Read Between the Lines

"Not one call from her mom?" Martin asked quietly.

Paul shook his head and sighed. He wanted to go slap the woman for not realizing what a terrific daughter she had and for her lack of caring about Perry.

"Her dad?" pressed the first.

Paul nodded. "He calls a lot, but he doesn't care. If he gave a fuck, she'd be with him. He wouldn't have left her. She pretends everything is okay when she talks to him, but you can read her eyes like a book. When they hang up, she always tries to act like everything is alright and go to the bathroom, but she cries every time."

Martin sighed, shaking his head. "Is she asleep?"

Paul nodded. They'd come a long ways. At first, Perry had been quiet and timid around all the band members, but as time passed, she was as loud and crazy as they. Paul had become like an older brother to her. In Perry's eyes, he'd become like a father-figure. Something she didn't have.

"I think we should take her shopping. She has been wearing my clothes for too long," Brian Donahue laughed, walking in.

"We should." Paul agreed.

"Go wake her up. Where's John?" Martin asked and John Keefe entered, ,yawning.

"Perry, wake up!" Martin yelled.

"No!' Perry yelled back after a while.

"Hold up; I got this.''

Martin, wearing a devious smirk, disappeared back to Perry's bunk and slung her over his shoulder.

"Martin Johnson! Put me down!" she shrieked; he laughed yet refused. "Holy crap, I'm falling!" she announced as she slipped a little to where her knees were on his shoulder, and she was dangling.

Stated Martin, "You're heavy."

She gasped, grinned evilly, and slapped his butt.

"Whoa!" he protested, startled, before laughing. "You wanna start smacking asses?"

"Why not?" she laughed, smacking him again.

He laughed and carried her out to the kitchen part of the bus where everyone was setting.

"She's awake." Martin said, setting her down on the table.

"Hey, kiddo, how'd ya sleep?" Paul asked.

"Like a rock." Perry nodded.
"We're going to take you to the mall today so you can stop wearing Brian's basketball shorts,” Martin informed her.

She laughed. "I would like some pants.''

"Blue is totally your color." Martin said in a gay voice.

Perry almost doubled over laughing.

"You’re taking her." Paul announced.

Martin's mouth fell open. ''No!'

"Yes. I'm meeting an old friend for dinner. Have fun." Paul laughed, standing up.

"Be safe!" Perry laughed as Paul stepped off the bus.

"Brush your hair and let's go." Martin frowned.

Perry laughed and did as she was told.

"There's a mall around here somewhere.'' Martin said, looking around.

"There's a bar!" Perry said, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah, more like a death wish." Martin muttered. "No."

Perry laughed then looked around. "Where are we?!"

"Somewhere in Tennessee. We're heading back to Boston in a while." he said, searching for the mall.

The town was all too familiar. It was only about twenty minutes away from her town.

''I know where we are. Mall's that way." she said quietly, pointing.
Martin nodded. "Awesome!" He went on, but she became really quiet and then stopped walking.

"What’sa matter?" Martin asked.

She looked down and shook her head. "I can't go in there. This is so close to my town. All my old friend's hang out in that mall. Bet fifty bucks they are in there.''

He lifted her head up to look at him. "All they can do is talk. Let 'me say what they want to! Babe, I will give them a piece of my mind."

She smiled, because she knew he really would. Eventually, she nodded and they walked in the mall.

"First, before anyone sees you, grab you a different outfit." he laughed.

She was wearing a pair of huge basketball shorts and a black tank-top. She had on makeup because Paul had let her stop at a Wal-Mart to get stuff she needed. Martin led her into American Eagle and she quickly found a pair of jeans and a tank-top. Martin paid for it, and she ran in the bathroom to change. Martin whistled when she came out, and she had no doubt that she was blushing.

"No more expensive clothes," she told him.

He rolled his eyes. "I don't care. Paul’s buying. I’m gettin' me some clothes, too."

She rolled her eyes.

"Wow, I thought you'd left for good,” came a snotty voice from behind her.

She grabbed Martin's hand, and turned around.

Alicia.

"Alicia," Perry muttered, knowing Martin knew the story.

''Perry. Why do you even bother coming here? No one likes you, not even your parents. Your mom loves my uncle way more than you, and as I heard, your dad left you." Alicia said, sticking her lips out like snotty people do.

"I swear to God I'm going to break her other arm," whispered Perry to her companion.

Martin looked around and saw a smoothie place conveniently right next to them. He reached over, grabbed a smoothie, and threw it on Alicia. He couldn't stand the way she was talking to Perry. Alicia screamed and dropped her expensive phone which was covered in smoothie. Martin pulled Perry along and started running. Perry almost fell over, laughing.

"I am so awesome." Martin laughed, pulling her into Hot Topic.

"Yes you are." she smiled.