Little Dreamer // Joe Elliott

i. hop, skip, and a jump

"Pop the trunk!" Nina shouted over the song change, Aerosmith now blasting over the radio. Eddie unlocked the car completely so Nina could swing open the trunk. Before she could do anything else, Eddie sped the car forward seven feet, just out of reach of Nina. Letting out a loud groan, the boys erupted in a chorus of laughter. She rolled her eyes and tossed her belongings into the car, slamming the trunk shut before ripping the car door on David's side open. Without question, she climbed over David and into the middle seat between he and Michael.

"Good morning, Nina!" Eddie welcomed condescendingly.

"Morning to you too." Nina crossed her arms and legs. "Go get this show on the road."

—

"Ready sis?"

Nina popped out from behind the equipment rigs and smiled at Deke, Van Halen's lighting director. "We're about done here!" She roamed around to the bay door and greeted her friend with a warm smile.

"I don't get to ride in style like you." Deke shrugged. "But I'll be out of here before you so I thought I'd check to see you out of this one and into the next."

Nina huffed. "You won't be as cramped though, that's for sure."

Deke cocked his head and stared down at her. "Couple of years, right?"

Nina raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Couple of years until you can go to school?"

Nina nodded. "No one else needs to know right now." She looked up and met his eyes, slight concern falling over her demeanor.

Deke squeezed her shoulder. "I'll see you on the other side."

"Fly safe." Nina pinched his arm before finding her backpack and making her way to the plane the band would be riding in. Because of David insisting so, Nina usually rode with them. She normally wouldn't take advantage of his crush on her, but she enjoyed having more space than not.

As Nina padded down the tarmac to their plane, her vision was limited to almost nothing but the morning sun and her destination. Not even her sunglasses could block out the sunlight enough for her to realize that David was sneaking up next to her.

"GET EXCITED!"

Nina shrieked as a pair of arms wrapped around her and swung her around in a circle. "Jesus, Dave!" Nina squirmed out of his grasp, laughing as she regained composure. "I am excited for you! Just not for the parties so much."

"And why's that?"

"I'm telling you, I love them, but Rush brought a few of the meanest Canadians over the border in their crew!"

"Are you still messed up over that?" David snorted.

"I'm messed up over the fact that my favorite boots still smell like an entire bottle of bourbon!"

The two paraded their way over to the plane, David dragging a now miffed Nina alongside him. Once on the plane, Nina sat down comfortably as David and Michael threw their carry on bags into the compartments above where they would be sitting on the jet. Dave was the first to finish, attempting to step forward to sit next to Nina.

"No." Nina clotheslined David, allowing Michael to slide into the window seat next to her.

"Maybe I wanted to sit there."

"Maybe I'm not sitting next to you on this flight." Nina sat back and adjusted into her spot again as Mike sat down next to her.

"Why?"

"Because Mike actually lets me sleep."

"You always sleep." David whined.

"Not the point!"

David rolled his eyes and slumped into the seat across from them and pouted at Nina, who smiled back innocently and reached into her backpack, pulling out a Stephen King book. Nina sank back in the seat and tried to make herself comfortable, leaning against Michael's shoulder like she had on many flights and bus rides before.

"Hey, Mike?"

He leaned over in acknowledgement. "Hmm?"

"Who's opening for you again?"

"They're called Def Leppard." Michael nodded, remembering correctly. "I know they opened for ACDC last year."

"Oh yeah..." Nina trailed off, staring into space. "Right."