Scream

"Lingerie?"

"Yeah, funny," I said, shooting an amused look to Brian. We were running through our tour checklist one last time.

"It was a good try," he said, catching me by the waist and kissing my forehead.

"If I had some," I joked.

"I'll have to change that." He smacked my ass as I walked past him to the table and opened the last suitcase we had to check.

"These are all toiletries, we can always buy more, I'm assuming?" I asked. This was all so new to me, while he's done it numerous times.

"Definitely. Chargers and the Xbox are good, right? You didn't forget the controllers, right?"

"Never." I looked around. "I think we're good."

A horn honked from outside.

"Right on time." Brian folded the paper and put it in his pocket. He went outside to talk to the driver as I turned his ring around my finger, a habit I managed to pick up in the last twelve hours since he gave it to me.

"So everything in here is going?" the driver asked as he walked in with Brian.

"Brian!" I exclaimed, "I could have helped you!"

"I didn't want you to," Brian said, grabbing two bags and going back outside with them.

"I'm Chad, by the way," the driver said to me with a friendly smile, managing to take three bags.

"I'm Courtney," I said, "be careful."

"Of course." He passed Brian on the way out. Once the door was shut, I looked to Brian.

"Does he know?" I asked him. He looked at me with his hands on his hips.

"Nobody besides us," he said. I nodded and he made another trip to the bus. Each man made two more trips each, and Brian came back in alone. "Ready?"

"Guess so," I said, picking up my personal bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

"Actually, hold on." He sprinted upstairs and was back down in thirty seconds with something in each hand. He walked over to me and held out one.

"Mace?" I picked it up. "Why?"

"Just in case."

I looked at his other hand. "What about that?"

"It's a knife. Just in case."

I didn't ask why he would ever need one, but I guess his reasoning was okay. We walked out and took a last look at the house. We gave each other a thumbs up and went inside the bus.

It was huge. It didn't look nearly this big from the outside, but it had everything. The driver's area had a little TV so he wouldn't get bored driving, which was good. There were two sofas and then the kitchen area with a dining nook and a TV. There was a full bathroom that separated the rest of the bus from the bedroom. It had a king sized bed (that would help curb suspicion) with another TV, a dresser, and a closet.

"I was afraid it would be too small, so I had them send the biggest one they had," Brian started, but I cut him off.

"It's perfect," I said, smiling. "It really is."

"We ready?" Chad called.

"Yes, sir!" Brian yelled back. The doors shut and the engine started.

"Wait, do we have to sit the whole time it's going?" I asked.

"No," Brian said, zipping open some of the bags. "Shouldn't feel it as long as he drives smooth, which he usually does." He started putting our clothes into the wardrobe and I sat on the bed, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on.

"I still want to enroll you in cyber school," Brian said.

"Can't I take a year off?" I asked. After doing cyber school in the hospital, I really didn't want to do it again. They had appointed times for us to do our work and we couldn't listen to music or talk. It was unbearable, my grades dropped tremendously just because of the the environment.

"It'll be different this time, Court."

I groaned and fell back, closing my eyes. Neither of us said anything for a couple minutes until I remembered something and shot back up. Brian looked at me alarmed.

"What am I gonna do about my pills?" I asked.

"I already took care of it."

"What do you mean?"

"I called your doctor," he said, folding a pair of jeans, "and whenever you are close to running out, I can call and she'll refill whatever it is and have it ready for whatever pharmacy we'll be closest to."

"You're the best," I said. He smiled at me and continued putting everything away. I pulled out my phone from my bag and saw a text from Tyler.

Did you guys leave yet?

I closed out of that and threw it back in my bag. It was gonna be hard talking to him with Brian around, but I'd make it work.

"So what all do we do between venues?" I asked.

"Whatever," he shrugged.

"What did you do when you were alone?"

He shut the closet door but kept his back to me. "I usually had Michelle with me."

