That vacation went by way too fast. Just when I was getting used to sleeping in a normal bed we’re back on this bumpy bus.  As for Justin, he’s still acting weird. I guess that’s what happens when people get girlfriends.

            The good news is everybody is back to normal as far as their attitudes. I have gotten more hugs today that I’ve ever had in my whole life. Absence makes the heart grow fonder; I guess that’s true. I did miss everyone and it’s refreshing that we’re all back to being friends. I couldn’t take the rest of this tour with everyone at each other’s throats like we were before the break.

            I was just finishing my lunch when Justin sat down next to me.  “Hey guys, Dallas. Do you have those sketches?”

            “You’re like obsessed with the sketches.” He forgot about them for the whole time since I met him and then now it’s like the most important thing in the world to him.

            “Do ya got um?” he asked with a smile. I nodded my head, “Can I see um?”

            “Now?”

            “Right now,” he gave me a look and licked his lips, “Are you done eating?” I nodded my head, “Then yeah. Now.”

            I stood up and followed him. I grabbed two bottles of water, tossing one over at him. “Thanks,” he answered, “I’m excited.”

            “I know,” I laughed, “You’re like a little kid in a candy shop.”

            “I want to see um!” he rubbed his hands together. I think he has something wrong with him.

            “They’re not that good, don’t get too excited.”

            He laughed at that and plopped himself down on the couch, “Dallas, I’ve learned not to take anything you say seriously with that. They’re not good, just like you’re not a good dancer?”

            I sat down next to him and he grabbed the book from my hands, “OK, calm down. I didn’t really like put too much time in them. You didn’t give me much time.”

            “Shut up with the excuses,” he flipped through the book.

            He’s not even looking at it; he doesn’t know what he’s doing. “OK, slow down,” I moved closer and turned back to the front.  “You want it to be an office right? So you have the desk over here and like the chairs. Turn the page, those are some of the desks I like, like the huge chestnut wood.”

            “Mmhmm,” he nodded his head.

            “You don’t like it?”

            “I do, I just don’t really need a desk.”

            I watched Dallas’s mouth drop and laughed, “What?”

            “You said you wanted an office.”

            “I do,” I nodded my head.

            “You need a desk in an office.”

            “Says who?”

            She took a deep breath, “What office does not have a desk? You need something to put your computer on and your phone.”

            I shook my head; “I have a laptop and a cell so I’m good.”

            She laughed at that, apparently it’s funny now. She was getting pissed but now it’s just a joke, “The point of having an office is so you don’t have to just be good and you’ll have somewhere to do all your work. I swear it’s like someone just told you that you need an office and you have no idea what you’re doing.”

            I nodded my head; she’s got that pretty dead on. “I don’t like desks, it’s too business man.”

            “What about a table? I found some really cute tables.”

            I cut her off; do I look like the kind of man that wants I really cute table? “I don’t want a cute table. What about a pool table?”

            “You have a pool table!” it’s funny to watch her get so annoyed.

            “I could get another one,” I shrugged.

            Dallas rolled her eyes and shook her head, “So basically you just want a play room?”

            “Basically,” I agreed with a chuckle and grabbed the book from her hand, “Forget it. Let’s play.”

            She looked at me like I had two heads. I stood up and plugged in my Wii, I’m seriously addicted while we’re on tour. “What are we playing?” Dallas asked before standing up, it’s good she’s just as obsessed as I am. “Dance Dance Revolution?”

            I hate playing that with her because I suck and she’s so good. She makes me look bad. But that smile on her face is hard to turn down. “Battle?”

            “Of course, we have to battle. I haven’t kicked your ass in a long time, superstar.”

            “We’ll see about that,” I act confident but I know I don’t have a chance. 

            We battled and she kicked my ass. The only time she missed a step was when she was on the ground laughing at my lack of skills.

            “It’s not that funny,” I crossed my hands over my chest.

            “It’s hilarious,” she could not stop laughing, “You’re a dancer, you do it for a living.”

