After Erin had taken a shower and changed her clothing she felt ready to unpack. She stepped out of the bathroom and surveyed the bus. At the front of the bus was a small kitchenette with a microwave, stove, and a tiny oven. There was also a table and several cabinets. Tucked in a corner near the bus door was a mini refrigerator. After the small kitchen there were 2 couches sitting across from each other. They were large and looked very comfy. Then there were bunks on both sides of the bus. Erin counted eight. Hers was the last bottom one on the right. She could see someone's stuff on the bunk above hers. Darn. It would have been nice to be alone. After the bunks there were 2 doors. One led to the bathroom, but Erin didn't know where the other went. She decided to wait to find out.
Brian and Nick were sitting at the table and AJ lounged on one of the couches. Erin walked to the kitchenette and poured herself and bowl of cereal and a glass of milk.
" You eat cereal dry?" asked Nick
"What other way would I be eating it" snapped Erin "wet?"
"Well most people do. It doesn't matter. You don't have to get offended."
"They do?" Erin said incredulously. She couldn't imagine pouring milk on her cereal. It sounded so gross. In Lancaster she had added milk to her oatmeal, but that was different. It was already wet.
"Um, yeah" Nick answered her with a frown. "You didn't know that? Where are you from anyway?"
"None of your business." Erin answered coolly. She finished her cereal and started unpacking.
"There" Erin said with a sigh of relief as she shut the door of her closet. She had just finished unpacking. It had been a trick to fit all of her clothes in the one tiny closet she had been allotted. No one else had any more space than she did though, so she couldn't complain. That was the problem with this bus. There was no space. It was going to be awfully hard to avoid every one else. The only space she had was her bunk. Thank heavens for that!
"Erin?"
Erin looked over her shoulder. Brian was standing behind her. In the midst of her thoughts she hadn't heard him come up.
"Yeah."
"I want to introduce you to the rest of the guys." he told her "I forgot you didn't know them. C'mon."
Brian led her into the door in the back of the bus. Erin looked around and realized this must be an entertainment room of some kind. It was carpeted and against one wall was a couch. Facing it was big screen TV and a sound system. Kevin and the dark guy with curly hair were sitting on the couch. AJ and Nick were on the floor playing some kind of game on the TV. They looked up when Erin came in. Nick switched off the TV.
"Erin I want you to meet Howie and AJ. You already know Nick and Kevin."
Howie stood up and reached out to shake Erin's hand. She ignored him and instead sized him up. He was medium tall with short curly hair. No tattoos and no wild clothes either. He looked quiet too.
"Good, he won't bug me much" she thought.
AJ stood up and made a mock bow.
"I am so very pleased to make your acquaintance," he said with a flourish of his hand.
Erin raised her eyebrows "Whatever." Turning to Brian she asked "Can I go now?"
"Yeah, sure." he sighed.
Erin walked out the door and slammed it behind her. She climbed into her bunk and pulled out the notebook from under her pillow. She had bought it the other day when she went shopping with Brian. She took out a pen and started writing. Erin had never been able to talk about her emotions much, but she had always been able to put them down on paper. It was one of the few ways she had been able to keep her sanity in New York.
Well here I am in a tour bus with 5 guys, all of whom I hate. I almost wish I was back in New York. If I was back there I would be dead. That might be preferable to this. So far I have not said one kind word to Brian. I intend to keep it that way. I just can't let anyone in my life. They'll only hurt me. Just like Mom did. She was nice for a while and then she changed and went back to her own self. I know Brian and the others will hurt me if I let them in. Its best to just be as nasty as possible and keep them out. I slipped this morning. I was too nice. I have promised myself to not let any of them in. I can't let anyone in, not anyone.
