Up and Strumming

Have a nice trip

Her eyes were closed. This was one of the rare times she would keep still. Just to feel the warmth grow on her cold skin. As the sun rose, so did her excitement.
"ARI!" She opened her eyes. "AR-, WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE!!!???" Ari looked down at Viv, who looked like was about to have a heart attack.

"Ari, what the hell are you standing on top of the bus for!?" Ari only smiled. It was time. As fast and nimble as a squirrel, she scurried back down and jumped off the bus, dust flying around her cheap Chinatown shoes. She smiled up at Viv.

" 'morning to you too." She said cheekily. Ari loved when one of her fellow band members got mad. Secretly, she felt when they scolded her, it meant they really cared. But also Ari just plain loved messing with them.

The duo heard pans clanging from inside the bus. They turned to see someone struggling to open the side window.

"Shit." Tessa said as she finally shoved the sliding window open. "Hey, what's all the commotion about?"

"Ari was on the roof." Viv said sternly as she crossed her arms.

Tessa scratched her head. She looked like she just just rolled out of bed. She yawned. "Oh. Is she hurt?"

"No, but..."

"Then quit making noise! I'm trying to sleep!" Paloma called from inside. Tessa stuck her thumb out.

"What she said." She made her at back inside, hitting her head on the window frame as she did. "Shit."

Ari laughed. Viv stared blankly. She turned to Ari, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Stay here." She jogged back to the bus and proceeded to yell.

"You guys!" She ran around, banging against the sides of the bus. "You guys, get up already! Mick's gonna be here soon!" They rustling inside, Tessa and Paloma trudged out, fully clothed and ready to go, but still tired looking.

Paloma yawned. "Great..." She scratched. "Who's Mick again?"

Ari bounded up to her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "That's Mick Jones to you miss! He's the Clash guitarist, and Viv's..."

"BOYFRIEEEEEEND!" Tessa and her yelled. They squealed and laughed like schoolgirls. Paloma thought for a bit.

"Oh, wait...yeah, I remember him..." She scrunched up her nose. "Gross Viv." They all laughed. The Slits were a all girl, feminist band, with the unspoken rule of no boyfriends. Though that had been slightly bent when Viv started dating her boyfriend. Now, the main goal was to not let boys get in the way of success. And to get their point across, whoever as caught would be ridiculed...but playfully. It was especially fun to make fun of Viv, not only was she the only one at the moment with a boyfriend, but also the most serious one of them all. Viv rolled her eyes.

"Well, you're gonna wish you all hadn't said gross when you walk 30 miles to London while I drive with my boyfriend in his Cadillac."

"Oooh!" Ari waved her hands around. "Is he gonna beat me up too?" Suddenly, a pair of thin yet strong arms wrapped around her waist, lifted her, and swung her around in circles. Instead if screaming like a normal girl would when being lifted all of a sudden by some stranger, Ari laughed like a mad woman. Only that's because she knew who it was. When he placed her back down, she spun around and wrapped her arms around him.

"MICK!" She yelled laughing. Ari had only met Viv's boyfriend twice exactly. But she immediately became fond of him. He was nice, gentleman like, with a cheery smile and friendly pair of eyes. He even invited her to go on one of their dates to go strolling through town, buying her a necklace with a silver dangling heart at the end. It was cheap, but it was the thought that counted, and the first and only thing a man had ever given Ari. He also really seemed to like Viv a lot, and care for her, which Ari could appreciate. Yes, Ari liked Mick. She saw him almost as a father. But he was much too young and still a bit immature to be one. So, maybe more like a brother? Yeah, a brother.

Mick looked down at her and smiled. "Did I scare ya'?"
Ari shook her head, smiling slyly. "Sorry sir, but it appears you've failed again."
Mick snapped his fingers. "Darn." Viv came up behind him, and he turned to give her a kiss. As Ari had seen before, Viv turned her head, letting Mick lay one in her cheek. Ari understood very well the Slits were suppose to be feminists, but something inside her twitched a bit when she saw Viv block off romantic gestures. Inside she thought about it, and secretly knew that if a boy ever treated her romantically the way Mick treated Viv...she'd love it. And wouldn't even think of rejecting that kind of affection.

A little while later, everyone pitched in to help bring the girl's bags to the car.

Ari skipped up to Mick, bag in hand. "So are we going to meet a lot of bands?

He smiled at her. "Lots! Everyone's basically already there."

They heard Viv groan as she tossed her bag inside. "I knew we should've left earlier."

Mick placed his bag inside. "Don't worry babe. We got time." He turned to Ari again. "Everyone there is real friendly. So I'm pretty sure you'll get along fine." The Slits were just starting out and hadn't yet been exposed to other punk groups. Not even Mick's.

"I can't wait till you meet the guys. Funny chaps they are. We got a new drummer. His name is Topper." He began counting off his fingers. "Then we got Joe, a real frontman. Never seen anyone like him before. He's got a great voice too. Oh! And Paul, one of the nicest blokes you'll ever meet. Real good looking too. Really the only reason we wanted him but he's really showing potential in his bass playing skills. But god, he just stands there looking good..."

By that point, all the girls were just staring at Mick. Tessa began to snicker. Mick looked at her.

"What's so funny?"

She grinned. "Well Viv, now we now why you get so worried when he's out on tour!"

Mick thought for a moment before a pink blush spread across his face. "Hey! I'm not gay!"

Tessa laughed. "Those pants say other wise!" They all looked down and burst out laughing at Mick's stick thin legs, hence the tight leather pants he always wore. Even Viv giggled, trying hide her smile from Mick. He looked down and gaped.

"Wha...well I never!" He stuck his nose up and marched inside his car. Tessa was bent over laughing.

"Neither would I!" She called. As they continued to laugh, none of them realized Mick starting the car and began to take off.

"Wait!" Ari called, trying to recover from her laughing fit. All four girls began running, trying to catch up. They saw it was now Mick's turn to laugh from inside the car. He slowed down and they all piled inside, each giving Mick a playful punch on the arm for almost abandoning them. They all laughed at one another, out of breath before their journey even began. Ari sat in the backseat behind Mick, as Viv had already called shotgun. She stared at the window, smiling, her heart happy. She knew this was going to be one hell of a trip.