            “I am not a dancer, you’re a dancer. I’m a performer.”

            “Oh please, you’re such a sore loser. You’ve been dancing longer than I have.”

            “This is hardly dancing Dallas.”

            “What is it then?”

            “Hopping, jumping.” I sat down on the couch; I’m done playing this. I’m too much of a perfectionist and honestly there aren’t many people that make me look bad at these things. But damn Dallas is just like me and even fucking better at a lot of things. It wouldn’t bother me so much if she didn’t put it in my face every other minute. I shouldn’t be talking; I do the same to her.

            “You’re ridiculous. So you’re done?” she sat down next to me.

            I nodded my head, “Let’s do bowling.”

            “You’re on,” she smiled. I can kick her ass at bowling. “Or we could do golf.”

            I faked a laugh, “Cute.” She can kick my ass at golf, whether it’s putt putt, 18 hole or fucking Wii. “Go ahead, brains before beauty.” I held out the remote for her.

            “Ha ha,” she laughed sarcastically as she grabbed it from my hand.

            I watched Dallas carefully as she took a deep breath and pulled her arm back. I don’t think she understands she’s not actually bowling. She acts like she’s out there with a literal ball.

            “Strike!” she shouted, throwing her hands up, “Yeah!”

            I grabbed the remote from her hand, “Is there anything you’re not good at?”

            Dallas tapped her chin, “Nothing comes to mind,” she laughed.

            I stood up and managed to get a spare, not so bad. I handed it back to her and sat down, “Were you serious about going back to Dallas?”

            She looked back at me and laughed, “I just said I didn’t want to get an apartment.”

            “Why not?”

            “Seriously Justin?” she handed me the remote, “We talked about this like three weeks ago.”

            “I know,” I nodded my head, “It’s been bothering me.” Did I just admit that out loud? I must have because Dallas is giving me a strange look.

            “Why?”

            “I don’t know, I can’t have my star dancer leaving.”

            “I’m not going to leave in the middle of the tour.”

            I nodded my head; glad she took it that way. I definitely didn’t mean it as far as the tour is concerned but we’ll go with that.  “Then you’re coming on the European leg?”

            She shrugged, “I don’t know, do I have to give you an answer right now?”

            “What else are you going to do Dallas? Golf? Design offices for people who don’t want offices?”

            She laughed sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

            “I need you to do it,” once again my mouth just doesn’t listen to my brain. Dallas gave me that look again and I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this one.

            Luckily she didn’t ask for an explanation with that one, “It’s your turn.”

            “Justin,” I heard a knock on the door and Rachael walked in handing me a cell phone, “Johnny wants to talk to you.” I love my cousin. She’s amazing and she saves me even without realizing it.

            “We’ll finish this later,” I pointed the remote at Dallas, she laughed and left with Rachael.

            I think it’s safe to say Justin has lost his mind. He’s like a totally different person when his crazy girlfriend isn’t around him. It’s the old Justin; I think everyone likes him better when she’s not around.

            “Come here, come here,” Rachael pulled me into another room.

            “What?”

            “OK,” she sat down grabbing a magazine in her lap, hiding the cover against her chest, “First you know we’re not supposed to like, be reading these things. And he would flip if he knew I was getting my information from this but I didn’t buy it. It was here.”

            “OK?” I asked with an uncomfortable laugh. She’s taking this very serious so I probably shouldn’t be laughing. Rachael handed me the magazine, with Justin and Jess on the cover, the pictures of Jess with a bunch of other celebrities that she once dated. “I don’t get it.”

            “Look at all the people she’s dated, each one a little more famous. I just don’t trust her, she’s shady. She’s so fake and she’s totally using him.”

            I nodded my head.  They all really have each other’s back in that family and it’s really refreshing. “Then tell him?” I suggested.

            “He doesn’t listen, he’s like so naive when it comes to that shit,” she paused and tapped her fingers against the arm of the couch, “I’m overreacting, right Veda? I just don’t like her.”

