Every time I tried to picture myself on tour with them, I had to resist the urge to pinch myself. Other than the traveling and getting to stay with them, I was all about exciting things and spontaneity. I thrived on it. I knew it would be pretty difficult at times and I knew that was going to be a shock to my system.
People really didn't understand how hard it could be for them. They went from hotel to hotel, sleeping in different beds every other night, never having a shred of privacy. Even knowing Nick as well as I did, didn't allow me to understand it to their degree. It was definitely going to be a major adjustment. Still, I was just an inch beyond excited. Suddenly the door burst open and Nick emerged, grinning. Brian was standing to his left, also smiling. I felt my face light up with theirs. We were on our way.
"God, this bus looks so huge," she whispered in a hushed voice.
I smirked. She was definately in awe of the silver bullet. "Nah, you're just so tiny."
"Ha ha, am not!"
"Whateva," I replied as I gestured with my free arm to the open door. "Ladies first."
"Nick you're all set, right?"
"Yeah Dave, we re good to go," I replied to my driver.
I took a deep breath before I climbed onboard. The only part of the trip that wouldn't make it suck so bad was having someone around me that was totally new to all the mayhem that was coming up.
"Omigod!" Lizz gasped.
I shook my head and smiled at Dave before getting on. I bounded up the steps to find Lizz standing in the middle of the living quarters, her mouth agape.
"You never told me how great this is!"
I sank my body onto the couch. "That's cause you never asked."
Lizz did a 360 before she stopped and then turned back to face me again, her hands on her hips. I looked up at her with an eyebrow raised, waiting for a comment.
"Well?"
" Well what?"
"Nick! Hey aren't you gonna give me a tour of this home on wheels or am I going to have to figure this out on my own?"
I groaned.
"Please, pretty please?"
I envisioned my mom glaring at me at this very moment. This was kinda rude for me not to take her and show her where things were, after all, she was going to be stuck with me on this bus for three months.
"Okay, let s go on the mini tour, here, follow me," I stated as I gestured over my shoulder. When I walked past her, I stopped briefly at the fridge. I held up a bottle of water. "Want some?" Lizz shook her head. "Well, that's the fridge, so you know where to go to help yourself."
"Okay, there s the microwave, the cupboards with plates and glasses and stuff. Over here is the munchie cupboard.... what?"
Lizz was shaking her head, smiling. "You and your preoccupation with food, I swear."
"Hey, just wait, you'll see why I worry about my snacks! Okay, you ve seen the living quarters, the televion behind those doors, the ones below is the playstation and on the left is the CD case and on the right are the DVDs and some VHS. DVD and the VCR are on the bottom shelf."
"Way back is the bedroom the bathroom is off to the far right. So there's the mini tour," I sighed as I laid back down on the couch.
"Nick are you tired?"
"Oh don't start analyzing me please, I'm fine, I rolled my eyes at her."
"Hey, don't pull anything dumb Nick, Brian told me what the doctor said about the conditions of your release and if I remember, number one was plenty of rest and fluids during your offtime," Lizz stated as she stared at me.
I grabbed a pillow and laid it ontop of my face. "I'm fine."
"Yeah, and I'm the pope!"
"Well, what about you? Are you feeling okay?" I asked, trying to switch the focus off of me.
"Nice try Nick."
Taking the blanket that was laying across a chair, Lizz laid it ontop of me. "Why don't you lay back and rest? I ll find a movie and we can watch some tv, how does that sound?"
Again, I groaned.
"Okay, that's what I thought," Lizz replied.
I smirked as I watched her try to figure out how to open the doors to the TV. I didn t say a word as she pried opened the doors to the CD s. She finally found the cupboard with the DVD s and I was semi-amused as I watched her paw through the selections.
"My god, this is like a mini video rental store," Lizz muttered as she picked through the movies. "Any requests?"
"I don't care, but the ride shouldn't be that long, so try to pick something you won't get too involved in," I sleepily suggested.
"Titanic? Nick I though you hated that----"
"Gift, or a weak moment, not sure," I mumbled in defense.
I closed my eyes, giving up to the sleep that I was craving. Off in the distance, I could hear her still sorting through movies.....
"Nick, what s Brian gonna think about this? I'm sure he wouldn t approve," Lizz protested as I placed the card to the hotel room in the door slot.
Holding the door open, I motioned for her to go inside. "Brian's not our dad, is he?"
"No, but still, single people shouldn't share a room together, especially a hotel room!"
"Brian and Leighanne weren't saints before they got married," I smirked.
"Okay, I didn t want to know that," Lizz replied, covering her ears.
"Well, you're stuck with me, you heard them at the desk, the hotel is booked solid, all the hotels in the area are booked up, so like it or not, you're gonna have to enjoy my company for the next two days here."
"We need ice," Lizz stated as she grabbed the bucket.
"Whoa, where did that come from?"
"No place, we need ice, that's all."
I took Lizz by the shoulders. "Hey.... if you re uncomfortable with this I can stay with Howie or someone from detail."
Lizz shook her head. "No, it's okay, I'm fine. I just don't want rumors to start up for you."
I snickered at the comment. "Like there isn' t any rumors out there now? Besides, look at how preoccupied AJ has been about us lately."
I was rewarded with a grin from Lizz.
"Do you want me to get the ice?"
"Nick! Are you nuts? You' d be attacked," she replied as she grabbed the room card off the desk. "What s so funny now?"
"It's pretty safe right now, we just got here," I pointed out. "Give it a few hours and the real beauty of being on the road will be hitting you full force." I took the ice bucket from her hands. "Come on, I ll go with you."
"Okay, what s going to happen in a few hours?"
"Well my friend, in a few hours I'll have to call detail when I want to leave this room to do anything. My life will be this way for the next couple of months, no end in sight. You will be getting so sick of it once the fans figure you out and put two and two together. Oh and just in case we ever get separated or you aren t allowed near me, we need to think of a password to tell detail so you can be allowed back in."
I noticed a smile spread across her face.
"What are you thinking Lizz? Ugh, god no...no--"
" Sooners Rule! "
"I WILL NOT allow you near me with that freakin password, lemme think about it. Now, let's go get some ice."
