Vier. Four. Quatre. Cuatro.

I stared at my suitcase, how on earth was I supposed to close it? I ran my hand through my hair, my whole room was a mess. Taking in a deep breath, I sat on my suitcase and tried to zip it up. After struggling for like three minutes, I managed to close it. Damn, I need better packing skills…

Then again, the struggling could be, because I hadn’t slept. Yesterday had been the very first concert, so that meant that since dawn we were up and about, doing absolutely everything to make sure that the World Tour started without a flaw. I had to help Dream Killer settle down, and also make sure that Devil Five kids were ready if something went wrong. Not that it did, Dream Killer did AWESOMELY, they do know how to rock a stage.

After the hell of a concert, Blaze came back home with us and made me play video games with him almost all night, given that he had a concert and he was nervous, he feared he would fail. Let’s just remember that he is a prodigy in music…

So instead of getting a goodnight sleep, I was stuck playing with Blaze, not that I was complaining, I do like to spend time alone with online Blaze. We managed to fall asleep cuddling on a beanbag, and let me tell you that they aren’t comfy for sleeping.

So, once that my suitcase was already on the hallway so that Mike could put it on the bus or wherever it had to go. I made my way down towards the kitchen, where I was hearing a lot of noises, meaning that everyone was here.

“Good morning people!” I shouted as I stole the banana Ralph was peeling. “How are you lads this fine morning?” They grunted.

“Give that back Esther,” Ralph sighed but he was far too late, I had already taken a bite of it. “Thank God I am not sharing a bus with you.”

I winked at him and opened the fridge. “Hangover?” I chuckled and they all rolled their eyes.

“At what time do we leave?” Ducky questioned as he rubbed his forehead.

“When Guile and Carl decide to arrive,” I replied. “Maybe their hangover is heavier than we thought.” I chuckled and they rolled their eyes.

“Carl is joining?” Rhode questioned.

I nodded. “Yeap,” I replied drinking some milk from the carton. “He mentioned that he was taking a semester off so that he could join us on tour.”

Bryan took the carton out of my hands with a smirk. “What I still don’t understand,” He gulped it. “Is why haven’t you applied.”

I gave them all a fake smile. “Well, the reason lays on the simple fact that my beloved father, won’t let me stay here all alone,” I gave a dramatic sigh. “He wants to make sure that he knows where I am twenty-four-seven, stating that if I am left alone, I will burn the house, take over the world and eat way too much candy.” I chuckled. “And yeah, in that order.”

Hey! That ideas aren’t so far-fetched, given that I do have a lot of power on my hands' thanks to his fame. I just tweet something, and I get whatever the heck I want if it not by the band or him, some very nice fans send over things… And let's just say that I realized that after an incident…

“Yeah,” Carl agreed, as he entered alongside his father to the kitchen. “You would do that, and in that order.”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut it, will ya?” I scoffed. “You are also aware that you would be my very first prisoner, and that you would be locked up on the basement, listening to-”

“Esther,” My father cut me off as he grabbed the orange juice, and chugging it all down. I learn my manners from the best. “Are we all here now?” We agreed.

Carl tried to send me a smug look, but I rolled my eyes and gave him the finger, using our dearest way (We love Friends way too much). We started making faces at each other since the adults decided to talk about the rules and schedules to prevent us (they are calling us kids) from getting into trouble. Mike, Ralph and Bryan all left the kitchen to make sure that all the suitcases were accounted for, and make sure that everything was how it had to be.

“Kids,” My father called us. “Ground rules.”

“Enoch!” I whined. “Are you being serious? We have never stated the ground rules, we all know them.”

“Yeah, but this time Carl is going to be with us since the beginning.” Carl Rhodes replied.

“Oh,” I chuckled. “Hurry then.”

My father rolled his eyes. “Guile and Carl are having the upper left bunks,” Enoch started. “Rhode and Blaze, when he joins, are going to have the lower left bunks.”

“Uh-uh, I want the upper upper!” Carl shouted, gaining a massive eye roll.

“Ducky will get the lower right bunk,” My father continued. “Esther and I get the upper right bunk.”

