Kristyn's Story

Jay raised a white fingernail to his eye, smoothing pink eyeshadow across his lids. Then he picked up a tube of lipstick and twisted it upwards, applying a layer of shimmering gloss to his full lips. He looked into the mirror again to see Baleigh standing behind him, a small smile on her face.
"You scared me," he said, laughing a little. "What are you doing there?"
She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his back. "Watching you."
He turned around, his thin form looming over her, raising an eyebrow seductively. "Just- watching me?" He kissed her gently, resting his forehead against hers.
"Yeah. You're beautiful," she whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
He laughed, tipping his head to the side. "You are too, you know."
Bobby stumbled to the front of the bus, bare-chested. He tugged absent-mindedly on his bellybutton ring, blinking his eyes sleepily. His eyeliner was smudged across his dark Spanish skin, making his eyes seem shadowed.
"Bobby, your makeup is fucked," Jay said flatly, one arm around Baleigh's waist.
Bobby yawned, looking into the mirror. He rubbed the pad of his thumb under his eye, making a face. "What time is it?" he asked groggily.
"Six," Baleigh replied.
"Jesus Christ," he scowled, making a face at his reflection.
"We go on in an hour," Jay reminded him.
"Yeah, I know."
Kristyn appeared from behind the curtain. "God, it's late. Did we sleep all day?"
Bobby reached his arms out and enveloped her in a tight embrace, burying his face in her neck briefly before releasing her. "Yeah. It's six already."
She shook her head in disbelief. "You're kidding me."
He placed his hand on he back, rubbing gently. "When you don't sleep all night, it's quite tiring," he smirked.
"Right," she grinned. Then she shifted her gaze to Jay and Baleigh. "Uhhhh... so where is everyone else?"
"Most of them are over at the arena," Jay replied, fiddling with his eyebrow ring. "Ryan and Jamie need to get their asses out of bed, though."
"Let me wake them up!" Kristyn cried, already heading towards the bunks. She peeked into the beds as she passed them, then came to one that had the privacy curtain closed. She yanked it open and found the two of them- although covered by blankets- totally nude. She laughed a little as she nudged Ryan, who was cradling Jamie in his arms. He groaned, reaching to close the curtain. Kristyn held it open with one hand and with the other, picked up his charcoal boxer-briefs and placed them on his face.
"Get up, guys. It's six."
"Fuck off," he snarled, still not opening his eyes.
"You go on in an hour, Ry. I think it's best if you get up now," she replied, flicking his bare arm.
"An hour?" Ryan said, his voice muffled by the underwear on his face.
"Yes, dear."
He slowly picked the underwear up off of his face and stared at it. Then he looked at Kristyn. Then his gaze shifted back to his underwear.
"Shit!" he cried suddenly. "I'm naked!"
"You're a retard," she laughed. "Get dressed. You need to get ready."
He licked his dry lips and made a face. "What I need is a beer. Damn."
"Later. Wake Jamie up. I'll let the two of you have a gross moment or two."
"Or three- or four," Ryan replied happily. "Now go. Molest Bobby or something."
She headed towards the front of the bus, grinning. Bobby noticed her expression and smiled in return.
"What's going on back there?" he asked as he carefully applied eyeliner.
"Ryan. He said I should come up here and molest you," she giggled, kissing he back of his neck, her lips dancing across his tattoos. Her hands crept around the front of his chest, swirling across his skin.
He bit his bottom lip sensually as he covered her hands with his own. "You can't molest me now. I have to get ready."
"You *are* ready," she pouted, her hands sliding down to his stomach.
"No, I'm not. And I can't smudge my eyeliner."
"'I can't smudge my eyeliner'," she mocked. "How effeminate."
"What's effeminate is Jay's purse. Have you seen it?"
"His *carry-all*," she corrected, laughing. "What is *in* that thing?"
"God knows. Probably everything in God's name... makeup, cigarettes, his cell phone... I think it's adorable," he said sarcastically.
"Maybe you should get one," she teased.
"Yeah right."

Stephanie curled herself more tightly into Paige's arms, looking so content she was nearly purring. He had one hand gently stroking her face, the other resting on her thigh.
