The big tour bus halted to a stop at a 24 hour McDonald's. It was 2:03am. The Boys just finished a concert about an hour ago and AJ insisted the guys eat at that McDonald's,rather than to wait until they got home,which was about 30 minutes away. The guys stumbled off the bus,but Brian kind of hung back.For one thing,he was extremely tired.And another,he couldn't find his wallet.
He could have sworn he left it in the little cubby by his bunk. He decided to check it one more time to be sure. He found three pieces of crumpled paper,a dirty sock ('how did that get there?' Brian wondered),two tiny stuffed animals given to him by fans,five phone numbers,also given to him by fans,a candy rapper and some lint. No wallet. Brian sighed and sat down on the couch and layed his head down. Nick came to the bus and stuck his head in the door.
"Yo Brian! You coming to eat,man?" Brian lifted his head and looked at him.
"Oh,yea.Just as soon as I find my wallet" He said,now checking underneath the couch cushions.
"Hey,don't worry about it.I'll cover you",Nick said. Brian was about to say no,but his growling stomach decided for him.
"Well,ok,but you are letting me pay you back this time."
Brian got off of the bus and the guys walked in together.
*~¤A Few Minutes Earlier¤*~
Brooke sipped at her watered down coke and nibbled on a fry.
She was with her boyfriend,Steve,sitting alone with him in McDonald's.
Just then a bunch of guys came into the restaurant and they all looked extremely tired. They went to the bathroom.
Steve took notice that he had an audience now,so he said to Brooke,"Come on,babe.I need to talk with you. Come outside with me."
Brooke wanted more than anything to stay inside the restaurant,where Steve wouldn't do anything to her with those guys around.
But she went anyway.Steve scared her. Slowly,she stood up from the table.She followed Steve out the door.
When they got out there,he pulled her closer to him. He grabbed her arms and looked her straight in the eye.
Brooke tried to look away,but his shook her and said, "Look at me!"
She looked into his cold,hateful eyes.He just glared at her.
"Listen to me!!I think you are getting a little weight around your used-to-be-skinny stomach." He said,gesturing towards her belly shirt.She didn't look big.
"So I don't want you to eat anything until you lose some weight,do you hear me?In fact,I don't want you to have what you just ate." Then he pounded her hard in the stomach and made her up-chuck everything she had eaten.
When Steve looked satisfied,he grabed her by the arm and led her into the doors of McDonald's.When she was in,he ran and got into his car and sped away,leaving her behind.
Steve had left her a couple of times before,at places where she didn't know anyone.Anything could happen to her.She always had to find her own way home. She doesn't know why she keeps running back to him.She never told anyone about Seve abusing her.Not anyone.
As Brooke walked back into the restaurant,she noticed one of the guys from the group eyeing her carefully.She wondered what he was thinking.She just passed him up,figuring he was curious about what happened.She hoped he didn't see what Steve had done to her.She absolutely hated someone feeling sorry for her.
She walked up to the counter,where an employee was whiping it off,getting ready to close. "Excuse me,ma'am?Do you have a phone I could use,please?"
The woman,who looked grumpy and annoyed,just replied,"No".
Brooke walked over to the table her and Steve was sitting at.She picked up all the trash and threw it in the garbage.Brian watched her closely.He couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Yo,Brian!Earth to Brian!" AJ was waving his hand in front of Brian's face.
Brian blinked a couple of times then looked at him. "What?"
AJ laughed. "If you stare at her any harder you will burn a hole in her." All the guys cracked up at AJ's corny joke.But Brian didn't think it was funny.
He slowly turned his head and looked at the girl again.There was something about this girl that told him not to ignore it.It wasn't funny at all.She needed help...and Brian was just the one to do that.
He got up from the table and walked slowly over to her.She had her head in her arms.
Brian gently tapped her on the shoulder.She looked up.That's when Brian could see her eyes were a deep,dark blue.
When she seen it was Brian,she wiped her wet,tear streaked face.When she done that,she smeared her mascara across her cheek.
Brian smiled. "You need to use my phone,sweetheart?" Brooke looked at him.She wondered if he was serious.
Slowly she stood up from the table."Um,I guess. I mean,if it's no problem..." Brian smiled again. "No problem at all."
So they walked to the bus to use the phone. Brian couldn't help but notice how extremely adorable this girl was. And who was that guy that left her? Was that her boyfriend? How old was she? Brian wanted answers to all these questions,but he just handed her his phone and climbed into his bunk,figuring she would want privacy.
She dialed a number then put the phone to her ear.
Even though Brian couldn't see her,he could still hear what she was saying.
This is what he heard: "Hello,Steve? Steve? Hellooo?" Then Brian felt a tap on his shoulder.He turned over.The girl had tears in her eyes.
"He hung up on me" She said,trying to keep in the tears that were determined to fall.
Brian took the phone from her and asked,"Is there anyone else you can call?" The girl shook her head.
"Nobody I know lives anywhere around here." She replied.
Brian led her to the couch and they sat down. "So,what is your name?" Brian asked,very curiously. The girl smiled. "Brooke" She answered, "What's yours?" She asked him,even though she knew he was Brian.
"Brian" He said. Just as he said that,the other guys came back onto the bus. Brooke stood up. "Well," she said, "I better be going.You guys are probably ready to leave."
Brian quickly stood up. "No!You don't have a ride." Brooke started backing towards the door backward. "No,it's ok.Really.I will just hitch a ride"
Brian widened his eyes. "Hitch a ride?Are you crazy?You could get killed like that."
Just then they heard a horn blow outside.Brooke looked out the window.
"Oh,see?You don't have to worry.That's Steve now." Then she bounced out of the bus so quickly,Brian didn't have time to protest.He watched her out the window.The guy,Steve,got out of the car and walked over to Brooke.Brian seen him raise his hand up to Brooke's face and before she had a chance to move,he hit her hard across the side of her face.
Brian ran to the door and slung it open.He ran over to where Brooke was.By this time,she was on the ground,because Steve had punched her in the stomach.
Before Brian had a chance to give Steve a piece of his mind and fist,he jumped into the car and sped away.
Brian helped Brooke to her feet. "Are you ok,sweetheart?" He asked. She shook her head,as she limped along.
"No." She paused,then stopped walking. She looked Brian in the eyes. "No," she repeated. "I have something to tell you."