“Uh-uh, shotgun on the upper upper!” I shouted mimicking Carl.

“As you wish.” My father and the rest laughed.

“Now that everything is settled,” Ducky smiled. “Let’s hit the roads, I might have promised my beloved wife that I would ring her once we were on the road, and she has called me twice already.”

“Let’s go then!” Rhode shouted as he made a beeline towards the door.

I was thrown on my bunk bed, reading a random book that Bryan had gotten for me from the gas station. They didn’t want for either Carl or I to realize where we were until we arrived at the city. I mean, you would think that I know to which city we are heading, but umm, nope, they don’t disclose that information with us, and they try their very best to make sure that we don’t find it online… Not once I have found it…

I think that idea is stupid.

“Enoch Gunner spoke about his daughter Esther, the Surfer Master from all California State.” A voice from the television spoke. I frowned, who was watching the tv?

“I am proud of my daughter, she’s proven not only to myself but the whole world that any girl can do as they wish. You only have to work hard enough and have faith in yourself to earn it.” My father’s voice flew. He sounds very weird on tv.

“So Enoch,” The interviewer spoke. “You wrote a song about your daughter right?” I frowned once again. Wait for what? When had he?

“Indeed I did,” My father chuckled at his lame rhyme. “Esther doesn’t really about this new song. I am sure that when she listens to this interview, she will barge into wherever I am and demand an answer and the song.” Oh, he knows me too well. “So it is for that very same reason, that I won’t spill any beans, not until she listens to it.”

UGH! Why can’t he tell me about that right now? Why keep it a secret? He knows I hate secrets! Damn this man is so weird.

“Enoch!” I shouted as I climbed down the bunk. “Enoch Gunner, where are you?” I sang with the Scooby-Doo theme song.

“Umm Esther?” Carl replied, whilst poking his head out from his bunk. “I believe that he is in the bathroom.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Then who the heck is watching the tv?”

He shrugged. “I suppose that Ralph.”

“Ralph is on the other bus alongside Bryan and Mike.” I retorted. “Where the heck is everyone?”

Carl laughed and I stared at him seriously. “Esther, it’s 2:30 am, everyone is sleeping.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed with a chuckle, that explains why everything is so dark and quiet… “Did I wake you up?” I bit my lip.

“Nope,” Carl winked. “I was doing some work.”

I smirked. “You’re taking online classes right?”

“Yes.” He replied with a light laugh.

“Bryan owes me fifty bucks!” I chuckled and Carl rolled his eyes. “I was sure that your dad wasn’t going to let you drop a semester.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waved me off as he closed the little slide door of the bunk.

“Esther,” I heard my father sigh. “Go back to bed.”

“No!” I exclaimed. “Dude, you wrote a song about me? A song that I wasn’t even aware? When?”

“So you heard,” My father sighed, as he ran his hand through his dark brown hair. “Come on, come with me. Let’s not talk on the hallway.”

I groaned. “Am I in trouble?” I whined as I followed him. “I swear that I haven’t done anything that could remote me get me in trouble.”

My father chuckled. “You are not in trouble Esther.” My father chuckled. “For once in your life, please stop worrying and just follow me.”

“I am following you,” I stated. “Also, worrying, Enoch, worrying is part of life, it is what makes you go insane with your thoughts because you are always thinking the worst, so when the best comes along, you are happy, because you realize that all the worrying you had, was nothing but false hope.”

My father raised an eyebrow as he stared at me. What was wrong with him? I shrugged, I was simply stating what I thought. With an eye roll, I sat on the couch and waited for my father to join me. The minute he sat down, he pulled me into a hug.

“Esther,” My father sighed. “Have you ever wondered what happened to your mother?” I looked at him and turned my view away. At first, I did, but then I finally understood that my so-called mother walked out on us, no reason, no question, no regrets.

“She walked out,” I replied. “You said it yourself. I was far too young to remember. She left us alone.”

My father nodded. “She did, you are right, she walked out on us.” I rolled my eyes. “But do you know why?”

“No,” I whispered. “And I don’t want to.”

“Esther, please listen to me.” My father begged.

