I don't know how much time has passed when I awake to a sudden commotion inside the bus and before I can react two strong arms grab me and pull me out of my bunk. It's Tony just carrying me out of the bus and starting to walk.

"Why are you hiding in your bus? " He asks me

"My therapist calls it commitment issues, I call it 'this life is a joke and I can't take it seriously any more'" that should have come out as a sassy comment but even I can hear the bitterness in my voice.

"Tony, stop! lLet me down this is embarrassing". I plead.

"Will you go with me when I let you walk?" He asks back, not stopping.

"Do I have a choice?" He shakes his head. "Okay I come with you, please let me down now, people are already staring."

He gently sets me on my feet and instantly grabs my hand to keep me from running away then he starts walking again, tugging me behind him.

"Where are we going? " I try to find out, stumbling after him, my legs stiff from the long rest.

"When was the last time you ate? " he changes the subject.

"I don't know? Monday?"

He stops turning to me shocked "What! That's two days ago! We are going to catering, the guys are waiting for us there."

We pass a fence and a few fans spot Tony. "Hey Tony, we love you." They cry out to him. He smiles over to them and waves.

We are about to turn around at a corner when some of the fans seem to recognise me and start shouting "bus girl, hey bus girl" I look back over my shoulder. "We hate you, you're an ugly slut"

I knew something like that would happen sooner or later that was one reason I did not want to leave the bus.

Tony turns around and runs up to the fans nearly hitting the fence. I have never seen him this mad before.

"Will you shut your dirty mouth, never ever say something to Easy again. She is the best person I know. We all support her and you have no idea how much damage you do with talking shit like that. I would rather have no fans than fans like that."

With that he turns around pulling me close to his side and drags me along.

When we enter catering Tony leads me to a table where Vic and Jaime and Austin and Alan were sitting and pushes me down on a chair then he disappears only to come back with a tray full of food and place it in front of me.

"She hasn't eaten in two days" he informs the others.

"That's ridiculous are you guys gonna watch me eat now or what. That's beyond awkward." I shake my head in denial.

"Actually we wanted to talk to you." Vic starts whereas the rest of the guys stare at me.

My god I must look awful judging from the looks on their faces. I try to stroke down my hair but give up when I can only feel a tangled mess.

"Easy we know how you feel. Every one of us had this at some point. You get accused by the fans, your friends get insulted, lies are getting spread, a real hate storm begins.
This is part of our lives. You have obviously never experienced that before. But you have to get over it don't let it get to you.
We are your friends. Please don't believe what Danny said he is just jealous. We want to be there for you. The guys are sorry how things developed it was partly their fault as well" here he looks at Alan. "But you must believe they never intended to hurt you."

"Yeah, Easy, I'm sorry bout what happened, I'm just so stupid sometimes I never think about the consequences before I say or do something. I honestly didn't realise in what kind of situation I had brought you. I mean the fans hate on me now but I don't care. It just breaks my heart seeing you like this." Alan looks so desperate that I have to hide a little smile.

They all look at me expectantly. It seems it is my turn to speak.

"Guys I'm not even mad at you. I just don't know what to believe at the moment. I feel I'm caught up in the web of a lie.
I can't figure out who's friend or foe and peoples real intentions. And I don't know how to handle the hate." I look at Tony.

"Yeah, we had a nasty encounter with some fans on our way here." He explains scratching the back of his neck.

"There's something else why I couldn't face it all. Every day brings us closer back to LA and Danny told me I had to go to the MTV awards with him." I finish.

"Don't go there that's got nothing to do with your job. Christ, what an asshole! You can't trust him, you never know what he has planned. And he blames us of using you. Hah, what a hypocrite." Alan immediately rants.

"But maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go there you know all the mainstream media will be there and they will definitely ask you questions. Maybe you could set the picture straight and also show that you don't let yourself be brought down by all the accusations and the hate." Austin replies.

"Anyway that's for Easy to decide, I will support every decision she makes on this matter." Jaime jumps in. "But for now, Angelito, if you don't start eating, take a shower and change your clothes, I will have to be your babysitter and do it for you."

That makes everyone laugh and I grab my fork and start on my salad although I don't feel hungry at all.

Notes