Deception (Michael Clifford)

Nine

I watch curiously as a little red cardinal hops up and down the window seal of our hotel room. Chirping brightly. It fluffs its wings up and ruffles the feathers in the warm glow of the setting sun, soaking up the last of its rays. I admire his beautiful colour. It's a male, I know this because of the brilliant crimson feathers that cover his body, the sheen of grey on the edge of his wings and the dark stain of black masking his eyes and neck. The feathers on the top of his head are raised in a prominent ruby crest, and he stares at me suspiciously through the glass with gleaming black eyes. Are you friend or foe? He asks. Not that birds necessarily have allies, though the concept is just the same. Am I a potential food source, or am I going to hurt him. I have nothing to offer, though if I could talk to him, I could tell him that I am not going to bring him hurt or pain. That I rather admire the way his crimson feathers dance in the sunlight, or how he stretches his wings a little too far and stumbles. I laugh softly. No, all I can do is admire from a distance. Because to get close to something so rare and unique, you have to first gain its trust.

The little red bird takes wing and glides off into the dying rays of the Chicago sun, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more.
6:47pm. I sigh contently and sit on the edge of the bed, slowly folding my clothes and taking slightly longer than necessary to turn around and place them in my suitcase. We're leaving again. This time to Boston, Massachusetts, and we're not going alone. Kill me now, but we are going with the band. Look, I know it won't be that bad, and that I can probably avoid them for the most part, but I swear there's no way I'm putting up with being stared at like an outsider the whole time. I don't know what it is, there's something about, 'Michael'... that just gives me the creeps. Seriously, what could I have possibly done or said to make him look at me like that, like I'm some kind of criminal? As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't even know me. I've never met him before, heck I've never even talked to him before, he has no reason to look at me with such daggers.

I stuff the last of my clothes and sketchbooks into my suitcase, then slowly reach round to grab the zips. I listen to the metallic clicking as I pull it closed, closing my eyes exhaustedly. Another day, another city, I think to myself. Standing up from my bed I wrap my hand around the leather strap of my bag, then sling my rucksack over my shoulder. Luggage in hand I walk towards where mum is packing up her suitcase.
"Need any help?" I ask casually, gently placing my case on the floor.
"No no, your alright," she says without looking up, "Im just about done now anyway, are you all ready to go?" She asks, brushing part of her dark auburn hair behind her ear. Much the same colour as mine, although not as rich as it once was. I take in a deep breath and look at the black suitcase by my feet.
"Yeah, all done... What time does our flight leave again?" I look back up at mum, and she zips close her suitcase, straining slightly as she straightens up her back.
"9:25pm, and if you've got all your things packed up, you may as well head down stairs now, I'll come down in a few minutes." She sighs, looking around at all of the bags.
"Okay," I reply in a nonchalant tone, with that I gather my belongings and haul them towards the door. The strap of my suitcase digs painfully into my right shoulder and the weight pulls me off balance slightly, I reach the door in a few long, swinging strides. Stopping, I listen carefully as excited yelping and laughing echoes down the halls outside our door, and pull it open just in time to see a blurry shape whip past, quickly pursued by another. Caught off guard, I stand in the doorway and glance in the direction where the two figures dashed off, I frown when I make out the broad shouldered figure of Luke, chasing Ashton with a banana. I try hard to not laugh as I watch them, but a giggle escapes my lips anyway, and they roll around on the floor as Ashton tries to avoid multiple slaps in the face by the banana.
"Stop man!!" He laughs, giggling almost uncontrollably with his hands over his face for protection. I squeeze through the gap in the door, leaning my weight against it so I can haul my bag out and dump it in the hall way, then watch as Ashton makes a dive for the elevator, quickly followed by Luke with the Banana. Laughing to myself I turn around and close the door to the hotel room, then lean down to grab my bag.