            “I don’t like her either,” I answered honestly.

            “Well, she’s coming tomorrow so, maybe we can talk to her.”

            I shook my head, “Why are you getting me involved?”

            “Because you’re like his best friend. He’ll listen to you.”

            “I doubt it,” I answered honestly. I think he knows what he’s doing. He’s a big boy; I think he’s smarter than we’re giving him credit for. Maybe he doesn’t mind being used, maybe he’s using her just as much as she’s using him. She is pretty, maybe that’s all he’s looking for.

            The show was amazing. I never realized how much I missed going out on stage every night until I got back to it. I walked out of the venue with Justin, “Try to trip me one more time Dallas.”

            I laughed, “Pay back is a bitch.”

            “I never tripped you on purpose, you were in my way,” he answered with a chuckle.

            “And you were in my way,” I smiled as I followed him on his bus, “That was awesome though, I missed going on stage.”

            Justin nodded his head, “So you’re coming to Europe?”

            I rolled my eyes, “I didn’t say that. What movies did you get for the ride?”

            “Oh, I uh… didn’t get any. I don’t know if you should ride on here.”

            “What?” I asked out of disbelief. Is this a joke?

“She just… gets jealous.”  She, as in, his crazy girlfriend. I’ve been on his fucking bus every day since the tour began, and now I’m not allowed on it?

            It’s so hard for him to say it; he should just fucking say it. “So you want me to go on the other bus?”

            He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath, “I just…” he stopped and started to rub the back of his neck, “I don’t know, I mean if you want to stay…”

            “No, I don’t want to stay.” I walked off the bus before he could say anything. Not only is he dating a bitch that he has nothing in common with.  Not only is she a fucking money hungry whore that is only with him because of his name and how he can help her get famous. Not only is that little bitch making him paranoid and unable to do anything without worrying what his little insecure bitch of a girlfriend will think, but she’s taking away my best friend. I can’t even stay on his bus anymore. What is he even going to do by himself? He hates being on the bus alone. He’ll probably call her and talk to her for the four hour bus ride and let her plan even more of his life.

            I pulled my hood up as I walked on the other bus. Everyone stopped talking and looked at me. I heard a lot of people asking if I was ok or what was going on but I ignored them. I just climbed onto my bunk, closed the curtain and blasted my IPOD. This bitch is driving me fucking crazy and she’s on the other side of the country. She’ll be here tomorrow; I might have to slap a bitch.

            I heard the curtain open and saw Marty standing in front of me, “Are you alright?”

            I seriously considered pretending I was asleep or my IPOD was too loud I couldn’t hear him. But then I remembered its Marty who is like a brother to me, and made me do this tour in the first place. I owe him more. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

            “You’re on my bunk.”

            I looked around to see his pictures of his family pinned against the wall. “Oh, sorry. I though…”

            “One up,” he pointed.

            “Sorry Marty.”

            “Nah, you can stay. I’m just letting you know. You’re never on here so you forget. Everyone’s got their shit on it.”

            I nodded my head, “I can sleep out there on the couch.”

            “Not if you want to sleep,” he answered with a smile, “We’re playing poker. Why don’t you come play?”

            I bit at my lip and weighed my options. I could stay in this bunk and be pissed off all night or I could go play poker with my true friends and get my mind off that other kid.  I nodded my head and followed Marty to the back of the bus. 

            A hush formed over he crowd as I sat down in an empty seat. “Whoa, Veda has surfaced,” someone said with a laugh. It took a little while for everyone else to join in. I think everyone’s afraid that I’m just going to break down. It’s not that big of a deal, I’m just pissed, it’s not like I’m going to start crying or something.

            I sat quietly for the first few hands, not really ready to join in the conversations. Luckily these people are so much fun it’s impossible to be pissed off when I’m around them. I heard the engine turn on and the bus took off, beginning the four-hour trip to the next hotel. Now there’s no escaping.