hey lover - c.g.

38.

18/2/2024 - sunday
hilton hotel, manchester

A GROAN left Chandler's lips as she tried to stretch her limbs. The little light coming into the room caused her to squint her eyes as she took in the surroundings. Yawning quietly, she pulled the duvet back over her head, hiding away from the world.

Closing her eyes briefly, she sighed, trying to fall back asleep.

"You snore like a beast."

The girl pulled her head out of the covers, looking at Conor, who was sitting up against the headboard. He held a book in his right hand, the cover folded back at the spine. A pillow was settled behind his back, supporting him.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, her voice still hoarse.

The midfielder shrugged, glancing at the time on his watch. "Since 9, it's a quarter to 10 now," he replied, his voice calm and measured.

"How'd you sleep?" Chandler inquired, letting out a small yawn as she shifted her position. Pulling herself up until she was leaning against the headboard, she matched Conor's posture. He observed as her eyes adjusted to the morning light, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she tried to acclimate.

"Good," she smiled, a sense of relaxation evident in her expression. "Your bed is comfortable," she added, pulling the duvet up to her chest. Her hair was messy, the defined curls resembling more of a bush in the morning light.

"Also, this is the first time I've seen your hair down," she commented, her hands going to the back of Conor's head.

The midfielder chuckled softly, turning a page in his book. Chandler noticed his action and leaned in a bit closer, her shoulder brushing against Conor's torso.

"What are you reading?" she asked curiously, peering at the pages of his book.

Conor smiled, removing his hand from behind his head as his arm draped comfortably around Chandler, settling on the pillow near her back. "Just a book on mindfulness," he explained, revealing the cover to her.

Chandler's curiosity piqued as she examined the cover of the book, intrigued by the topic of mindfulness. She shifted a bit closer to Conor, feeling the warmth of his arm around her as she leaned into him.

"Mindfulness, huh? That's interesting," she remarked, her gaze lingering on the book for a moment before returning to Conor's face.

Conor nodded with a serene expression on his face. "Yeah, it's been helping me stay focused and grounded lately," he explained, his voice soft and thoughtful.

"That's nice," she complimented, giving him a lopsided grin.

She shuffled back into her side of the bed, reaching to grab her phone. Checking the time, she noticed about six missed calls from Levi, making her groan.

"Damn it," she mumbled, loud enough for Conor to hear.

"What?" He asked, his curiosity peaking.

"I told Levi I'd go swimming with him at 8," she answered. Throwing the duvet off of her legs, she stood up, looking for her shoes. She was still wearing the same outfit from the previous night, yet she was wearing one of Conor's t-shirts, afraid she was going to overheat if she wore John's thick hoodie to bed.

"I managed to get you another key," Conor said, reaching over to his bedside. He handed her a key card with her hotel number scribbled on the top. "I went earlier."

"Thank you so much, Con," she let out a breath of relief, knowing her missing key card was already situated. She slipped into her shoes and grabbed her phone, ready to head out.