Right. I forgot about her. They broke up not too long before Brian and I...

"Who broke up with who?"

He turned and looked at me. "Why are you asking?"

"Just curious, you never talked about it." I waited before I realized he wasn't going to say anything else as he continued putting things away. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. Um... I left her."

"Why?" His jaw tensed. "Was it because of me?"

He sighed, finally looking at me. He contemplated what to say next. "I guess, yeah."

I nodded and watched whatever I put on the TV. Neither of us said anything until he finished putting all of our stuff away.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. I shook my head and he went out to the kitchen part of the bus. I sat up and pulled my bag onto the bed. Thankfully we each had our own nightstand, so I had a place that was only for my stuff. I dumped my contents out and saw my phone light up. A text from Matt.

How are you guys?

I replied, "Good, you?" He answered instantly.

Great. Love being on the road again.

I just sent back a smiley face and began putting everything in the drawer. Another reply stopped me.

Just let me know if anything changes.

Damn. I was hoping that wouldn't happen, but I'm not surprised. "Will do."

"Who's that?" Brian asked, walking back in with a sandwich.

"Matt," I said, shutting the nightstand and putting my bag in the closet with his. Brian read the short conversation as I sat back down and he sat next to me.

"Okay," he said nonchalantly.

"Val doesn't know, right?"

"Nobody knows, Court, I told you that."

"Just making sure." I started turning my ring again while he took a bite. "What are we saying about this?"

"The ring?"

"Yeah, I mean won't they think it's weird?"

"Courtney," he said. I looked at him. "Relax."

I nodded and laid down, opening one of the games I downloaded while he ate and watched TV. I don't know what was with him, but he seemed crabby. Maybe it's just the tour, who knows. Once he was done he took his plate back out but didn't come back in. I heard a guitar riff waft in. I shut the TV off and pulled out the laptop, hooking in my earphones.

At least an hour of surfing went by before he made another appearance.

"Hey, we're stopping for gas, did you need anything?" he asked. I shook my head. He peeked over to see what I was doing. "What's that?"

"I made a blog, I guess," I said.

"That sounds fun, just make sure no one finds out who you are."

"I know, Brian."

"All right, kid. I'm gonna go out and smoke then, yell if you need me." I nodded and he stayed there for a few seconds before walking out. A couple minutes later I heard banging and pulled out the earphones. I heard Brian and Zack laughing so I got up and went outside.

"Hey!" Zack said, "how you liking it so far?"

"It's cool," I said, seeing Valary walk into the gas station with Gena. "Is Matt still in his bus?"

"Think so," Brian said, taking a drag of his cigarette. I walked over to Matt's bus and knocked, not sure what proper bus etiquette was.

The door opened and Matt's face brightened. "Hey Court! What's up?"

"Hey Matt, can I come in?"

"Of course." We both stepped in and he shut the door behind me. Sitting down, he asked, "how are things?"

"All right, I guess," I said, sitting next to him. "Brian's acting kind of cranky, any idea why?"

"No clue, was he fine before you guys left this morning? 'Cause that's the last time I talked to him and he seemed pretty happy then."

"Yeah, he was good. I kind of unintentionally brought Michelle up..."

"Oh," Matt drew out, "that would do it."

"But why? He didn't like her all that much, I thought."

"Yeah, but he's the only one without a girlfriend, and usually him and Jimmy hung out the most on tours."

Shit, that's right. This was their first tour without him, but I was so wrapped up in keeping mine and Brian's secret that I hadn't even thought about it.

"We all talked about it a few days ago," he continued. "Just kinda talking it out, that we'd be missing a piece. He's dealt with a lot this year."

"Tell me about it," I muttered. The door opened and Val walked in, smiling once she saw me.

"Hey, Courtney, how are things on your monster of a bus?" she asked, laughing.

"Very spacey," I joked back, standing up. "I'll head back over so we can get going, thanks Matt."

