Music and Passion

I let out a huff as I slipped my phone into my back pocket. I`d just gotten off the phone with James and once again he isn`t happy with me. In two weeks we`ll be playing a show two hours away from home and because he`ll be in a another state visiting his parents he won`t be able to come see me. And because of that he`s mad at me of all people. I can`t exactly control tour dates after they have been made. But he knew about this day since a week before the tour started. I watched him mark it on his calendar for christ sake! He acted so excited to see us play but yet he makes plans on that day. I honestly don`t understand him sometimes. I mean, it`s not like he doesn`t spend every other week with his parents anyway!

"Everything okay?" Imai whispered by my ear.

I looked up at him and frowned. Well, there`s no point in lying to him. "I...no." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He murmured.

"It`s James again," I confessed. "He`s mad at me over one of our shows in two weeks. He can`t make it because he`s visiting his parents and he`s mad at me for it. It`s not even my fault, Imai. He`s known about this show since before the tour."

Imai nodded slowly. "I believe he`s at fault. I do not know him good enough to say why he did this but it is his fault."

"If only you could make him see that," I muttered.

"It will work out," He murmured as he began rubbing my back.

I let my eyes slip shut as I began to relax. Ah, he found my weak spot. "You keep doing that and I`m going to fall asleep."

Imai chuckled and continued to rub my back. "I thought you only slept because of Nikki."

"Oh hush," I teased. "So, any idea what we`re all doing today?"

"Not at all," He answered.

I opened my eyes to look up at him. "Imai? Thank you."

He smiled and nodded, "Any time." He suddenly smirked, "Didn`t Kyo teach you how to say that in Japanese?"

I laughed and pushed off the bus, "Why don`t we go see what everyone else is up to?"

He snickered and nodded. As we began walking across the parking lot I slipped my arm through his and out of the corner of my eye I saw him smile. Well, I think I just made a new friend. We crossed the hot parking lot to join the rest of the bands at a small gas station/pizza place combo. I gotta say, it took quite a bit of convincing for Atsushi to settle on this place for lunch, but now he`s inside scarfing down pizza. Sometimes the places you least expect have the best food.

"Everything okay between you two?" Jeff asked as we reached the building. He was leaning against the building with Kyo, Randy and Die. The latter three of the bunch smoking.

"We`re good. Imai was just giving me some relationship advice," I answered with a shrug. "No big deal."

"Is James getting to you again?" Randy questioned with a huff.

"Nothing that isn`t his own fault," Imai answered for me before walking inside.

Jeff raised an eyebrow at Imai`s retreating form and looked back at me, "Should we be worried?"

I shook my head and moved to lean against the building next to Kyo. "It`s fine. James was just being a jerk."

"What else is new?" Randy muttered.

"Shut up," I hissed, leaning down to pick up a small rock and throw it at him.

"Alright, children. Play nice. I don`t feel like separating you two," Jeff warned, his tone slightly teasing but still held plenty of the warning.

"You could always stay with us tonight," Kyo offered casually while blowing out cigarette smoke.

"Yeah, I`m sure we can find someone more than happy to help you sleep," Die said with a smirk.

I laughed while Kyo sputtered and made a move towards Die who stood at the end of our little line. I place a hand on his shoulder and shook my head, "It`s fine. I`m getting used to all this teasing. I figured you would too by now."

Kyo huffed and pulled out another cigarette. After lighting it he said something to Die in Japanese that sounded suspiciously like a curse word but I can`t be too sure. But whatever he said only made Die grin at him and he received a middle finger in return for the grin.

"Do I need to get Kaoru?" Jeff grumbled, causing the two to shoot him glares.

"I don`t think that`s necessary," I giggled. "I have a question anyway. Has anyone decided what we`re doing today?"

"Not yet," Randy answered. "We only got as far as food."

I nodded at his answer but found myself wrinkling my nose in disgust at an odd smell suddenly attacking my senses. It was terrible. "What`s the smell?"

"Eh? What smell?" Kyo asked.

"I don`t know. But it`s awful," I groaned, covering my mouth only to feel my stomach lurch. I quickly moved around Kyo and over to a trash can by the side of the building and threw up my breakfast. After I was done I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and moved to sink down the buildings brick wall. "I think it was the cigarette smoke."

"It normally doesn`t bother you," Jeff argued gently.

"It does now," I muttered.

"One of you go get her a drink," Kyo ordered as he knelt down beside me.

"We have mint tea on the bus. That would probably sooth her stomach," Die suggested.

Kyo nodded, "That would be good. Go get her some, yeah?"

Die nodded and jogged across the parking lot to the buses. I leaned against Kyo, who had thankfully stubbed out his cigarette, and he began rubbing my back. I let myself relax against him after a few minutes.

"Anything you want us to do?" Randy asked.

"Yeah. Can you apologize to Kaoru for me? His pancakes don`t taste as good coming up as they do going down," I replied in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Is everything alright?" Shinya asked as he walked outside and over to us.

"Sam had an odd reaction to cigarette smoke," Randy explained.

"She threw up," Jeff added quickly.

"Are you going to be alright?" Shinya questioned as he knelt down in front of me.

"As soon as I get this taste out of my mouth," I replied with a chuckled.

"I can help with that," Die called as he jogged up to us. Shinya moved out of the way for him and he handed me a water bottle with a greenish lyquid in it. "It may look bad but it will help."

I took the bottle and took a swig, instantly thankful for the minty taste. "Thank you, Die." When he nodded I took another swig, swirling the mint tea in my mouth to help get rid of the awful taste before leaning over to spit it out on the other side of the building.

"Maybe we should take it easy today," Shinya suggested gently.

"I`m sorry, guys," I apologized. "I know this is our day off and we all wanted to go do something."

"Health before fun," Jeff breathed. "Health before fun."