"You smell so good," he said softly in her ear. His breath tickled her skin and she shivered happily, burying her face in his shoulder, reaching a hand up to tug gently on the back of his hair.
"Is anyone else totally hot?" Ryan asked as he pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the floor.
"You just got offstage. That could explain it," Jamie teased as her eyes soaked in his sweaty torso.
"I know, but Jesus, I'm really hot," he gasped, slithering out of his pants.
Bahar tried not to notice his underwear. "You'll use any excuse to get naked, Ry," she laughed, playing with Amir's two-toned hair.
"That's not true!" he cried, pouting a little. "I really like my underwear and I wanted to share it with you."
"I know *I'm* glad you shared," Amir snickered.
"Fuck you, dude. I know someone had to enjoy this."
"You'd better believe I do," replied a male voice.
"Ty baby," Ryan purred, reaching his arms out. Ty walked over and kissed him quickly, then sat next to him.
"How's my favorite bitch?" Ty asked, grinning.
"Great. The show kicked ass, my underwear rules, and look, there's a beautiful woman on one side of me and Jamie on the other!" He was rewarded with twin glares. "Oh, *whoops*, I mean, a beautiful woman on one side of me and *Ty* on the other."
"You're a fucking moron," Paige sneered.
"But he's *my* moron," Jamie said, kissing his neck. He pulled her into his lap, wrapping his muscles arms around her.
"Thank you, baby. That was sweet," he teased.
"You guys are all grossing me out," Ty replied, making gagging motions. "I just came to see Jay."
"He's not here. He and Baleigh and Bobby and Kristyn went out," Amir said as he slowly laid his head in Bahar's lap, suddenly exhausted. She continued to stroke his hair gently, smiling. He yawned, looking remarkably like a little boy.
"Damn. When you see him, let him know I'm looking for him, all right?" Ty sighed as he climbed off the couch and headed for the door.
"Will do," Paige nodded in between kisses with Stephanie.
"Thanks." With that, he was gone.
Meanwhile, at the club down the street, Bobby, Jay, Baleigh, and Kristyn were squeezed into a tiny booth. Loud music assaulted their ears and multicolored lights flashed across their faces erratically even though they were shoved into the back corner.
"You would not even believe how tired I am," Jay yawned, laying his head on Baleigh's shoulder. She leaned her head against his and ran her fingers up and down his chest. On the other side of the table, Kristyn and Bobby were whispering back and forth, trading tender kisses. He had a tiny smirk on his face as he rubbed his thumb up and down her cheek and she had a hand up his shirt, gently scratching her nails across his abs.
"Maybe we should go," Baleigh replied. "I think we should all get some rest."
"Or lack thereof," Jay laughed. Then he sat up, turning his attention to the couple across the table. "What do you guys think?" When they ignored him, he smacked the table hard, making the drinks slosh out of their glasses.
"What?" Bobby asked, obviously annoyed.
"We're gonna go," he replied.
"Oh."
Gathering their stuff and leaving a generous tip on the table, the foursome headed outside. They let quite a bit of distance get between them as Baleigh and Jay were exhausted and wanted to get back to the bus, and Bobby and Kristyn wanted to enjoy the gorgeous summer night.
"Look at the stars," Kristyn breathed, staring at the sky.
Bobby wrapped an arm around her, smiling. "They're almost as beautiful as you."
She laughed. "I never thought I'd be susceptible to that kind of a cheesy line. It used to take more to seduce me."
He grinned widely, revealing his deep dimples. "So my Don Juan moves are working?" He turned to face her, taking both of her hands in his. Leaning forward, he began to whisper softly in Spanish, occasionally gesturing to the sky or to her face and hair to help her understand. In between sentences, he'd lean forward and kiss her gently.
"I understood almost none of that, but *damn*, that was so sexy," she grinned, tracing her finger across his lips.
The began to walk again, Bobby reaching forward and grabbing her hand. Her eyes sparkled as she entwined her fingers in his.
Suddenly, he crumpled to the ground, sprawling lifelessly onto the pavement.
Before Kristyn could react, she was struck across the face and she too hit the sidewalk hard. She felt the cement tear the heel of her hands open and she yelped.
