I sighed and flopped back down on the couch. I hated waiting. The bus was still empty as people were still loading the trucks and finishing up the preparations to leave before we headed out to the next show.
No cell phone and no tv sucked majorly. Being grounded sucked.
The door opened and De and Ash came in with Jr and Danny right behind them. The girls plopped down wearily beside me. Jr plopped down across from me on the other couch. Danny stopped in front of me and ruffled my hair.
"Feeling better Andy?"
"Yeah, sorry about earlier."
"It's alright. You're back on deck tomorrow though so make sure you get plenty of sleep and take care of yourself tonight alright?"
"Yeah," I said looking up at him and trying not to blush.
Jr's eyes narrowed at me.
Danny ruffled my hair once again and then he stepped back.
"Alright kids I'm going to go make sure everyone's getting on their buses. No trouble understand me?"
"Yes, Danny," we all promptly responded.
He walked out the door and shut it behind him.
"Well at least someone had a good first day. I'm all icky and gross," De said.
"Who had a good first day?" Jr asked.
"Andy of course."
"She got sick De," Ash said.
"Oh yeah, and then got to spend more time with Danny and not do any work."
"Why would spending time with Danny make her day better? He's her jailer you idiot," Jr said rolling his eyes and leaning back on the couch.
"I'm not the idiot Jr. You are."
"How am I the idiot?" He asked sitting up angrily.
"Because it's so obvious! Andy and Danny sitting in a tree..."
"Hush! Hush! Right now!" Ash said as the door opened.
I clamped my hand over De's mouth.
"Ladies?" Brian asked. Matt followed him up the steps and sighed.
"What's going on here."
"Nothing, Uncle Matt. We were just going to bed," Ash said scooting off the couch.
"Uh huh, then why is De's mouth covered?" Matt asked.
"She was complaining she didn't get to shower tonight," Jr chimed in.
"There are showers at the next venue De, you can shower in the morning," Brian said wearily.
De stomped her foot and went to her bunk.
"Sometimes, I swear Matt," Brian said.
"Girls just take more patience Uncle Brian," Jr said giving me a look.
Ash and I quickly scrambled back to the bunk area.
"Do you think they are still getting into trouble even though they are grounded?" Brian asked Matt.
"Probably considering they're our kids," Matt replied as Jr walked into the bunk area. Ash cast me an apologetic look and ducked into her bunk. I went to climb into mine only to feel Jr's hand wrap around my bicep.
"Uh uh, Sis, I think we need to have a talk."
"About?" I said innocently.
"Danny?"
"What about Danny?"
"Is anything going on?"
"What? Don't be stupid Jr."
His jaw clenched. "I'm not the one who's being stupid. He's too old for you Andy."
"Exactly," I said brushing his hand off my arm. "He would never look at me like that so I have no idea why we are having such a stupid conversation."
"Because De's right."
"No she's not!"
"Don't call me a liar!" De yelled pushing her curtain open. "Just because you don't want to tell Jr the truth."
"Why don't we all just settle down and then we can all tell everyone the truth," Matt suggested pushing the curtain to the bunk room open.
We all looked at each other.
"It's nothing Dad, just a misunderstanding," Jr said.
"I think it's more than that," Brian said. "And we've had enough of the secrets from the four of you so either you tell us now or we'll keep you up until you do."
"Isn't sleep deprivation against the law?" Ash asked.
"Nope. Completely acceptable torture for misbehaving teenagers," Johnny said.
"Ash since you seem to be the only one not involved would you like to tell us what's going on?" Matt asked.
"It's like Jr said, a misunderstanding."
"Ash, I'm very disappointed in you," Johnny said.
"De? What's going on?"
"I was just upset because she said I was lying about something that I'm not but it's been cleared up so we are all good here."
"Not good enough," Brian said. "What were you supposedly lying about?"
"Nothing important," De said.
"You wouldn't have gotten so upset if it weren't important," Matt said. "Jr would you like to say anything?"
"It was just a misunderstanding."
"Alright, Andy? No? Nothing? Well then back to De."
"There really isn't anything more, Uncle Matt," Ash said.
"Ash one more lie from you and I'll take your straightener," Johnny threatened.
De looked stricken.
"That's a good idea Johnny," Brian said. "The truth now De or you won't just lose your straightener, I'll take your makeup too."
"She told Jr that I was lying about her crush of Danny, but I wasn't. She just didn't want Jr to get mad at her."
"De!" Ash said.
"Andy, is this true?" Matt asked.
"I...I...." tears started slowly rolling down my face.
"Oh Andy," Matt said.
"The rest of you to bed, now," Danny's voice said from behind Matt. I started to climb into my bunk.
"Not you Andy. We need to talk," Matt said.
"Do we really? I mean it's just a stupid crush," I said wiping the tears angrily and not caring that the stupid makeup was smearing everywhere.
"Let her go Matt," Danny said putting a hand on his arm. "It can wait."
I climbed into my bunk and cried myself to sleep.
