The Wolf and the Cougar - Ch 1

“Hobbit! The van is here to pick us up!” I hollered up the stairs. My brother was always last minute when it came to getting picked up.
“I’ll be down in a minute!” I heard from somewhere in the upper floor. I huffed and leaned against the banister, arms crossed. I was used to getting my older brother ready and out the door when his band went on tour but I was more than anxious because this time I got to go with! I was so psyched! Well I would be if he would just hurry up!
“Are you-” I yelled up again to get him moving when my older brother came trotting down the stairs with his last bag in hand.
“Calm down lil’ sis,” he said, ruffling my hair without pausing on his way to the door. I could see the smirk on his face. He knew that that pissed me off more than anything.
“Georg! Move your lazy butt!” I heard a voice call from beyond the open door. “We’re going to miss our fucking flight!”
I followed Georg through the entryway, snagging my last duffle bag on my arm. I pulled my keys out as I hitched my bag up onto my shoulder more securely. My arrogant brother continued down the walkway to the curb where the band’s van was waiting, leaving me to lock up, as usual. He could be such a prick! I was only two years younger than him and he treated me like a baby. But I was a baby that was old enough to clean up after him and take care of him when he was home.
“Ebony, get moving!” Georg yelled, tossing his bag into the back and climbing into the back with the rest of the guys.
I huffed and shoved my keys back in my pocket, hightailing it for the car before Georg decided to tell the driver to take off with out me. I threw my duffle bag at the lump that I knew was my brother and climbed in after it, slamming the door after me. Georg carelessly tossed my bag on the floor, glaring at me. I just rolled my eyes at him. “Oh, shove it! I’d like to actually have a house when we get back, thanks!”
“Whatever. Just don’t hold us up next time,” Georg mumbled, looking out the window as we pulled away. I was too wrapped up in arguing with my brother to notice the three sets of eyes behind me curiously watching the quarrel.
“Why you!” I stumbled trying to find the words to properly curse my brother out for taking so long on his hair before having to wait for the straightener to cool. Oh and let’s not forget the thousands of trips running between rooms to pick up things he’d forgotten! You think he’d done this enough times that he would know what he would need. I never found the words and just gave up to sulk in silence. “Ugh!”
I crossed my arms and collapsed into the seat, glaring out the side window opposite of the one that held Georg’s attention. I watched the scenery fly by outside as the tension in the van seemed to suffocate. I didn’t really notice, being too wrapped up in my thoughts, the three boys sitting in the back warily eyeing me and my brother. They were probably afraid to say anything lest one of us snap.
The silence sat like that the entire way to Berlin to catch our flight to the first venue on their second US tour. I wasn’t getting out of school but I was racking up extra credit in English, Geography, and Foreign Culture so I was content to deal with my prick of a brother and his friends for a few months. Hey, maybe I’d meet a cute American boy and have an excuse to finally move out. At nineteen, I was a legal adult in every anal retentive country I cared about. I had freedom, I just needed the reason.
I was never more grateful than at that moment to see the drop off site of the main airport terminal. I was dying to get out of the car and away from Georg. I swear he fries his brain cells with his stupid hair care process; thus leaving me to deal with his stupidity. My hair is also stick straight, but it’s completely natural. See, where Georg got his hair from our mother, I got it from good ol’ dad. My hair is dyed black with bright, neon purple chunky streaks all through it. Dad’s hair always was strong so I’m able to keep it heavily dyed and waist length without damaging it at all.
The side door slid open and I grabbed my bag before leaping into the early morning sunlight. I pulled the duffle bag strap over my shoulder and took a deep breath; I loved the smell of dew thick morning air. I felt much better. Being cooped up in the van wasn’t exactly how I wanted to start my morning.
I turned to see the band clamber sleepily out of the black van and to the back to grab their last minute bags. Most of them looked like the walking dead. Gustav seemed relatively awake. I was happy that he was in the band because I didn’t know the other two beyond Georg’s bragging and stories after tours and there was no way I was going to be spending quality time with “big bro”. Shoot me first.
