The inventor of silly string needs to be shot--that is my epiphany for the week. Chris and Justin stood at opposite ends of the bus, armed with the familiar silver and neon pink cans aimed at each other. Suddenly, Chris let out a high-pitched scream and let the stuff fly. Justin did the same, except he sounded like a cow that had just given labor, but I digress.
"Is it always this… um, interesting around here?" Hannah asked with one eyebrow raised in question. I laughed and nodded.
"Pretty much whenever Chris is awake, you've got total madness. You get used to it after awhile, become immune or just join in. He means well."
"Do you like touring?" Cody asked, changing the subject.
"Well, like everything it has it's good and bad points. I love meeting the fans and performing, but the long periods of time away from home and my own bed is hard."
"Hey Lansten, whadda you say we stop by some fleabag highway bar and go boot-scootin'? Maybe do a lil bit of kary-oak-ee?" Chris asked hopefully from his spot on the floor in front of the TV, the game of 'I'm Gunna Git You Sucka' obviously forgotten.
"Um, sure... I mean if it's okay with you guys." I said, eyeing Hannah.
"That's cool with me. Code?"
"What exactly is boot-scootin'?"
After both Chris and I had begged Lonnie up, down, left and right, he finally gave in to our demands. JC opted to stay back in the bus, catch a bit of shut eye. How can one person sleep so much?
"I bet a bomb could go off and C would still be snoring away." Justin mused as we all trouped off of the bus.
"I don't snore!" JC called from underneath the mound of blankets he had on his bunk.
From outside, it looked like your normal road stop from the movies. Gave me the willies, but I had to put up a manly front for Hannah. As the door swung open, two burly men wearing leather vests and dark sunglasses stepped out. They eyed us curiously, but said nothing.
"They is my kinda people." Chris said with a grin to anyone within earshot. He strutted up to the bar, slapped the counter, and took a seat.
"Anyone who farts and burps on cue is your kind of people." I pointed out.
The music was blaring out of a fifties-style jukebox set up on a small stage. There was a couple in the spotlight trying to get out the words to "Born To Be Wild".
"Aww yeah, look Cody. "I'm Too Sexy". We definitely have to do this one." Justin said. He rubbed his hands together and let out a small laugh as the music came to a close.
"Uh WE? Nuh uh, sorry kemosabe. You can be too sexy up there by yourself."
"Oh come on Code, be a sport." Hannah coaxed. She leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Cody's eyes widened, and she grabbed Justin's hand before anyone else could claim the stage as theirs.
"What did you say to her?" I asked after we had found a table towards the back.
"I told her if she didn't do it, I'd read her diary aloud."
A woman with a mission. Something else I admired about her. As the all too familiar song came over the speakers, I casually kept glancing over at Hannah all throughout the song. Every once in a while, she'd mouth the lyrics, then giggle. Cody and Justin made a good team. What he lacked, Cody made up for it and more. At the end, they both bowed at the waist. Chris was on his feet, whistling loudly.
"WOOOHOO! THAT'S what I'm talkin' about people... real entertainment!" he shouted, "Uh excuse me." he dashed up to the karaoke machine, flipped through the song list book and pushed a button before taking the microphone.
"Do I want to know?"
"So I'll tell you what I want, what I really want..." oh my goodness..
Truth be told, there was Chris, doing an extremely bad impersonation of the Spice Girls. Rolling my eyes, I caught Hannah's attention and motioned back to the ordering counter.
"So what do you want? My treat."
"Umm... double cheese with the works?" she questioned, biting her lip.
"Sounds good. And I'll have the, uh, quarter pounder with cheese. Oh, and a large order of fries."
"Extra ketchup." Hannah added.
"With extra ketchup." I smiled, nodding in her direction.
Well, it wasn't like a normal date... but then again, life was never normal with these four goofballs around. I quietly finished my food, joining in the conversation at random times. Hannah picked the sesame seeds off the top of her burger and one by one, popped them in her mouth.
"Interesting eating habits they're teaching up there in Gawgia." I teased.
"Oh look, how adorable. He's making Han blush. Where's a camera when you need it?!" Cody asked, wiping the non-existent tear out of her eye. This caused the entire table to erupt in laughter.
"I get no respect." I told Hannah, who's face was an even deeper crimson than before, "Come on." I stood up and held out my hand to her.
"Now they're gonna go 'round back and make out. Don't scare the fishies!" Cody said loudly as I led Hannah out onto the dance floor. As I turned my back to the others, Hannah stuck out her middle finger to her best friend.
"I'm sorry. Sometimes she gets a little..."
"Odd?" I finished. She laughed and smiled, glancing down at the hardwood floor.
"Don't worry, look like she's fitting in pretty well. So, do you regret your decision?"
"What, coming on tour with you?" she thought about this for a second or two, "Not in the least. I mean yeah, it was kinda mean to just leave my parents in the parking lot but a girl's gotta do what a girls gotta do, right?"
"Right."
"And it's not like they're going to disown me forever."
"Exactly."
She nodded and made direct eye contact, "You know I never realized how green your eyes are." she said softly as the music around us got louder and louder.
With one quick motion, our lips made contact. Luckily it was a slow song, so we weren't making a spectacle of ourselves. I slid my arm around her back and brought her in closer.
"Thank you." she whispered as we pulled apart.
"What for?"
"For being there. For being my...."
"Boyfriend?" I asked, hoping I wasn't being too forward.
"Yes, thank you for being my boyfriend."
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