I Use to Dream You Up

Laughing loudly, Carmella found her way back to the Cobra Starship tour bus. Due to the fact that Victoria was her sister she scored a spot on the band’s bus. The doors opened up to a dark interior. Trying to find the light switch, and trying not to make to much noise, Carmella walked in with her arms stretched out in front of her. She couldn’t help but laugh while she imagined her own sight. She had no intention of making it so late, but after a couple of beers and loads of laughs with Paul, time flew by. She stumbled across the seating area without any real trouble. While she tried to find her buck she nearly crept in bed with Nate, was it not that someone turned on the light. The bright light made the red head blink a couple of times, and than laugh at the sight of Nate’s sleeping head so close to her own.

When she got out of Nate’s bunk she turned to see who turned on the light. Gabe was standing there, staring at her in full delight. “Are you drunk?” he asked with a smirk on his face. “No,” Carmella almost yelled out. She clapped her hands in front of her mouth and giggled. “Okay, maybe a little.” She turned around and looked at her own bunk, opposite of Nate’s bunk. Gabe shook his head and smiled. He walked passed Carmella, towards his own bunk. This one was above Ryland’s and opposite of the bathroom. He zipped down his hood and took it off, placing it on the floor, right where he stood. “O, shit,” Carmella sounded out of her bunk. “I’m still in my working clothes.” She rolled out her bunk, slightly wobbly on her feet. She looked at Gabe that took of his shirt. She shook her head and that removed her own. That is when she spotted Gabe staring at her. “What? Never seen boobs before?” she asked him straight forward and bitchy. “I’ve seen many,” Gabe smiled. “Doesn’t mean I don’t like staring at them.”

Carmella shook her head, slightly disgusted by his words. “Men.” She than grabbed a big white shirt and pulled it over her head. She crossed her arms behind her back, opened her own bra with one hand and removed it from under her shirt. She dropped her bra to the floor and Gabe made a protesting sound. “What?” she asked. “Female parts have to be cleaned up, bus rules,” Gabe explained. Carmella laughed as she dropped her jeans to her ankles. She grabbed a fire-red pyjama pants and put them on. “Just like you’re not allowed to screw your fans on the tour bus,” she said while she hopped into the bunk. Gabe smiled and dropped his pants down as well. “You’ll wait and see, soon enough you want a piece of the Saporta as well.” Carmella closed her bunk curtain and laughed. “In your dreams, Gabe.” Then the bus grew silent.

The next morning Nate was the first one on his feet. He’s the early bird that gets up and uses up most of the hot water, saving just enough for Victoria. The other guys always got cold showers, this because they waited till 2 o’clock to take a shower, instead of jumping right in. Sometimes Ryland just took a shower at the venue, because he hated cold water showers. This morning was no different, while Nate was already fully dressed playing his Nintendo games and eating his cereals Victoria woke up. Nate paused his game and jumped to his feet. “You want some breakfast?” he asked sweetly. Victoria nodded and Nate made her some eggs while she used up the last of the hot water on the bus. While Victoria and Nate at their breakfast, Carmella got out of her bunk. Her make-up was smudged and her red hair was messy. “Coffee.” Was all she could really say. Nate jumped to his feet to make Carmella some coffee while she sat down next to Victoria.

“So, you had fun last night,” Victoria laughed while she cut a piece of her bread. “Ugh, last night was so much fun. Now I feel like someone had grabbed a sludge hammer and hit me on the head with it. Multiple times,” Carmella complained. They heard groaning and moping which where signs Alex had woken up. “Here you go,” Nate said while he offered Carmella her coffee. “I added some chocolate powder to it, because I usually make coffee way to strong and the choco powder clears that right up.” He sat down and finished his cereals while Carmella took a gulp from her coffee. She smiled at Nate in appreciation, unable to speak due to the headache. But Nate understood the gesture. A scream came from the shower. Carmella looked at Victoria and Nate as they smiled. “If you want a hot shower, you have to be quick around here.”

The morning went by smooth. Ryland got out of his bunk without any troubles. Him and Alex got ready to make a skit for their site and dressed up as news reporters. Last one up was Gabe, who did everything on his own time line. Even though they only had the morning off, they had to do 4 interviews and sound check. During the night the bus had driven to the new venue and Carmella was surprised of how little she noticed of that journey. While she got dressed the rest of the band went to their first interview. All cramped into a small van Victoria was forced to sit on Nate’s lap. Because the radio station wasn’t sure they where going to interview the entire band they ordered a small bus to go and pick them up. But, because Pete had said the entire band was needed for the interview they all stuffed themselves in the tiny van.

A black skinny jeans, white top and a bright purple scarf made for an outfit that day. Carmella looked at herself and approved of her decision. She then grabbed some bright purple and yellow shoes and decided to put up the merchandise before it would get to crowded at the venue. This venue was a small one compared to way Cobra had played the day before. With place for no less then 500 people and a very small stage, Carmella wondered how they where going to put it all in place. “It’s good to see you’ve made it to the bus in one piece,” a voice said. Carmella turned and smiled at Paul, who looked like crap. “Well, I’ll have to say, I’m surprised myself.” She smiled. “Want to help set up?” Paul nodded as they went to work. The tables they had to use this time where very unstable and they had to put pieces of carton underneath some of the legs to stabilize it. The board they had to pin the shirts to was to small, so Carmella decided to wear the G.A.B.E. hood with a price tag on it. “This venue sucks man!” Paul yelled as the board he was allowed to use for the support act fell over once again. Carmella agreed. “I hated last night, but this is going to be even worse!”