I had known Gustav for what seemed like most of my life. He and Georg were friends in school and he was always hanging around. He was never mean to me, even when my brother would relentlessly pick on me. Gustav was the brother I wish I could trade Georg in for sometimes. If only I was so lucky.
But in all honesty, even through all the stories, I didn’t really know either of the Kaulitz twins. I never saw them around. If Georg ever met with them it was generally elsewhere, like at the band apartment at the recording studio. I knew a little bit of basic information; like who was who. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Tokio Hotel’s music, I thought they were pretty good, but the weirdness of listening to your brother’s band kind of kept me from really learning about Tokio Hotel as a band; thus resulting in my half-assed knowledge.
Bill looked like he was going to fall asleep on his suit case and Tom nearly tripped over him. I was pretty awake from getting Georg going so I was awake enough to find this absolutely hilarious. I couldn’t help but stifle a giggle as the guys made an attempt to wake up and head for the main doors. I rolled my eyes with a smile thinking that this could be pretty entertaining.
Once we finally found our gate we all collapsed into the horrid chairs they had and just relaxed. The chairs were uncomfortable but we were all so tired we didn’t care. My early morning high had worn off and I was just as exhausted as the others looked. It was six thirty in the morning and for all of us, even Gustav and I, it was an ungodly hour to be awake and functioning, let alone leaving the house and traveling. I didn’t see how the guys could do this regularly.
The only thought that ran through my mind as I saw the Kaulitz twins fall asleep was where the closest source of caffeine was. I didn’t care if it was coffee, soda, or energy drink, I just needed a boost. It took me several moments before I convinced myself that if I didn’t get up and find the gold that was caffeine I was never getting up. “Hey, Gustav,” I said, assuming he was still awake as I looked at his tired form. “I’m going in search of coffee. You wanna come? A little caffeine could do us some good.”
Gustav lifted his head to look at me. Seeing that I managed to pull myself vertical gave him the motivation to get up. “Sure.” He replied shortly. Like we had the brain power to hold a longer conversation than that at the moment?
Luckily, Gustav and I didn’t have to stumble far before we found the sweet salvation that was a small café. Both of our faces lit up as if we were looking at the Holy Grail. In our current state, it probably was our Holy Grail. The woman behind the counter looked way too awake to be human. She just gave us sympathetic looks and brought us a couple of espresso, no orders taken. I didn’t care, within a few minutes I was able to sit up straight again.
I let out a content sigh. Across from me at the one of the small standing only table the shop had, Gustav started to look human again. “Better?” I asked, joking around knowing that the energy was sweet relief, second only to sleep itself.
“Much…” Gustav sighed. A small smile settled on his lips for a moment before dropping. “What was up with you and Georg this morning? You seemed ready to kill each other when you got in the van.”
I just shrugged. Gustav knew that on a day-to-day basis Georg and I didn’t get along. Yeah, we loved each other as all siblings are cursed to, but we bickered like a married couple sometimes. “Georg was being a diva about his hair again. And as usual put off packing to the last minute so he was running around packing as you pulled up. Pretty funny to watch him do while trying to straighten his hair, only able to go the length of the cord.”
Gustav and I shared a chuckle over the mental image. Gustav must have been a magician or something to be able to get along with both Georg and I at the same time even when we’re ready to rip each others’ heads off. Gustav amazed me. He was the brother I wish I had. I sighed as I thought of who I must have pissed off in a previous life to land him as my older brother.
I rested my elbow on the table and rested my chin in my cupped hand. I glanced over at our gate, only a couple shops down, to see that even Jost was asleep next to the other boys. We still had another hour and a half before boarding. What to do to kill time… I couldn’t prank Georg in such a public place and I wanted to meet the twins before I dared mess with them in their sleep. I didn’t want the impression of bratty little sister; even though they might already think that thanks to brother dearest. I grimaced at the thought.
        “Hey Gustav,” I asked as casually as I could. “What do you know about the twins? Anything I should know?”
