You're Anything but Ordinary

Sure, I live the rock star life. I guess you could say that.

I mean, I went around on tour with The Summer Set as their photographer. The only reason I got the job was because I’d grown up with Brian Dales, the lead singer in the band. We went to middle school and high school together, and ever since then we’d been tight. He knew I was into photography and invited me on tour with them after their first EP, In Color, got big. Obviously I accepted it, and I’d been with these guys (and girl) for a long time.

Out of everyone in the band, I was probably closest to Stephen and Brian. Brian, obviously because I’d known him the longest, and Stephen because we had so much in common. Stephen was like the big brother I never had. He gave me all the advice I could ask for and more. And Brian (who was my age, 21) was the type of guy that just brightened your mood.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the other members of the band. Josh is absolutely hilarious, John’s crazy antics always make me laugh, and Jess is amazingly sweet. They are all my best friends, and I couldn’t have asked for better ones.

“Abby, wake up. Come on, rise and shine, sleepy head.”

I rolled over in my bunk, hoping to get away from John’s voice.

“Abby Grace Dover. Get your ass out of bed, right now.”

I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

“There ya go,” John said with a laugh.

I sat up and squinted at him. “What time is it?”

“Twelve in the afternoon,” he replied.

“Why aren’t you letting me sleep?” I asked as I swung my legs over onto the carpeted floor of the bus.

“Because you’re missin’ the party!” he said.

I sighed as he skipped to the back of the bus, aka the party room. It had three couches and open space in the middle. It had colored lighting that we used for our nightly bus parties. At the front of the bus was the kitchen area and a booth. I walked passed the tiny bathroom and into the party room, where John, Stephen, and Brian were sprawled out across the couches.

“Party, huh?” I asked, falling back onto the couch Brian was on.

“You got that right,” Brian said. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, what about me?” Stephen asked.

“Of course I wouldn’t forget about you.” I got up and sunk down beside Stephen, planting one on his cheek.

“Last night was crazy,” I said, leaning over on his chest. I knew I probably shouldn’t be kissing his cheek and leaning on him like I was. He had a girlfriend, Natalie Pritchett. She’d been on the tour with us for a month or so, but had to get back to work. So bye-bye Natalie!

No one really liked her. Except for Stephen, of course. She was a bitch to the rest of us, especially Jess and me. I guess she didn’t want us stealing her man. As if.

I pulled my shoulder-length blonde hair into a ponytail and rolled up the sleeves of my Pink sweatshirt. “I’m so hung over from last night.”

Stephen wrapped his arm around me. “Aww, poor little baby.”

“Jeez, you guys might as well just start doing it right here on the floor. Get a room, you horndogs,” John said.

“Shut up John, you’re totally turning me off,” I replied.

Stephen chuckled an let go of me. I stood up and stretched. “I’m gonna go change clothes.”

“Can I watch?” Brian asked.

I stuck my tongue out at him and hopped into my bottom bunk. I pulled my duffel bag out from under the bed and shut my curtain. I fished out my denim cut-offs and a loose gray tank top. I quickly changed out of my sweatpants and applied a coat of mascara in my stick-on mirror I’d put up in my bunk.

Just as I was putting away my mascara, the curtain was ripped open. I jumped, startled.

“Brian!” I screamed.

“What? You aren’t naked or anything.”

“I could’ve been.”

“Whatever. Come on, we’re stopping to get some brunch at iHop.”

I stood up and followed him out to the kitchen, where Jess, Josh, and Stephen were sitting at the booth. John was laying on the couch, absorbed with whatever he was doing on his phone. I sat in the booth next to Stephen, Brian squeezing in beside me.

“I need coffee,” Jess said. Her hair, which had not yet been straightened today, was pulled into a bun. She was wearing a tank, hoodie, and jeans.

“You’re not the only one,” I replied.

Josh stretched out his arms and put one around Jess. She just looked at him and shook her head. He retracted his arm.

I chuckled. The guys were always joking around like that with us girls, just like Jess and I loved joking with the guys. It was all in good fun, though. Jess and I had talked about dating the guys, though. Jess didn’t have feelings for any of them, and she said she never could picture herself with one of them. But me on the other hand, I’d always had a little thing for Brian. I know, I know, it’s a little weird. We’re, like, best friends. It might be awkward, but it might not. We just had to give it a try.