Page 63 of Ex in the City
‘I mean think about us, about our family, and our life, and if you’re sure you want to walk away from it,’ he pleads.
I put my suitcase down on the doorstep and turn to look him square in the eye.
‘The only thing I’m going to be thinking about while I’m away is just how good revenge sex feels,’ I say with a smile. ‘See you later.’
Turning on my heel, I grab my case and head down the driveway.
Okay, so that’s not strictly true, but the look on his face when I said it, damn, I really hit him where it hurts.
It’s not entirely untrue either, though; I’ll be thinking about it – but the chance would be a fine thing.
29
Standing at the bottom of Mr Campbell’s drive, with Dylan at my side and our suitcases in tow, I can hardly believe what I’m looking at, and I’ve seen some things in my life.
I don’t imagine our quaint little street has ever seen a tour bus parked on it, but here one is. Mr Campbell, with his penchant for snooping on his neighbours, would have loved this, peering out at what was going on through his telescope. I can’t help but wonder if anyone is looking, like Rowan or Rebecca, but I’m far too dignified to give in to the temptation of looking to check.
Mitch, the band’s manager, greets us with a warm, enthusiastic smile as we approach the bus. He’s a tall, lanky guy with shaggy hair and a perpetually stressed-out look on his face. Then again, I don’t think I’ve ever met a band manager who didn’t look like they were on the verge of a meltdown.
‘Nicole, Dylan, welcome aboard!’ he says excitedly, in a way that makes you feel like you’re part of something big.
‘I’m sure it’s too late to back out now,’ Dylan jokes, his excitement mirroring Mitch’s.
I offer a genuine smile and nod, my anticipation building by the second, but not quite as fast as my nerves.
We step on board and the bus door closes behind us with a soft hiss. Wow, it really does feel like there’s no turning back.
It’s been a long time since I was on a tour bus. I’m actually amazed by how little they’ve changed over the past decade. It’s almost comforting, in a strange way, because it makes me feel at home, like it hasn’t been all that long since I was on one last.
Through the door, on the lower level, you step into the kitchen area. Everything is made from a dark, shiny wood that doesn’t do much to help how dark the bus seems. The artificial light illuminates the space but there’s something about that tour bus darkness – something that makes you feel like it’s a secret space, for getting up to no good.
I cast an eye over the kitchen. It has everything you could want or need on board a bus. I am especially delighted to see that there is a coffee machine – a proper one – which is going to make this whole process so much easier. Next to it there is a living space, with sofas and a TV, although no one is sitting there currently.
‘Everyone is up in the back lounge,’ Mitch tells us. ‘Let’s head up.’
We follow Mitch up the steep, windy staircase, past the tiny bathroom, and along the walkway where all the bunks are. I run my hand across the curtains, my mind darting back and forth all over the place, as different memories from different tours come flooding back – some bad, some good. I really, truly never thought I would ever set foot on a tour bus again, to the point where even the crappy curtains are making me smile.
Finally, we reach the back lounge, which is probably the biggest communal seating area on the bus, where we find Mikey, Taz and Jamie. They’re all looking at a TV, watching Taz playPS5, and they’re all drinking beer – in fact, the number of empty bottles around already is actually quite impressive.
The boys are laughing and chatting animatedly, clearly all super excited to be here too, already straight back into the swing of things.
‘Hey, guys,’ Mikey greets us with a grin as we take our seats. ‘Now the party can really start, huh? This is really happening.’
‘Yeah,’ Dylan replies. ‘Glad to be here.’
‘Hey, Mitch, grab Dylan a beer,’ Mikey calls out. ‘One of the special ones, from the back. Do you want anything, Nicole?’
I smile and shake my head.
It feels surreal to be sitting here with The Burnouts – The actual Burnouts, hitting the road again, when no one ever thought it would happen.
As we settle into conversation, I can sense the gentle hum of the bus’s engine and the subtle vibrations beneath us. We’re moving. This show is officially on the road.
Mitch places a bottle of beer in Dylan’s hand before sitting down to join us.
I try not to pull a face but, come on, we all know Dylan is trying to drink less – is what is basically a breakfast beer really the way to go? Hopefully it’s just the one.
‘So, to recap the details, folks,’ Mitch starts, now that everyone is here. ‘We’re headed to Manchester, for the first leg of our secret show mini-tour. We’ve purposefully spread rumours, hinting that it might be The Burnouts making a comeback. After tonight, the cat’s out of the bag – The Burnouts are officially back, and we’ll be playing more secret shows in Leeds, Paris, and the grand finale in London, where we’ll announce our big reunion tour later this year.’