A man wearing a ski mask stood above her, wearing all black. He stooped over Bobby's still body and searched his pockets, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. He flipped it open and searched the contents, pulling out the money and stuffing it into his own pocket.
"Jay! Baleigh!" she screamed hysterically, searching the street desperately.
The man appeared to be startled and frightened by her outburst, and his arm shot out and hit her again in the face with something cold and hard. Kristyn struggled with consciousness, images swimming drunkenly before her eyes.
"What the fuck?" a male voice cried. It was Jay.
In shock, Baleigh took a step forward to grab Kristyn's arm, but then froze at what she saw in the man's hands. It was the same object he'd used to knock Bobby out with, and to beat Kristyn with.
A gun.

"What happened to the rest of our group?" Jamie asked, looking worried.
Bahar also voiced her concern. "Jay said he was tired earlier. And you know how he gets when he's tired."
Amir dismissed this with a wave of his hand. "It's probably nothing. Bobby probably talked them into staying."
"They'll be back soon," Ryan reassured them further, squeezing Jamie's shoulder.
"I hope so," she said hesitantly.
Stephanie shrieked from the back of the bus, followed by Paige's laughter.
Then he cried out. "No biting!" Paige yelped. "That hurts!" She giggled, and Paige let out a little puppy yelp again.
"How can I sleep with that going on?" Jamie complained, burying her face in Ryan's chest.
He laughed, then got off of the couch, pulling her with him. "C'mon," he said, "we'll go beat them at their own game."
Jamie grinned wickedly and allowed herself to be led along. "Yay!"
Bahar turned to Amir, kissing just underneath his jaw. "What do you want to do?"
He curled her hair around his fingers, closing his eyes briefly. "I hate to say it, but I want to wait to see if Jay and Bobby and Baleigh and Kristyn come back. I'm a little worried."
"I thought it was 'probably nothing'," she said anxiously.
He bit his lip. "Well, it is probably nothing. But it just might be *something*, so..."
Bahar appeared slightly irritated. "Okay. I'm going to go to bed, then."
He kissed her. "I'll be in just as soon as they come back, I promise."
Her face softened. "Well, all right." With a little smile, she disappeared behind the curtain into the back of the bus.
Amir sighed, glancing at the clock. "Where could they be?" he asked the red digital numbers. Then he checked the time again, did a quick time zone calculation and picked up his cell phone.
"Hi, Michael?"
"Hey Dad. What's up?"
"It's not too late there, is it?"
"No. I was just watching TV."
Even though his son's voice was tinny and sounded very far away, Amir felt soothed by it. "Sounds good. Anything interesting on?"
"Your video was just on MTV. Stitches... the one where you have bad hair."
He laughed. "Thanks. I'll make a note that you don't approve of it."
"It's okay... I like it down better though. Did Ryan really dye his hair again?"
"Yep.. it's dark brown now."
"No way! That sucks! Tell him to dye it back."
"Will do," he smiled. "What else have you been up to?"
"Not too much... it's been pretty boring. I mean, I love visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house for this week, but... I don't know. Can't I come on tour with you?"
Amir listened to the noises from the back of the bus.
"Oww oww, wait," Ryan protested loudly. "My arms don't bend that way! You can't tie... ohhhh, I see." He made a little giggling noise.
"I really don't think I can let you come on tour with me," he replied into the phone.
"But I miss you, Dad." Michael's voice sounded small.
"I miss you too. There's only a few more weeks of touring." Amir leaned one hand against his eyes, rubbing gently. He could feel a headache beginning to pulse at his temples.
"I wish you were here. We always have so much fun," he complained.
"I know." A dull ache settled in his chest. "I know."
There was a female voice in the background on Michael's side.
"Dad, Grandma wants me to go to bed," he said into the phone. "I have to go. Bye. I love you."
"Bye... I love you too," Amir said softly, a bittersweet smile looking so beautiful and at the same time so painful on his face. He hung up the phone and tossed it onto the table next to him, sighing loudly.
"Amir?"
His head snapped up quickly. "Bahar."
Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw his expression. "What's wrong, baby?"
He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Nothing."
She crept across the room and crept into his lap. "'Mir, something's wrong. Who was on the phone?"
