Private Universe

I woke up to the soft hum of a television near by. I was awake but my eyes felt like lead so they stayed closed. I thought about where I was. Because I wasn't in my bunk on the bus. But we were moving. I forced my eyes open and looked around. I was definitely on the tour bus. I was just on the couch in the front lounge. I looked to the other side of the bus and saw Alex resting comfortably on the other couch flipping through the channels on the television. He smiled when he saw me.

"Good evening." He whispered.

"What the hell happened?"

He laughed and came to sit on the floor in front of my face. "We called you like a hundred times and when you didn't answer we came looking for you."

"What?" I said.

"Yeah. We were all freaked a little. Then we got on the bus and you were out like a light. I'm surprised you didn't hear us. We tend to get loud. Especially after the show."

I thought a minute. And it started to come back. The show they had played and then going to find something and taking a minute to relax. "I remember the show."

"Really?"

"Yes. You guys were really good."

"Sweet!"

I laughed. "Then I remember coming to find something. I decided to rest a minute cause I had been running around all day. And I guess I must have fallen asleep."

It was his turn to laugh. "Makes sense."

"Am I in trouble? For not helping?"

He laughed again. "No. It was expected. The first show is always the most exhausting. For everyone. Most of us are used to it, though." He smiled.

"If it was so exhausting, then why aren't you sleeping?" I asked.

"Because. I have issues sleeping."

"Insomnia?"

"Something like that." He smiled. "But you should sleep. You'll need it for tomorrow."

"I'm too awake now. I doubt I could get back to sleep." I sat up and he joined me. I went to scratch my head and I felt his beanie still on my head. I slid it off and gave it to him. "Here. I'm guessing you want this back."

He looked at it and smiled. "No. Not now." He handed it back to me.

"Why?"

"Two reasons. One: it's lucky. And you need luck more than I do right now. And two: you look so fucking cute in it." He grinned.

I couldn't help but smile as I took it back. "What are you doing, now?" I asked.

"Watching shitty TV." He said.

"Why shitty?"

"Because nothing good is on at two in the morning."

"I see."

"Did you really think we were good?" He asked.

"Yes. You have a way of controlling the crowd. Well, not so much controlling. They were all over the place." I smiled.

"True. They are insane. But I'm thankful for them. They helped us get here."

"I have to admit, they scare me a little."

He laughed. "Not surprising. They scare a lot of people."

I stood up and went to the 'kitchen' area of the bus to get some water. It was oddly quiet on the bus. It was a nice change but I all ready missed the craziness that was the rest of the band. The bus had hit a sudden bump and I hit the giant boom box on the counter trying to steady myself. It came on at full blast and I couldn't help but giggle at the song that way playing. It was Wannabe by the Spice Girls. Alex hurried over so he could turn it off but I took his hand and made him dance with me.

I hadn't realized how loud it was until the rest of the band was coming from behind the door hiding the bunks and giving us questioning looks. I put the song on repeat and forced them all to dance. I couldn't help but laugh at how fun it actually was. I could tell I was going to be making friends for life. Especially since they were all dancing to the Spice Girls with me.

Alex made me sit out while they showed my their dance they had created for the song. I was in a fit of giggles before they got to the first chorus. I honestly couldn't believe they had a dance to it and that they had agreed to show me. It was probably the happiest I had been in a long time and I was thankful for them.

**

Jack, Zack, and Rian had gone to be after the first couple plays of the song. We turned it off and Alex and I went back to watching TV and just talking. It was comfortable and easy with Alex. I was glad the others had gone to bed. I loved alone time with Alex. Not that I would ever admit that to anyone.

"Did you guys really make a dance for that song?" I asked still giggling at the thought.

"Yes! We got really bored one summer on Warped." He grinned.

I suppress the smile forming on my face. It was too funny. "Why is that still in the boom box then?"

He turned a slight shade a pink before answering. "Because we enjoy that song. We also dance to it when we have a bad day or something. It makes everything just seem funny."

I cupped my hand over the mouth to hide my giggles. He hadn't missed it, though. Because before I knew what was happening he was sitting on my legs and tickling the crap out of me. I was trying really hard to be quiet but he wasn't making it easy. It was the driver yelling at us to shut up that got him to stop and grin at me.

"I'm sorry for laughing at that. I can see how it would make someone feel better. I just...found it hilarious. Not something I would have expected from a group of guys." I said.

He thought for a minute. "Fine." He grinned and got off of me.

"It did make me feel better." I said.

"Really?"

"Yes." I giggled again. "I was have a shitty day, remember?"

"Right."

"You guys will have to teach me the dance sometime."

"Deal." He grinned again.

We talked about a bunch of nonsense after that. The TV was ignored and we eventually fell asleep. When I woke up a few hours later I smiled as I felt Alex behind me on the same couch. I turned to find him sleeping with his arm draped over my middle. And secretly I loved it. I forced my eyes closed again just in case anyone else woke up and saw us.