Angels and Kings

(Nonnie)

Callie and I carried our over night bags to the hotel rooms. This was our first off day where the guys would have nothing but Press the next day, but that also meant we would be able to sleep in a real bed. Those bunks were murder on a girls back. We opened the door to see a pretty average room nothing too special. It had double beds, a TV, a desk and plenty of lighting. I claimed the bed closest to the door cause I knew Callie would rather the one near the window. Then I had an idea. “Hey Callie, why don’t we invite Vicky T to sleep in here with us, sorta like a sleep over.”

“That’s a good idea. She was saying that she didn’t want to stay in a room with the guys.” we left our room and searched the halls for the others. We ran into Bill and Gabe.

“Hey what’s up?” Bill said.

“Nothing we were looking for Victoria.” I said.

“Well we were going to check out the pool, its open 24 hours.” Gabe said, “You guys wanna walk with us? We might run into them.”

“Okay.” Callie said. We walked down hall after hall until I started to smell chlorine. Finally we made it to the pool it looked pretty good. It went from 3ft to 12 ft. It was deserted, so we started walking around the pool. “ I think I’m going to put my feet in.”

“Yeah me too.” I said

“Why only your feet?” Bill said grabbing me by my waist and pushing me into the water. When I came back up for air I noticed that Gabe had done the same to Callie. They both stood on the side laughing at the two of us. I really wanted to be mad but honestly it was hilarious. The two of us fully dressed standing waist deep in the pool.

They stopped laughing and came to the side of the pool to help us out. Callie and I swam to the edge and I grabbed Bill’s hand and she grabbed Gabe’s hand. I looked over and we made eye contact, then we both pulled with all we had, causing the boys to fall into the water. While they tried to get their bearings in the water Callie and I both climbed out and stripped down to our underwear. Then we both jumped back in.

When we came back up for air. The water was calm. We knew that Bill and Gabe were still there we just didn’t know where. Then someone pulled me under. I looked down and was able to tell by the hair that it was Bill. He let go, but I chased him. I didn’t know how I was going to get him back, but I was going to get him back.

That is until Travis walked in. Seeing Callie and I in our under ware swimming was a bit too much for him. We got out of the pool and followed him back to the room, towels wrapped tightly around us. “What the do the two of you think you were doing?”

“Travis we were just swimming, and had it been you and Matt in the pool we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” I said back.

“But it wasn’t me and Matt, it was Bill and Gabe.” he said realizing what I meant. “Okay, okay I’m over reacting a little.”

“Just a little?” Callie said teasing him.

“Besides we started out looking for Victoria.” I said pulling the small towel from the pool room closer around me.

“Did you guys by any chance check… Oh I don’t know next door?” he said.

“Bill and Gabe probably already knew that.” Callie said reading my mind.

“Oh, we so have to get them back later.” Callie just nodded. “Okay lets go get Victoria.” we opened the room door and Travis followed pointing to the door to the right of ours. Callie knocked.

“Hey.” Victoria said “What happened to… Gabe and who else?”

“Bill.” we said together.

“Sorry, I should have warned you.”

“No its okay were going to get them back later. For now do you wanna come stay with us in our room?”

“Yeah sure. I don’t think I can take another night of Ryland’s snoring.” she grabbed her stuff and joined us in our room. We took turns in the shower and then decided that we would all sleep in the bed closest to the window.

“So either of you got a boy waiting for you back home?” she said out of nowhere. I was taken aback I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell her about Taylor.

“Nope.” Callie said. “I’m free as a bird.”

“What about you Non?”

“Uh…yeah… no… I don’t know.”

“That sound’s like one confusing relationship.” I felt Callie kick me under the covers. Telling me to tell the truth.

“No, I just broke up with my boyfriend.” I said “Oh shoot I didn’t tell Travis yet, so please don’t say anything.”

“Why didn’t you tell him I thought you guys were so close.”

“Well I didn’t want things to get out of hand back home.”

“Secrets don’t make friends.”

“Uh, what was that?” Callie asked.

“It’s sort of a motto. There are no secrets on tour cause most likely it comes out and hurts someone so instead we just tell each other the truth. We don’t keep secrets.” I didn’t like where this was going. “But since your new to this whole touring thing I’ll keep your secret don’t worry, my lips are sealed.”

“You know you better tell him soon.” Callie said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah I know.” I said turning over. “I’m going to sleep now k.”

“Night Non. Night Callie.” Vicky said

“Night Vicky. Night Non.”

“Night Callie. Night Vicky.” we all laughed at the Walton’s moment we just had and drifted off to sleep.

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The next day Callie and I got up early leaving Victoria to sleep we didn’t want her to get caught in the cross fire. We headed to the TAI bus first and went to Bill’s bunk. We worked fast and silently hoping that we wouldn’t get caught. Then we headed to the Cobra bus and went to Gabe’s bunk this being an off day they probably wouldn’t see what we did until much later in the day.

