The sun beat hard on the cement and windows of our tour bus. The blaring TV said that it was almost 100 degrees. None of us wanted to move even an inch. And Mike had already taken over the shower, and Joe wasn’t even here. He went to meet with some of his pals from the area. So it was just the three of us today.
I am part of the up and coming band Heroes For Hope, located in a crap heep of a town. We had landed a recording deal a few months into our stint as a back-up band for Maxon Hights. Upon getting the CD deal they shipped us out on a tour with the hope of us selling CDs and making the company money.
Today we had a stop in a rural town that really had nothing but farm land around. Joe grew up in the area so he took the chance to see some old friends while we were here. Mike was planning on spending the day getting clean and shaven, so we weren’t going to see him all day.
I was lying on the couch in our tour bus trying not to let the heat and humaid air get to me. But no matter how I turned I couldn’t get away from the heat.
“Hey Andrew. Can you turn up the AC?” I asked not even trying to move to look at him now.
“It’s already on full blast. I think we need to get a second one.”
“Well that’s in Joe’s chores. And he’s not here at this moment. So just open another window instead. Hopefully that helps.” I heard him slowly get up from the small table and the pull out another window, but it didn’t help at all. Instead it just added to the humaid air.
“Any better?” Andrew’s voice carried over to me, but it sounded so distent from both of us being so hot and tired.
“No.” I heard Andrew get up and his steps coming towards me. Soon he plopped down right next to me, grabbing a controller from the small coffee table littered with food wrappers and empty soda cans..
“Wanna play Grand Theft?” he held out the green controller for me, giving me a small taunting grin playfully. Quickly I swiped it up and accepted his challenge.

Around the third race a quiet knock at the door of our bus brought us back to reality. Andrew was the one that got up and answered it, moving the trash away from his path. I just sat back and soaked in the lingering sent of Andrew Carver (Yes I was in love with him. I’ve had a crush on him since we first met back in College.)
“Who is it Andrew!” I rang out after a minute went past without a sound. I got no answer so I got up to check. As I neared the door I caught a glimpse of long brown and pink hair and then some of Andrew’s black hair. “Andrew?” I rounded the corner coming face to face with a short teen girl.
“Hey.” She looked like she had been crying, for her eyeliner was streaking down her face. And she looked almost ghost like in her appereance.
“Hi.” I smiled at her, trying to be nice. “Andrew what’s going on?” he just gave me a confused look and said, “She’s lost”
I quickly turned back to her, smiling as much as I could, “What’s wrong..?”
“Tess, Tess Campbell.” She whispered almost so I couldn’t hear her.
“Ok, Tess, what’s wrong?” I held onto of her arms and Andrew grabbed the other, and we lead her into the cooler air of our bus.
When I got a better look at her I saw that she had on a black band shirt with a light jacket over it and a denim skirt with big black biker boots. (Wasn’t she burning up dressed like that?) Andrew sat her down carefully and went and got a bottle of water from the fridge.
“Tess what’s wrong?” I said again. Slowly she looked up at me, our eyes connected in a split second and with her eyes she told me almost all of it. I didn’t need for her to tell me with words. For she told all with that one look in her eyes. But she did speak.
“I was traveling with some of my friends. We were going to go do this talent search thing. Well last night we got onto a little car accident and when I came to, they were all gone. Even the car was gone. And I have no idea where I am and also no money.” Tears were starting to form again on the lines of her eyes,
Andrew soon came back with the water and gave it to her. “So what’s up with… Tess, right?” she gave a lonely nod of aknowedgement.
“She and her friends got separated. And she’s lost. Maybe we should help her get to a decent city so she can call someone to come and get her?”
“Sure, ok. But what about Mike and Joe? Shouldn’t they have a say in this matter too?” Andrew voiced concern bringing our bandmates into the mix.
“And they will. But first let’s get Tess some good food and then we will call Joe and inform Mike.” He only responded with a slight nod.

We had told Mike about an hour later and called Joe about it also. They both agreed only saying that she would be sleeping out on the couch until we got to a real city. I don’t think that she would disagree with that anyway, since we were helping her out in a big way. Also for all we knew she could have been a murder on the run.
When it was all settled and she had opened up a bit, did she really start to talk a bit more.
“Where ya from?” Andrew asked handing her one of the controllers the we had just used.