        Gustav lifted his head from its resting place face down on the table to look at me with an odd look on his face. “Bill and Tom? Well, I’ll tell you one thing, you’ll never meet a stranger couple. Tom is older by ten minutes but for the most part we don’t care. They’re less alike than they used to be. They’ve become different people but if you try to get between them… Well let’s just say that would be digging your own grave and sealing the coffin.
        “Bill is the band’s lead singer and front man. He’s really energetic and fun and is always singing or humming. He can be very talkative but as you can see,” Gustav said, gesturing to the curled up lump of black in one of the chairs. “He’s not exactly a morning person. Neither of the brothers is. Bill is really nice and caring though even he admits that he can be a bit egotistical. Being cooped up in the tour bus, you’ll soon learn that that bit becomes a bit much. But we love him anyway.
        “Tom is a different story though. As you can probably see, he likes the hip hop gangster style. If you want to live to see another day, never touch his hats. He has about… 350, last we counted at least. But he is extremely protective of them! He’s a real jokester and generally has everyone laughing. Since our last American tour, Tom has been labeled the playboy of the group, since he’s so open about sex and always sleeping with different girls. He’s very set in his opinion that he will never trust a girl more than Bill and he doesn’t really believe in love. Bill on the other hand does.
        “In interviews, Bill charms them, Tom makes them laugh and your brother and I stay quiet and look pretty,” Gustav and I shared a laugh. These twins were defiantly not as they appeared. “They really are a perfect pair, even though they look like total opposites.”
        I just hm’ed my acknowledgment but Gustav seemed to disappear into his thoughts at that point. I guessed that was all the information I was getting. I didn’t mind as I sat and stared at the sleeping twins, thinking of all of the new things that I had just learned. Something about the twins intrigued me, though I didn’t know what it was, I was determined to sate it. Maybe I could talk to them on the plane, hoping I didn’t get crammed with my brother.
        I just let out a sigh and pushed away from the table. According to the clock and the itinerary the plane would begin boarding soon. I would have thought it odd to see almost no one else here until I remembered I was traveling with an international hit band. Of course they weren’t going to be taking a normal flight. I shook my head at the thought as I plopped down into the stiff chair next to Bill. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. I wouldn’t guess that he was such an energetic person.
I pulled my most prized possession out of my pocket, smiling at the cool feel of the lime green metal on my fingers. My fingers worked from memory untangling wires that loved to twist and knot. Sticking the buds in my ears, my nail flicked the wake up button. I scrolled to my ‘Recently Added’ playlist and clicked play.
Anyone watching would have seen me physically relax as Valentine’s Day by Linkin Park echoed through my ears. Before we left I uploaded a ton of American music that I liked to my iPod. It took a big chunk out of my last paycheck but it was worth it. Besides, I already spoke English better than the ego I called my brother.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back on the seat back. My music was up loud enough that I didn’t notice the sleeping form across from me was stirring. I let myself be lost in the lyrics, lip syncing along. I had gotten through most of the Minutes to Midnight CD before I felt eyes burning a hole in my forehead. After twitching a couple times I finally opened my eyes to see who was so damn interested in me.
I was surprised to see a pair of chocolate brown eyes across from me, glaring steadily. I was irritated that he had pulled me from my peaceful state. What had I done to piss him off so early in the morning? With Tom’s gaze still burning into my skull I said, “Why don’t you take a picture? It’ll sit still for you, unlike me.”
I got up and walked back over to the little coffee shop where Gustav was still hanging out at the same table. Looked he had gotten another drink though. I didn’t care what it was or that it was his, I picked it up and took a big swig of it. His brow furrowed, not at me downing half his drink but at the look of irritation on his face, he knew it mainly from one source. “Okay, I know that look, but I thought Georg was still asleep?”
I let out a short, harsh laugh. “After how I woke him up this morning I’d think so. Don’t ask… buckets of ice water can be put to multiple uses. He’s not my problem right now. I was calmly listening to music, like I usually do to relax, but I felt like I was being watched. So I opened my eyes to find Tom glaring at me! I haven’t said one word to the guy!”
Gustav’s lips held a secret smile that made me suspicious. “That’s odd. If it weren’t so early in the morning and you weren’t related to Georg I would think his reaction would be the opposite. I mean, your hair may be a little different than his usual taste but you have a very pretty face and a great figure.” Gustav shrugged.
