Time Bomb

She sat looking out the window at the clear blue fall skyline. Riley Smithson glanced to her side at the clock on the wall, in a few short hours her cousin, Josh, would be coming to pick her up and take her away for the next two months. It was ridiculous, two whole months stuffed in a bus with him and his band all because he felt she was getting too out of hand, again.

Riley sighed heavily when her phone beeped telling her she had a new text message, like the other three hundred she had got in the last few hours it was from her mom telling her to be ready, listen to Josh, do what she was told and to behave.

The great Josh Ramsay hated waiting around, which is why Riley had all of her stuff packed and besides the door waiting, not that she wanted to go. What Josh was doing was out of love, the two cousins had always been close and Josh did everything in his power to protect Riley even when she didn’t truly need it like now.

Rushing around to make sure everything was in order for the upcoming tour, Josh Ramsay, ran around the office like a chicken with his head cut off. The other three members to Marianas Trench sat watching him with a slight amusement. Josh got nervous and excited before tours, but never this nervous. Watching him for a few more seconds, it was the bass player Mike Ayley who spoke up.

“Dude, chill, it’s just another day in the office.” He chuckled, along with the other two.

“Maybe, but I need to make sure everything is in the right order. I still have to pick up Riley before we leave. Fuck!” he cursed looking at his watch; he was late to get her.

Josh didn’t want or need to be late; there was no way he was letting Riley get the slip on him. He had made a promise and if he had to drag her along kicking and screaming he was going to do so.

“Riley? What happened this time?” Mike asked concerned, he knew the stories a little too well thanks to Josh always bitching about his younger cousin.

“Same shit still drinking, still the wild child. She says she’s not on drugs, I want to believe her, but with her track record...” Josh paused and ran his hand through his hair. “Do you guys mind? I should have cleared it before saying I’d do this.”

When his aunt had asked him to take her daughter under his wing for a bit, Josh had been so furious with the stories he’d heard about Riley, he had automatically agreed not even bothering to check with his own band or their opening act. The opening act wouldn’t say much, how could they? They’d been invited after all.

His own band, well they had the authority and balls to challenge his choice. Glancing between the other three, Josh waited for one of them to do so.

“Nah, it’s cool. Maybe some time away from the problems will work.” Ian Casselman tried to sound hopeful. Josh knew that Ian had no real love for his cousin, but Ian would still try and help. Classic Casselman.

This girl was a total train wreck, nothing but a good round of shock therapy was going to help her. Josh tried everything to keep her out of trouble when he was around, but she just kept slipping back in. If he had her, 24/7 for the next couple of months, on a bus, rarely out of his sight then maybe this time he could break through. Even if he genuinely scratched the surface he’d feel it was progress.

“Riley?” Matt the fourth member of the band perked up at the news.

“And we’re helping her, not distracting her. I know you like her and shit, but Matt...” Josh lowered his voice.

“I got it; I’m only interested in helping her as a friend.” Matt replied defensively.

If Matt said he would behave then Josh could trust him to do so. They had been over this time and time again, Matt was attracted to Riley and Josh suspected she was attracted to Matt Webb. Matt was Josh’s best friend and not to mention in his late twenties, Josh didn’t want them together for several reasons. Matt Webb was a great guy, who no doubt would set Riley on the straight and narrow, but he was a lousy boyfriend and a bit of a cheater. Riley was Josh’s little cousin, once upon a time his best friend and she deserved a hell of a lot better than some guitar player in a band.

Grabbing his car keys and cell phone, Josh waved to the others. “Okay, I’m off to get Riley. I’ll meet you guys back here before we set out.”

A chorus of salutations rang out behind him as he jogged out the door and toward his car. The next two months were going to be hell, trying to focus on a fall tour and keeping Riley in check weren’t going to be easy. Josh should have known better to tell his aunt he’d take on such a task at this time, but his Riles needed him and he was determined to finally get her on the right path.

Pulling up to his aunt’s house, Josh jogged to the front door. As he was about to knock, the door swung open to reveal Riley and her suitcase. Tossing her long dark hair over her shoulder, she pulled the front door shut and locked it not bothering to say anything to Josh. A big pair of sunglasses hid her eyes, the same blue eyes that her cousin had. Josh wondered if the glasses were to hide the fact she was drunk, high or just to avoid his judgmental gaze.

Silently following her to his shiny new BMW, he loaded her suitcase in the trunk and joined her in the car. Adjusting his mirrors, trying to think of something to say, Josh cleared his throat and pulled on his own sunglasses. It wasn’t sunny, or bright, but he wanted to do something to distract him for another second. How did he even begin with Riley?

“So, who are we going with this time?” Riley was the one who broke the silence.

