Lousy Truth

We hear a door open and Jon steps up next to my head. My view of the mirror is obscured as Jon leans over me, laughing at me.

“You two...” Jon helps me to my feet as David pulls himself up to sit cross legged. Jon goes to explore the bus we've claimed as I grab my suitcase by the front steps. I notice a gruff older man leaning against the side of the van. He takes a drag from his cigar and studies me for a second.

Starting to get a little scared, I turn to head in with my stuff. He stops me to hold out a copy of my CD and a Sharpie. I look at him, confused, and notice beneath his beard, he's embarrassed.

“When my daughter found out that I'd be a driver on your tour, she made me promise that I'd get this signed for her,” he mumbles as he looks at everything but my eyes. I let out a little giggle and he makes eye contact. He smiles a little too and introduces himself. I laugh again at the name, remembering the last bus driver I had.

“Well Larry, I hope you'll have fun and we won't annoy you too much.” I smile and sign the CD, writing a little message for his daughter. He nods curtly and I laugh at how uncomfortable he is for asking me to do this.

I haul my stuff up onto the bus and check out the bunks. There's eight bunks and I claim the top one closer to the back. Jon has already shoved his stuff on the bunk under mine. David pops out from the back and smiles at me. Looking, I notice his stuff on the bunk across from mine.

“So I guess it's This Providence to the right and Quinn and band to the left?” he jokes and I shrug, smiling a little. I climb into my bunk and being to poke around. I hear the others come in and gasp at the gorgeous bus. The one we had on Warped was nice, but it's like a heap of junk compared to this. Ace snags the bunk next to mine and we high five after he puts his stuff down.

I let my legs swing to a senseless beat in my head as I watch my friends wander around. I lean back against the side of the bunk and smile a little. David notices me and makes a funny face. I laugh and poke his nose.

He gasps and clutches at it like I've violated him or something. He playfully pushes me aside and sits down next to me.

“So what're you looking forward to the most?” I tilt my head and think about it for a minute. I know my immediate thought is being distracted. Distracted lately is a very good thing. A very, very good thing.

“I guess just being able to sing for people who love what I do... I know it's cheesy, but I love it.” I smile at him, telling him my second thing. He nods, smiling too.

“It's cute that you're so cheesy. Oh, I'm just a humble girl who suddenly got famous. Oh please, the attention...” David mocks me and I gasp, shocked that he would do such a thing. I push him off my bunk and he stumbles to the ground. We both smile and burst out laughing.

“Well, look at these crazy people...” Kayla says sarcastically as she puts what's left of her stuff in a bunk. I make a face at her back as David rolls his eyes.

“Why do you have such a bitch in your band?” David asks me. I notice Kayla stills in her movement and hold back a triumphant smile.

“I couldn't find a replacement in time for the tour. My manager is looking into it while were here. When we get back, she's out.” Kayla throws something in her bunk and I chuckle. “Everything okay down there?” I ask in a sing-songy voice.

“Oh, just peachy,” she says through gritted teeth. I grin and jump out of my bunk, heading for the back room. Ace is playing around with the tv, checking out the stations. I flop down next to him. He doesn't say anything or even look at me. I stare intently at him until he gets the creeps and looks over at me.

“Uhhhh, Quinn?” I continue to stare him down until I slowly reach out, poking him. He jumps as I continue to poke him in his stomach, the one spot that makes him freak out.

“Ahhhh! Stop! Oh my god, stop!” Ace leaps off the couch and runs for the door. Smiling in triumph, I grab the remote and flip stations until I find a good movie. People come in and out of the room, talking and making plans for the tour. Later into the night, the other bands show up and I grab Cass away from David.

We settle back into the couch and let yet another movie play on the screen in front of us. We're not paying attention. With most of the bands in the hotel already for the night, we've got my bus to ourselves.

“So how are you and David?” I ask, smiling. She beams and just seems to radiate happiness.

“Oh, Quinn, I love him so much. He means everything to me and I'm just so lucky to have him.” She keeps biting back her smiles, like she's ashamed of how happy she is around me. “Have you talked to him?”

I shake my head, thinking back to the last night of Warped. We didn't say anything to each other, we didn't really need to. Of course, there's a million things I want to scream at him, there's a million things I want to know if he thinks about. There's still a part of me that is waiting for him to show up and sweep me off my feet. A small part, but a part nonetheless.

“I don't want to. What more can be said? He left me for some bitch. There's nothing I can do about that.” I curl up, tucking my chin on my knees like being in that position will protect me. Cass looks at me and sighs.

“Well, I guess nothing can be said if you two haven't talked since then. It's just not meant to be, I guess...” she looks at me again and I feel terrible for ruining her happiness.

“Whatever, I'm over it. I don't care.” I try to think of something to change the subject but a large body comes out of no where and jumps on us.

“RAGERRRRR!” Kyle screams at the top of his lungs and jumps up and down on the couch, making Cass and I bounce along with him. We squeal and try to get him to stop at the same time as we try to stay upright. David comes in and smacks Kyle on the back of the head and smiles at me.

“What's up Quinn?” I smile back and shrug. He collects Cass and pulls her away, the two of them giggling with the biggest smiles on their faces. Kyle calms down and sits next to me, his lanky body taking up most of the couch.

“I'm so jealous of them. I want someone to make me that happy,” he mumbles into the air and I snort, knowing he has no idea how much I want that right now.