The night however, was all too short according to the rapid knocking beside my bunk. I opened the curtain and heard Jason's voice.
"Rise and shine Andy, I need you ready in 10 minutes in something you can...holy cow you look like crap what happened?"
"Good morning to you to. What do you mean....oh ugh...I just forgot to take my makeup off."
"Ok well hurry up. I need you ready for a drum lesson with Arin in about 8 minutes ok?"
"Alright?"
I got up and grabbed some clothes from my bag. I carefully removed my makeup from last night and washed my face. I didn't feel like dealing with the makeup today so I just skipped it and pulled my short hair back. I dressed quickly and made my way back to my bunk.
"Ready?" Jason asked.
"Ready," I confirmed grabbing my stick bag.
"Jr?" Jason said.
"Yeah, yeah," he said sliding out of his bunk.
"Alright let's go."
He led us to the main stage where Jr was put to work helping the setup crew and I got to see Arin finishing the last of his setup for his kit.
"Alright just in time," he said.
"Is this part of my punishment?" I asked him jokingly.
"No, Matt promised you lessons remember?"
"Yeah," I said cautiously because he hadn't asked me what I needed to be punished for.
"Ok pay attention here Andy, learning time is about to begin."
I nodded and focused in on what Arin had to teach me.
"Ok your turn," Arin said getting up and grabbing a towel.
"What? Right now?" I asked.
"Yep, show me what you learned."
"Ok..."
I took his place and grabbed my sticks. I took a few minutes to warm up and get used to his set up again and then I looked over at him. He opened a water bottle and took a drink waiting patiently. I took a deep breath focused back in on the kit and began to attempt to imitate what I had been watching Arin do.
"She really is good," I heard Brian say as the last cymbal crash faded.
"Yes," Matt agreed.
"Time to talk?" I asked feeling my stomach try to crawl down to my feet.
He nodded and I got up and put my sticks back into their bag. Danny handed me a towel and a water bottle silently. I silently took them, my cheeks burning. I toweled off a bit and drank down some water.
Matt waited patiently and once I had recapped the bottle he led me down the backstage hall to the dressing room. Inside it was unusually empty of people. I took a seat with Matt taking a seat facing me on my right side and Danny facing me on the left.
"Ok, I admit that it is a stupid crush and I'm really sorry. I knew nothing would come of it and it's really just embarrassing so can we drop it please?" I asked Matt not even looking at Danny.
"Was that before or after you wrote the note?" Matt asked.
"What?"
"Did you reach that conclusion before or after you wrote the note?"
"What note? I don't know what you are talking about Matt."
"Andy, you are only making things harder on yourself," Danny said.
"Guys, I don't know what you are talking about."
"The love note you wrote me Andy. The one you put in my coat pocket saying that you wanted me to be your first lover," Danny said.
My cheeks flamed hot.
"I repeat. I have no idea what you are talking about. I never wrote any note."
"Andy," Matt said.
"Matt, I admit I have a crush on him. I admit I wanted him to think I was pretty but I never, ever wrote that note."
"Andy, I have the note here," Matt said holding it up. "Why would Danny even try to lie about it?"
"I never said he was lying just that I didn't write the note. Why would I lie about writing it when I'm admitting the crush?"
"Maybe because you left the coke along with it?" Danny said.
"The what?"
Matt pulled out a small vial of coke.
"Ok now come on guys. I never do drugs. I might drink a little but I don't do drugs!"
"Andy, if this were a few months ago I would believe you whole heartedly. I never thought you would lie to me ever. But, now, I can't trust you. This is a serious breach of trust and a serious problem. I can't keep you on tour with us. I'm sending you home tomorrow on a flight."
"Matt! That's not fair! It's not mine!"
"Andy, I just can't take the chance."
I didn't want to cry. I wasn't a cry baby. I didn't want to show them that they hurt me. This was worse than school yard bullying. I had wanted to build a relationship with Matt. I felt we were finally starting to get an understanding of each other, but it was all just a lie. The tears slipped slowly out of my tear ducts and rolled down my cheeks.
"Danny's going to take you back to the bus. You are going to be confined to the bus until your flight tomorrow. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Matt," I said meekly.
"Come on Andy."
I followed Danny out of the dressing room and down the hall and outside. He opened the bus door and I climbed on after him. Everyone was gone.
"Just stay here and behave," Danny said as he turned to go.
"Danny wait, please."
He stopped and turned around.
"Look I know this doesn't help me but it really wasn't mine. I'm scared for Jr. Please promise you'll keep an eye on him?"
"Jason's been keeping an eye on him constantly. He hasn't been without supervision."
"Just please..."
"I promise we'll keep an eye on him."
"Thank you."
He nodded and he left.
I took a long look around the bus and packed up the things I had already managed to strew around my bunk. I decided it was a good time to climb in and stay there until tomorrow. I didn't know who or how but someone didn't want me on this tour and they had succeeded in getting me kicked off. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry about it.