I'm with the Band

Chapter 13: Meet the Players

The tour bus was everything that I had imagined the inside of the band's tour bus to look like, and more. As soon as I made it up the steps I was greeted with a bombardment of red LED lights, strung around the perimeter of the lounge area. The lounge area had a lot more space then I thought, with two couches pushed against the walls, forming an easy walkway to the midsection of the bus. Photos of Leighton and the band were pinned up above the couches telling wild tales of tour life and holding precious memories of their bond. I smiled when I saw the photos, together, on stage, is where they looked their happiest. A TV hung above the left couch, various gaming systems hooked up to the HDMI ports in anticipation for the long drives between cities. 

Leighton ascended the steps and shut the door behind him, watching my reaction as I looked around the sacred Kill Klub tour bus, the tour bus a million screaming fans dreamed of being on. Leighton walked past me and tugged my hand to show me further into the bus. 

"Well, you saw the lounge area, this is our kitchen." 

He extended his hand to present to me a very small counter tucked away behind the couch with a toaster, a microwave, a coffee machine and a small pantry. 

"We mainly use it for coffee, we can't really cook on the bus so meals can get a bit interesting."

I looked at him with a panicked expression and he laughed. 

"Relax, you have me here. I won't let you starve." 

"Not reassuring in the slightest," I responded back to him.

Across from the "kitchen", as Leighton called the one counter, there was another set of couches arranged in a booth situation with a table at the centre of it. I assumed this is where the band members would eat if they had any food, or drink their coffee. I was really worried about the food situation, to be completely honest with you, and the one small pantry did nothing to reassure me. 

"And this is our sleeping situation." 

Leighton led me further into the tour bus and stopped when we hit a narrow hallway. To my left, three bunk bed style spaces hung off the wall. Top, middle and bottom. They were crammed together with a couple feet of space between them. My mouth hung open. 

"I know what you're going to say. But hear me out, they are more comfortable then they look!" 

Have I made a mistake in coming on this tour. No food and no sleep, the situation was looking bleak. I looked closer at the bunk beds attached to the wall, offering space for maybe two people to lie down next to each other while not moving a muscle. One wrong move and you were on the floor. A fall from the top bunk meant back problems for life. 

So this is tour life. How fun. 

Leighton lead me to the back area of the bus. "And this is the washroom to your right and our back lounge to the left." 

I peaked my head into the back lounge area. Another string of red LED lights hung around the perimeter of the room casting an eerie glow upon the racks of stage outfits for Kill Klub. There were two makeup up mirrors similar to what was in Leighton's dressing room the second night I had met him. Photos of him with Frankie and Levi taped to the tops of them. Different types of makeup were already scattered across the counter, hairspray and hair gel stacked in bulk on one side of the mirrors. It was strange seeing this side of Kill Klub as a band. Where were all the drugs? Where were the poles in the middle of the bus for the strippers and party guests? Isn't that what rock bands did? This felt like a university dorm on wheels if the three friends were goth nerds. I glanced to the corner, at the rows of clothing pushed against the wall, and gasped. 

"So you do have a fridge!" I exclaimed and skipped over to a large white container on wheels. 

"Well.." Leighton started as I threw open the door to find rows upon rows of beer.