While waiting for their interview to start Cobra was seated in a small, bright yellow, lounge area. Gabe looked around, in complete amazement, how everything around him, matched his shoes. “So, why did you come back to the bus at that insane hour?” Nate asked as he seated himself next to Gabe. The singer smiled with a wicked grin and wiggled his eyebrows. “You know,” he said suggestive. The little drummer shook his head and looked disappointed. “We where kind of hoping you went drinking with Carmella,” he sighed. Gabe looked confused and stared at the male that was quite small in comparison to him. “We?” he asked. Nate looked up, with the same confused look on his face as Gabe’s. “Yes, Victoria and I,” he stated as if it wasn’t already obvious. That famous Gabe Saporta smirk appeared on his face as he hear Nate say their female keytarist’s name. “You have a thing for Vicky, don’t you?” he asked with a suggestive tone. Nate looked up, shocked, confused and scared. When he noticed his ‘I’m-so-busted’ reaction, he sat back down, tried to look calm and relaxed. “No, you’re so wrong,” he said. Gabe opened his mouth, but Nate was saved by the bell. “Cobra Starship? We are ready for you now.”

After the interview’s Cobra had arrived at the venue, ready to play and have fun. Carmella was preparing herself for one hell of a night. She even peeked at the show and was amazed by how much energy they gave to their crowed. Cobra got the entire crowed jumping, from the first row all the way to the back. People that where there due to friends or children where jumping along to the beat. Sweat dripping off their foreheads and screaming their hearts out. When Gabe announced their last song, Carmella turned around and walked to the merchandise booth. Some fans, skipped the last song so they could be in time for the merchandise. While wearing the purple hood she positioned herself behind the wobbly table and sighed. “Tired?” Paul asked. He had set up the entire booth perfect in comparison to Carmella’s Cobra booth. “Slightly, I never thought it was going to be this overwhelming,” she laughed. Paul laughed, as he straightened one of the shirts on his table. “Well, you just come looking for me if you feel like you can’t take the pressure anymore.” Carmella wanted to ask him why, but Cobra had finished and the fans where pouring in.

The merchandise flew across the table, and Carmella even sold the hood she was wearing herself. Making more money than she thought she would, that night. Pleased with the results she cleaned up the booth and went back to the bus. While walking past fans standing around Victoria and Nate, and taking pictures with Alex and Ryland. Carmella was so proud of her older sister that she was doing what she dreamed of when she was younger. It made her think that maybe, she could one day, achieve her goals in life as well. She threw away the empty cardboard boxes and hopped on the bus. Without any warning she bumped into a completely naked Gabe Saporta grabbing himself two Cokes. “O my god,” she said in complete embarrassment. She turned around, jumped out of the bus and decided to watch the rest of the band handle their fans like normal people. “Fuck!” she than cried out. She had left the cigarettes in the bus and wasn’t in anyway mentally stable enough to go back on the bus and grab them.

“What are you doing out here?” Alex asked as he came towards the bus. “Just wait for it,” Carmella hinted while she looked at the stars. Like it was a okay sign a girl inside started to scream. “You had a run in with the naked Gabe,” Alex laughed. “O yeah.” Carmella rolled her eyes and looked at her shoes. “And, I left my smokes in the bus, because I’m trying to smoke less than I usually do. I want a smoke so bad at the moment,” she complained. Alex smiled and searched through his pockets, revealing a small pack of Camel cigarettes. “You are my savoir,” Carmella said loudly, grabbing herself a cigarette and giving Suarez a big hug. She lit hers and Alex his cigarette and took a deep long drag through the orange filter. The clear air around them welcomed the gray smoke they blew out and Carmella felt a calming sensation come over her already.

While talking to Suarez, time flew by. Before they knew it the bus door opened and a brunette girl walked out. Her hair was slightly messed up, her cheeks flushed and she was walking on her bare feet, holding her sneakers in the right hand while trying not to draw to many attention to herself. When she finally reached about a 100 yards away from the bus, Gabe walked out with a satisfied grin on his face. “Had your fix,” Alex asked bluntly. The look on his face was far from pleased. Carmella found herself between to man, that looked as if they where going to have a verbal fight. “Can’t handle that you’re not getting any, Suarez?” Gabe threw back at his band mate. He lit his own cigarette while Alex took a deep drag from his. “I’m not one that uses my fans. They are their to support us and help us make it big. Not to screw around with, just because we feel the itch.” Gray smoke found their way into the night air while Alex spoke his words. “And how is that treating you?” the cocky singer asked. “Just fine.” Their voices started to raise at this point. “Yeah, of course, mister perfect. You know, just because that is your point of view doesn’t mean it’s like mine.” The two had moved closer towards each other and Carmella felt kind of cornered.

“Guys!” Victoria screamed loudly. “Are you fucking insane?” She placed herself between the boys and pushed them away from each other. Her sister looking in amazement at Vicky’s strength. “We have a long tour ahead, and I’m not in the mood to play both of your mothers. So, Gabe and Alex, you better start acting like men your age instead of a bunch of teens that still laugh at the word penis,” she said. Nate giggled slightly, which made Victoria look over her shoulder with anger in her eyes. “Gabe, you go clean up the lounge sheets and Alex, you promised to make your famous pancakes. I’m starving.” With that said she took the lead and the rest followed her into the bus. “So, how many days until we have a no-show day?” Carmella asked her older sister. “Not for a week, Camie, sorry,” Victoria replied. Carmella sighed. A week, this was going to take more out of her than she would have imagined.