Chapter 16
"AJ, what on earth are you doing?" Brian asked as he settled himself in the drafty tour bus.
"Making a dart board," he answered.
Howie stared at the invention. "With a picture of Lou Pearlman on it?"
AJ shrugged. "So, I wanted a big target."
Kevin shook his head. "You kids never fail to amuse me."
"I wonder if we'll be able to identify the food at the hotel tomorrow," Brian moaned.
Howie gulped. "Well, I just lost my appetite."
AJ snickered as he stared at his art with pride. "Done!"
"It's really something, AJ..." Kevin mumbled returning to his crossword puzzle.
"Come on, D, let's play!"
The Latino fidgeted. "I feel bad throwing darts at Lou. It's not nice."
"So? It's not nice to work children to death either. But I'll just find another playmate. Nick, let's play."
The blonde lifted his head from his pillow. "I don't want to."
Brian joined AJ playing the new game. "What's up with you, Nick?"
"Nothing."
Kevin gave way to a slight cough glancing up from his crossword. "You have been acting weird. Are you having problems with puberty again?"
Nick blushed flipping his body in the opposite. "No, I am not!"
AJ rammed a dart into Lou's nose. "Aw, don't be embarrassed, Nicky. I was never embarrassed about having wet dreams. They were kind of stimulating."
"AJ!" Kevin hissed. "That is quite enough!"
"Hey, Conrad, where are we staying tonight?" Howie yelled to the bus driver.
"On the bus! But I'll stop and get you guys some food!"
"McDonalds?!" AJ begged.
"Okay, kid!"
"McDonalds..." Kevin groaned.
Brian's dart nailed Lou in the eye. "At least we can identify the food at McDonalds and it's world-wide, Kev."
"Good point."
Nick sighed wrapping his blanket tighter around him. "Stay on the bus all night. This bus is freezing!"
"Nick, Conrad got the heater working and you're huddling in blankets," Howie stated.
AJ continued tossing his darts. "Did any of you smarties stop to think maybe the kid caught the flu?"
Kevin shook his head. "Nah, he would've already been a lot worse off than just being cold. Not to mention it is freezing outside and we're not exactly having a heat wave in here."
AJ laughed. "The kid has on a sweatshirt, winter coat and quilt-he looks like an ompah lopmah!"
"I DO NOT!" Nick groaned throwing the pillow over his head.
"Willy Wonka is such a stupid movie!"
"The book was excellent," Howie debated. "You should read it sometime, Nicky."
AJ cheered as he made a bull's eyes in their slave driver. "Oh, please, Howie, as if Nick would read!"
"Hey, I read!" came the muffled voice.
"Yeah....."Brian agreed. "You read nintendo directions."