Kydania

Lydia never blushes. She is the queen of flirty and toying. To see Tom make her blush the same color of a tomato comes as a shock to me but I keep quiet hoping that by not saying anything I won't add to her embarrassment.

"So why were we throwing skittles?" Georg asks curiously at Megan's as he slides some of his long, impeccably straight hair out of his eyes.

Megan, having just popped some unthrown skittle into her mouth, tries not to choke by suppressing a fit of laughter. Her eyes water as she covers her mouth. The scene is making it hard for me to not grin and chuckle because of the look of shock on Georg's face. He is trying to see if she is alright fumbling about not sure what to do, making an utterly priceless moment of hilarious clumsiness. Megan finally holds up an index finger to indicate she just needs a chance to swallow the little rainbow candies. We all wait patiently, still mocking Georg with our grins.

Finally catching her breath Megan turns to place her blue eyed gaze on Georg and tell him a little piece of what make Optical Reality the band that it is, "It's a tradition that we do before a show to break tension. I thought it up when Tilly and Kyda became nervous before one of our big shows back home. Lydia's mom bought us skittles as a snack and they were right there, so I threw them. Ever since, we do it. Call it superstition if you like but we know if we don't the show won't be as good."

"You just happened to get caught in the cross fire." Tilly adds.

Bill gets excited and starts speaking in fast broken English as if he can't say what he wants fast enough, "I know! Like you 'ave to und…"

The more he babbles about understanding our ridiculous superstitious tradition the more I notice his German accent. It's nice to see someone so passionate about how a band functions, even if it is a bit outspoken for my taste. It's too bad I won't have a chance to really get to know these guys before we have to leave for another town on our, yet to be revealed tour.

"Shit!" everyone stops to look at me, "Guys I'm really sorry but I forgot a few details I needed to take care of. Do you mind if I go deal with them and you go have fun without me?"

Lydia stares me down. I know I do this all the time to them but if we want to play I have to make the proper arrangements seeing as how I have yet to meet anyone I can trust to be our manager. Every person who has ever tried either under schedules the band or is too incompetent for the job. Maybe that makes me picky but no way in hell am I letting some idiot at our chances of living our dreams.

"Kydania please!" the way Bill pronounces my name makes me curious if it's has accent or his diversely cultural experience that makes it roll beautifully.

"I'm really sorry. I know I said all of us could hang out but if I don't fix these details," I make sure to leave out the fact that we don't have a manager, "then they won't get done. If it's not done then things could go wrong and you know what it's like for things to go wrong…"

Interrupting me, all three of my band mates harshly say my name at the same time stopping me from my stressful jargon of worry. I close my eyes take a deep breath and run my hand through my hair.

Lydia speaks gently as I keep my eyes shut, "Don didn't tell you where our other tour cities are did he?"

I give her a tell all look when I open my eyes. I know the truth is painted on my face as I breathe out to try and reduce the panic rising in my chest. I would have pressed Donavan for more information but we either took the chance for a tour or didn't go. Not going was and still is not an option.

"Oh I can help with that!" Bill gives me a look of confidence that almost radiates to those around him in a domino effect, "David, our manager, can talk to your manager."

Lydia and I look at one another asking if we should tell our new friends about our 'manager'.

"I am the manager Bill."

Lydia

The way Bill, Tom, Gustav, and Georg reacted to Kydania handling everything about the band went unexpectedly.

At first they all just stared at Kydania amazed and horrified at the same time, but gradually Bill and Tom began to ask her questions about what details needed to be currently dealt with and contact information. When all was said and done David was going to send a capable staff member after the show tonight to help Kyda out.

Now we have another dilemma; choosing what we want to do before sound check.

"Ping pong!" Bill insists to Tom.

"For two hours?" Tom raises his brows in a way that he reminds me of the come at me bro meme, "Swimming!"

They begin to battle it out on what to do in harsh German. Gustav and Georg sit in a corner of our hotel room talking and joking with Tilly and Megan. The banter turns into a few smacks and pokes but nothing I don't expect from siblings.

"Both." I say in German to the best of my ability. What better way to catch their attention than in their own language.

"Huh?" the male noise for confusion?

"Both?" I repeat, "An hour of each?"

Everyone nods in agreement waiting for the twins to jump on board the idea train. The both nod with matching grins, literally.

"Swimming first!" the both yell.

Then Tom walks over giving me a wink before following his band mates to go change into swim wear. What the hell is the wink for, my swim suit? Thank God for giving me Kydania. The modest swim wear that was insisted upon before we left now seems like a blessing.

Kydania dug in one of our luggage cases and tossed a pile of swim wear on one of the beds. Blue, red, orange, green, yellow, and print splash across the white comforter. The fashionable green chaeta print one piece and boy shorts call to me. I snatch them up and hurry to change.

Ten minutes later we are all dressed and ready to go. Tilly sporting a red pin-up styled swim suit, Megan in a navy blue lifeguard one piece, and Kydania in a blossom orange one piece and yellow swim trunks for boys. We look good, not to brag, but all of us are very active and work to stay in shape.

Rapping at the door tells us it's time to head our and down to the indoor pool. Kydania opens the door to great a smiling Tom and waves for us to follow.

I can't help but stare at Tom's lean, toned, and visibly bare torso. I wonder what it would feel like to…Stop! Bad Lydia! You must remain professional no matter how hot a body he has. Maybe spending time with Tokio Hotel isn't such a great idea. Why did this man have to be so damn attractive?

I decide to focus in on the other boys' apparel to keep my mind off…Stop! Bill is wearing a shirt, unlike some people, and flowery blue and white trunks, Georg is wearing simple cameo green trunks, while Gustav has bizarrely stayed in the same cloths. I wonder if he doesn't like to swim or if he's shy. Maybe he just doesn't want to get wet before the sound check and show.

After an elevator wait and a short walk down a spacious hallway we reach the pool. Georg and Tom run in like wild Neanderthals as soon as Bill's hotel key card admits them entrance. Boys will be boys. Very sexy cornrowed…Stop, damn it all!

Megan and Kyda look from me to each other, wild grins plastered across their faces. Lord help me not them too. Hopefully they don't…

"Cannon ball!" they scream.

As they rise out of the water Georg, Megan, and Kyda beacon me to do the same. Tom instead gives me a challenging look. No way in hell am I letting this boy best me. I toss my towel and walk to the side of the pool that indicates a depth of twelve feet. I poise myself finding my balance just like my mother taught me.

I step back to give myself enough room to get a running start. Ready. Set. Go! Step one, two, three, and flip. Triple front handspring with a tuck before the graceful dive was what I was aiming for. The cheers and hoots the echoed through the pool room tell me I hit the target dead on.

I look to see what Tom's reaction is. He's not cheering or smiling like the others. Overall mission accomplished.