𝘚𝘖𝘕𝘋𝘌𝘙 ⁽ʲ ᵐᵒˡⁱⁿᵃ⁾

𝘛𝘞𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘠-𝘍𝘐𝘝𝘌

"Right, so how exactly are we going to do this?" Elise pondered aloud to Willie, who smirked and laughed maliciously. He pushed a strand of his hair behind his ear.

"Here's what I'm thinking: we drive them to the middle of nowhere." Her eyebrows furrowed, but she felt the tiniest of laughs bubbled in her chest. As far fetched and crazy as it was, she couldn't exactly think of any other solution.

"Right, and just leave them? And hope they don't find their way?"

"Elise, oh dear Elise. They won't. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's getting lost." He smiled a charming smile before realizing what he'd said about himself was really more of an insult than anything else, and he blubbered to try and fix it before ultimately giving up and continuing. "Also, I doubt they'll be up for playing after their tour bus drives itself. If we go far enough out, they won't have enough time to set up and play. No matter what, they're not gonna' make it on time."

Elise clicked her tongue and gave a sharp nod. She supposed he was right. "This should be fun then." Sarcasm was evident in her voice, though she couldn't deny the slight twinge of excitement.

Willie wiggled his eyebrows, and Elise fought back an eye roll at the boy's immaturity - he was practically an overgrown toddler. He was way too excited for her liking, seeing as this was literally life or death - or in the boy's case, afterlife and death. But something about the sheer brightness that accompanied him everywhere made the dim flicker in her heart broaden just a little bit.

"I have no idea where we're poofing to."

Willie laughed, "It's so weird that you guys call it that."

Elise narrowed her eyes in a petty glare. "Says the one who calls living people 'lifers.'"

His lips parted. "It's cool."

"Whatever you say..."

He shook his head with a smile and continued the conversation,. "You don't really need to know, it's kind of odd. You just go. You've probably done it before without really thinking about it."

She thought this over. It was true, the first time she ever poofed, it had been entirely on accident. And when they took the conversation with WIllie elsewhere, she and everyone else somehow knew exactly where to go. How did that even work?

But this question would have to fall in line behind the many more that had already started brewing, so with a shake of her head she tucked the inquiry away.

"Alright, show time." Willie couldn't seem to contain his laugh.

Next thing Elise knew, her hair was being pushed behind her shoulders and a shiver ran down her body - until she found herself standing at what appeared to be a truck stop. To the left of her was obviously a tour bus, the band's name scribbled on the side in dramatic cursive.

Practically skipping, Willie clambered onto the bus and pranced down the middle isle. Elise followed slowly, not nearly as amused as the long-haired boy, and took a quick look around. She had to admit, a tour bus like this was pretty cool. There was a tiny kitchen to the right side, tables to the left, and peering toward the back the door to the bedroom was visible. She hoped that some day she would be able to ride alone with Julie (and sort of the guys) in one of these - and possibly Flynn, as she was their manager. Maybe Payton and Willie could tag along too, all of her favorite people on the road together.

"Not everyone is on yet," Willie reported as he walked back to join her at the front of the bus. "It would probably be too rude to leave one of them here."

"As rude as ruining their chance to play the Orpheum?" Willie's mouth pressed into a straight line.

Elise and Willie, not so surprisingly, got along well. They had a lot in common, right down to a certain tragedy, and Elise had a great time teasing him - it was almost too easy. They acted like they were siblings - platonic soulmates, a dumbass pair that shared a single brain cell.