"I'm going to miss you, so much." Lydia says as she pulls me into a rib crushing hug.
"I'll miss you too, I'll call you when we land, I promise." I say, trying to breathe through the pain of my ribs snapping and being ground into dust from the sheer force of her hugs.
She finally releases me from the bone-shattering hug, "I'll just climb into your luggage and come with." She proposes the idea.
"Perfect idea, I don't need a new change of clothes anyway." I explain.
"Please, you'll be on a bus with a bunch of stinky old dudes, what are the odds they do laundry?" Lydia asks.
"Hey, I'm not old!" Dad exclaims.
"No offense." She says before giving me that "he is" look on her face.
"I'd say the odds are very low." I say quietly.
"Sounds about right." She agrees.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you girls but we need to get to the airport soon." Dad explains.
"I'll see you in a few months." I smile at her.
"I can't wait." She pulls me into another bone-shattering hug.
"I have to go." I say as she releases me.
"Call me." She demands.
"Of course." I say as I put my luggage in the trunk.
"Tell me about all the famous people you meet." She says.
"I'll start by telling you about my dads." I joke.
"Perfect." She laughs before giving me one last hug.
"I'll miss you." I tell her.
"I'll miss you too." She admits.
After that, I get into the back seat of the car and we drive off. "I'm sorry you won't be able to see your friends for a while." Papa says apologetically.
"It's okay, I wouldn't miss this opporotunity for the world." I say, happier than I was previously.
"I'm glad." Papa replies.
I had dreaded boarding the plane, I don't like planes. Plane rides are also very boring and cramped. I know the plane ride is only about two and a half hours to Dallas Texas, but still, I am going to hate those two and a half hours.
I got anxious when we started experiencing turbulence. I did not want this plane to crash, I was not ready to die. Eventually the plane steadied out but I was still spooked. The first three dates are in Texas, I have never been to texas but I have been told it is hot and humid. I really dont think that will be too pleasent.
"Dad?" I ask.
"Yes?" Dad replies.
"This flight is too long." I admit.
"It just started." He points out.
"Yeah, like three years ago." I slouch in my seat.
"It'll be over before you know it." Papa adds.
"I definately know it all ready." I reply.
"Did you bring your sketch book?" Papa asks.
"Yeah," I say before grabbing my purse and pulling out a sketch book and a pencil, "I just dont know what to draw at the moent." I explain.
"How about," Papa trails off, "A plane?" He suggests.
"You're so boring." Dad chimes in, "Draw a horse," he pauses for a second, "No, a unicorn." He declares.
"A unicorn playing the drums." Papa adds.
"Oh I love that idea." Dad replies.
"I'm not good at drawing drums." I explain.
"Well you have like two hour to perfect it." Papa suggests.
"True, true." I nod as I flip to a blank page in my sketch book.
"I believe in you." Dad informs me.
"Thanks." I say as I think about how to start this sketch.
I start with basic shapes and loose lines. I decided to give the unicon a beer belly and sun glasses. I notice dad peeking over my shoulder while I'm getting more of the form of the unicorn done but I elect to ignore him. So far the unicorn does not look half bad but the drums are all still basic shapes
"Psst." I hear from the seat behind us.
"Yes, Jack?" Dad stops looking over my shoulder and turns to see his band mate behind him.
"I just wanted you to move so I could see her drawing." Jack explains, "Looks good, Stella." Jack uses my name to get my attention.
"Thank you." I smile to my self without turning around.
"She's very focused." Jack points out.
"Yeah, she's a great artist." Dad adds.
I smile to my self and continue to draw. "Yeah, our daughter is an amazing artist." Papa says proudly. I may have just been reading too much into it but it kind of seemed like Papa was putting enphasis on the word "Out" at least just a little bit.
"Is she drawing you as a unicorn?" Jack asks Papa.
"I do not have a beer gut." He claims defensively.
I let out a soft chuckle as I draw. "Hm, well you play drums." Jack adds.
"Yeah, me and a million other people." Papa adds.
"And one unicorn, aparently." Jack replies.
"I hope she draws you as a unicorn with a beer gut next." Papa replies.
"Mean." Jack whines.
Alex just laughs. This whole interaction just makes me wonder why Zack hasn't said anything. I stop drawing for a minute and turn around to see Zack sitting in the seat behind me. He looks up from his phone. "Hi." He says.
"Hi." I say before turning back around.
"She stopped drawing just to say "hi" to zack?" Jack asks
"He's my favorite band member." I joke.
"What?" Papa asks.
"Why not me?" Dad asks.
"What about me?" Papa asks defensivley.
"Well if it came down to the two of us, I think I would be the favorite." Alex declares.
"What makes you say that?" Papa asks.
Now I was currious too. "Well, she named me dad and you papa." He replies.
"Ouch." Papa says.
I hit dad in the chest with my sketch book. "Ow!" Dad whines.
"That's not true." I reply, "I love you both the same, now apologise to my other dad before I swap your titles." I demand.
Dad sighs, "Okay mom." He mocks, "I didn't mean what I said, but I still am the favorite." Dad sticks his tounge out at Papa.
I hit him in the chest again with my sketch book, "Ow!" Alex whines again.
"You deserved it." I state.
"Me, your favorite parent? Impossible." He replies. I hit him one more time with my sketch book, "Ow, okay, okay, okay. We can both be the favorites."
"Better." I say before getting back to my drawing.
"Alex is just jealous because he knows I'm the favorite." Papa whispers to me quietly.