“She left because she didn’t love me enough!” I exclaimed. “I’ve been fine all these years without worrying about why she left! Why would you bring it right now? Are you getting back together with her?” I whispered.

“That’s not it,” My father sighed. “She didn’t like my life, she was perfectly fine before the band got more recognition.”

I frowned and gulped trying to calm myself. “So, you are telling me that she walked out of my life because she didn’t want to be the wife of a famous rockstar? A man that is so devoted to his family? That she simply couldn’t deal with the drama, rumours, fans and whatever other things that it brings? Was she even sane?” I exclaimed. “I swear that if I ever see her, I am going to turn around on her face and walk away. Just like she did it with me.”

“Esther,” My father rubbed his eyes.

“Please what?” I tried to use a softer tone. “I’m not going to walk out on you. I just don’t want to talk about her, not now not ever.”

My father rubbed his face. “Esther, she has asked to meet with you and me.”

I scoffed. “Why now? Cause she needs the money?”

“Esther,” My father sighed. “She wants to see us, next concert.”

“No,” I replied. “I am not meeting with her,” I rolled my eyes. “Tell HER, that I don’t want to see her ever again. She had her chance to be with me, and she decided to walk out of it, without even trying to stay in my life.”

I stood up and gulped, trying to swallow my tears. I whispered an I’m sorry and walked back to my bunk. There was no way on this earth I was going to meet my mother. She walked out of my life when I was three, and since that moment, she never tried to talk with me, I had to fend for myself, not really, but you get me. I got so used about not knowing shit about her, that the simple thought of her appearing, wasn’t the best.

With a sigh, I took out my laptop and opened my blog page, writing down to the world, my emotions. How can she expect that I, or even my father, will receive her with open arms? She walked out on a family that she vowed to stay in. She is no longer someone in my life.

I heard my father walk back to his bunk, murmuring about how fucked up everything is. I want to understand him, I truly want, but I don’t even think that he wants to see her again. Or does he? Could it be that he still loves her? After everything?

“Rules,” Ralph spoke to Carl and me as we prepared ourselves for the show. “You are not allowed to leave the arena. You can get lost inside of it. Please no mingling with the fans or paps, try to stay out of trouble.”

“When have we ever been in trouble?” Questioned Carl and we all laughed. I could write a book of all the trouble we have gotten into.

“Sure thingy!” I smiled. “See ya later dudes!” I bowed and made my way back to the tour bus.

Carl chuckled as he made his way towards the dressing room, he was very aware that he didn’t need to push me to talk, I was going to speak with him when I was ready. Everyone was aware that I needed some alone time, and they all made sure not to bother me. Even Enoch had been MIA since the late-night talk.

I am very aware of the fact that life isn’t fair, but this was getting a little out fo hand. My hate towards her ran deep within my veins. Now more than before. I mean, she walked away because she couldn’t handle the fame, but what about me? My father? Our family? She left me to fend for myself. I don’t owe her anything, not even a minute of my time.

What I can’t come to comprehend, is a simple fact that all the other do it… All of the members of D5 are happily married, except for my father. All of their wives are together and strong, and they work together to keep their marriage even when their spouses are famous and shit…

Taking in a deep breath, I changed from my sweatpants into some sorts and walked out of the bus. I was going to play some instruments… I plugged my headphones, and started to make my way towards the stadium, when I heard a voice, and caught a glimpse of extremely black hair. I stopped dead on tracks and turned towards the fans, and just like that, I locked eyes with the woman that wanted to call herself my mother.

“Esther,” She shouted and held my breath. “It’s me!”

“I am not allowed to interact with fans,” I smirked and turned around. “And you are not even a fan.”

I ran towards the building, and barged into the hallway, not caring about anything. I needed to find Enoch. I ran around, trying to find him until I opened the door to his dressing room. He stared at me with tears on his eyes, with a stumble, I threw my arms around him.

“I saw her,” I cried. “I saw her and she expected me to welcome her with arms open!”

“I saw her too,” My father stroke my hair. “And just like you said, she walked away and now she only wants fame.”

“She’s dead to me.” I snarled.

“And to me.” My father agreed.