The Biggest Fan

Dishes And Jealousy.

Suddenly, without me noticing, Bert came from the other side of the bus.
“Ah, smells nice”, he said, sniffing in the air.
“Thank you”, I replied blushing.
“Hey…”, he began, softly grabbing my arm. “Were you the one folding the clothes in my bag? I mean, last night?”
“Yes. I’m sorry…”
“No! Don’t be. It was really nice of you. Thanks”, he then said, pulling me in his arms before giving me a soft kiss on my left cheek.

Bert let go of my arm, giving me a smile before getting a plate and filling it with scrambled over a piece of bread along with some bacon.
“Hey, guys! Get the fuck over here. Lina’s made breakfast!”, he shouted as he grabbed a glass and poured milk into it.
“Yeah, comin´”, I heard Dan saying.

Quinn and Jepha came, each grabbing a plate and taking a portion of scrambled eggs.
“I put the bacon on a separate plate, just so you know, Jepha”, I said to him, hiding a smile.
“You rock”, he replied, taking a fork and knife along with some bread.
Then Dan came, grabbing a plate as he too filled it with eggs.
“Hey. Sorry for being late, I was just fixin´ something”, he said apologetic.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize in front of me. I just wanted you to eat before the breakfast gets cold”, I explained with a smile, pouring him a glass of milk.
“Thanks”, he responded, carrying his plate to where the other guys were sitting by the sofa table.

“Do you have everything you need now?”, I asked them, peeking out of the kitchen.
“Nah, it’s only you that’s missing”, Jepha said laughing, telling me to come and sit next to them.
I smiled, grabbing the last plate on the kitchen counter before filling it with egg and bacon.
“Do you all have milk in there?”, I asked while getting a glass from the upper shelf.
“No”, Bert responded.
“Me neither”, Quinn added.
“Okay, I’ll bring some glasses”, I said, taking with me two sets of knives and forks, before bringing my plate to the sofa table and finally sitting down.

“Phew!”, I sighed, picking up my fork and taking a piece of the scrambled eggs.

Again we were sitting there; me, Bert, Jepha, Quinn and Dan, around the sofa table while sharing yet another meal and enjoying each other’s company.
I just couldn’t get enough of that, just being able to relax around someone I really trusted.
They made me feel included. Loved.

“Once again, Lina, best fuckin´ meal I’ve ever had”, Bert said, getting agreeable nods from the other guys.
“Thanks, guys. It’s really weird, though, because I never cook. I guess this was just another beginner’s luck”, I said convincing.
“Hah, don’t think so. Hidden talent I call it”, Quinn added grinning, finishing his portion.
“God, that was good. Can’t take another bite”, Dan commented, clapping his stomach.
I noticed the whole ship was slowing down now, indicating that we were about to reach shore.
This made me wonder what time it really was.

“What’s the time?”
“Uhm, 12:37 pm. How come?”, Jepha said, emptying his plate.
“The ship is about to reach shore now, I think. I read somewhere here that it’s gonna arrive at 1:00 pm. Maybe that’s the reason it’s slowing down now.”
“Yeah, I guess so”, he responded, chewing on a tomato boat.

“Well, I better clean up”, I said, taking each and everyone’s plate with me to the kitchen sink, soaking them in warm water before returning to get the rest of the dishes.
“Hey, let me help you with that”, Bert said, carrying the empty glasses that were on the table next to the sofa group.
“Thank you”, I replied smiling, putting them into the sink along with the rest of the dishes before I began washing them.

“Need a partner?”, he asked me. “I promise I won’t squirt soap in your eye like Quinn did.”
“Still sorry ‘bout that one, Lina”, Quinn added from the sofa group.
“Haha, it’s okay, Quinn. And, sure, you can help me, Bert”, I laughed, handing him a towel.
“You’ll dry while I wash?”
“Got it, dude.”

As we were standing there, doing the dishes together, Bert occasionally gave me almost unnoticeable winks and smiles along with touching my arm with harmless strokes.
I wasn't sure how to react to all of this, but gave him little smiles, indicating that I didn't mind any of the moves he was doing.
After all, I really didn't mind. It was sweet and certainly flattering.

I started thinking of what Bert and I had talked about the other day about buying some sort of music magazine as soon as we reached shore.
“Hey, Bert. The thing about buying Kerrang! or Rock Sound or Metal Hammer or something?”
“Yeah, what about it?”, he asked drying a plate.
“Well, I was wondering if we maybe could buy some of them before your gig today?”
“Sure. Didn’t we agree on that a while ago?”
“Yeah. Just wanted to check”, I responded, washing the last fork in the kitchen sink.

Bert took the now washed fork, dried it and put it in the upper drawer, before closing it.
"Hey, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, Lina", he said, looking into my eyes with a sweet smile upon his face.
"What is it?"
"Well, it's just that - oh, my phone’s ringing”, Bert said, taking out his cell phone from his pocket.
“Better take this one”, he then said, before hurrying down the bus, making me stand there like a complete idiot.

What was Bert just about to tell me and who was that person calling him now?
Was it the person he had text messaged with earlier today?
All these questions made my stomach turn as I stood there alone, feeling an odd sense of jealousy burning up inside me...
♠ ♠ ♠
aha, a little twist there, eyh?
well, you asked for it, guys. :]

xo,
lina.