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“We’re stopping for dinner. You should go over to Bennie’s bus and ask her if she wants to come inside and eat with us.” Frank said as the tour bus got off at an exit on the road. Gerard looked up from the comic he’d been drawing and blinked a few times.
“Isn’t it just… common sense that she’d come inside for dinner with us?” He asked. Frank nodded.
“Yes, but it’s not polite to assume. You should ask her.” Mikey added. Gerard shrugged and put his paper and pen into his portfolio. As the bus rolled to a stop. Gerard put his portfolio inside his bunk and practically ran off the bus.

Meanwhile on Bennie’s Tour Bus…

“Oh, I guess we’re stopping at a rest stop or something. While we’re stopped, do you want to make dinner?” Delilah asked.
It was all a part of the very carefully formulated plan that she, Mikey, Frank, and Ember had come up with as they drove that afternoon. Frank and Mikey would suggest Gerard ask Bennie to dinner, Delilah would suggest they eat dinner on the bus, and after a few minutes of prodding, Gerard and Bennie end up eating alone in the restaurant.
“Oh, well I have a lot of pre-cooked frozen dinners, if you want to turn the oven on, everybody can eat on my bus.” Bennie suggested, not looking up from her magazine. Delilah nodded and almost squealed with excitement as she ran over and pre-heated the oven. As the bus rolled to a stop, she quickly pulled out eight meals and started ripping the plastic bags off of them. She smiled as she watched Gerard kick gravel around outside the bus, trying to decide weather or not he was going to come onto the bus. She had to hold back her laughter as she watched him walk toward the bus, then quickly walk back toward his own.
“The cooking pans are under the sink.” Bennie stated as she stared at a now-motionless Delilah. Delilah laughed and grabbed two pans, quickly throwing the food onto them before loading them into the oven. She started to set the table when Gerard finally knocked on the door.
“Come in!” Bennie and Delilah shouted, Bennie far less cheerful than her friend. Bennie looked up from her magazine at Delilah, who simply shrugged in reply.
“Bennie, we’re going to go inside to the restaurant for dinner. Did you want to come?” Bennie closed her magazine and stood up.
“Oh, well, Delilah started cooking dinner for everybody already.” She relied, pointing to the oven. Gerard shook his head and turned away, ready to walk off the bus.
“Next stop, then.” He said over his shoulder.
“Wait!” Delilah shouted. Bennie and Gerard both turned to face her quickly.
“What?” They asked at the same time.
“Well, there were only 8 meals left, and I was just gonna suggest that me and Mikey go to eat, but why don’t you guys!” Delilah suggested. Gerard shrugged.
“No, you and Mikey go ahead.” He said, “I’ll just eat on the bus with everybody. No big deal.”
Delilah almost couldn’t hold back her disappointment as she shrugged and walked back to the bathroom.

EMERGENCY!
They didn’t take the bait.
They both want to stay on the bus.

“We could go into the restaurant.” Bennie said as she threw her magazine into one of the overhead storage spaces. Gerard scratched the back of his head and shrugged. Bennie looked around the room for what felt like an eternity, waiting for Gerard to make up his mind. After three minutes of silence, Gerard groaned in indifference.

We’re on our way over.
Don’t let them make up their minds

“Or not if you don’t want.” Bennie said, rolling her eyes as she stormed toward the back of the bus.

You guys need to RUN

“Bennie, wait!” Gerard shouted. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned on her heel to face him.
“What?” She practically demanded. Gerard scratched his temple and took a few steps toward her.
“I just… I mean, let’s go to the restaurant.” He said. Bennie rolled her eyes. Mikey, Frank, and Ember practically ran onto the bus, tripping over each other as they did.
“I don’t want you to take me into the restaurant because it’s what you think I want. If you want to go with me, I want to go with you. I’m not asking for a pity date, Gerard. I‘m not going to force you to spend any time with me. And I‘m not going to sit in a stupid restaurant with you if you are going to be miserable all night.” She explained, her voice rising with each word, until she was shouting at him. Gerard and Bennie stared at each other for a second before she walked away. Gerard grabbed her hand. Bennie turned to face him, her face hopeful.
He stuttered a few times, before finally managing: “I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t want to.” He said quietly. Bennie ripped her hand out of his.
“Well you could have fooled me.” She practically spat before turning and walking back to her bed, “slamming” her curtains shut. Mikey and Frank stood there with their mouths hanging open as Gerard turned to walk away. Ember ran after Bennie, and Delilah came running out of the bathroom to do the same.
“Thanks, guys.” Gerard mumbled, slowly making his way off Bennie‘s bus.
“Uhm… What now?” Mikey asked Frank. Frank shrugged.
“Should we check on Bennie?” he asked. Mikey shrugged, making his way to the back of the bus.
“Tell them to get out!” Bennie shouted as she started throwing pillows and stuffed animals at the guys. Mikey and Frank ran back to their bus, and flicked the tv on. Half way through their third show that night, Gerard climbed back onto the bus. Mikey stood up, and walked over to Gerard.
“Gee, let’s go inside and get something to eat before we leave. He can get something to-go.”
Gerard threw a glare Mikey’s way and shook his head.
“Oh we can go inside.” Mikey meekly offered. Gerard shook his head.
“Maybe tomorrow night.” Gerard practically whispered, and climbed into his bunk.
Mikey shrugged. “Okay, tomorrow night.” He said before he took his seat.
“Now that everybody is accounted for, go ahead and go.” Frank told the driver.
The driver got on his walkie-talkie, and announced that Gerard was on the bus, made sure everybody else was still on Bennie’s bus, and then pulled out.
Mikey shook his head as he sent a message to Delilah.

Maybe this was a bad idea?

Mikey smiled at her cheerfulness and climbed into his bunk.

Maybe Gerard just needs more time