The Plan
First Day of Tour
“I wish we could go on the bus,” Simone complained, driving our plain white van on the rainy highway behind the tour bus. We always slept on the bus but seeing as we had a whole van full of boxes with merch plus a trailer, we really needed the van.
“I wish we would just be there already. Alex promised me an iced chai from Starbucks,” I said. The bass tech had sworn to buy me my favorite beverage this morning. He had snuck into my room and screamed bloody murder at 4 AM, as I was apparently the last one to rise.
“Aw, did he really? That’s cute,” Simone said, smiling goofily at me. I sighed and then chuckled, looking out the window. I played with my newly dyed hair; it was as purple as ever. “Do you like him?”
“He’s cool. I don’t have feelings for him, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Oh,” she said frowning, “I was so sure you two would hit it off.”
“Simone, not everyone has that perfect match that they just simultaneously fall in love as soon as they meet,” I stressed, wiggling my eyebrows.
“Are you talking about Mike and I?”
“Obviously.”
“Well, thank you.”
A silence fell over us then. My attitude had gone from playful to bitter quickly, as it often tended to do. Simone could also withdraw into her mind and disappear for a time. We settled into the seats, Pierce The Veil playing quietly in the speakers, and her fingers tapping against the steering wheel.
Finally, after another 40 minutes in a comfortable silence, our GPS alerted us to taking the next exit. We both cheered, seeing the tour bus in front of us also taking that turn. There was still a fifteen minute drive to the venue but now that there was more than just woods and plains to look at, it was beyond more interesting.
We parked in the back lot of the venue. It was only eleven so there wasn’t a line yet, only a few people stopping to even look at the scene. I hopped out of the van and cracked my back. Simone wrapped her arms around Mike’s neck the moment he stepped within five feet of her.
“How was the drive sugar?” he asked and I averted my eyes. Often with the pair of them, the simplest moments seemed like the most romantic. I hated to intrude.
“Kelly, Kelly, she’s so very cuddly!” Alex screamed across the parking lot. He had taken to singing Barbie’s little sister’s theme song at me. I giggled and posed dramatically as he approached.
“Take me to Starbucks Alex, please! Please! I saw one two blocks that way!” I squealed as he reached me. Andy stepped off the bus with Jeremy and scrutinized us with an ugly look. I ignored it, simply flashing Mike and Simone a smile and walking with Alex in the direction of the coffee house.
“How was the ride?” he asked, one hand in his pocket and the other dangling dangerously by his side. I bit my lip and then shrugged.
“I wasn’t driving so that was a plus but it was okay, kind of boring,” I answered. He nodded in agreement. Crew was lucky enough to get a spot on the bus. I wondered idly who’s bunk I would be sharing later when the band’s assistant manager took over the van.
Being a girl was great because no one ever really let us drive after shows. They didn’t want to inconvenience us. Basically, they let us get a few hours’ sleep and then at a rest stop they decided whether or not to let us take over driving.
Even as a semi-active feminist I allowed the boys to cater to Simone and I on tour without a single word.
“I can’t believe it’s the first show! I’m so nervous,” he proclaimed as we stepped into Starbucks. We stood on line next to each other and I cocked my head.
“Why would you be nervous?” I asked. He shrugged and looked at his fingernails as though they held the answer to the world.
“I don’t think Andy likes me all that much and I just don’t wanna fuck anything up.”
I looked at him sympathetically and then placed my order. He placed his and then paid for the both of us, as per his promise. We stepped off to the side and I bit my lip. I felt bad that Andy was taking his anger out on Alex. It wasn’t fair.
“Don’t worry about Andy. He can be a tough cookie sometimes,” I said. He laughed shortly and it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Mike told me why Andy doesn’t like me.”
I was starting to seriously wonder if Mike Hranica hated me. It seemed like he really did. He went on and on about how I was such a close friend and then he pulled all this shit and obviously attempted to ruin my life.
“Alex! Kelly!”
I looked up, startled. I’d been expecting my name to be called from behind the counter, not from the door. When I zeroed in on the speaker, I sighed. This tour wasn’t going to be enjoyable. It was going to be filled with drama and jealousy and probably a lot of tears.
