Author's Note: Shout out to YouKnowExactlyWhy who is also from New Jersey!
"This is the stupidest idea under creation. Seriously it took years to complete the masterpieces known as the Seven Wonders of the World and the sad thing is that I could probably pretty much guarantee that if I let you guys loose at any of those locations, you'd figure out how to destroy them in under five minutes." I quipped as the guys led the way to the supposedly haunted location with the shaking beams of light emanating from the ends of their flashlights. It was supposed to give me some kind of comfort, but nope, I like this little glowing ball called the sun much better. Where was a rooster when you needed one?
"I mean you guys do remember that movie Amityville Horror, right?" I asked with trepidation as I squealed when something sticky hit my face. I felt Tommy's hand suddenly find my palm in the dark, and I grabbed onto it like a lifeline as he pulled me in close to his body.
"Try breathing, Jude. I hear there's something called Lamas a woman can do to calm their nerves." Spied said suddenly from in front of me as I threw daggers with my eyes in his general direction.
"I'm not having a baby, you idiot, just a major conniption if you're even concerned." I commented as Tommy chuckled. I could see Chris looking over at the two of us and I wanted to shrug. Why did he seem so antsy about the idea that I was using Tom as a human shield right now? We had broken up remember? Something moved in the bushes and I jumped. Chris moved up along the other side of me as he laughed.
"You're as jumpy as that time I made you watch all the Friday the 13th movies with me." He commented as he brushed a piece of my hair off my shoulder. I smiled at the sudden, warm memories that assaulted me.
"You watching horror movies?" Tommy asked in a low tone as I shrugged.
"With an emphasis on he 'made' me watch them." I stated with a laugh as I looked over at Chris silently.
"Besides my boyfriend was hot. What was a girl to do but brave the phobia and pretend to stare at the screen while staring at a spot just below the TV instead?" I replied whimsically as Chris chuckled before tapping me on the nose fondly with his finger. Tom grew awful quiet and I could feel his palm slowly slipping out of mine. I wanted to keep my grasp on it, but I was afraid that he would run again if I were too forward with him. I had him back in my life now. I was deathly afraid of losing him again, although there was no way in hell that I was admitting that to anyone. A cabin loomed suddenly in front of us and I shuddered. Spied, Wally, and Kyle started whispering excitedly. I cringed.
"What's so hot about an old house anyway?" I asked forlornly as we crossed the threshold of the dilapidated cabin—staring into it curiously as I noticed an old piano built into the wall of the place in the downstairs section. I almost grinned.
"At least these ghosts like music." I commented low enough that I thought no one heard, but Tommy chuckled. He walked over to the instrument and ran his fingers over the top—it brought memories crashing back to me of when the two of us had been locked in a room together on my seventeenth birthday. My heart hurt.
"Is Elvis still the king for you?" He asked suddenly—remembering that moment too when he had told me the old building I had rented a room in had once been a place where legends had stopped in to play. I quirked a brow at him.
"Is it in tune?" I asked on a small laugh as he shrugged—running his hands along a few keys again before shaking his head.
"Nope, the ghosts must be tone deaf." He finally answered as I rolled my eyes. There was a little graffiti along the wall and I could hear the guys of SME rustling around on the second story. A loud crashing noise made us all turn our heads.
"Was that you?" I yelled up to the guys of SME as I shivered—not that I'd trust them to tell me the truth.
"No!" Spied cried out as I looked over at Tommy and Chris before pointing at the door.
"You guys done yet?" I asked anxiously as the ceiling suddenly fell through in the corner of the living room. I screamed as dust filled the air—waving at the particles until the air was finally clear enough I could see Spiederman laid out on the floor with Wally and Kyle rushing down the stairs in a panic. Spied groaned.
"That was not funny guys. Pushing me through that rotted spot like that." He murmured on another moan as Kyle and Wally shrugged.
"We didn't do it." They said at the same time as I stomped over to Spied and dragged him through the dirt by the collar of his shirt—motioning to the rest of the guys as I went.
"Okay. That's it. I believe that is our cue to go now fellows. Pack it in!" I hollered as Spied stood up awkwardly as I pulled on him before slapping at my hand.
"Geez, my little guitar carrying babe, take it easy on the Spiedmeister." He complained as he took the lead in front of me. I flipped him the finger behind his back as Kyle and Wally snickered.
"Maybe later." Spied declared as I kicked him in the behind for making that inane innuendo.
"Are there girls seriously attracted to this man?" I asked no one in particular as we walked. Wally cleared his throat. Obviously there was. I could practically see Spied prancing. I just sighed as the bus finally came back into view. Oh thank God!
"No more spooks." I proclaimed as all of the guys just looked at me mischievously. Okay, so I had a bad feeling I wasn't done with the weird traveling. I climbed onto the bus slowly—aching from the trot through the woods, and I quickly fell asleep without even realizing I was tired only to wake up a little later to find us stopped at a seven-eleven somewhere in New Jersey. I glanced down at Tom's leather jacket which was under my head cushioning my chin and over at a sweatshirt of Chris's which was over my shoulders for warmth. Okay that was weird. I looked out the window to see all of the guys buying whatever they felt they needed to replenish, and I stood up to stretch. Yeah. Gotta love traveling.
Tommy…
Tommy leaned back against the outside of the seven-eleven casually while finding himself staring at a sleeping Jude through the window of the tour bus. Her memories with Chris were warm ones. He had realized that as they walked through the woods earlier. How could he compete when their memories together were mostly mottled with tears. He fingered an unlit cigarette as he stood there—realizing as he did that the habit was becoming a bad one again.
"You look like you could use a light?" A voice asked from behind him and Tommy turned to find a young woman holding out a lighter towards him.
"Yeah, I could." Tom replied steadily as he held out the butt. She lit it for him as she looked over his shoulder at the bus.
"That your girlfriend?" She asked as Tommy shrugged. He really didn't want to answer that question because he was too conflicted to form words for it.
"It's complicated." He finally answered as she perused him quietly.
"You could always try roses. Girls always love roses Little Tommy Q." The girl stated with a grin as Tommy quirked a brow up at her. She just shrugged.
"My names Kerilyn. I am a huge fan of Boyz Attack or was but who cares. Try the roses. I promise it works." Kerilyn stated suavely as she watched the rest of the group board the bus behind Tom.
"Good luck with the shows." She said slowly as Tommy reached into the back of his pocket for his wallet.
"Check out our finale concert in Buffalo, New York not far from Niagra Falls. She's a great performer." Tommy remarked simply as Kerilyn grinned.
"I know she is. See you in Buffalo." She replied as she turned away from the group. Tommy smiled as Spied stopped next to him.
"Don't tell me you have a support group too?" Spied asked as Tommy looked at Spied with a confused expression.
"What?"