Roof-Top Romance
GAS STATION AND CONVERSATION
Shortly after our conversation, Mikey pulled the bus into a BP station.
“So who’s going to get out?” Frank asked.
“Bob,” Ray said.
“Wait, why me?” Bob asked.
“Because you can handle yourself better than the rest of us.” Ray said.
“Fucking babies...” Bob said to them.
“I’ll pay,” I told them.
Before anyone could even say no, I ran off the bus and gave a pretty woman at the counter $50 and said, “It’s for the huge bus at pump 3.”
I ran back to the bus. When I got back, everyone was off the bus standing around Bob.
“Don’t worry bro, we got your back,” Frank said.
“I thought you said I could handle myself, ass.” Bob told him.
Frank looked at him in dismay, and then retreated to the bus.
“Elena, you didn’t have to pay. We could have done that.” Gerard said to me.
“Well thanks, but it’s not a big deal to me. It’s just $50.”
“Yeah, but you’re only 15. That was your birthday money.”
“So? Being with you guys is a better present than money.” I said.
Gerard half- smiled. He didn't know what to say.
“You’re only 15? You could pass as like 18!” Ray shouted excitedly.
“Really, do I look that old?” I asked.
“Well, you don’t look 18 exactly... but you do look older than 15,” Gerard told her.
I was kind of surprised. I had always been told that I acted much older than my age, but I wasn’t aware that I looked it too. I suppose that could work in my benefit if I ever needed to look older than a young teenager. But I never really took advantage of it.
“Holy crap, that's cool. So maybe I could like... go to clubs n' stuff,” I told them.
"Ha," Gerard laughed. "You don't look that old."
“So has anyone figured out where we are going?” Bob asked.
“I say we just drive the highway and see where it takes us,” Mikey told him.
“That was very moving Mikey," I said to him sarcastically. "Sounds like a plan.”
Everyone agreed.
I changed the subject by asking if they wanted to talk or something. We got on the subject of music.
“So what kinds of music do you guys listen to when you aren’t hearing yourselves from an echo?” I asked.
“I’m into punk stuff. Real punk. Not this stupid emo bullshit excuse for punk. I mean good shit like The Misfits.” Gerard replied.
“Sounds cool. What about you Ray?”
“I don’t like music.”
I looked at him with a very strange face. He turned around and looked directly into my face without even smiling. “What?” He said.
I still didn’t say anything. I was really confused. I didn’t exactly grasp how such an amazing guitarist didn’t like music. But it made sense, if you went in the roundabout mindset, and realize that what someone is the best at is what they hate the most.
“Elena, I’m just kidding, okay? I like a lot of different kinds of music. I just don’t really get out and listen to that much new stuff. I just kind of listen to whatever is on the radio. Nothing real special; just whatever is playing.” He told me.
We all continued talking until nightfall. I forgot that we were on the bus. I was so lost in everything that was going on around me that I didn’t even remember that we were still driving. Mikey pulled the bus into a rest stop and we got out to stretch our legs and feel cool nighttime air.
I grabbed my phone and checked the time. It was 8:30 and I had a new voicemail.
“Oh no, it’s probably my mom. I told her we wouldn’t be gone long. Ugh! Do you guys know where we are?” I asked.
“Um, I think I saw a sign for Welcome to Kentucky a while ago. Or maybe it was Thanks for visiting Kentucky…” Frank said as he drifted off into speech.
“This isn’t good.”
“Hey hun, it’s just me. I’m just checking to see where you are. Call me back soon. Love you, bye!”
I told the guys I would be right back and I went behind the bus to call my mom. I knew she was going to be angry or worried or some kind of uneasy emotion. But I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation or how to get home. “Where are you? I called you hours ago!” Mom yelled.
“We’re in Tennessee. They have a show to do tomorrow and I’m going to go hang with them. I’ll be back tomorrow night,” I said.
“I really don’t like the idea of you being on a bus with 5 men that I don’t know at all,” she told me.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s funny, Ray said the same thing. Trust me mom, its okay. This is a once in a lifetime thing. I will be home tomorrow. Don’t worry. By the way, don’t tell anyone I’m with them.”
“Why not?” she asked very concerned like.
“Cause I don’t want people to know!”
“Okay, I won’t I promise. I love you...”
“I love you too and I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Okay, bye.”
“Bye.”
I quietly walked down to the lower level where the other guys were. I overheard them talking...
“Elena is so cool,” I heard Frank say.
“Yeah, she is pretty cool and she has a thing for me. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. She’s young though. It’s probably nothing,” I heard Gerard say.
“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” She heard Ray say.
“Do you like her?” She heard Frank ask.