“Us and an American band, All Time Low.” Josh answered focusing on the road.

“Never heard of them.” Riley answered with a shrug, focusing on the Vancouver landscape as they drove.

Running a bit late due to traffic and a stop for blue slushies, Josh had Riley call Mike and ask him to grab Josh’s stuff and meet them at the lot where they would board the buses and set off for their next two months on the road. The drive to the lot with Riley had been rather pleasant, too bad Josh knew this wouldn’t last. The second he put his foot down on something Riley of New would start to rear. He enjoyed the minutes he got with Riley of Old while he could.

As they pulled into the lot, where Josh’s sister would pick up his car and see them off, the two cousins were singing loudly and goofily along to the latest pop hit that was on the radio. Laughing and smiling, Josh parked his car and motioned for Riley to get out as did he. Not having much time to chat, Josh made his way onto the large black tour bus, while Riley took a second to greet the others she’d be sharing a bus with.

“Hey who is that?” Jack Barakat asked, motioning his head jerk toward the girl getting on the other bus with Mike in her tow.

“Someone you’re not allowed near.” His tour manager, Matt Flyzik, replied ushering Jack onto the bus.

With a slouch in his shoulders as he stepped onto his home for the next few months, Jack debated whether or not to push the subject. The dark haired man next to him seemed to be pretty content to leave the subject as is. Too bad Jack didn’t feel the same was as Matt, or as he was affectionately known by all, Flyzik.

Grabbing his backpack and heading toward the middle of the bus where the bunks were, Jack decided to ask anyway. A person never got answers if they didn’t ask questions. Passing by the bass player, Zack he nodded to the other guy.

“S’up Merrick?” he asked with a goofy smile.

“Same as always.” Zack shrugged going back to his phone, not bothering to pay Jack much attention.

“So, why am I not allowed near her? Is it just me or everybody?” Jack pushed the questions on the girl.

“It’s all of us, unless told otherwise.” Flyzik shouted from the front of the bus.

“Why not?” Jack questioned with a curious stare, blinking his big brown eyes.

“Because she’s Josh’s cousin and she has issues apparently.” Rian Dawson replied moving passed Jack toward his bunk.

“That’s stupid, everybody has issues!” Jack exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air like a little kid and laughing.

“Yeah, hers are big and she doesn’t need a tool like you making it worse.” Alex Gaskarth, Jack’s best friend and band mate chuckled throwing a pillow at Jack.

“Oh come on, I wouldn’t dream of making things worse.” Jack laughed crawling into his bunk.

“Just don’t...stay away like Josh asked okay.” Rian encouraged walking back by.

“Yeah yeah.” Jack nodded letting the others knew that he understood and heard what they were saying.

Settling himself into his surroundings, Jack took a minute or two to get his bunk just the way he liked it before venturing to the front lounge of the bus. The rest of his comrades were in the back lounge, screaming at one another over a video game war that had broken out shortly after they had boarded. Flyzik was sitting in the front lounge, his laptop open and headphones in not bothering to pay Jack any attention. Jack didn’t mind, he enjoyed the solitude.

Sitting on the long leather sofa, his focus on the Canadian highway that rolled along outside the bus, Jack sighed and rested his chin on his knees. Jack knew he shouldn’t care, but the fact he had been outright told from the first second he saw the girl to stay away, it made him want to know more.

All was quiet on the bus of the other band; Josh had set to work on catching up on some sleep that his insomnia had deprived him of in the last few nights at home. Ian was stuck to a game on his computer and Mike was quietly flipping through the pages of a book, leaving Riley and Matt to their own devices. Deciding on a nap it occurred to Riley that she had yet to find a bunk.

Entering the middle of the bus where he cousin was sleeping, she found Matt standing next to his own bunk moving things around to make his two month stay more enjoyable if it were. Matt’s breath hitched in his chest when he saw Riley. He’d always had a bit of a thing for her, but Josh was strict that Matt stay clear. He was too old and too nice to get involved with Riley.

“Hey Riles.” Matt greeted her shoving a bag into his bunk.

“Hey Matt.” Riley greeted him leaning against the wall of the bus. “So, where am I?”

“Here.” Matt said pointing to a middle bunk that was in the back row of beds. “It’s across from Josh and Mike is diagonal from you. I’m the one on the other end of this wall.” Matt hit the thin diving wall between their bunks.

“Thanks.” Riley said quietly.

Poking her head into her bunk, Riley smiled, Josh had it all setup for her with bright purple bed sheets and blankets. A scribbled sign hung on the wall that clearly read “Welcome Riley!” Riley knew the handwriting to be Mike’s. Climbing up into her bunk, Riley stretched out and sighed. This was going to be a long tour!