15
Lucky
"Let's go,everybody! In the bus, in the bus!" Stan boomed in a voice that was much larger than his smallframe.
Everyone rushed to board the bus after the show, making sure all the equipment was stored underneath. They just opened for an incredible band Lucky was hoping to listen to, but when Stan wanted something, youobeyed.
"How long of a drive?" Luckyasked.
"Fifteen hours to Phoenix. I'm well rested after that beautiful hotel and..." He cleared his throat and waved to a middle-aged woman blowing kissesathim.
"Stan, you dog!" Luckygiggled.
"I am what I am," he said, grinning. "Feel free to sleep, it'll make the time pass quicker. We'll make one pit stop in the morning so I can refuel and stretchmylegs."
Lucky slid into her seat with her messenger bag. Across the aisle from her were Jordan and Dylan, lost in their own world.Those two are too cute. She looked up at Jude as he entered the bus and exchanged a smile with him. As he walked past, he leaned downtoher.
"Come sit with me," he whispered then continued walking totheback.
As she grabbed her bag, Kat popped up from the seatbehindher.
"You're moving?" Katasked.
"Umm yeah, Kat. Did you wantsomething?"
"No, I just thought since you invited Ross and Mark on the bus you might want to spend some time with them. Seems I'm always keeping themcompany."
"No, you invited them," Lucky said. "You just needed my permission to bring them on board. If you don't want them around anymore, just tell them they're offthebus."
"Nah, I find them amusing. You do know though the thing about rock stars,right?"
"What?"
"They've got a girl ineverycity."
"What's that got to dowithme?"
"I'm just saying, that's all." Kat said with a shrug and then lifted her eyebrow at Lucky. "Sometimes though they find a girl on tour and bring her along. Plenty of stuff happens on tour. It’s almost like Vegas. Whatever happens on tour, stays on tour. Just thought you shouldknowthat."
Lucky angrily yanked her bag and moved to the back of the bus. Kat became more annoying as the tour went on. She didn't even know why she needed a keyboardist. All of her songs would be finewithoutit.
"Something happen?" Judeasked.
"No, nothing. Just Kat. Forgetaboutit."
She looked out the window as the city lights blurred against the windows. Eventually the bus made it back onto the highway and the passing cars and landscape blended together. She turned on a small light and began writing in hernotebook.
Lucky spent most of the night writing lyrics. Getting lost in her words, she didn't realize she hadn’t slept until the sun began to rise. She turned off the small light and looked over at Jude asleep in the seatbesideher.
"You need sleep, you know," he said with his eyes stillclosed.
"I thought you were sleeping. Did my light keepyouup?"
"No. I can't sleep out inpublic."
"You're not in public, it’s just us. The same people you've beentravelingwith."
"It’s public. There are windows. There are people I would never allow inmybed."
