Life on the Road.

“You know what I’ve realized?” Kendal asks me as she sits next to me.

“What?” I ask looking at her.

“We’ve been friends for like a year now, but I really don’t know anything about you.”

I look away and shrug, “I don’t like talking about myself.”

“Lies, I’m positive everybody likes talking about themselves, even just a little bit.”

“That’s not true,” Riley says from the ground.

“See I’m not the only one,” I say pointing at Riley.

“Well you guys are just weird,” Kendal says with a smile.

“Yup,” Riley and I say at the same time causing us both to laugh a bit.

I sigh a couple of moments later and look at the almost empty lobby. This was the best part about being a merch person, just sitting in the booth while the music played just behind the doors.

“What did you want to know?” I ask Kendal curiously a few minutes later.

She shrugs, “I don’t know, I guess how exactly you met the guys. I know you’re Spencer’s cousin, and that you met Brendon in high school but you’re younger than them it just kind of doesn’t make sense.”

“Well I was kind of a genius, so I skipped middle school, that’s how I ended up being in high school at the same time Brendon was-”

“But if you skipped middle school you would have graduated a year before Brendon,”

“I had to do senior year again… I took a small break.”

“Didn’t you go to Paris?” Riley questions.

“How-Who told you?” I ask completely shocked

“Um,” Riley says starting to turn a bright shade of red, “the other night Brendon and I were talking about the places he had been to and he mentioned Paris and how you had gone there for a year.”

“Oh…”

I hated thinking about that place.

“Yeah my dad had to go there for business and instead of just being homeschooled for that year I decided to just enjoy myself, what was the big hurry, you know?”

“Wow, you are so lucky, A year in Paris!” Kendal says with a great smile.

Lucky was far from what I really was.

“So you met Brendon in one of your classes?” Riley asks curiously.

“No, I met him through Brent. They had been friends in middle school, and I had known Brent through Ryan and Spencer and of course like the big nerd I was, I followed him everywhere because I didn’t know anybody else, and that’s how we became friends,” I say with a smile remembering the good old days.

“Where they your only friends in high school?” Riley asks

“At first, but then I started joining a lot of clubs and I started making a lot of friends. I eventually became the debate team and cheer leading captain,” I say with a small shrug.

“I bet you were also homecoming queen,” Kendal says sounding a bit annoyed.

“No,” I say shaking my head and looking at the ground.

This is why I hadn’t told her anything about myself; she was just going to do what everybody else did… judge me.

High school wasn’t always perfect, especially not after what happened after junior year. I sigh and stand up.

“I’ll be back,” I say in a low voice and walk out of the booth and head into the auditorium just as the lights dim, meaning Panic was about to start their set.

I stand by the back and close my eyes and just listen to the music.

_______________________

“Where did you go last night?” Riley asks me as we head over to a gelato shop.

“Huh?”

“You said you were going to be back but you never came back and I didn’t see you until this morning.”

“Oh… I wasn’t feeling too well so I decided to go to bed early,” I say with a small smile.

“Well I hope you’re feeling better.”

“Lots.”

I was really starting to enjoy Riley’s company.

“How do you do it?” I ask Riley as I notice her Minnie Mouse themed outfit.

“Do what?”

“Your themes, I mean you must put a lot of effort into them.”

“I dunno, I guess I just like being someone new every day, and I love clothes, so it’s a win-win.” She says with a big smile.

“Well I think it’s awesome.”

“Why thank you, I think you’re the first one who thinks so.”

“Lies, there is no way I can be the first one!”

“Believe it or not, you are.”

“Well then, people are just crazy for not thinking that they are awesome.” I say as we walk into the shop, and order our gelatos.

“Can I tell you something?” Riley asks as we take a seat out by the patio

“Sure.”

“You look very sad,”

“I could say the same for you,” I reply with a small smile.

An hour later Riley and I make our way back talking about our favorite animal…cats.

“I agree they’re the perfect companions, they need space just like we do.”

“Exactly, and it’s the most adorable thing when they purr.” I say as I open the bus door.

“SURPRISE!” I hear people shout causing me to stumble on the floor from the shock.

My mouth drops as I see a bunch streamers hanging from the ceiling, and then I notice the huge ‘Happy Birthday’ banner.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEMPY!” Everyone shouts as they throw confetti on me.

My eyes wonder around the bus as I look at all the decorations causing my heart to drop.

Paris.

Why did it have to be Paris? The one place I hate with a passion; the place that brings so many horrible memories; the place where my whole life crumbled down.

I scream unable to contain myself and start tearing off the decorations from the walls. I could hear people gasping but I didn’t care, I couldn’t stand the sight.

“Tempy no!” Spencer shouted taking a hold of me.

I kicked as Spencer picked me up causing me to hit the table, I was pretty sure the cake had fallen to the floor.

“I didn’t know about this until now.” Spencer says as soon as he carries me out of the bus.

“It’s haunting me Spencer!” I cry out as my eyes swell up with tears.

“You have to get a grip of yourself Tempy,”

“I thought I was okay Spencer, but lately I’ve been getting these feelings and I can’t help but to think that it’s back.” I sob

“Tempy look at me,” Spencer says wiping some of my tears away.

“Your cancer is gone, and it’s not coming back,” Spencer says and then I hear someone gasp.

I look behind Spencer and notice Riley standing behind him with wide eyes.