Carefully, everyone loaded stuff onto the three tour buses. One for the guys and Kristy, one for security and the band people, and one for travelling crew and management (occasionally). Kristy shoved her clothes into the compartment, and stood by the door of the bus, rubbing her hands anxiously. For some reason, stepping onto the bus was a great big deal, like stepping into a whole new life, for six monthes. And she was frikkin nervous to say the least. "What if they don't like me?" she wondered to herself "What if I turn out to be a huge pain in the ass, and they make me leave the tour. I'd be such a failier then" Abruptly Howie poked her in the back.
"Are you gonna get on, or do I have to wait?" he teased, and Kristy stepped back.
"Go ahead" she smiled, letting him by. One by one, the guys filed onto the bus, but Kristy couldn't. The driver gunned the engine, and looked expectantly at her. Everyone was boarded. Everyone. Except her. On sudden inspiration, she reached into her pocket, and pulled out a gold chain with a wedding band on it. And a gold hockey medal. The guys watched her curiously from the window. She kissed the medal and the ring, and walked onto the bus. All of the guys were flopped into the booth and couch at the front of the bus, sprawled out. They had apparently just dropped their bags onto the ground.
"What are those?" Kevin asked politely, and Kristy held them up. Jingling the ring on the chain, she said
"Exhibit A. A gold wedding band worn by my grandfather. He gave it to me about 7 minutes before the cancer over took his body and killed him. It was like he knew he was going to die. An hour or so before he died, he called his whole family, and requested they come to the hospital. If they couldn't come, he just spoke on the phone. And when we were all there he told us he loved us, and that he would be our gaurdian angel. And about a minute after he finished telling us that he died." she said with a sad smile, but continued. "Exhibit B. A gold hockey medal from the All Ontario Hockey Championships. I played hockey bigtime up until when I was 15. That's when I got a manager, and became a struggling singer. Anyways, my team won this, basically saying we were the best in Ontario. These are my good luck charms"
The guys kind of stared. More like they did stare. But Kristy chose to ignore them. "I'm exploring the bus" she told them all with a smile, and they watched her, fascinated.
"You take everything with such stride" Alex marveled, and she laughed.
"No, I just take what God hands me" she returned, and wandered down the bus. Past the "kitchen" (the table booth on one side of the aisle, and one couch on the other side) were the bunks. They had dark blue curtains, and semi-comfy mattresses. Kristy tested each of the bunks, and settled into one near the back, on the left side. She shoved her bags into the bunk , and continues her "tour". Behind the bunks, through a pocket door, was the tv room. It was like one huge couch, with a space where you went into the bathroom. There were two windows on either side of the bus, and a bit of shelving under the seats.
"Nice" Kristy said, a bit more relaxed now. She climbed into her bunk, pushed open the curtains, and took out her tape. She proceded to take out pictures of her mom, dad, and a few friends and tape them to the ceiling of her bunk.
"That's so homey" Brian called from the aisle, and Kristy popped her head out.
"Come see" she said, scooting over to the far side. Brian crawled into the bunk, and Kristy pointed out the pictures. "And that one is my mommy and daddy. See, I put them up until I feel at home on the bus, and bit by bit over the first month I'll take them down until I'm used to being here." She explained to him. "But right now you're squishing me, so we've gotta get out before I suffocate" Brian laughed, and scrambled out. He pulled Kristy out, and she stood up.
"Come sit with us" he pleaded, and Kristy agreed. She shuffled into the booth beside Nick, and looked around. Howie and Alex were involved in a heated discussion over what movie to watch that night. It was a close race between Men in Black and Mad Max. Kevin was snoozing on the couch, and Kristy giggled.
"I have a great idea" she whispered to Brian and Nick, and raced off to her bunk. She pulled out her makeup bag, and returned to the table. She handed Nick a bottle of bright yellow nail polish, and Brian a green bottle of nail polish. "Take his socks off, and paint his toenails." she instructed, stiffling a giggle.
"What about you?" Nick wondered. "We're not taking all the crap for this"
Kristy nodded, and dumped the rest of her makeup onto the table. "Lipstick, blush, eyeshadow" she whispered to them, and Brian snorted.
"I like the way you think" he laughed, and they started. After about 15 minutes, Kevin was adorned in bright red lipstick, rich plum blush, and green eyeshadow. His left foot was green, his right was yellow. Howie and AJ were killing themselves laughing, and the culprits hands were shaking so hard that the nail polish was all down his toes, and the lipstick had strayed to his chin. Each time he twitched, laughter was muffled by a pillow, and they were having a great time. He started to stir, and quickly they shoved all the makeup into the bag. He blinked a few times, and sat up groggily.
"Oh, hey guys" he mumbled thickly. No one could contain themselves, and they all doubled over, laughing. He looked like a hungover crossdresser.
"Hey Kev, could you run into that cafe and grab me a coffee?" Kristy asked him trying to keep a straight face. Kevin raised his eyebrows, but agreed.
The bus pulled into the parking lot, and Kevin got out, oblivious to the fact he looked like a woman. Everyone snuck out and peered through the window, laughing as people stared at him like he was deranged. One woman even pulled her children away from Kevin when he stopped to coo at her baby. After he payed for it, they raced back to the bus, and pretended like nothing had happened. Puzzled, Kevin returned to the bus.
"Everyone kept looking at me like I was handicapped" he said, shaking his head as he handed Kristy her drink. "Is something on my face?" he asked, confused as ever. All the guys cracked up, but Kristy shook her head sweetly.
"No, nothing. Why?"
Kevin stared at her suspiciously. He dissappeared down the hall, and when he appeared a few minutes later, he was bright red. All the makeup had been washed off, but his lips were still faintly red.
"You're such a brat" he exclaimed. Kristy laughed.
"I'm sorry, but we couldn't resist" she shook from laughter.
"We?" he asked.
"Look at your feeties" Howie called in a singsong voice. "Then look at Nicky and Bri-Bri" Kevin pulled of his socks, and grunted.
I don't believe it!" he cried, noticing his brightly coloured toes. "Never again do I sleep around you people. Gimme the remover stuff." He demand with a small smile. Kristy's mouth gaped, and she looked desperately at Brian and Nick.
"Uhh" she stuttered. "Kev, you're not a violent person, are you?" she asked him in a small voice. His eyes grew wide.
"Kristy, you're just jokin, great joke, haa haa haa......" he trailed off at the expression on her face. "You're not jokin" he groaned, an she smiled weakly.
"Sorry?" she smiled nervously and looked at him.
"Look's like you're gonna be a bit colourfull for the next little bit" Alex said devilishly.