Statistics

I slammed the pillow over my head to drown out the sound of Nate and Alex yelling. As the yelling continued to get louder and louder, I jumped out of my bunk bed and landed quietly on the floor. Well, quiet compared to their yelling at least.

I slowly made my way to the front of the bus, opposite of where the yelling was coming from. I saw Gabe sleeping peacefully on the couch. I smiled at him even though he couldn’t see me and opened the cupboard.

“I AM SO SICK OF THIS! I AM SO SICK OF YOU AND YOUR STUPID ACCUSATIONS!” Nate yelled from the back as he slamming a door, making Gabe wake up. He jumped up and looked around with his mouth open, a little drool coming out. He closed his mouth and wiped the drool away as he stretched.

“Hey,” he mumbled as he noticed me. I smiled at him before reaching up to get a plastic cup, since the glass ones just break. I raised my cup up to Gabe, silently asking if he wanted too. He sleepily nodded before I got another cup.

I set them on the counter and got the chocolate milk from the fridge. I poured the sweet liquid into the bright colored cups before returning the milk carton and bringing the cups to the table. I gave one cup to Gabe, which he gratefully took, and sat down beside him.

“Morning V,” Gabe said before saluting.

“Is it morning already?” I asked, trying to look out the blinded window.

“Um, I don’t really know.” Gabe said honestly.

I looked around the messy bus for a clock or even watch. I lazily got out of my seat and moved some things around. I finally saw a light and pulled the clock from under all the clothes and what not. In bright red lights, it said 3:29 AM.

I groaned and Gabe looked at me questioningly. I place the clock in front of him before sliding back in beside him. He groaned too before painfully slamming his head on the table. I let out a soft chuckle before tangling my fingers in his curly locks.

A pissed off Nate angrily walked in, catching both mine and Gabe’s attention. Gabe rested his chin on table as we both watched Nate pace back and forth. He kept mumbling incoherent words and profanities.

I looked over at Gabe who shrugged before resting his forehead on the table again. I tiredly watched Nate as he waved his hands dramatically everywhere. I groaned loudly, something he didn’t seem notice, and rested my head beside Gabe’s.

“RYLAND ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?” Alex yelled from the bunk area. Gabe and I stopped our silent conversation and sat up, trying to peek into the bunk area to see what was happening.

“See that is just what I am talking about!” Nate yelled angrily before slamming his hands on the counter, making the things shake.

Gabe and I nodded as if we heard him mumbling awhile ago. He continued mumbling and Gabe and I acted as if we understood and agreed. Soon enough, we lost track of time and I was slowly falling asleep with my head on Gabe’s lap.

“I hate you,” someone nearby mumbled. I opened one eye slowly and saw a very grumpy Ryland glaring daggers at the table.

I slowly got my head off Gabe’s lap and stretched my arms out. I sent a lopsided smile at Ryland’s direction before wiping the sleep out of my eyes.

“I love you too Ry,” I said before getting off the couch. I opened the cupboards and got out a bowl and a box of Cap’n Crunch.

“I want one too please,” Ryland said from the couch.

“Me too,” a newly-awakened Gabe said groggily.

I simply nodded and got out two more bowls and three spoons. I got out the skim milk from the fridge and brought all the things to the table. I passed out the bowls and spoons before sitting down.

We ate our breakfasts in silence, enjoying the peace that would all too soon be broken. As soon as Ryland finished his bowl, I handed mine to him which he took and brought to the sink to wash them.

Even if the bus itself isn’t clean, at least our bowls, plates, glasses, and silverware will be.

Gabe passed his bowl to Ryland when he was done, which Ryland washed too. Once he finished, he sat back down and donated to the silence.

Time on the bus has been like this a lot lately. It was usually just quiet as Gabe, Ryland, and I sat. it was boring if you compared it to how it used to be but it is so much better than the screaming that would always come from Alex and Nate.

“JUST WAIT YOUR TURN!” Alex yelled from the back, where exactly, I wouldn’t know.

“BUT YOU TAKE FOREVER!” Nate yelled just as loudly.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I JUST GOT HERE A FEW SECONDS AGO!” Alex yelled.

Nate mumbled something we couldn’t understand but apparently Alex did.

“IF YOU REALLY THINK I AM SUCH A GIRL, WHY DON’T YOU JUST BE A MAN AND TAKE A SHOWER IN THE WILD?” Alex yelled before slamming a door shut.

They must’ve been arguing about the shower.

Nate soon came rushing out with his toiletries, towel, and clothes. He ran past us and stormed off the bus. I looked at Ryland and Gabe, both of which just shrugged before getting off the couch.

I stayed where I was for awhile before following Ryland and Gabe’s lead. I crawled into my bunk and turned on my laptop. I plugged in my earphones and blast the volume to the loudest just in case Alex and Nate started fighting again.

“HELLO CHICAGO!” Gabe yelled into the microphone.

The crowed happily cheered, some of them waving the arms and jumping up and down. I smile found its way to my face. This is what I love, everybody jumping up and down, screaming their lungs out, and having fun. This is what keeps me on that bus with four other men.

“For the next song, I want everyone jumping up and down, dancing, and singing along!” Gabe yelled right before we started playing Guilty Pleasure.

And I came here to make you dance tonight
I don't care about my guilty pleasure for you

And I don't even know
What kind of fool you're taking me for
So you've got some brand new clothes,
You never could afford before

Oh brother, spare us all
We don't care anymore
We just want to get down on the floor
You sell yourself to make it
You can dish it, but can you really take it

You’re never going to get it with nothing
Cause nothing's what you got in your head
So stop pretending

I came here to make you dance tonight
I don't care if I’m guilty pleasure for you.
Shut up-cause we won’t stop
and were getting down till the sun's coming up.
I came here to make you dance tonight
I don't care if I’m a guilty pleasure for you.
Shut up-cause we won’t stop.
Were getting down till the sun's coming up

OH!