I brushed off the casual compliment. Gustav had been dropping comments like that from time to time since I hit puberty. Neither of us thought anything of it, it was like sibling love without the fighting.
        “Yeah but I still don’t understand why he was glaring at me. I didn’t do anything… Did I?” I looked at Gustav, leaning my elbows on the table with my back to the gate.
        “I don’t know,” Gustav shrugged again. “We’ll be boarding the plane soon. You can ask him.”
        “I’d rather stick my head in a tank of piranhas. I was planning on talking to talk to Bill, get to know him a little better,” I said, shrugging. I didn’t date often so I didn’t think anything of what I said until I saw the grin on Gustav’s face. “What?!”
        His grin widened as I snapped at him. “You like him,” he said. He didn’t question or accuse, merely a statement as casual as the weather.
        “Oh, go fuck yourself,” I said, glancing at the gate to see Jost waking up and glancing at his watch as he stretched. “I don’t like him like that. I don’t even know him. Besides, with the way I date I might as well be asexual. You know that. I just want to get along with everyone in the band. Especially cause I’m stuck with you knuckle heads for the rest of the tour on a tiny little bus.” Gustav laughed, “With your temper on that tiny little bus? We all better be fucking angels or we’re all going to die!”
        “That sounds like heaven but you’re like my brother and Georg really is my brother, and that’s just wrong.” I couldn’t help but laugh along with Gustav. It was true, I had a wicked temper. But what made it so scary to piss me off was that I don’t fight; very rarely physically (that bitch deserved the punch) and almost never verbally. I get back at people nice and slow, leave a mental scar to remind them not to fuck with me. I always found it more satisfying.
        Both Gustav and I looked over at the where rest of our group was waiting to see Jost waving us over. I guess that meant it was time to board. I straightened and stretched while Gustav paid for his drink and signed a napkin for the woman behind the counter. I hooked my arm with Gustav’s and pulled him back to the gate where everyone was still waking up for the second time that morning.
        “Boys, everybody, over here,” Jost commanded, gathering everyone around him. “As most of you have noticed, we have someone new on tour with us. This-” the manager gestured to me “-is Ebony. She’s Georg’s younger sister so don’t try anything. She’s studying American life and pop culture. Be nice, she has a bite worse than her bark.”
        I just grinned in response to what he said as everyone in the crew stared at me uneasily. Jost continued, unfazed, “With that out of the way, let’s board! It’s a public flight so be careful when up and about. But don’t worry, we have the entire first class and business class cabins to ourselves. Let’s go.”
        We all fell over each other trying to grab our bags all at once. Wouldn’t you know it? We all landed in a haphazard pile of limbs and bodies and, just my luck, I was on the bottom. People couldn’t seem to figure out whose limbs belonged to whom. Someone’s spin was digging into the back of my calves. A short kick and a cry later identified the person as Georg. Someone else managed to land clean on top of me, I could even feel their warm breath on my ear and neck. I was face down in the carpet and couldn’t tell who it was. Even if I could turn my head someone else had landed on top of the person topping me to block out the light. A gruff voice whispered in my ear, “Sorry.”
        The voice wasn’t familiar either but the hot breeze was absolute bliss. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the thin carpet covering concrete. The sound of the person’s breathing so close sent a chill up my spine but I hadn’t the slightest clue why. I had no idea who it was!
        As people shifted above us I felt my captor shift as well. Their slim hips ground ever so slowly into my backside and it felt better than it should have. I bit my lip and tried to ignore the feeling of movement. Finally, after several long moments I felt all the excess weight lift off me and I was able to push myself up.
        I tried to work a kink out of my leg that Georg had caused while mumbling to myself, “I’m the smallest person here. I’m the lightest, thinnest, and probably youngest. And a girl on top of that! Man my chest hurts! Ugh!”
        Little did I realize through my irritation and attempt to find my duffel bag that everyone within earshot of me was listening. That included the entire band and a good portion of the crew. What a wonderful first impression, don’t you think?