Learning To Live-Chapter 1
By: Stephanie
"Hey, Bri, what time is it?" Nick Carter asked as he leaned over in his bunk to peer down at his best friend, who sat reading a book.
"I dunno. Whadya asking me for? I don't usually wear a watch," Brian Littrell grumbled good-naturedly and he put down his book. "Hey, Kev, do
you know what time it is?" Brian asked his cousin Kevin Richardson, who sat playing poker with AJ McLean and Howie Dorough at the front of the bus.
Kevin ignored Brian for a moment as he looked at his new hand of cards. With a look of disgust he said "I'm gonna fold, fellas." He dropped his cards, got up, and stretched before making his way down the central hall of their bus. He stopped in front of Nick and Brian's bunks, looked at his watch, and told them "It's a quarter after midnight." Kevin happened to look down at Brian's messy bunk and noticed the book laying face down. "Whoa, check it out fellas! B-Rok's reading a book voluntarily!"
Brian glared at his cousin. "For your info, cuz, one of the fans threw it on-stage at the concert tonight. It's one of those 'fanfiction' stories I've never been able to locate on the internet and it's actually quite good."
Nick leaned over his bunk again to look at Brian and tell him "Chill, B-Rok. I think you definitely need a good night's sleep, starting very soon."
"Not really" Brian said. "I just have a funny feeling in my stomach and it's been another long day."
Kevin had already proceeded through the rest of the hall to his bunk and had just sat down on his immaculate bed when Nick called out to AJ "Hey, Bone, Mickey D's is still open. Don't know 'bout you, but I'm kinda hungry." Brian watched the lower half of Nick appear over his bed before the rest of Nick dropped to the ground.
"Yeah, Chaos, guess I could use a burger and fries," AJ called back as he watched Howie fold. AJ cheered. It was his 6th win in a row. "Definitely
could use a burger right 'bout now. Winning always makes me hungry" he crowed as Howie, Nick, Kevin, and Brian let out a collective groan. "I'll go tell Mac to look for the nearest McDonalds" he told the guys, and with a silly smile plastered to his face, he set out for the front of the bus.
Howie appeared at the bunks and said "Don't tell AJ, but I let him win."
"So did I," Kevin said from his bunk. The 4 of them cracked up, imagining AJ's downcast look if he learned the truth.
Their laughter woke up Nick's little brother, Aaron. "Y'all shut up," they heard him say from behind the curtain that closed his bunk off from his brother.
Nick opened the curtain and asked, "What was that, little brother?" and began to tickle Aaron.
"Stop it, Nick!" he laughingly shrieked.
"Mac said he's seen a sign at the next exit for a Mickey D's. Now get your butts ready for some serious chow time!" AJ told his bandmates as he
reached onto his bunk above Aaron and grabbed his wallet before bounding to the front of the bus to eagerly await the first sighting of his fav fast food chain.
Kevin, Nick, and Howie followed AJ to the front of the bus. Aaron took a second to shake the sleepy feeling off him before following his brother.
Brian gazed longingly at the book a fan had written about him and his bandmates before getting off of his bed and stretching. He reached above his head to hit the small stuffed basketball hanging from the ceiling of the bus. A fan had thrown it on stage last summer with a note attached asking them to hang it in their tour bus. The note still dangled from the string.
Brian headed for the front of the tour bus to find his bandmates and Aaron sprawled on the couch and various other chairs scattered throughout the front "living area." AJ was quiet, probably already salivating for his fav burger. The others were also patiently waiting for Mac to announce their arrival at their spontaneous destination. Mac was used to
their late night cravings and rarely even complained about it anymore.
Less than a minute later, Mac the bus driver pulled the bus off Interstate 95 at exit 18. He took a right off the exit ramp and pulled into the parking lot. The 3 other buses that completed the Backstreet
Boys tour caravan followed.
"I swear you guys have homing devices for stomachs" Mac grumbled. "Every time you're within 5 miles of a McDonalds you miraculously discover
you're hungry." Mac turned off the engine and opened the door. AJ, Howie, Brian, Nick, Kevin and Aaron each gave Mac angelic smiles before bounding off the bus. "Y'all have your skinny white butts back here in half an hour. And use their toilets before you climb back on my bus!" he shouted after them. "Whatever, Mac!" they shouted in unison before breaking down in laughter. Mac shook his head and laughed himself as he closed the bus door and settled down in his seat to nap for the guaranteed 40 minutes they would spend inside.
The other three buses had parked in the empty parking lot behind Mac's bus. The band, crew, bodyguards, choreographer and other drivers had
followed the Boys inside.
Email: panda_angelaj@hotmail.com
