Graceful Deception

Chapter 9

Woot woot!! New chapter for you all! Super stoked cause I got some Lollapalooza tickuns today and I wanted to share my good mood with you by posting!

Do enjoy friends!!

Chapter 9

“What the hell are you doing?”

I cracked one eye open, spotting Syd leaning over me before I closed it again. “Sleeping,” I muttered. “Duh.”

“Okay, yeah, I get that but why are you sleeping on the floor in a position that can’t possibly be comfortable with your face mashed against the wall? There’s a king sized bed over there. We could’ve shared.”

“You’re a bed hog.”

“I’m not that bad.”

“You are,” I grumbled, my eyes opening more fully this time, latching onto Syd’s. She was still staring down at me, her hands on her hips and her face all squished up as if she were trying to solve a puzzle.

“It’s too early to analyze me, Syd. I slept on the floor because the carpet is soft and I’m pretty sure this wallpaper is made of silk.” I blinked, craning my neck to find a clock. “What time is it, anyway? Why are we up so early?”

“You didn’t hear the phone? God, you sleep like the dead. Oscar called, said you have to be downstairs in ten minutes, that you’re doing a morning show today with the rest of the band. He said you’d already know about it, that he sent a message to your Blackberry. Since when do you have a Blackberry?”

“I don’t. Everyone hates me,” I said in way of explanation as I peeled myself up off the ground, walking awkwardly towards the mirror to do damage control. “Fu―”

“Hey, what would your fans think if they heard you swearing?”

“She’s human?”

“I think they’d be disappointed.”

“I have a potty mouth. Get over it. Besides, I don’t have fans. My dad has fans, I have people who tolerate me because I’m ‘cute’,” I said, trying to smooth out my hair which was sticking up very oddly on one side.

“You’re kidding, right? You don’t even know that you have a following? There’s an entire facebook page dedicated to you called, Grace Travis, who knew? People like you for some reason and it’s definitely not because you’re ‘cute’.”

Syd slapped my hand away from my hair and grabbed a brush, quickly untangling my disaster of a rat’s nest and within minutes, she had it twisted into an elegant braid that hung to one side, leaving a few wisps to hang around my face.

“Thanks,” I said, grinning at my reflection. “Maybe I could hire you.”

“You can’t afford me,” she said easily, pushing me towards my duffel bag. “Get changed. You’re late.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I blinked when I walked by the empty sofa and it only just occurred to me that someone was missing. “Where’s Ian?” I asked, doing a three sixty just to make sure I didn’t miss him.

“He’s getting coffee,” she said as she brushed her own hair even though it had already looked perfect.

“I knew I loved that boy,” I said dreamily, clasping my hands together in front of my chest.

“So he told you?” Syd said, suddenly right in front of me, her hands on my shoulders and her mouth stretched into a wide grin.

“Told me about the coffee?” I asked frowning as she searched my expression.