Textbook Romance

Neil and I grabbed my duffel bag and laptop bag out of my car, locked it up, and then left the keys in his car with his younger brother, Matt, and Matt's best friend.

I warned Matt that if he crashed my car he would be in trouble with not only me, but the cops too. After he was thoroughly terrified, Neil pulled me away after hugging his younger brother goodbye.

We climbed the stairs onto the A Day To Remember bus, which was slightly less high-tech than the Escape The Fate bus, causing me to frown lightly and remember that the ETF boys had gutiar hero on X-Box. When you walked on there was a small kitchen directly in front of you and a living room area right there next to it.

The ETF bus had a slide out wall that made more room but this bus didn't so it seemed a lot smaller. The windows were tinted and there was a booth with a table on one side and a leather couch with a flat screen hanging almost above it. Neil said the guys were in the back so he took my hand and led me towards them.

Down the little hallway were three bunks on each side with small matresses and curtains that could pull back and forth for privacy. I grinned as Neil leaned down and tossed my bag into the bottom bunk on the right.

"This is my bunk, is that cool?" Neil questioned with a grin as he stood back up and pulled my laptop bag from my hands.

I shrugged and nodded, "Sure," I told him.

"Good," he replied with a laughed, "Because it's either that or you sleep on the couch."

My jaw dropped as I smacked his shoulder, "Thanks, N, love you too!"

Neil cooed and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, "My bunk's not that bad!" he cried as he pulled me flush against him.

I rolled my eyes, "I always thought of you as more of a top bunk kind of guy," I told him honestly, pulling away from him before crawling down into his bunk.

"And why is that?" he questioned as he rolled in next to me, closed the curtain, and wrapped his arms around my waist as I laid on my back.

"You just seem like someone who isn't afraid of anything," I said, trailing off with a laugh as he stuck his tongue out at me.

"I'm not! I just don't like falling ten feet to the ground at night!" he claimed as he starting tickling my sides.

"Stop! Neil! Oh Jesus, Stop! Please!" I shouted, squirming around underneath him.

"No! Tell me how manly I am, Ginny!" he replied as he continued to tickle my sides.

I screeched loudly as tears started welling up in my eyes from the laugher. I screamed in shock as the the curtain was pulled open and four guys stood on the other side, staring in at us wide wide eyes.

Neil and I froze and looked at them. I waved quickly, "Hi guys. I'm Ginny, Neil's girlfriend."

A man with a beard waved back at me and looked us over one more time. "So..." he trailed off, "you're not getting raped right?"

I busted out laughed, dropping my head onto Neil's pillow. "No!" I replied, "No, Neil is just being an asshole and won't stop tickling me!"

"Oh," all the rest of the guys murmured, drawing out the 'o'. "Well in that case," the bearded man reached in and grabbed onto my upper arm and the held his hand out for me to take. I did, and laughed as he started pulling me out of the bunk and out from under Neil.

"No!" Neil whinned as his friends dragged me out of the the bunk.

"Thanks guys!" I grinned as I stood up and left Neil laying in his bunk, whining about how his friends always steal his stuff. I rolled my eyes and followed his friends towards the back of the bus, past the bathroom, and then into the backroom. There was a bigger futon back there but I could tell that the guys spent a lot of time on it. Across from the futon was a large t.v and there was a movie playing.

I sat down on the edge of the couch as the bearded guy pulled me down. He turned to me and smiled politely. "I'm Jeremy," he greeted and then pointed to a blonde with short, buzzed, hair. "That's Josh." He introduced me to the other guys and I learned their names were Alex and Kevin.

We talked for about twenty minutes before I heard the bus driver get on the bus and yell out that we'd be leaving in about five minutes. I realized that I didn't know what time I'd have to meet up with the ETF guys tomorrow or where, so I told Jeremy that I was going to run to the other bus and be back within a few minutes.

He sighed over-dramatically but said okay and that he'd tell Neil where I'd gone. I smiled and thanked him before hurrying off of the bus and racing over to the green and black bus. I knocked on the door impatiently, groaning when no one was coming to open it for me.

After another minute of constantly banging on the large door, it opened. I groaned when it was Max on the other side. "What time am I meeting up with you guys when we get to the venue tomorrow?" I questioned quickly.

He stared at me like I was asking something really difficult. "Earth to Max," I called, snapping my fingers in front of his face.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?!" he questioned like I was stupid, "Craig is in the back, go ask him or something," Max growled as he turned around and walked off, leaving the door open as an invitation to come in. I growled and followed after him, following him down the bus, getting more frustrated with every slow step he took.

"Hurry up, Max! My bus is leaving in like two minutes!" I sighed as I pushed on his back, causing him to have to move.

When we got past the white leather bunks and the bathroom, I brushed past him and ran to the door, knocking quickly. Max rolled his eyes before pushing the door open and walking right in, leaving the door open again.

Craig, Robert, and Monte looked up at me with confused expressions on their faces. "What do you need?" Craig asked with a smile.

"I was just wondering what time and where you guys want me to meet up with you tomorrow so that I can set up and everything," I said, adding a shrug to the end.

Then Craig shrugged, causing me to groan and everyone else to smile at my discomfort. After a minute of thinking Craig smiled and spoke. "Probably when we stop tomorrow but why don't you switch numbers with everyone so we can text you tomorrow. You can text right?"

I nodded and pulled my phone out of my pocket, handing it to Craig as he handed me a really nice phone. I got into the contacts, figured out to add my own, and saved it before handing it back to Craig with a smile.

"Share that with everyone, okay?" I asked, "I've really got to go. If I hold up the bus Neil will make me sleep on the couch or something," I laughed.

"There's an extra bunk here if you need it," Robert offered as the other guys nodded and smiled.

I grinned, "You guys are too nice. I might just take you guys up on that. If Neil and I have a fight or something." I shrugged, "But I've really got to go. Thanks. See you tomorrow!"

I waved and turned to hurry back the way I came. I wasn't oblivious to Max following behind me but when I was going down the steps, I felt him grab onto my arm and pull me closer to him. His lips were at my ear, him having to bend down slightly because of how much taller he was than me, "Let me know if you ever get tired of your boyfriend," he whispered, his breath surprisingly chilly on my neck.

I scoffed after a moment, after I collected myself, and pulled away from him. "Yeah right, Max. Lay off, won't you." With that I disappeared out of the bus, aware of Max standing on the bottom of the bus stairs, watching me as I walked off with a smirk on his face.