the top of the Ford. I slipped my aviators up and threw my pad and pencil in the bed of the truck along with Mason. I gave him a quiet hush and scratched his head quickly. The guys then made their way in my direction seeing as the auto repair was right behind me. I closed what distance was left as I walked up to them.

"Hey, I'm Juliana, but you can call me Julie. How can I help you folks out?" I smiled and extended my hand, waiting for one of them to speak up.

"Hi, I'm Nash," one of them said and shook my hand, "Our bus is breaking down and we're really low on gas. We were wondering if we could get some assistance with it?"

"Assistance..." I grinned, "Finally, a person with an IQ higher than Mason's. I usually get the, 'Hey der, young lady! I need some fixin'! I think my brother can aid you in your endeavor, here." I nodded towards his bus, "Let me just get him."

I left the four boys to wait as I crawled under the garage door to fetch Brendon. Brendon looked like your normal Oklahoma man. He had a blue plaid shirt rolled at the sleeves with oil stains here and there, a pair of dirt caked jeans, a body full of muscles, and a tan to go with it. At the moment, I could only see his dirty blonde hair and blazing blue eyes transfixed on something underneath his old Mustang.

"Are you really trying to fix that thing still?" I sighed as I bent down next to him.

"I'm pretty close Jules, you just need to have some faith in me," he muttered as he played with the parts, "What was Mason barkin' about out there?"

"Oh, we've got some customers. Sounded like Yanks by their accents. Their bus broke down in front. They look helpless; are you gonna help them or should I get the Doofus Duo in on it?"

"I ain't a doofus!" Josh cried from his place in the store shop.

"I ain't either!" hollered the second idiot who was doing who knows what.

"They may be dumb, but two things Jules," Brendon laughed as he slid from under his baby, "They're my best friends and they've got some sensitive ears. They burn like hot coals when people talk 'bout them. 'Sides, they've been taking care of you as much as I have."

"Yeah, I know..." I gritted my teeth at that reminder, "I don't know how though; I have a better sense of thinkin' than the two of them put together."

"Come on, let's go see what these strangers need," Brendon patted my shoulder and changed subject.

As we walked out, I saw one looking at the gas pumps, another leaning against the bus front, and another walking in the bus. Wait... there were four.... I thought and started to look around for the other one.

"Brendon, the one leaning against the bus is the one you should talk to. He seems to be the only with a voice," I nodded my head towards the guy named Nash.

"Gotcha. Keep 'em outta trouble Jules," Brendon winked at me.

I rolled my eyes. As I did so, however, I caught a glimpse of one of these characters by my truck. "Yeah, I'll keep them straight," I mumbled.

He was a bit taller than me and quite skinny compared to my massive brother. His hair hung to one side of his face and his skin looked like it hadn't seen the sun in quite a long time. His clothes were too tight and his jacket was too loose. What's with the city folk, always wearing clothing that doesn't fit them just right? He was petting Mason and looking at something next to my dog.

"May I help you?" I asked politely.

"Oh, hi," he jumped at my voice, "I noticed your dog and he kinda attacked me for a rub. He reminds me of my dog. She always wants attention."

"Yeah, that's Mason," I grinned and rubbed Mason's head; "He's a narcissist and will do anything to get your love and attention."

"You must really love him."

"Yup. He's been my best friend since I was eleven. He's getting old now. Shepherds usually live for only eight years. He's on number ten now."

"Is that why you're drawing him in your notebook?" the man asked, smiling down at my notebook.

"Oh!" my eyes grew wide at my embarrassing attempts at artwork, "Heavens, no... I was just doodling since I was stuck on this stanza I was writing."

"You write?" he asked.

"Are you surprised or somethin'? I know I'm from the south and all, but don't stick me in the same stereotype as those two dimwits..." I pointed at Brendon's best friends who were playing around with the air pump behind the man.

The man... so cliché sounding...

"So, what's your name? I already said mine."

"Oh, I'm Benjamin, but everybody calls me Ben."

"Nice to meet you, Ben."

"Nice to meet you too, Julie."

"Naw, I like you. You can call me Jules. Brendon gave me that nickname."

"Jules... it's still a pretty name," he smiled.

"Hey Ben?!" one of the other boys yelled out.

"Yeah, Anthony?" Ben turned around to look for him.

"We're gonna be staying out here for the weekend because Brendon says the tour bus took a bad dive and it's going to need some repairs."

"So, do you want me to inform everyone that the show in Dallas is held off for now?" Ben changed into this serious business man.

"Will you? Everyone for some reason takes what you say to heart more than the rest of us."

"I don't know why..."

"I know why, but we don't care. We own the band when you're not here," he shoved Ben with an evil grin.

"Don't kill me in my sleep," Ben joked back.

"I'm confused here..." I managed to throw in.

"Oh, it's easy," Anthony grinned, "Ben here is the lead singer and our main songwriter. He's our lead man so everyone follows the lead."

"You sing and you're a writer too?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

"Oh, you've never heard of us? That's alright; we are still kinda making our mark out there..." Anthony rubbed his chin and nodded his head, "Yeah, we're the band Armor for Sleep. We just happened to be passing through Oklahoma from Wichita, Kansas to get down in Dallas, Texas."

"Wow..." I gaped. A band? Of all things, this was an amazing day! "That's a lot of information to dump on a poor simpleton."

"No, you're far from simple Jules. You have a lot more than just a simple person," Ben picked up my notebook, "Simpletons do not just carry around notebooks filled with dreams and insight."

"Uhm, another thing guys..." Anthony raised his hand like a schoolboy.

"Yes?" Ben and I asked together.

"Brendon's offered us to stay at his house free of charge since we're low on budget and can't afford any expenses that'll cut our tour money down anymore than it is--"

He kept rambling, but I stood there shocked: my head spinning and trying to get off of this crazy rollercoaster. It was moving too fast and I was losing conscious of the world around me. There was a band, and at that, a supposedly famous one, who was about to stay at my house. My house has never over capacitated four people ever.

Armor For Sleep was staying over for a weekend? This was bound to get interesting...