When I was done, Angie was fast asleep. I watched her for a few minutes, then
I stroked her hair back and kissed her forehead. "I love you Angel Maria
Kelts. Don't you ever forget that." I pulled the covering over bunk and
walked to the back of the bus.
"What was that song you sung to Angie?" Brian asked
"Phil Collins, 'You'll be in my heart.' "
"Oh." Then my phone rang. "Who would call you this late?"
"I dunno. Lets find out. Hello?" I said as I picked up the phone.
"Laura?"
"Shannon?" I asked in a small voice.
"Yupperz its me. Look, you gonna come see me sometime before I die?"
"Shannon. Only you could joke at a time like this."
"Laura, its only little 'ole me. It's my time. What can I say."
"I'll be there tonight. We're like, two hours away from Columbus."
"OK. I better let you go. I love you LO. Not in a gay way."
"Yea. Yea. You know you want me. I love you too Shacy."
"Bye." I clicked off the phone.
"Who was it?" Brian asked
"A hot guy who wants to go out on a date with me as soon as we reach
Columbus."
"Hardy har. Really LO, who was it."
"Why do you care Brian?"
"I dunno."
"Well, it wasn't for you so it doesn't matter."
"Well you don't have to get so touchy."
"Yes I do Brian. My..." I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to hold me, and
comfort me while I cried. I wanted him to kiss me and tell me everything was
going to be OK.
"What LO?"
"Nuthin. Lets get everyone to play a game. A kiddy game."
"Like?"
"Seven minutes in the closet, suck n blow, or spin the bottle."
"I haven't play spin the bottle in a while."
"So let's play that. I'll find a bottle, you round everyone up. Five
minutes later, everyone but Kevin had agreed to play. We sat in a circle.
"What are the rules?" Jenny asked
"Well, everyone knows the general rules. The top of the bottle will point
out who you have to kiss. Guys only kiss girls, and girls only kiss guys. I
have to use an example, let's say Stephanie spins the bottle on AJ, she
kisses him on the mouth for a minute, the second time she spins it and it
lands on him, she has to kiss him opened mouth for a minute, the third time
Steph spins it and it lands on him, its a minute kiss with tongue. If AJ
spins it and it lands on Steph for the first time, then he only kisses her
with a closed mouth for a minute. Does everyone understand?" I said
"Kinda, what if the first time I spin and it lands on Nick, the second
time it lands on Howie, then Brian, then Nick again, do I still kiss him
opened mouth?" Jenny asked
"Yea." I said
"Do you start over when your done with those three steps?" Brian asked
"Nope, seven minutes in the closet. You go into the closet and make out
for seven minutes. Then you start over."
"OK." They all said.
"Shan- Stephanie you go first." I said. She spun, and it landed on Howie.
They both turned red. "Maybe this was a stupid game to play. Let's stop." I
said.
"K." Stephanie said. I got up and walked into the eating area. I picked up
the phone and dialed Rachel's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey JJ." I said softly.
"You OK LO?"
"I don'y know Jake, this is definately not a fun thing."
"Yea. Rachel is staying with Shannon at the hospital."
"Yea, Shan doesn't want anything to do with her family."
"You coming home?"
"Yea Jake, I am. I just hope we can find a hotel."
"Stay with us."
"Jake, their are eight of us."
"I know. We have six rooms. Me and Rach in one, You, Steph, Jenny in
another, Brian and Nick in one, AJ and Howie in another, and Kevin can have a
room to himself."
"Jakey... I dunno."
"Laura, you know Rachel will ask you. I might as well do it now."
"The thing is I haven't told the guys about Shannon. Only Kevin knows."
"I can keep the guys busy. Steph, Jenny, and Kevin can help. You and Rach
can go to the hospital. LO, It's not a big deal, you know Rachel will ask
you, and you know you'll say yes, what so different when I ask?"
"I don't know... I would say yes if it was only me and Jenny and Steph. Shit. I
have Angie. That's nine."
"Like I said, we have six rooms. Angie can stay in the extra one."
"OK, how about this. You and Rach in one, Steph and Jenny in another,
Angie and me in another, Nick and Brian, Howie and AJ, and Kevin by himself."
"Sounds good."
"OK, JJ, I must go. I'll call you when we're in Columbus."
"K. Love ya like a sister!" Jake said in his kiddy voice
"Gag me puh-lease!"
"You know you love me!" Jake said in the same voice.
"Whatever with a capital double-u! Bye Jakey!"
"Bye.'' I hung up the phone.
"Good news!" I yelled to the back of the bus.
"What?" Kevin answered back
"We have a place to stay." I said, walking to them.
"Where?" Nick asked
"My best friend's house."
"You mean Rachel?" Steph said
"Yea."
"There are nine of us." AJ added
"Yea, I know. I told him that. But he has six rooms. Him and Rachel in
one, Me and Angie in another, Nick and Brian in another, AJ and Howie in
another, Jenny and Steph in another, and Kevin is alone."
"Who is 'he'?" Brian asked
"Jake. My other best friend and Rachel's fiancee." I said
"Lets watch a movie." Nick said.
"Nah, I just don't feel like it." I said, getting up and walking back to
the table in the other room. I lay my head on the cool table. I was so hot.
"Long night?"
"Yea, Bri. To top it off it is so damn hot in this friggen bus." I got up
and opened a window.
"LO, what's wrong?"
"Nuthin. Why do you ask?"
"Cause I know something's up. Kevin wouldn't just change dates like that,
without a good excuse."
"Brian, I really don't want to talk about it."
"So there is something wrong?"
"Yea."
"Does it have to do with you?"
"Yea, kinda."
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