“I am so tired it’s not even funny.” Bree stated as they piled into the sleek black stretch limo they got for the night. Bree insisted that getting a limo was unnecessary since they were practically going down the street, but of course her input didn’t matter as much. But whatever, go ahead and spend money on useless vehicles. What does she care?
Greg offered to take his own car home and let exhausted Bree and the rest of the girls ride in the limo with everybody. Bree told him he really didn’t have to, but he insisted since she was practically half asleep anyway and was almost completely oblivious to everything around her. But hey, driving was a pain anyway so why not just take the offer while it was on the table, right?
The boys were escorted into the limo first, then the girls and then Rob. Bree was about to make herself comfortable between Joe and Jackie, but she caught Mandy’s eye and made sure there was plenty of personal space between her and Joe. She didn’t know why she did it, but she felt like she was forced to be defensive when Mandy was here. Maybe she did it was for Joe’s sake.
“I bet I’m more tired than you.” Nick protested as he leaned his head groggily against Mandy’s shoulder. Mariah narrowed her eyes at her. Mandy was definitely causing a raucous around here.
The limo arrived back at the Four Seasons twenty minutes later. Nobody said anything to each other on the way home; most of them were focusing on the bed that was long awaiting them in their suite. Despite the fact that it was hardly even nine, Bree was struggling to keep her eyes open. But needless to say when they arrived back to the suite, Bree was the first to jump into her oversized tennis sweatpants and one of Greg’s old college sweatshirts, taking a spot curled up on the couch.
Bree was on the plane now, back to LA with the crew. Earlier that morning, everybody was rushing around trying to get checked out of the Four Seasons by noon. Mandy and Nana Jonas met Mandy’s mother at the train the station and they were headed to another airport to catch a flight back to New Jersey. Good thing Bree wouldn’t be seeing her for a while. Mandy put her under stress. She was just so intimidating to a point where Bree wanted to punch her in the face and then run away screaming.
Thankfully, Mariah and Jackie were with her now. She sat on the window seat, Mariah in the middle and Jackie in the aisle of the plane. The rest of the band and everybody else sat in front of her. Joe was on the phone with somebody “important” – probably Greg who was actually a seat in front of him – Nick was sleeping, and Kevin was talking quietly to his dad. Bree couldn’t help but notice that Nick’s mouth was hanging wide open and she was surprised that he wasn’t drooling.
The past couple days have been exhausting. She was at a point where she didn’t even know the actual date or what day it even was. She was just too tired to care, nor to talk to Jackie and Mariah.
The flight attendant politely offered Bree a Snapple iced tea.
She wondered who Joe was talking to. She could see his reflection from the window in front of her. He was laughing at something, and also picking at his finger nails, a habit Bree is still yet to break.
She couldn’t help her daydreaming. She wondered Joe managed to tame those massive beasts he likes to call eyebrows. She wondered why Nick didn’t get an iPhone, or why Kevin was remotely obsessed with his own. She wondered what Greg wrote in his last blog entry that Bree still has to read. She wondered what she would doing at this very moment if she was back at home, and not here on tour. She wondered why Mariah and Nick were avoiding each other.
But overall, the thought of Mandy in the bathroom at the Press Conference hovered over Bree like a rain cloud. She couldn’t get the thought of what Mandy said out of her head. Why does she think it’s crazy that Joe likes her? Is that really a justified statement? Maybe Mandy’s right. Mandy knows Joe better than Bree does due to the fact that they grew up together, so maybe Mandy’s idea does matter.
Bree should talk to Joe, even though she was avoiding talking about relationships with him. She knew boys dread the whole “what are we” talk, and to be honest Bree wasn’t fond of them either. Because really, who cares what the definite label of a relationship is? Just live in the moment.
But maybe talking to Joe would help. Maybe.
She opened her iced tea and took a look at what the bottom of the cap read:
“Did you know that Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia means fear of long words?”
Please, could Snapple think of anything lamer than this to put on the bottom of their caps? Mariah leaned over to look at what Bree was reading. “I didn’t know that,” She stated to Bree. “But don’t you think it’s weird that the word that means fear of long words it’s actually like the longest word in the world?”
Bree stared at her. “Yeah, Riah.”
“Geeze, what’s your deal?” Mariah retorted at Bree’s frustration. Bree sighed, and looked at her. “Sorry, just daydreaming about things that make mad.”
“Then stop it. You’re freaking me out.” Mariah said picking up the magazine she just put down. Jackie turned to the conversation. “Hey, who is Joe talking to?” She asked.
Bree shrugged and glanced at his reflection in the window. “I dunno, I’ve been wondering that myself. But check out Nick.”
Jackie and Mariah laughed. Bree didn’t want them to leave. She had too much fun with them, and when they weren’t there it was so – not the same. Bree couldn’t even remember when the next time she’ll be seeing them would be. Next month in July was going to be so busy with the boys touring. Every day they were going to be in a different city, across the country. Away from everything.
“Dude, shut up I don’t even know where we are!” Kevin said to Joe sitting in the front seat next to him. Bree was napping back on the bus with Nick, and Joe and Kevin were sent to the nearest grocery store to grab milk for the tour bus cereal. Apparently Nick couldn’t live one morning without cereal…or Red Bull, which they were also unfortunately out of.
“No fear, I have Bree’s Shaw’s card!” Joe repeated, whipping a green Shaw’s Rewards card from his pocket. He held it up in front of Kevin while he was driving.
“Seriously, Joe, stop it. We know that Bree has a Shaw’s card.” Kevin said, thrusting Joe’s fist away from his driving vision. Joe sighed and put the card in his lap, staring at it. “I can’t believe she has a Shaw’s card. Out of all people, Bree has one. That’s so random, isn’t it?”
Kevin narrowed his eyes at Joe, “Yeah, Joe, it’s amazing.” Joe ignored Kevin’s sarcasm and kept quiet the rest of the ride to the supermarket. They were located in some city in California, that Joe was yet to find out, but it was clearly not suburbs. They were weaving around everywhere in the unbearable sun trying to find the closest Shaw’s supermarket. Finally, Kevin spotted a sign to a mini-mall that included a Starbucks, some sort of dresses boutique, and a Shaw’s. He pulled into a parking space and the two got out and went to the sidewalk that was covered in the shade.
As they passed the dresses boutique, Joe stopped as something white and sparkling caught his eye. He backed up and peered into the window of the store, pressing his forehead against the glass and cupping his hands over his eyes. Kevin backed and stopped next to Joe.
“What are you looking at?” Kevin asked, peering into the glass as well. Joe stepped away from the glass and pointed toward a plastic mannequin wearing a sleek white baby doll dress, with a light pink bow around the waist. Kevin had to admit, it was gorgeous, but why was Joe looking at that?
“Do you like that?” Joe asked him.
“It’s pretty,” Kevin responded, but eyed Joe suspiciously. “But what’s the deal?”
“Bree’s prom is supposed to be this Friday. She’s not going obviously.” Joe explained, but didn’t tear his eyes from the dress in the window. “But she said she didn’t even bother buying a dress or anything because she knew she wasn’t going to go.”
“Well we both missed our proms too, and Nick is probably not going to make his.” Kevin said.
“Well at least you got to go to your junior prom. I’m not going to get to go to any of them.” Joe said, trying to wipe the sad from his face.
“I still don’t understand where you’re going with this.” Kevin said, utterly confused.
Joe stepped away from the window and forced a goofy smile, “Never mind. At least we have Bree’s Shaw’s card.”