"Michael." He smiled a little, but it faltered and fell quickly. "I really miss him. More than I thought was possible." His voice quivered a little and he cleared it.
Sympathy flooded Bahar's eyes. "I'm sorry." She hugged him tightly and he returned the embrace, breathing in the scent of her hair.
"Heeeeeeey guys..." Stephanie asked as she stumbled into the front of the bus wrapped in a blanket. "Do we have any more of that canned whipped cream?" She caught on that she was interrupting a private moment and she held up her hands, grinning sheepishly.
"Sorrrry... I'll, uh, look myself." She peeked into the small refrigerator silently, rooting around, clinking the bottles of beer together.
"Did you find anything in there?" Paige asked, also appearing in the blanket attire. He walked over to the fridge and smacked Stephanie's ass. She leapt up, shrieking and giggling. She handed him the can of whipped cream, kicked the fridge closed with her foot, and pressed a finger against his lips, pushing him back behind the curtain.
Amir and Bahar exchanged sly glances.
"Didn't we buy two cans of whipped cream?" Amir asked.
Bahar was on her feet and running to the fridge before he even finished the sentence.

"Put down the gun," Jay coaxed softly.
"Get on the ground," the man hissed. "Now."
"Put down the gun," Jay repeated. "We don't want any trouble."
Bobby stirred at that moment, groaning as he returned to consciousness and began to sit up. Startled, the gunman shot at him, causing Kristyn to scream, and Jay to drag Baleigh to the ground with him. The masked mugger took Jay's money and then sprinted off into the darkness.
After a few breathless moments, Jay looked up. "Is everyone all right?"
"Yeah," Baleigh replied, looking shaken.
Kristyn managed a nod through her tears of terror as she turned to Bobby. His face was contorted in pain.
"Bobby?" she whimpered.
"I'm all right," he said, his voice strangled.
She flicked her gaze down his body. His hand was pressed against his side. It was covered in blood.
"He shot you!" she shrieked. "He shot you!"
"It's just a little flesh wound," he said. "It sliced through my side a little." He cursed in Spanish.
Jay searched the empty street. "You need help, Bob. Let me run back to the tourbus." He took off at full speed, his long legs flying underneath him.
Baleigh was horrified. "Is he all right?"
"I don't know, Bae, I don't know," Kristyn said, her shoulders heaving with sobs as she climbed across his body to kneel on the other side. She pressed her hands against his, and he winced.
"I'll be okay," he repeated firmly.
Jay leapt onto the tourbus. The entire front was empty. He searched madly for a cellphone, finally spotting Amir's sitting on the table. He picked it up and dialed, having to redial twice because his nervous, shaking fingers kept hitting the wrong numbers.
"I've had a friend who's been shot," he gasped at the 911 operator.
"Jay?" Paige appeared from the back of the bus. There was whipped cream smeared across his collarbone.
"Bobby's been shot," Jay cried at him. He returned to the phone, answering the operator's questions with a quivering voice.
At Jay's loud outburst, everyone else on the bus ran into the room, most of them only half-clothed or in other various stages of undress.
Everyone was firing questions at him, but Jay was preoccupied with the operator and held up a long finger to silence them.
"He says it's just a flesh wound," Jay said as he hung up, looking dazed. "But I don't think Bobby knows anything about being shot." The weak attempt at humor died quickly in the tense room.
"Are Bae and Kristyn all right?" Stephanie asked, clutching Paige tightly.
"They're fine." He tossed the cell phone to the table. "Look, I've got to go flag the ambulance down. Get dressed and get to the nearest hospital. Now." Then he bolted back off of the bus.
Within moments that felt like hours, he ran back to the group. "The ambulance is coming," he panted. Then he motioned to Baleigh. "C'mon, baby, we can't stay. The ambulance won't take us all."
"We can't leave them here alone!" she cried.
"We're fine," Kristyn said, shaking her head. "Go on ahead."
Jay looked at Bobby. He was laying perfectly still, his breathing shallow and sweat beading on his forehead. He winked at Jay.
"I'm seriously okay," he said. But he looked pale and his voice was weak and choked.
