Kat watched what seemed like the thousandth road sign go past and sighed. She turned to AJ and Nick who were both amusing themselves across the gangway.
“Ok, I’m officially bored,” she stated. “How do you not go crazy?”
“Nick already did,” AJ looked up from his book with a grin.
“Hey! That’s you,” Nick threw a cushion at AJ. “I’ll put some music on.” He headed over to the stereo and rifled through a stack of CDs. “Any requests?”
“Kid Nicky the DJ!” AJ announced, throwing his book aside.
“That’s me!” Nick did a little dance before putting Limp Bizkit on the stereo. ‘My Way’ blared out and Nick started playing air guitar. AJ imitated the drums and Kat started singing lustily.
“It’s my way or the highway!” all three sang loudly.
“We’re already on the highway,” stated Nick as the song ended.
“No kiddin’ Sherlock,” said AJ dryly, switching Limp Bizkit for Prince’s 1999.
A couple of hours later, the threesome piled off the bus and into a diner. Brian, Kevin and Howie were already there.
“What kept ya?” asked Brian as they sat down around the table. “We’ve already ordered!”
“Didn’t realise it was a race,” AJ grabbed a menu and scanned it. The waitress walked over and he smiled. “Hey honey, gimme a double cheeseburger and fries.”
“Same here,” said Nick without even looking at the menu.
“Uh, can I just get a chicken salad?” asked Kat as everyone looked at her.
“Sure you can honey,” the waitress smiled and headed off.
“That it?!” asked Nick.
“Yeah…”Kat shrugged.
“A SALAD?!” Nick exclaimed. “That’s all?!”
“Yes,” Kat said a little angrily. She had never been good at eating huge meals in front of people she barely knew. She got paranoid they’d watch her thinking she was a heifer or something. So she tended to pick at her food in public and binge in private. Hardly healthy but fuck it, she knew that.
Nick opened his mouth to say more and Brian kicked him lightly. “Owch!”
“We’re not all food hogs like you Nicky.”
“I’m not a food hog!” Nick glared at Brian.
“Well leave Kat alone then. She can eat whatever she wants.” Kat threw Brian a grateful smile and he grinned back. “I was talkin’ to Leigh a few minutes ago and she said to say hi.”
“Cool,” Kat smiled. “How is she?”
“Good. They started the re-shoots already. She’s gonna try join us in New York next month and she said to warn ya she’s gonna take ya SERIOUS shopping.” Kat pulled a face and Brian laughed. “And oh boy can my wife shop?!”
Kat laughed. “Thanks for the warning.”
The waitress brought over drinks for the table as Kevin leant back in his chair to study Kat and Nick. AJ had said they’d spent the night together and Kevin didn’t like that thought at all. He had to do something to bust up any burgeoning relationship between the two.
“So, Kat,” he drawled. “How was travellin’ on the baby bus for ya?”
“BABY?!” choked AJ. “Huh!”
“’Least we’re not ANCIENT,” defended Nick and AJ high-fived him.
Kat laughed. “It was good.”
“What’d ya do?” asked Howie.
“Played air drums to Limp Bizkit,” giggled Kat.
“Limp Bizkit?” Kevin pulled a face. “We had Maxwell on our stereo.”
“Maxwell? Wow, I love him,” Kat’s eyes shined. “I even got to go to one of his shows last year and it was amazing.”
“Really? Kev loves him too,” said Howie.
“You do?” Kat looked at him hopefully. Maybe having one thing in common would lead to the beginning of a friendship.
“Uh, a little,” Kevin admitted. “But he’s getting’ kinda old on me now,” he added as Kat’s hope evaporated. How could she have even THOUGHT she’d have anything in common with Mr superior? She looked away from him as the waitress brought over their food. They all started eating.
“Come on our bus for the last half,” offered Howie. “It’d be good to just sit and chat with ya.”
“Yeah,” Brian agreed with a grin. “We’ll even play Maxwell again for ya.”
“Uh…” Kat glanced at Kevin who kept his head down eating. “Sure, I’d like that.”
“Aw, you’re abandoning us!” whined Nick.
“I’ll join ya,” said Kevin avoiding Kat’s glance.
“Nuh uh! We want Kat!” said Nick.
“Well, jeez, make me feel wanted why dontcha Nicky,” said Kevin heavily.
“Sorry Kevvy, but we can’t have ya on the BABY bus can we now?” chuckled AJ giving his bud a slap on the back.
“Ah, I guess you’re right,” Kevin grinned.
Kat glanced sideways at Kevin. What was with her when it came to him? She got shivers down her spine when he was near and her ears picked out the sound of his voice above everything else. Yet he so obviously couldn’t stand her.
An hour later and Kat climbed onto the “oldies” bus, as Nick called it, with Brian, Howie and Kevin. She sat by the table and was joined by Brian and Howie. Kevin was sat just across the aisle with a book. Making it blatantly obvious he wasn’t interested in conversation. Kat made up her mind to ignore him as best she could.
“So Kat, you’re single huh?” asked Howie and she laughed.
“Ease into it why dontcha?”
“Sorry,” he blushed.
“Naw, it’s cool,” she smiled at him. “Yeah, I’m single.”
“By choice?” asked Brian.
“Yup, TOTALLY by choice.”
“Does NICK know that?” Kevin looked up from his book and caught Kat’s gaze.
“Why would Nick care?” Kat challenged him.
“Well, you DO keep teasin’ him…” Kevin went back to his book and Howie touched Kat’s arm lightly before she could respond.
“Hey Kat, want Maxwell on the stereo?”
“Yeah, sure. Why not,” she smiled sweetly at him. “How’s Madeleine by the way Kevin?”
“Madeleine?” he looked up surprised. “She’s great. Why?”
“Ah, just wondered,” Kat shrugged. “She’s a model right?”
“Yeah.”
“Is that how you met her?”
“Uh, yeah,” Kevin looked uncomfortable at Kat’s line of questioning. Almost as if he was waiting for a barbed comment from her.
“Well? Do tell,” Kat looked amused.
“She was hired to appear in our video for Shape Of My Heart.”
“Oh. How romantic,” Kat said dryly, thinking there was nothing romantic about Madeleine.
“Yes. Very,” said Kevin thinking the exact same thing.