“Dude, she's a kid!" Gerard fired back.
“I was just wondering...” I heard Frank say.
“Still...” Gerard began to say.
I stepped lightly into the room making it look as if I hadn’t been standing there listening to their conversation. “I’m done,” I said. I looked at Gerard and asked, “hey is it okay if I talk to you for a minute?”
“Yeah,” He told her.
“Go get ‘em tiger.” Mikey called.
Gerard just gave him a look. It really wasn’t funny.
Gerard followed me upstairs and sat on the couch. I looked at him and said, “I could only dream of this day. This is something that is written in a notebook, not something that actually happens. You guys are awesome and fun to hang out with. But you're always on tour..."
“You could go with us,” Gerard told me.
“But what would my family think? I would love nothing more than to go with you guys, but I can’t ditch my mom, my Bob, and my little sister,” I told him. “Besides you guys don’t even know me. It really feels kind of strange that you would invite me. Not that I’m declining the offer, but that’s a pretty big deal. I mean what would I be doing? I can’t just sit on the bus all day long. It would be a blast to be with you guys, but this band isn’t all that you are. You are humans…”
“Then we will make you part of the band so they have no choice but to let you come with us.” He told me.
“They really aren’t going to like the idea. Not trying to sound like a freak but she knows how big of a deal you guys are to me. My entire family does. You guys are all I talk about. I think if you were completely serious she would give it thought. I mean I would have to do online schooling or something.” I told him.
“Well there you go. That works perfectly.” Gerard told her.
“I’ll talk to my mom about it tomorrow, but you should probably go back down there.” I told him.
"That's fine. Are you going to sleep?" He asked.
"Yeah, if you don't care. I'll probably just sleep up here.
"It's cool. Well I'll see you in the morning.”
"Okie dokie. Good night Gee,"
"Night."
I watched him walk back to the lower level. As I layed there on that couch, so many thoughts were racing through my mind. I couldn’t even keep them all organized.
I can’t believe everything that just happened. Today has been the craziest and best day of my entire life. I thought I was just going to have a normal day at school. But instead I get the band of my dreams and I get a dream come true! And somehow I managed to not make a complete ass of myself. Yeah I said a couple of things and stumbled over my words. But as far as it seems the awkwardness has gone away. Maybe they won’t think I’m insane. Just a big fan. They’re people and I’m a people too. We have stuff in common! I still just can’t believe it.
“So who’s going to get out?” Frank asked.
“Bob,” Ray said.
“Wait, why me?” Bob asked.
“Because you can handle yourself better than the rest of us.” Ray said.
“Fucking babies...” Bob said to them.
“I’ll pay,” I told them.
Before anyone could even say no, I ran off the bus and gave a pretty woman at the counter $50 and said, “It’s for the huge bus at pump 3.”
I ran back to the bus. When I got back, everyone was off the bus standing around Bob.
“Don’t worry bro, we got your back,” Frank said.
“I thought you said I could handle myself, ass.” Bob told him.
Frank looked at him in dismay, and then retreated to the bus.
“Elena, you didn’t have to pay. We could have done that.” Gerard said to me.
“Well thanks, but it’s not a big deal to me. It’s just $50.”
“Yeah, but you’re only 15. That was your birthday money.”
“So? Being with you guys is a better present than money.” I said.
Gerard half- smiled. He didn't know what to say.
“You’re only 15? You could pass as like 18!” Ray shouted excitedly.
“Really, do I look that old?” I asked.
“Well, you don’t look 18 exactly... but you do look older than 15,” Gerard told her.
I was kind of surprised. I had always been told that I acted much older than my age, but I wasn’t aware that I looked it too. I suppose that could work in my benefit if I ever needed to look older than a young teenager. But I never really took advantage of it.
“Holy crap, that's cool. So maybe I could like... go to clubs n' stuff,” I told them.
"Ha," Gerard laughed. "You don't look that old."
“So has anyone figured out where we are going?” Bob asked.
“I say we just drive the highway and see where it takes us,” Mikey told him.
“That was very moving Mikey," I said to him sarcastically. "Sounds like a plan.”
Everyone agreed.
I changed the subject by asking if they wanted to talk or something. We got on the subject of music.
“So what kinds of music do you guys listen to when you aren’t hearing yourselves from an echo?” I asked.
“I’m into punk stuff. Real punk. Not this stupid emo bullshit excuse for punk. I mean good shit like The Misfits.” Gerard replied.
“Sounds cool. What about you Ray?”
“I don’t like music.”
I looked at him with a very strange face. He turned around and looked directly into my face without even smiling. “What?” He said.