"Lying bitch," he teased gently, but the anxiety was etched all across his face. He looked back to Kristyn. She looked totally panicked, but was trying to hide it, biting her lip so it would stop quivering.
"Are *you* all right?" he pressed.
"No." She forced a smile. Her hands were covered in blood, and there was a small, dark pool at her knees.
There was a distant sound of sirens and Jay tugged on Baleigh's arm.
"We've got to get back to the tourbus," he urged.
She nodded, raising her hand in a quick goodbye as Jay began to pull her along. "Take care of him."
"I will," she nodded. They hurried off and she looked down at Bobby, who was fighting off the tears of agony.
She reached a hand up to touch his face, but thought better of it when she saw it was dripping with blood. So she simply leaned down and rested her cheek on his forehead softly, murmuring quietly to him.
The ambulance came barreling around the corner and screeched to a stop next to them, and the paramedics quickly poured out of the open doors.
"You'll be okay, Bobby."
"I know," he replied through gritted teeth.
Neither one of them seemed too sure.

"How is he?" Kristyn asked anxiously. The blood had long since dried on her hands, making them a dark mottled brown color.
The man in the white coat seemed grim. "He's lost a lot of blood. When you're shot in the side as he was, you nick quite a few blood vessels and it can be potentially life-threatening. Fortunately, I expect him to make a full recovery."
There was a loud, collective sigh of relief.
"Can we see him?" she asked, beaming.
"I'd really prefer if just one of you went in right now," he said solemnly.
"Then I absolutely have to see him," Kristyn said firmly. No one argued.
He motioned for her to follow him, and he led her to a room and waved her inside.
"Don't take too long," he said before closing the door.
"I told you I was fine," Bobby smiled. He looked tiny on the bed, the stark whiteness of the room sucking any hope of color from his face.
"Oh, Bobby," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. "Look at you."
He held out his arms. "C'mere, baby."
She gently embaraced him, laying her head on his chest. He stroked her hair lovingly, whispering softly to her.
"It's okay, Kris," he soothed. "I'm okay now."
"I was so scared," she murmured.
"So was I. But it's over."
"I love you," she smiled, crawling up into the bed with him.
"I love you too," he replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Out in the waiting room, the couples had broken off into small groups. Baleigh was perched on Jay's long, thin legs as they cuddled in a chair, Jamie was leaning up against a wall with Ryan bracing his arms on either side of her, Paige and Stephanie snuggled on the couch, and Amir and Bahar stared out the window, side by side.
"Amir?"
He turned, startled. "Bahar."
"Can we talk?"
He waved his hand. "Absolutely."
"'Mir, you know I love you. And this whole escapade with Bobby made me realize how short life can be. You have no idea how much I care about you. I love you so much... I want to be with you for a long time.
He clasped her hands, pulling her closer to him. "God, you're so absolutely wonderful, beautiful, and spectacular. I seriously do care about you *so* much. I think that you'd make a wonderful stepmother to Michael." He wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck. She cradled the back of his head with one hand, smiling to herself.
Stephanie glanced up at Bahar and Amir. "What's up with them?"
Paige shrugged. "You never know. They look happy right now. Just like I am." He kissed her gently, then nuzzled her neck. She shivered happily.
"I love you," he smiled.
"I love you too. You promise you're not going to leave me for your pimping profession?" she teased.
"Never. I have all the women I'd ever need right here in you." She smiled.
Baleigh traced her fingers across Jay's features. "Just look at you, Jay Gordon."
"Unless I'm wrong, the beautiful half in this couple is you." A smile tugged on his lips. "You're gorgeous." He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her mouth. Her eyes slipped closed in utter bliss.
"Hey, is anyone else really hot?" Ryan asked.
"Leave your pants on, Ry," Jay shot back.
"No one cares about my underwear," he sighed dramactically.
Jamie cupped one hand under his chin and kissed him. "I care," she whispered.
"Good. I care about yours, too," he replied solemly.
"Was that an attempt at romance?" she teased.
He kissed her again. "Not really. I'm not one for romance, as you know. Although I do love you *so* much, and I think you're beautiful and intelligent, and I know I don't deserve you."
"Yes you do," she smiled. "You and I belong together."
"Right," he agree. "Now, do you want to see my underwear?"

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