Later that day all we heard were the screams of Gabe and Bill. Callie and I just smiled they must have found our little surprise. A Boa Python in each of their beds big enough so that I would scare them, but small enough that we could easily return them to the store before we left for the venue.

They came running over to us. “You guys have got to come see this.” Gabe said grabbing Callie’s hand. I followed closely behind trying to keep a strait face. “that thing is huge.” I looked at the snake, the snake was no more than three feet long on a good day. I leaned over and put my hand out to grab it.

“Don’t touch it.” Bill said pulling me back. I just laughed and picked up the snake quickly so he couldn’t stop me.

“Are the big boys afraid of the little old snake.” I said wrapping it around my wrist. They stared in awe at me holding the snake. “Put your Fangs up Gabe.” Callie and I burst out laughing. They still hadn’t caught on. “Come on Callie lets get them back to the Pet store they said have them back by noon.”

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It had been about a week that we had been working at the merch table and it still amazed me how big the crowd was. I thought I was going to lose my mind, there was so many people. It’s a good thing that Callie is business-minded she worked out a system that made everything run smoothly. We were having loads of fun, everyone was being really nice. The only thing is Travis was getting on my nerves, it wasn't his fault he didn't know that Taylor and I broke up, but he just kept asking things like, "Why haven’t you called Taylor" or, "Is Taylor going to meet up with us in one of the next cities, he’s welcome to follow in his car". It would all end if I just told him what happened. Its not like we are right down the street. We’re on the other side of the country. I’ll break it to him after the show tonight.

We were coming close to when FOB would take the stage, but first Travis had to finish their set. He took the mic in his hand. "Ladies I would like to dedicate this song to my sister. She and her best friend, they just graduated high school and well she’s had a rough time. She just broke up with her boyfriend." My eyes went wide and I turned to Callie she put up her hands trying to say that she hadn’t told but I knew better. Then they started playing Papercuts. I wanted to scream, but I didn’t instead, I just kept on working. By the end of the song we had cleared the lines and were packing up. I finished helping and went straight to the bus I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I went to get into my bunk but Matt had put his things there and every other bunk had something in it.

"So much for that idea," I said speaking out loud.

"So much for what idea," Travis said from behind me.

"You really don’t want to be near me right now," I said trying to warn him.

"Wait what did I do? I just came to see if you wanted to come with us to get something to eat."

"What did you do? You just told a couple thousand people that I broke up with my boyfriend."

"Well I had to let you know I knew some how, and I was tired of you just skirting by my questions. You have never kept anything from me before; so why start now?"

"Because I knew that you would start trouble."

"No I wouldn’t have."

"Now who’s lying," I said.

"No I wouldn’t have. I just would have tried to cheer you up like I just did out there. It's no big deal, we always do stuff like that, talk about how messed up our day has been. It helps us connect to the audience. So now you want to tell me why the two of you broke up?"

"We just didn’t see things the same way anymore."

"Come on Non don’t give me that. I want a real answer."

"Fine, " I yelled in frustration. "We broke up 'cause… 'cause I wouldn’t sleep with him on prom night."

"What! I’m gonna beat the living…"

"See that right there is why I didn’t tell you," I said I took a deep breath," Now look I’m tired and really don’t feel like hanging out so you guys go with out me."

"Alright, I’ll bring you back something okay?"

"Yeah that’s fine." He left the bus and I picked up my ipod and sat in the common area on the couch. I turned it up full volume and played My Chemical Romance. I just let the songs shuffle and closed my eyes. I was almost sleep when someone touched my arm. I jumped up my ipod went flying across the bus. It was Bill.

"What the…"

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you," He said quickly, " I was just checking on you is all."

"Look, I just don’t feel like being around everybody right now okay," I said picking up my ipod and checking it for damage. This was great now everyone was going to think I was a spoiled brat and hate me. I just had all these feeling that I was trying to avoid and Travis had bought them all to the forefront of my mind.

"I understand, but why are you so mad?"

"Did you watch the same show as I did, my brother just told entire crowd of people that I just broke up with my boyfriend," I said sitting back down.

"So what’s so bad about that? He was just trying to help." Oh poor naive Bill.

"No, he was trying to force an issue. Look its not important, I just don’t think he should have told all those people my business."

"Well at least you don’t have it as bad as Pete. He just broke up with his girlfriend too and the whole world knew that same day."

"Who Ashlee?"

"Yup."

"Yeah, but it’s not the same. I am not famous; the both of them are, they choose to be in the public eye I didn’t. Same thing with Trav if he wants to put himself out there like that, leave me out of it."

"Did you tell him this."

"No, but its not like he would listen anyway," I said.

"Well look, Callie said you didn’t eat anything today." Oh so that’s why he was worried.

"Look if it will make you feel better I will come and eat; but please no
mention of this whole thing okay. I honestly just want to forget about it."

"No problem, come on," he said standing up and offering his hand. I took it and we went outside where the other’s were waiting.