I Use to Dream You Up

The following week crept by slowly. The shows stayed the same, the screaming and hair pulling at the merchandise, stayed the same and Gabe fucking a different fan each night, stayed the same as well. So, when finally the 3 days of freedom showed up, everyone in the bus wanted to do what they wanted to do. Nate was playing his Playstation 3, while yelling at the computer screen. Victoria was reading in her bunk, looking like she just rolled out of bed. Ryland and Alex where playing some sort of card game and Gabe was no where to be found. Carmella had placed herself on the big lounge bed and was watching Disney movies. The bus was still stationed at the last venue, due to the bus driver eating something that made him sick.

The original plan was for them to go shopping in a huge mall, and Carmella and Victoria had been looking forward to it the entire week. So they where extremely bummed that the bus driver decided to try something new. While Carmella reached out to the popcorn the doors to the lounge area flew open, and a sweaty Gabe walked in. Without looking up or a word said, Gabe pulled his sweaty shirt over his head and threw this across the room. “Do you mind?” Carmella asked, while she paused ‘The Hunchback Of Notre Dame’. Gabe turned around, and looked surprised at the sight of Carmella. “No, I don’t mind you staring,” he joked. The red head rolled her eyes and played the movie again. She loved how Disney always made her happy even when she was feeling down. “What are we watching?” the singer asked while he jumped onto the bed besides Carmella. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I was watching ‘The Hunchback Of Notre Dame’ until this jackass interrupted me.” Gabe smiled. “You want me so bad.” He grabbed a hand full of popcorn and got of the bed. “In your dreams maybe,” she yelled after him.

The movie had ended and a cold shower had taken place. Carmella was seated at the small table eating her breakfast, when the bus driver appeared, looking well. “Do you girls still want to go shopping?” he yelled to the back of the bus. “Are you kidding me? We are dying to go,” Victoria yelled, while she rolled out of bed to get ready. The bus driver nodded and, after making sure that everyone was on the bus, he came into gear. The mall was a 40 minute drive away from the venue at which they where stranded. Alex was surprised at the sudden active girls, doing their hair and their make-up. “I don’t get it, it’s just a mall,” Suarez whispered to Ryland, who in response pulled up both his shoulders.

The mall was enormous, with bright lights hanging from the ceiling. “Wow,” Carmella said utterly amazed by the mall. “Okay, so you girls are going clothes shopping, we are going to the game store and we’ll meet at the Ben&Jerry stand around 5?” Nate looked at his watch as he spoke. “Sounds like solid plan,” Victoria smiled. “Come on, we need to get you a new bikini.” She grabbed Carmella’s arm and started walking towards H&M. The guys where already down the stair before either one could say, duck. “So, what do you think of Carmella?” Suarez asked Saporta. He on his turn laughed as he walked towards the Wii section. “See seems like a nice girl,” he smiled. Alex wasn’t going to settle for that answers. “Come on man, is that all?” Gabe turned around and raised an eyebrow. “What, you think she’s my type? She’s the girl you pick on with flirtatious comments, but never actually do anything with.” Alex shook his head. “What?” Gabe asked as he picked up the latest Wii sports game. “Girl is your type, you are picky. If I where you she would be on the top of my list.” Alex looked at Gabe. Gabe smiled, “Maybe you should ask her out Suarez.”

“A bikini?” Carmella asked. “I wasn’t planning on going out and getting myself wet.” She crossed her arms as Victoria walked up front. “We are going swimming tomorrow and you might want to consider something less, boyish?” Victoria turned around looking at her smaller sister. “It’s not a bad thing that you wear boyish swimming gear, but around these guys you would want to show more. They will do everything for you.” Carmella sighed as she followed her older sister. “You are not trying to set me up with one of your band mates are you now?” she questioned. Victoria laughed at her little sister. “Who would I set you up with? Nate is way to shy for you, Ryland is totally not your type, Gabe screws around to much and Suarez is mine.” Carmella’s mouth started to curl up at the ends. “You like Alex?” Victoria ignored her question and started to search through the clothing racks. “Fine, keep your secrets.”

They finally decided on a bright pink and black two piece for Carmella. When the girl filled up their arms with bags, the guys where playing Wii sports in the near by game store. “Guys, it’s almost time to meet up with the girls,” Nate said while drinking from his milk-shake. “If we are late, Victoria is going to kill us.” Gabe checked his watch and sighed. “Ladies and their time.” They stopped the game and ran up the stairs, there they headed towards the Ben&Jerry stand. While they arrived so did the girls. “Dude, did you spend all your money or something?” Suarez asked looking at the bags. “No, we only spend all of yours.” Victoria smiled but Suarez turned slightly pale. “O, come on Suarez.”

