Lets Just Say I Have Issues

I woke up at 6AM, like I knew I was going to. I climbed into the shower. After my shower i got dresesd and just let my hair air dry. I grabbed my suitcase and started packing. I packed a bag to put my laptop in and my books I needed for classes. I got everything else packed. I put my cigarettes and lighter in my back pocket and my phone in the other pocket. I made myself breakfast before I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door to Michael's sweet little face.

"Hey Michael," I say and hand him my suitcase.
"You got everything?" He asks as he takes it.
"Yeah, if I forget something I could probably just go out and buy it," I say.
"Cool....Hi," He says.
"Hi," I smile at him, "Oh wait!"

I see Michael start walking to the bus and I trot back to my bedroom. I grab the scrap book and walk outside and over to the bus. Michael just got done putting my suitcase with the others.

"Tyler volunteered himself to show you around the bus," AJ says.
"Awesome and Tyler is the shorty blonde?" I question.
"Yeah, that's him," Michael says.
AJ gets on the bus. I started walking to the door but Michael pulls me away slightly.
"Promise you will keep your hands off of the other members?" He asks me.
"Of course Michael," I answer him and I watch him.
His face twitches and he gets on the bus and I follow on. Tyler walks up me.
"I'll be your tour mentor," Tyler says as he looks at me.
"Show me to my bunk so I can put my shit down?" I ask him.
"Right this way," He says as he leads me to the bunk area, "This one right here, above Michael's and across from Sky's."
"Thank you," I say.

I put my bag down on the bunk and I unloaded my back pockets. I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, Tyler was watching me. My cigarettes and lighter was the last thing I put in the bunk. I looked over at him once i was done. He took my wrist and pulled me to the bathroom.

"Bathroom, toilet paper in the trash please," He informs, "Back lounge is for video games and movies. Front lounge is where we'll have band meetings, social activity."
"Thank you, Tyler," I say with a smile.

I noticed that Michael was in the front lounge, so I walked to the front lounge and sat in the empty spot next to him.

"Hey Eli," Michael chimes.
"Hi Mikey," I say with a smile.
"Hey Eli," Ty says.
"Hello...Ty," I say with a bit of question in my voice.
"Yeah, I'm Ty," He says.

We were already on our way to the first venue, I suppose. Ty and Michael got into some intense talking. Sky, Josh, and AJ were wathing movies in the back lounge. I somehow managed to be in the bunk, looking at the stupid scrap book again. I got out and walked right into Tyler.

"Oh shit, sorry," I say.
"Nah, it's all good," Tyler assures me.
"Look at Michael's high school senior quote," I said as I held the scrap book ou at Tyler.
"Friendship triumphs Relationships anyday," Tyler reads.
"Still true to this day," I comment.
"Is that a scrap book of you and Michael?" Tyler asks.
"Yeah, it is. My mom started it when Michael and I started to be friends and she gave it to me continue," I answer.
"That's..." Tyler starts.
"Is that the old scrap book your mom started?" Michael asks.
"Yeah. Here," I hand him the scrap book.

We all piled in the back lounge. The guys look over it and I sit there across from them. A lot of the comments the guys made were like "Awwwh baby Michael!" They get to 10th grade section.

"M+E=♡," Sky reads.
"Homecoming 10th grade," AJ reads.
"Awwh, he looks so dorky," Josh comments with a laugh.

Michael looks up at me. I just shake my head at him. He starts to flip the pages quickly till he got to the 11th grade section.

"11th grade. I look better," Michael says.
"We skipped all of 10th grade," Josh comments.
"10th grade was my scene grade. I'm so ashamed," Michael lies.
"You're lying," Tyler says, "Just let us see it."

Michael glances at me. I shrugged my shoulders. They might as well know.

"Fine," Michael says as he flips back to the page wth the homecoming picture on it, "Have at it."

They flip through it slowly. Our report cards were the next two pages. The next page was the picture a friend took of Michael and I after he asked me.

"I fell in love with the neighbor girl," AJ reads the comment, "and now she's mine."
"Is that? You and Eli?" Sky asks.
"Yes..." Michael says.
"You and Eli went out?" Tyler asks.
"Yeah...." I chime in, "The next like 5 pages are just Michael and I. You know stupid couple stuff."

They flipped through the pages reading the captions.
"Han Solo and Leia"
"Bonnie and Clyde"
"First Date"

Michael got red as he reads, "First time." I taped the condom wrapper in the scrap book.
"YOU TWO GO IT ON!" Ty chimes in, which received a slug in the arm from Michael.
Josh reads the comment, "We promise."
"I thought you got rid of that," Michael says.
"I didn't. I lied...I put it in there after the break up," I reply.

They decided to skip to 11th grade. They all read the comments. Afterwards Michael gave me the scrap book. I walk back to the bunks and put it in my bunk. I grabbed my camera and walks up to Michael.

"Michael, Picture?" I ask.
"Hell yeah," He says.
"Can you take it Ty?" I ask Ty.
"Yes ma'am," Ty says as he takes it.
Michael and I posed. He took a picture.
"Thanks," I say.
"You're welcome," Ty says as he hands it back to me.

I take it and put it in the bunk. I saw Tyler in his bunk.

"Tyler?" I ask.
He slowly pulled back his curtain, "Yeah?"
"Can I join you?" I ask him.
"Come on in," He says and scoots over.
I get in and look at him, "Why were you sad about the stupid scrap book?"
"It's nothing. It's weird, just thinking you and Michael were friends. I guess, I kind off blinded myself from that you two would ever go out, to avoid hurt," Tyler says.
"Awwwwh, Tyler," I comment and I open the curtain slowly, "I promised Michael I wouldn't be a thing with anyone, no just on tour but afterwards."
"I'd figure he's make you promise that." Tyler sneers.