It was Andy.
“I wish we would just be there already. Alex promised me an iced chai from Starbucks,” I said. The bass tech had sworn to buy me my favorite beverage this morning. He had snuck into my room and screamed bloody murder at 4 AM, as I was apparently the last one to rise.
“Aw, did he really? That’s cute,” Simone said, smiling goofily at me. I sighed and then chuckled, looking out the window. I played with my newly dyed hair; it was as purple as ever. “Do you like him?”
“He’s cool. I don’t have feelings for him, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Oh,” she said frowning, “I was so sure you two would hit it off.”
“Simone, not everyone has that perfect match that they just simultaneously fall in love as soon as they meet,” I stressed, wiggling my eyebrows.
“Are you talking about Mike and I?”
“Obviously.”
“Well, thank you.”
A silence fell over us then. My attitude had gone from playful to bitter quickly, as it often tended to do. Simone could also withdraw into her mind and disappear for a time. We settled into the seats, Pierce The Veil playing quietly in the speakers, and her fingers tapping against the steering wheel.
Finally, after another 40 minutes in a comfortable silence, our GPS alerted us to taking the next exit. We both cheered, seeing the tour bus in front of us also taking that turn. There was still a fifteen minute drive to the venue but now that there was more than just woods and plains to look at, it was beyond more interesting.
We parked in the back lot of the venue. It was only eleven so there wasn’t a line yet, only a few people stopping to even look at the scene. I hopped out of the van and cracked my back. Simone wrapped her arms around Mike’s neck the moment he stepped within five feet of her.
“How was the drive sugar?” he asked and I averted my eyes. Often with the pair of them, the simplest moments seemed like the most romantic. I hated to intrude.
“Kelly, Kelly, she’s so very cuddly!” Alex screamed across the parking lot. He had taken to singing Barbie’s little sister’s theme song at me. I giggled and posed dramatically as he approached.
“Take me to Starbucks Alex, please! Please! I saw one two blocks that way!” I squealed as he reached me. Andy stepped off the bus with Jeremy and scrutinized us with an ugly look. I ignored it, simply flashing Mike and Simone a smile and walking with Alex in the direction of the coffee house.
“How was the ride?” he asked, one hand in his pocket and the other dangling dangerously by his side. I bit my lip and then shrugged.
“I wasn’t driving so that was a plus but it was okay, kind of boring,” I answered. He nodded in agreement. Crew was lucky enough to get a spot on the bus. I wondered idly who’s bunk I would be sharing later when the band’s assistant manager took over the van.
Being a girl was great because no one ever really let us drive after shows. They didn’t want to inconvenience us. Basically, they let us get a few hours’ sleep and then at a rest stop they decided whether or not to let us take over driving.
Even as a semi-active feminist I allowed the boys to cater to Simone and I on tour without a single word.
“I can’t believe it’s the first show! I’m so nervous,” he proclaimed as we stepped into Starbucks. We stood on line next to each other and I cocked my head.
“Why would you be nervous?” I asked. He shrugged and looked at his fingernails as though they held the answer to the world.
“I don’t think Andy likes me all that much and I just don’t wanna fuck anything up.”
I looked at him sympathetically and then placed my order. He placed his and then paid for the both of us, as per his promise. We stepped off to the side and I bit my lip. I felt bad that Andy was taking his anger out on Alex. It wasn’t fair.
“Don’t worry about Andy. He can be a tough cookie sometimes,” I said. He laughed shortly and it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Mike told me why Andy doesn’t like me.”
I was starting to seriously wonder if Mike Hranica hated me. It seemed like he really did. He went on and on about how I was such a close friend and then he pulled all this shit and obviously attempted to ruin my life.
“Alex! Kelly!”
I looked up, startled. I’d been expecting my name to be called from behind the counter, not from the door. When I zeroed in on the speaker, I sighed. This tour wasn’t going to be enjoyable. It was going to be filled with drama and jealousy and probably a lot of tears.
It was Andy.
♠ ♠ ♠
Simone ily.