And I don't even read,
what the papers got to say about me.
Oh no, I can't believe,
they take it so serious
(seriously)
I’m so bored. Oh please don't talk anymore.
Shut your mouth and get–

“What the fuck was that Suarez?” Nate yelled as he stopped drumming and interrupted Gabe’s singing, making the whole band stop playing.

The crowd looked around, some of them pissed, others curious. I looked at Gabe and Ryland and exchanged worried glances. This seriously couldn’t be happening.

“What the fuck was what Navarro?” Alex yelled back.

“That mistake you made!” Nate yelled.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. I can’t believe he is going to start a fight with his boyfriend, or whatever they are at the moment, on stage in the middle of a show.

“It wasn’t that obvious!” Alex said defensively.

“Yes it was!” Nate said.

“Only you seemed to–“ Alex yelled only to be cut off.

“Hey you guys!” William Beckett said to the crowd as he, and the rest of The Academy Is…, came on stage.

Gabe, Ryland, and I sent them silent thank you’s before going off stage with the bickering duo. We gave our instruments to the techies on the side who gave us sympathetic looks. We stayed on the side of the stage as Alex and Nate continued to fight.

“We need to solve this.” Gabe said with a determined tone as he stood in between me and Ryland.

“How do you plan on doing that?” Ryland asked, his voice coated with annoyance, not because of Gabe though but because of the married old couple who just won’t shut up.

“I don’t know.” Gabe said honestly but with the same determination.

“Well, one of us better think of anything soon or else we’ll have to find other ways to make money.” I said, pointing out the obvious.

Ryland nodded solemnly, obviously not wanting to find another career. I didn’t want to either, but if Alex and Nate keep fighting, on stage especially, we are all fucking screwed.

“Ryland, grab Nate, Vicky, help me with Alex.” Gabe said after a moment of silence.

We did as told and soon Ryland had Nate in a headlock and Gabe and I were holding onto Alex. Gabe led the way, passing doors until we reached the one that said Cobra Starship.

Gabe opened it and we all entered. Gabe and I let go of Alex and pushed him to the couch, as did Ryland to Nate. Gabe locked the door and then moved so that he was standing in between me and Ryland again.

“You guys have some serious shit to explain.” Gabe said seriously.

Nate and Alex squirmed in their seats and avoided looking at us. We sent each other tired glances before crossing our arms and setting our expressions to hard and cold.

We stared at them, impatiently waiting for one of them to crack. They peeked glances at us but quickly looked away when they noticed we were still staring at them.

I know staring is bad but desperate times call for desperate measures. The future of Cobra Starship is on the line here! And if one of them they don’t kill the other one soon, I will.

“HE KEEPS ACCUSING ME OF GOING OUT WITH OTHER PEOPLE!” Nate cracked.

“IF HE LIKES GIRLS, ALL HE HAS TO DO IS TELL ME!” Alex yelled.

“THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH LIKING GIRLS!” Nate defended himself.

“WHEN YOU ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP LIKE OURS, THERE KIND OF IS!” Alex said, making a point.

I moved from my stance and leaned on Gabe. He wrapped an arm around my waist and hugged my tired body closer to his. He rested his head on mine and let out an exhausted sigh. This is going to last forever.

Ryland tapped our shoulders and we turned to look at him. He pointed to the door and we quickly nodded, knowing what he meant. We walked to the door, not being noticed by the two. That is until Gabe stopped and said something.

“Our lives are going up in flames while we watch like it’s a movie,” Gabe said loud enough so that they stopped shouting at each other, “and you guys are the screen writers.”

After that, we left them, leaving them in silence to think.

“Thanks again Bilvy,” I said as I hugged him.

“No problem hun,” he said as he hugged me back.

I hugged the rest of The Academy Is… and thanked them for saving our butts out there before leaving the venue and heading back to the bus.

I entered the silent bus and said hello the driver before going deeper in. I waved to Ryland and Gabe who were watching a movie and walked past them to get some clothes and take a shower before the bus started moving.

I quickly rinsed my hair and washed my body before I slid on my pajama bottoms and tank top. I wrapped my towel around my hair and brought my dirty clothes and threw it in my laundry bag. I removed the towel from my head and hung it so that it could dry.

I walked into the front of the bus to get a snack before sleeping and was about to go into my bunk until I heard someone sniffling. I stopped what I was doing and waited to see if what I just heard was imaginary or real.

I was about into my bunk before I heard the sniffling again. I opened the bunk below mine, Ryland’s, and saw no one inside. I moved to the one across from that, Gabe’s, and saw no one inside. I heard someone sob and I was sure it was coming from the bunk directly across mine, Alex’s.

I opened the curtain slowly and sure enough, Alex was there wrapped up in his blankets. I crawled into his bunk and lay down beside him. I wrapped my around him and comforted him as he cried on my shoulder.

I knew what happened, even without having to hear it. I know it will be awkward tomorrow but at least they won’t be fighting anymore. They won’t be hurting each other.

Alex cried harder on my shoulder and I did my best to comfort him but I mostly let him cry his heart out because that’s what he really needed. He needed to cry, let everything out. Tomorrow might be worse but right now all I care about is helping Alex, helping him get through this.

Life is a wretched gray Saturday, but it has to be lived through.