"Arghh...Why am I here?" She was sighing to herself. Rethinking back to her stupid decision in choosing to be aboard for this.
The sun was setting and the dark grey clouds were being more significant right now. Soon, thunders would be heard. Furthering in adding on to thinking that this was certainly a terrible decision.
"Because you wanted to."
She could hear Jack's raspy voice whispering through her left ear. Yet again. It sent shivers down her spine.
He had leaned towards her, slightly bending down from his height to reach her. She could feel some of the strands of his hair dangling by her shoulder. And she noticed. His crimson dark black mid-length hair had grown even longer. It now had reached his chin and completely covered his ears.
"Get away old man!" Megan hastily tried to shoo him away by spreading her arms to move in random directions, like a bird flapping its wings.
But it wasn't long till that action became fully redundant. He had grabbed both of her arms tightly, causing her to unconsciously shriek. "LET GO OF ME!!"
He continued to have his grip on her arms. "As long you stop the crazy ruckus that you were doing." He said, could not even care less about her explosive behaviour. And his face not bulging a single change of expression.
Not much effort was required for him to do this. After all, Megan was just a petite woman who practically has 0 physical capabilities to overpower him. Well, what can you expect from a person who has spend most of their life, coop up in a room, voluntary.
"AHHHHHHH!!!" She continued to scream louder. What a futile struggle. She looked pathetic.
"Shouting is not gonna work, missy." He still looked completely unfazed by her wild behaviour, still not letting her go.
It was then she realised, she had to quit the craziness and calm her shit down. As soon as she deactivated the 'Mad woman persona', the grip that she had felt on her arms immediately disappeared.
"See, wasn't that easy?"
"Haha yeah..." Megan said drily as she rubbed her wimpy shoulders.
Jack then coughed out little chuckles before going up to the bus. He enjoyed having these childish interactions with her. Amusing as it was.
It made him feel young again, not like he's not young at heart.
She picked up her luggage up to walk up along the stairs of the bus. Being a weak ass person, she naturally had some issues with carrying heavy items, especially when going up against the frictional force of the 'mountain' flight of stairs.
Honestly, is just an exaggeration that the stairs looked too tall, but too her, it was different. Well what can you say, you are currently looking at a 1.6m woman who has zero physical abilities.
"Ugh damn it." Megan muttered bitterly under her breath. She looked down at her luggage and up at the stairs again.
Just how was she going to get it up there?
Jack was walking up on the cramped stairs, when he had a random thought if Megan was having some trouble with her luggage. He recalled back on the time when he had to help her carry her stuff up the stairs at his house.
He heaved a sigh, before retracing his steps backwards. Deciding to go check it out.
And indeed, right to his inference.
"Weak huh?" He quietly said out this thoughts.
Hearing that remark, she was slightly annoyed as she felt offended by the spoken truth.
She was a weak ass woman, but he didn't had to said it out. She was preparing to throw hands at the target further away in front of her. However, in the next moment, her luggage was gone.
Or to be more exact, taken.
By that one target.
He casually held her luggage by his side and went up the stairs. Playing a certain scenario from the past.
"T-t..." Megan stuttered her thanks yet again. She was once again caught off guard, by his seemly actions that were kind.
It was just...Going from an annoying piece of trash to a thoughtful gentleman(minus the snarky remarks) takes some time to get used to. The drastic switch-up.
It was better than she expected. The interiors of the bus. Much spacious than what she had in her mind.
Indeed, you could tell this vehicle belonged to someone well, with a legitimate status.
She quietly followed behind him up the bus. Making sure to keep her distance away from him.
Jack putted her luggage on the side of a seat. He noticed her standing quite a distance away from him. "What's with the distance, Missy?"
Megan continued staring at him, without any words coming out from her mouth. Clearly somewhere deep in the depths of her petite mind.
He sighed, knowing that is better to not taunt her further. It wasn't even taunting, but he knew that at this moment, she would not give any single satisfactory reaction to him.
And he had to handle some matters before getting on the bus.
"Someone will give you a tour." Jack scratched his head before getting off the bus. He had became somewhat considerate, not exactly that but he stopped his taunts more quickly than the ones towards others.
Megan took a seat near her luggage. Leaning her head on the marble table, she waited patiently. It was mostly to take a nap.
Having Jack's presence near her, made her tense. Even though on the outside, it was not obvious.
She wanted to rest her head for a while. To be in peace.
As she was in the zone for a sleep, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
She slowly raised her head up to see a familiar-looking face gazing at her. Ben.
"Awake?"
"Y-yes!!" Megan hurriedly had gotten up from her seat, fixing her hair. "Long time no see, what are you doing here, Ben? Or perhaps you are..."
"Jack told me to give you a bus tour, so here I am."
"Ahh I see...knew it, knew it. By chance, are you coming on tour too?"
"Yup, I'll be accompanying as Jack's drummer. So hopefully, you don't
mind my presence much on the bus and all. Tour buddies."
"Don't worry, I'm happy to have someone I know in this bus, other than-Wait, you play the drums?" Megan suddenly opened her eyes bigger, she never knew Ben was somewhat tied up in the music side, not that is surprising...Since he is Jack's family.
