The bus door opened with a slam and AJ clambered up the steps first, muttering to himself. Howie came in next and tripped over AJ's bag, sprawling face first onto the floor.
"Shit AJ!" he swore, fuming, " just because you're pissed that doesn't mean you should leave your crap all over the floor!"
"It's a perfectly good reason! I hold grudges remember? My house is my castle, and Rok's been banned from court jester, and now gets hemorrhoids in my cold dungeon! Oh my God, I've gone crazy."
"Whatever AJ," Howie threw the bag over his shoulder, not noticing Nick. It hit Nick directly on the head.
"I'm not sayin' anything. If we all get mad at each other, we need someone to call the ambulance!" Nick took the bag to the back of the bus so it couldn't cause any more trouble.
"D' amboolance! Hey Nick s'up with you and Dakshana? Huh? C'mon, tell the truth..."AJ grinned, suddenly out of his bad mood.
"Dakshana who?"
"Oh c'mon Nicky, stop playin' with my mind! I saw the way you looked at her. Checking her out...She's a good dancer though, you have taste, but I do prefer my Australian chick..."
"Yeah, I guess I do like her. But me and Mandy are still close. Dakshana's just a crush."
"Sure!" AJ peered out the window. "Hey there they are now, why don't you make their day!" He leaned out the window, " Charn! Yo! How's goin'?"
"Not too bad. I miss koalas, though. I'm a long way from home. How's it hangin' with you?"
"Short, shriveled, and always to the left." Charnie threw her head back and laughed. "You got lucky that time Charn!" AJ motioned for Nick to come to the window.
"Hey Dakshana! I watched you dance a while ago, you were awesome!" Nick blushed a little when she smiled at him.
"Duh, Nick we all saw them dance. We danced with them remember?" AJ grinned at Nick's embarrassment, but he recovered.
"Just ignore AJ, he has very busy eyes!" Nick grimaced when AJ smacked him on the shoulder. "What was that for?"
"Bein' me."
"Oh well. Bye Dakshana!"
"Catch you later Nick."
AJ pulled down the curtain. "See? That wasn't too bad!" Nick frowned at him. "What?"
"You made look like a fool!"
"Aw she won't mind. Get over it! You're Backstreet Boy, they'll love ya no matter what! Just kiddin'. Where's Rok? Gotta give that dude a piece of my mind while I'm at it..."
" Are you talkin' about me? Well, I was listenin' in to the conversation, like the good person I am, and I happened to hear you talk about Mr. Winkie again. That's no way to impress a lady!"
"You are so jealous, she is way into me!"
"Maybe. I dunno, I'm just saying." Brian opened the curtains and leaned out the window, " See Charn, this is why we call him Boner, he's...mmpf!" AJ covered Brian's mouth with his hand and shut the window.
"Thanks Frick!"
"No problem Frack!"
"Oh yeah? You want gross, you got it!" AJ started to sing the chorus of "Sometimes" to his crotch. (AJ looking down) "sometimes I run, sometimes I hide, sometimes I'm scared of you, but all I really want is to hold you tight, squeeze you right, hold you day and night, baby all I need is time."
"Hey don't make fun of Britney Spears," Brian lectured, pulling a face.
"That's just rank man."
"Thank you, thank you very much. Now are we all ready for the encore?" AJ grinned devilishly.
"No!" Brian and Nick chorused. Kevin emerged from the back and plopped down on a seat, ignoring AJ's little song. He had almost forgotten Jansin.
When Denise and Conan came onto the bus, Kevin went to tell her.
After he explained he said, "I'm not good at this, it was the best I could do. Brian's the better mother."
"I'll get you back yet Kev, you just wait and see! Hee hee!" Kevin shook his head. He put his feet up, then noticed that he was sitting on something. Kevin stood up and picked it up, holding it between his thumb and index finger.
"Ew, Rok, did you hide underwear in the seats?" Kevin tossed the boxers over to Brian.
"I don't see the problem, it's still in the package! You have eyes in the back of your head, but don't worry, I'll hide them all better, you'll see. I'm goin' to hide my underwear all over the bus so you'll never find it! Ha!"
"I'm not after your underwear! It was just one time, it was too perfect to pass up. Plus that idea is just raunchy." Brian gave him the evil eye and went to hide his underwear. Kevin just shook his head, Brian had toned down with his comedy a little, but he still had his moments.
The rest of the trip was fairly silent. Denise had concluded that Jansin had a fever, and she had their nurse take care of him. Nick plopped down in front of his Nintendo with Brian, cursing when Brian took his championship. Howie phoned home, for the second time that day, he really missed his family on the road. AJ was recounting his Mack Daddy's souvenirs, little packets of ketchup. Kevin took out his camera and was recording Nick's language for his family.
It was 7:00 when they got to their destination, and they were all ready to work. While a bunch of interviews and meet and greets went on, the crew set up the stage.
They didn't want to drag Jansin to the hotel, because there were a lot of people outside. So Jansin stayed in the bus with the nurse and Conan, which gave him time to think over his situation.
Chapter 5
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