I hear an old song describe my emotions, a group Cassie listens to on a regular basis and I have to admit that I'm surprised that it's so dead on. I have no idea as to why JC keeps pushing to get through to her, pushing her away with every effort he exerts and I have told him to just back off until she calls on him. She's always giving him a glare that even Chris and I wouldn't challenge for second, he's pretty ballsy and treats us like we're his private little spies. He's always wanting us to find out her truths, but it's so hard when most of what we find concerning Nick is not only in Spanish-it's coded as well. I can't even begin decoding it, none of us can unless it's in just Spanish and then Chris can. When it's in plain English or Spanish, it's basic info and not even worth attempting to use against her. JC has been stooping pretty low, more when she was touring with us on the bus after she'd fallen asleep and that's when it was easiest.

"J, have you gotten any word from her?" JC antsily inquires.

I sigh, my eyes rolling in their sockets. "No, C, nothing from her."

It's been at least a week to a week and a half since we last seen her at an awards show, KCAs and she said something about being in Tampa until later this month. Johnny moves quickly from the back of the bus with his phone attached to his ear, humming and grunting in response to what the caller is telling him. He stops in front of JC, the younger guy's eyes shut and looking like he's sleeping like he always does.

Johnny reaches out and shakes him, none too happy with him. "JC, get your ass up, now," he tells C.

"What?" JC groans.

"Here," he growls, shoving the cell phone into JC's chest.

JC looks at it confused for a moment before picking it up, placing it to his ear. "Hello? What do you mean, mom?" He looks out the window and sees a sign indicating how many miles we are from Florida, informing his mom of how long it's going to be before we to Tampa. I think he said 4-5 hours and I know I groaned, Chris acting like a semi-tantruming 3 year old. He stomped his foot with crossed arms, storming away in huff. Give us a break, we've been crammed into an oversized tin can for almost 5 straight months if you don't include the nights in hotels! After every show, we've been too tired to even begin an argument and mornings are insane.

"Can't catch a break?" Joey asks.

"No, mom said get home ASAP and refuses to tell me why." He scrubs his face with his hands, sitting back in his seat.

I get a Yahoo IM. The great Larry Bird jersey 33/when you take a sip, you buzz like a hornet/Billy Shakespeare wrote a whole bunch of sonnets/call me Willy Whistle cuz I can't speak baby/something in your eyes went and drove me crazy/Now I can't forget you and it makes me mad/left one day and never came back/stayed all summer then went back home/Maculay Culkin wasn't home alone/fell deep in love, but now we ain't speaking/Micheal J. Fox was Alex P. Keegan... What do you think, J?

I copy and paste it into emails to the people she had said could know about it, sending it immediately. done r u gna be at any fla shows?

She doesn't answer right away, but she hasn't logged off and a few minutes of digital silence pass. mmmmmmaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyybbbbbbbbbeeeeeee

She logs off and I glance at Chris as his phone rings, answering it in Spanish. I know it's her, but I shrug. "Tell Cassie I said hi."

He speaks on the phone a few minutes longer and smirks at me in passing. I know she's going to at least call us before a show, but actually showing up will be a complete surprise to us all.