Everyone headed towards the bus. Carmella was tired of walking on her heels the entire day, carrying the bags all day and just the fact that this was yet another active day. She was falling behind a little but she enjoyed the quiet. “Need help, sweet cakes?” Just the voice she wanted to hear, not. Gabe offered to take some bags of her arms and she gave him some. “So, tomorrow we are going swimming?” Carmella asked. Gabe nodded and smiled. “Time to see that nice body of yours in swimming gear.” Carmella smiled she than turned towards Gabe. “I’m going to make you a deal, big shot.” Gabe grinned; “I like deals.” Carmella stopped walking and let the group walk further away from them. “I’ll bet you are going to pick someone up at the swimming pool,” Carmella stated making Gabe’s smiled grow bigger. “If you can go one day without hitting on a girl, than,” she had no idea really. But Gabe was already on it. “I can do it, and if I do it you are sleeping topless for the rest of the tour.” Carmella stuck out her hand. “Deal, but if you take a girl to the bus I’m in charge of your fuck buddies the rest of the tour.” The game had begun and the stakes where high. But they both loved a challenge.

The next morning everyone was up pretty early. “Glorious shower, for once you gave me warmth,” Ryland said as he walked out of the small bathroom. The others had decided to take showers at the pool, instead of fighting over a few water drops. While the bus pulled up to an, just like the mall, enormous pool Carmella was in complete shock. “You don’t do things small, do you?” She asked whoever was listening. “Nope, we don’t,” Gabe said while leaning over her shoulder. “So, when you lose you might want to consider a boob job.” Carmella turned to face the lead singer. “You are such an asshole.” Gabe shook his hands, pretending to be very afraid. “Kids, no fighting, lets go.” Victoria put on her designer glasses and walked out of the bus, looking glam as always. She was closely followed by Nate. Carmella turned around and grabbed her bag. “Let the game begin,” she said while placing white sunglasses on her nose. She than walked out of the bus and followed the rest. Gabe checked her walk away. “Let the games begin, miss Asher.”

The pool was crowded, and mostly filled with hot chicks and buffed guys. Carmella smiled while looking across the pool. This was going to be an easy winning. They had changed into their swimming gear. Victoria and Carmella found themselves out and about before the guys. “So are you sure you are going to win this bet?” Victoria asked while placing her hands on her hips. She wore a black and purple polka dot bikini and she looked stunning. “How do you know about the bet?” Carmella asked while she looked around. “I heard it from Alex, who heard it from Ryland and he heard it from Gabe.” Carmella shook her head. “Well, have you looked around? I’m so going to win this.” That was when she felt two arms wrap around her waist. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Gabe smiled while he picked her up. He ran towards the deep end of the pool and jumped in.

Carmella felt the water plunge over and she had no idea how to get to the surface. She felt the bottom, pressed her feet against it and reached fresh air within seconds. “You asshole,” she smiled at Gabe. She splashed some water in his face. “Bomsi!” Alex yelled as he ran over towards the water and jumped in between Carmella and Gabe. Victoria took an elegant dive into the water and reached behind Alex. Ryland and Nate where fighting on the edge and finally fell in at the same time. “I want to go into that waterslide,” Gabe said while pointing at a blue one. It went down really fast and Victoria shook her head. “Last time I went in that I nearly lost my top.” Nate blushed at the idea. “I’ll go,” Alex smiled. “So will I,” Carmella jumped it. They all swam to the side and climbed out of the water.

Carmella ran up the stairs and reached the slide first. “Losers,” she smiled as Alex and Gabe finally reached the top. “So who wants to go first?” she asked. Alex pulled up his swim shorts and took his place, he than let go of the bar and slide down. Carmella and Gabe couldn’t stop laughing at the sound of Suarez screaming. Than Carmella wanted to take place but, so did Gabe. They bumped into each other and it was a weird awkward moment. “Uh, after you,” Carmella said while she gestured at the slide. “No, you go.” Than a ten year old yelled at them. “Can you two love birds decide already?” Carmella turned to face the little boy, and before she could reply with a snotty comment about them not being together Gabe finally said. “Sweets, I’ll go first so I can catch you downstairs.” With that said he disappeared down the slide and left Carmella completely blank.

Going down the slide felt so thrilling, she had no idea it could feel this way. She flew out of the pipe into the water and hit Gabe. While they both came up to the surface she was laughing really loud. “Wow, that was really good,” she said. Gabe moved some hair out of her face. They both fell pretty quiet. “Uh, so, any cute girls around?” Carmella said as she started to look for some blond chick with big boobs. “I saw one outside, want to see?” Carmella sighed in relief, she wasn’t about to lose this. They got out of the water and found their way to the outside section. While Gabe took the lead Carmella looked around. “I see nobody here,” she stated. “Well, there is a you, and there is a me.” Carmella looked a bit shocked. Gabe swam up closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Come on, you have thought of this.” Carmella pulled up her shoulders. “I might have, but that,” but before she could finish what she was saying Gabe had already pressed his lips against hers. Carmella wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in tighter. Who would have thought?