I climb out of his bunk. I walked into the front lounge, opening the fridge.

"We are about to the venue. We do sound check then food," Sky says.
"Alright, I will wait," I say as I close it, "How does Michael behave wise with his tourettes whilst on tour?"
"He just does random outburst. He gets a bit overwhelmed sometimes on stage," Sky answers, "He kind of loses his tourettes whilst he is on stage though."
"That's good," I comment.
"Yeah, I heard he used to be way worse so," Sky replies.
"WE ARE HERE!!!" Josh screams from the back lounge.

I laugh and they all rushed to front lounge. I observed the gentlemen. The bus seems like it parked. I went to my bunk and got my cigarettes and my lightly, sliding them into my back pockets. I walked outside. I saw a line of fans. I just smiled and shook my head. I took a cigarette out. I lit it up and leaned against the bus. Michael came outside and leaned against the bus next to me, snapping a picture with my camera.

"I want you to continue that scrap book," He says.
"I think," I say as smoke escapes my lips, "Tyler likes me."
"You can't do anything and you have to seem unappealing to him," Michael snaps slightly, tourettes probably.
I took my camera from him and I looked at him, "I told him Mikey. How are your tourettes?"
"They act up every....don't change the subject," He says.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore, that's why I changed the subject," I responded.
"We can't even get one day in before we start throwing the kitchen sink at each other," He mumbles.
"Give us a few days," I say and slide my hand into his.

He laced our fingers together. I took a picture of our hands. He just squeezed my hand and looked at me. Some fans screamed when they saw us. Michael pulled me back on to the bus. I dropped my cigarette on the way in.

"Fans suck," Michael mumbles.
"I'll be right back," I say.
I grab my wallet and head off the bus. I walk to the closest pizza place. I got a few boxes of pizza and headed to the line.
"Pizza?" I ask.

I hand out most of the slices of the pizza. I got the end of the line and gave away a box to a big group. I had one box left so I shrugged and walked to the buses and got back on the Issues bus.

"PIZZA!" Ty says as he sees me.
"I bought the fans pizza and this is the left over box," I saw and put it down on the counter.
"You are so sweet," Tyler says.
I was going to give into his charm and smile at him, "Thank you Tyler."
“Thanks for the pizza, Eli,” Ty said as he takes a slice of the pizza.
“You’re welcome,” I walk to my bunk and put my cigarettes and lighter under my pillow.

Everyone got off the bus to help unload, which I helped too. About half way when we were done, all the other bands got there. I helped them unload. I was like a crew member more than just Michael’s old friend who decided to join him on tour. I got meet the rest of the bands, which were Let Live, Of Mice and Men, and Bring Me the Horizon. They were all pretty awesome guys. I hid on the bus as I got on my laptop in the back lounge and started to do some school work. I was typing a paper as my eyes would glance at the text book that was placed next to me. Michael comes in and sits down next to me. I keep working.

“I always admired how much pride you took in your school work,” He comments.
“You couldn’t turn in a major paper to save your life,” I reply; my fingers were still flying across my keyboard.
“Yeah, I was always bad at that,” He says.
“You’re only flaw,” I say with a bit of sarcasm laced in my words.
“You’re a bag of cunt,” He says.

I just laugh and keep typing the stupid paper.

“Michael, sound check,” Tyler says.
“Alright, I’ll be back Eli,” Michael comments.
“Have fun with that,” I say.

I hear their footsteps leave and I continue my paper. It needs one more page and to be turned in by tonight. I was in a bit of a rush. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out and pressed answer, not bothering to check who it was.

“Hello?” I say.
“Hey baby girl,” the worlds were soft and sweet, mom.
“Hey, mom, what’s up?” I stop my typing.
“How’s school going, doll?” She asks.
“Good. I’m finishing up this paper that is due tonight.”
“Michael’s mom called and said you two kids met up.”
“Yeah, he’s in a band and I’m on tour with them.”
“Oh, how fun. Tour and school! Will you be okay?” I could hint the worry in her voice.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine mom, I promise. I need to go mom and finish this paper.”
“Alright hun, have Michael call me.”
“I will..”
“I love you bu-bye.”
“Bye.”

I hung up and started typing the paper again. I was going to die. I made a quick break to get the slice of pizza left. I ate it as I typed. I realized I need Wi-Fi to turn in this paper. I turned the hot spot on my phone. I typed up the last reference and saved it. I connected my laptop to the Wi-Fi. I turned in my paper and sighed a bit happily. I closed up my book and put everything back into my bunk. I turned the hot spot off and crawled off the bus. I headed to the venue and got in the back way. I saw Michael and walked to him. He smiled, and mouthed hi. I took his hand. They were about to go on. I was happy I made it this far. They get called to the stage and they go on. They put on a hell of a performance. Everyone was amazing. I had a good time there.

-~-~-

They get off the stage. I helped their crew strike their set up. The rest of the guys had gone back to the bus. I quickly made my way back to the bus. Michael was standing in the front lounge.

“You guys were amazing,” I say, smiling.
“Thanks.” The boys say.
“Michael, mom wanted you to call her,” I whisper to Michael.
“Alright, I will,” He says.

I was a bit nervous not really sure what was going to happen now. I crawled into my bunk and lay down. I felt tired, so I closed my eyes and that’s the last thing I did that night.