"Anytime, kiddo. Text me if you need anything," he said. I gave a thumbs up and headed back over to my bus. Brian was still outside smoking. He threw the butt to the ground and stomped on it.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yep," I said. We went back into the bus and the engine started as soon as the door was shut. Chad was pretty entertained by whatever he was listening to on his little TV.

"How many did you have out there?" I asked quietly once we were settled in to our room. I noticed the smell that filled the space Brian occupied.

"Why?" Brian asked cautiously.

"You reek, honestly."

"Oh, sorry," he said, standing up and pulling his shirt off. He sprayed himself with some axe along with the air above me. I laughed and coughed jokingly.

"I think you got it," I said as he laid down next to me, "but you should probably cover yourself up or some people might think you're a bit of a whore."

"Really now?" he asked, taking my hand. "Maybe I am."

"Okay then, Sluttyster Gates."

"Only for you," he said with a cute smile. I felt myself blush and looked to the TV.

"You're okay, right?" I asked, worry finally overcoming me.

"Definitely, why wouldn't I be?"

"You just acted weird earlier," I said, glancing at the ajar door. "I didn't know if it had anything to do with last night-"

"I've just been distracted lately," he reassured, "but I promise it has nothing to do with you. I'm sorry I've been acting like that."

"Just please tell me if something is ever wrong, no matter what it is."

He pursed his lips. "I don't want to put my problems on you."

"Your problems are my problems, Brian."

"Then you have to promise me the same thing."

"No," I said immediately. I felt him shift to make eye contact.

"Why not? It's only fair."

"My problems are different, Brian-"

"Bullshit they are!" He took a deep breath before he went on in an almost-whisper. "You're yelling at people that aren't there, Courtney. It's scary, I'm scared."

That's cute.

Reflexively I clenched my fists, including the one that was still in Brian's hand and looked to the other side of the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, looking back at him.

"Right there," he said. "Don't lie to me. I've learned enough about you and this condition to know what's going on."

"Brian, please-"

"No, Courtney. I'm not letting you get bad like before the hospital. Never again. Stop trying to hide when they say something."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Tell me what they're saying? Especially if it's harmful, so you're not alone."

I looked down at the comforter and thought about it. "I guess," I said finally.

"Better than a no," he murmured, running his thumb along the back of my hand.

"But the deal is off if I find out you're keeping things from me," I countered.

"Damn," he sighed. "Fine."

We spent the rest of the day on the bus watching TV until we got to the first town: Sacramento. I went with the guys to go over the actual concert layout with all the other bands. The festival already started but Avenged Sevenfold didn't go on until tonight, so they had time to rehearse and get ready. I hung out backstage with Lacey and Gena the whole time while the guys ran around doing whatever. It came to be ten minutes before showtime and Brian called me from the bus.

"I can't find my leather jacket, can you come help me out?" he asked somewhat frantically. I ran over to our bus and sprinted through to our room. Chad was off doing whatever and Brian was standing in the middle of the room with his jacket on.

"Sorry, I came as fast as I could," I said.

"I actually didn't need you for that," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist. He leaned down and kissed me, making everything else melt away.

"Then why?" I asked breathlessly once he gave me a second. He kissed me again, shorter this time, before answering.

"I wanted to kiss you and tell you I love you before the show," he said. "You're gonna watch, right?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." I stood on my tippy toes to kiss him again before his phone started going off.

"That would be my cue." He let go and straightened out his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. "Let's go."

We walked back to where everyone was waiting.

"About time, motherfucker!" Johnny yelled, jumping up and down. Brian grabbed his guitar from the stand and slung it over his shoulder.

"You guys ready?" someone from the soundboard yelled over. Matt gave a thumbs up and the intro to "Nightmare" started.

"And it begins," Brian said in my ear before walking out with the rest of them.

Notes

Don't forget to comment, subscribe, and vote if you haven't done so already. Thanks for reading.