"Ahaha yeah, I'm part of a local band back in Detroit. But we are not active at the moment. Drumming is my main thing, you could say." He shyly and shortly explained his drumming origins.
"That's awesome!! Can't wait to see you play at the shows." Megan elbowed him in the shoulders, showing her excitement.
It had caused Ben to flinch for a moment, shocked by her sudden action. Seeing his awkward expression had her switching back up to her formal self.
"I'm sorry, i was too excited. I won't do it again, i promised!" She anxiously apologized, while looking down at the floor.
"Hey, is fine. Don't worry about it. Let's go on a little tour, shall we?"
Megan looked up to Ben, who's now standing in front of her. Gesturing at the rooms down the mini hallway.
The bunk beds were bigger than she expected. There were only four beds, two on each side. The bottom and the upper decks. Apparently, her bed was at the bottom deck, which was great, since it would be a hassle, climbing up. But, her roommate on the top, was going to be the reason that makes it even harder for her to fall asleep.
If she could even in the first place.
Especially knowing now that she would always be tense up in his presence. Definitely knowing that he is on top of her, with only a thin layer that separated them from each other, was certainly not helpful.
•••
"You okay?" Ben, who sat the opposite from her, worriedly asked.
Megan gave a nod even though she felt like puking. The bus had been on the road for a while. She was trying her best to prevent this from happening, by putting her hand to her stomach.
No way, was she bus sick? Or was she? Jack then threw a paper bag towards her table, before going back to his bunk bed.
Trying to look unbothered as possible, even though secretly, he did care. That's why he even bothered to get a paper bag.
Either way, it was his duty after all. Karl had left his younger cousin under him. No way, he would wanna messed up such a simple task.
He had suspected her to have some kind of bus sickness after observing her being lethargic, when the bus first started its engine. "T-thanks..." She looked at Jack before managing to say it audibly.
Still feeling like an ass from the vomits. She's bus sick.
New things.
To learn.
Everyday about herself.
Great.
Jack shrugged, giving a 'Hrmph',
acting unaffected. Lying on the bed, with his two arms supporting the back of his head on the pillow. And closed his eyes.
Truth to be told, he was still worrying about her. Wondering about thoughts if he should be by her side at the table, patting her on the back?
She always looked vulnerable to him. Making him feeling the need to watch out for her. She was a young chick, compared to him. Well not so young, but you gotta admit, 14 years of age was still a fairly big gap.
The short time in the house spent with her, actually felt not bad. Not exactly splendid as he found her to be a headache sometime, but it made his life less dull.
But seeing Ben by her side, made him felt weird again. Like the time when he found out the two had gotten to know each other. Mad? No, not that word. The feeling of being uncomfortable? Just the idea of? What kind?
He quickly brushed it off, it was just a thought that lasted a couple matter of seconds.
He then decidedly took a nap.
Wanting to sleep off everything that was going through his mind. He had to present a clean slate for the upcoming rehearsals and shows.
•••
Megan bit her lip. After saying her thanks awkwardly to the person who helped her not to vomit the crap all over the floors.
She was not exactly the most happy in receiving his help. She had mixed feelings about him. Not liking the way that he kept provoking her verbally and physically.
It felt like he enjoyed playing with her. And the words he spoke unintentionally to her during the car ride.
Made her pissed off.
It wasn't exactly offensive or anything. At least to him. But to her, it meant something.
"He's quite the gentleman you know." Ben offered throwing away the paper bag that was full of stink, taking it away from her hands. To which, she smiled in thanks.
"Excuse me?" Megan was confused.
Why was he suddenly saying that?
Don't tell her, it was just because he had threw a bag at her randomly, was something worth admiration.
"Jack's the type who tries to not look like it, but he means good. Don't feel down about it, after acting ignorant like that."
"Haha no way, why you telling me this?" She chuckled nervously.
"Because I saw the way you looked at him."
Her eyes went big for a moment, being caught off guard by his words.
"Bingo! Looks like I'm right." Ben clapped his hands, satisfied by his rightful guess.
"Wait right about what?"
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." He threw the paper bag into the dustbin. "Anyway, you know what I'm referring to."
"Hahaha, enough with your nonsenses, Ben." She threw out pretentious laughs, as she had gotten up from her seat. "Awhhh, all this vomiting has gotten me feeling tired, I'm gonna go to bed now. Have a good night!"
She faked out a yawn, before going back to the bunk bed area.
She certainly did not feel tired. The hell with wanting to sleep, she can't even.
Someone has to remind her about stocking up the medication.
The pharmacy.
That would be her first stop after this bus had reached it's destination.
The room was dark, or to be more accurate.
Dimly lit.
With only a fairly small lamp as the light source was by the circular table near to the end of the hallway, where the entrance with the dark curtains were.
Timidly shinning the lights.
Megan sighed defeatedly, as she glanced up the deck above her's.
Why did she come here in the first place?
Oh wait, to escape away the conversation that had gotten her the urge to disappear.
Knowing who was up that. Had her feeling light-headed and heart to pump seemly faster than usual.
She hesitated, turning in for the night. Walking around in small circles, while she launched out a whole set of arguments back and forth in her own mind.
Yes. It was not like she was going to sleep with him, but...still hard to handle for her.
To her, it was already closed proximity.