I laugh, "Hey, why aren't you hitting him?" Dad asks, offended.
"Maybe it's because I am her favorite parent." Papa states.
"How dare you make such a bold claim." Dad replies.
"She's not saying anything, I think he's got you beat." Jack pipes in.
"Thats not true." Alex claims.
"I think it is." Papa proclaims poudly.
toward the end of the flight I was able to finish my drawing. "Done." I say right after putting the last finising touches on it.
"That's amazing." Dad says happily.
"It's so cute." Papa adds.
"Let me see." Jack says trying to see over our shoulders.
I hand the sketch book back to Jack and Zack, "Nice." Jack says as he inspects my drawing.
"Looks really cool, Stella." Zack says happily as he hands me back my sketch book.
"Thanks, guys." I say hapily as I flip my sketch book closed.
When we are finally off the plane and getting on the tour bus I rush to choose the bunk that I think is in the best spot. "Not fair!" Jack proclaims, "Why does she get first pick.
"She's a child, Jack." Dad reminds.
"Yeah, and?" Jack asks, "that doesn't mean she gets first dibs."
"You're right, Jack, you do act like a child." Papa says as he brushes past him to get to the bunk area.
I turn on my bunks light and crawl in, closing the curtain behind me. "Mine." I declare through the curtain.
"Fine, I'll take the other one." Jack says exhasperatedly.
"I like this bunk." i say as I get cozy.
"Yeah, you would, wouldn't you." Jack adds.
"Jack stop being cranky and get settled in." Alex says.
I open the curtain to my bunk, "This is exciting." I smile at my parents.
"Don't worry, touring will lose it's charm as soon as you wake up with horrible back pain." Papa says as he puts his bag in his bunk.
"Unlike you guys, I'm not old!" I stick my tounge out at them before shutting my curtain.
"What?" Papa yells in surprise.
"Give it up Rian, we're old now." Dad says as he pats papa on the back.
"That's what happens when you have a teenage daughter." Zack replies.
"We could have adopted a baby, would that have made us younger?" Papa asks.
"Nah, it would just make you out of a job for a while." Zack replies.
I open my curtain, "I'm better than a baby, right?" I ask my parents.
"Of course, sweet heart." Dad smiles at me.
"You wont replace me with a baby?" I ask.
"You're not a dog, we can't just drop you off at the pound and pick up a new one." Papa adds.
"You can technically, it would just take a lot more paperwork." I explains, "Also, the fact that you would do that to a dog," I shake my head, "Dogs are leaving beings not property."
"Oh my," Dad runs a hand down his face, "That's not what he meant, I don't think."
"Let's move onto a new topic." Papa offers.
"Oh!" I say, suddenly remembering, "I forgot to call Lydia!" I announce before pulling out my phone.
My fathers exchange a weird look before they resume getting their bunk sorted out quietly. The bus was supposed to start moving soon so I knew I could not get out, I guess everyone will just have to listen to me talk for a while. I close my bunk curtain while dialing Lydia's number. It rings a few times before she finally picks up. "Hey." I say slightly quieter than my usual volume.
"Hey!" She says happily.
"I'm in the tour bus right now, we just picked our bunks." I explain.
"That's so cool." She says, "How is it?"
"Small," I explain, "but cozy."
"I see," She says, "how was your flight?" She asks.
"Boring, I drew a unicorn playing drums though." I expain.
"Oh, send me a picture later." She says.
"I will," I reply, "so how's your day been?" I ask.
"Pretty chill," She replies, "Nohing really going on."
"I see, I see, well we're about to drive to our first venue which is exciting." I reply.
"That's cool, what is the weather like?" She asks.
"I was not outside for very long but I will say, very, very, humid." I reply.
"Oh, ew." She replies.
"Yeah, I'm in texas for three days too." I reply, suddenly I felt the bus start to move.
"Gross." She replies.
"But it'll still be a really cool experience." I say happily.
"I miss you already." She admits.
"I miss you too." I say quieter into the phone.
"When are you coming back?" She complains.
"Mid-August I think." I reply.
"That's so long from now." She complains.
"I know but it's okay." I reply.
"Is it?" She asks.
"Yes." I reply.
"Okay." She whines.
"This bus is so small." I inform her.
"Well, to be fair, it is a bus." She explains.
"Well, yeah, but it's a lot smaller than i anticipated." I explain.
"It's okay, you're a small person, it'll work out just fine." She lets out a soft laugh.
"I am not the small." I reply.
"Compared to a few grown men, you're pretty small." She points out.
"They're gonna take up all the space." I reply.
"Get used to it, this is your life till august." She explains.
"Mid-August." I correct with a groan, "I just want the fun part to start already."
"It will, tomorrow." She informs me.
"That's so long from now." I reply.
"Time is a social construct." She infoms me.
"A long social construct." I reply.
"Yes, I know, we've been over this." She reminds.
"Right, right, well telling me that it's a social construct doesn't make it any shorter." I reply.
"Gives you a different perspective." She explains.
"Meh," I say, "Still long, plus weren't you the one just complaining about how long it will be until you can see me again?" I ask.
"yeah but you're comparing months to days here." She explains.
"Time is still a social construct though." I reply.
"Shut up." She laghs softly.
"No." I say before we both fall silent.
I let out a yawn, "I'm going to go to sleep." I inform.
"Okay, talk to you tomorrow?" She asks.
"Yeah." I yawn again, "Talk to you tomorrow."
"Goodnight." She says.
"Goodnight." I reply. There is a few moments of silence before I press the end call button.