I still didn’t say anything. I was really confused. I didn’t exactly grasp how such an amazing guitarist didn’t like music. But it made sense, if you went in the roundabout mindset, and realize that what someone is the best at is what they hate the most.
“Elena, I’m just kidding, okay? I like a lot of different kinds of music. I just don’t really get out and listen to that much new stuff. I just kind of listen to whatever is on the radio. Nothing real special; just whatever is playing.” He told me.
We all continued talking until nightfall. I forgot that we were on the bus. I was so lost in everything that was going on around me that I didn’t even remember that we were still driving. Mikey pulled the bus into a rest stop and we got out to stretch our legs and feel cool nighttime air.
I grabbed my phone and checked the time. It was 8:30 and I had a new voicemail.
“Oh no, it’s probably my mom. I told her we wouldn’t be gone long. Ugh! Do you guys know where we are?” I asked.
“Um, I think I saw a sign for Welcome to Kentucky a while ago. Or maybe it was Thanks for visiting Kentucky…” Frank said as he drifted off into speech.
“This isn’t good.”
“Hey hun, it’s just me. I’m just checking to see where you are. Call me back soon. Love you, bye!”
I told the guys I would be right back and I went behind the bus to call my mom. I knew she was going to be angry or worried or some kind of uneasy emotion. But I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation or how to get home. “Where are you? I called you hours ago!” Mom yelled.
“We’re in Tennessee. They have a show to do tomorrow and I’m going to go hang with them. I’ll be back tomorrow night,” I said.
“I really don’t like the idea of you being on a bus with 5 men that I don’t know at all,” she told me.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s funny, Ray said the same thing. Trust me mom, its okay. This is a once in a lifetime thing. I will be home tomorrow. Don’t worry. By the way, don’t tell anyone I’m with them.”
“Why not?” she asked very concerned like.
“Cause I don’t want people to know!”
“Okay, I won’t I promise. I love you...”
“I love you too and I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Okay, bye.”
“Bye.”
I quietly walked down to the lower level where the other guys were. I overheard them talking...
“Elena is so cool,” I heard Frank say.
“Yeah, she is pretty cool and she has a thing for me. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. She’s young though. It’s probably nothing,” I heard Gerard say.
“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” She heard Ray say.
“Do you like her?” She heard Frank ask.
“Dude, she's a kid!" Gerard fired back.
“I was just wondering...” I heard Frank say.
“Still...” Gerard began to say.
I stepped lightly into the room making it look as if I hadn’t been standing there listening to their conversation. “I’m done,” I said. I looked at Gerard and asked, “hey is it okay if I talk to you for a minute?”
“Yeah,” He told her.
“Go get ‘em tiger.” Mikey called.
Gerard just gave him a look. It really wasn’t funny.
Gerard followed me upstairs and sat on the couch. I looked at him and said, “I could only dream of this day. This is something that is written in a notebook, not something that actually happens. You guys are awesome and fun to hang out with. But you're always on tour..."
“You could go with us,” Gerard told me.
“But what would my family think? I would love nothing more than to go with you guys, but I can’t ditch my mom, my Bob, and my little sister,” I told him. “Besides you guys don’t even know me. It really feels kind of strange that you would invite me. Not that I’m declining the offer, but that’s a pretty big deal. I mean what would I be doing? I can’t just sit on the bus all day long. It would be a blast to be with you guys, but this band isn’t all that you are. You are humans…”
“Then we will make you part of the band so they have no choice but to let you come with us.” He told me.
“They really aren’t going to like the idea. Not trying to sound like a freak but she knows how big of a deal you guys are to me. My entire family does. You guys are all I talk about. I think if you were completely serious she would give it thought. I mean I would have to do online schooling or something.” I told him.
“Well there you go. That works perfectly.” Gerard told her.
“I’ll talk to my mom about it tomorrow, but you should probably go back down there.” I told him.
"That's fine. Are you going to sleep?" He asked.
"Yeah, if you don't care. I'll probably just sleep up here.
"It's cool. Well I'll see you in the morning.”
"Okie dokie. Good night Gee,"
"Night."
I watched him walk back to the lower level. As I layed there on that couch, so many thoughts were racing through my mind. I couldn’t even keep them all organized.
I can’t believe everything that just happened. Today has been the craziest and best day of my entire life. I thought I was just going to have a normal day at school. But instead I get the band of my dreams and I get a dream come true! And somehow I managed to not make a complete ass of myself. Yeah I said a couple of things and stumbled over my words. But as far as it seems the awkwardness has gone away. Maybe they won’t think I’m insane. Just a big fan. They’re people and I’m a people too. We have stuff in common! I still just can’t believe it.