We found us | Book 1

Little trip!

Evi:
I'm finally on my way to the Netherlands.
It's about a six-hour drive and to ensure we arrive on time for the concert, we left early in the morning.
We are almost halfway there and we are discussing whether we should stop for a coffee or not.
"We definitely have time for a coffee!"
"We can also stop in an hour?"
"I really need caffeine, Evi. And we've been on the road for three hours already!"
"Okay, okay, coffee break it is." I sigh.
Kim stops at the next gas station. She parks her car and we both get out.
We walk towards the shop and buy some snacks, water and coffee.
I get back into the car and Kim sits down next to me.
"We didn't even lose that much time, we were inside for ten minutes, at most."
"I just want to get there as quickly as possible."
"The concert doesn't even start until 8. We can't get in until 7. What does it matter? You can't see Bill until after the concert anyway." Kim shrugs her shoulders and starts the car.
"I will only have peace of mind when we are actually at the concert building."
"We have to be careful." Kim says as she drives away from the parking lot. "We don't want Bill to see us."
"We can sit in a cafe or something? He's definitely not going there." I laugh.
Bill and the rest can barely get from their tour bus to the building, let alone walk around the city in peace.

Time passes painfully slowly and when we are an hour away from the venue, we end up in a traffic jam.
"Oh my gosh." I sigh in annoyance. "Not now!"
"It's one o'clock, relax." Kim takes a CD from her glove compartment and inserts it.
"Maybe this will calm your nerves a bit."
She looks at me briefly with a small smile and Monsoon echoes loudly through the car.
I can't suppress a laugh and start singing along softly.
We spent the rest of the car ride singing along to the 'Zimmer 483' album.

"Finally." I sigh, a little nervous when Kim has parked the car.
I get out and slam the door behind me.
"Which hotel was it again?" Kim asks as she takes her bag out of the car.
"Near the venue, we can't miss it, according to Tom." I also take my bag out of the car and look around, looking for the exit from the parking garage.
"Come on, I'd like to freshen up a bit before the concert starts."
"We still have plenty of time." Kim shakes her head while laughing and looks at me.

We walk together towards the venue to look for the hotel.
Many fans are already queuing in front of the building. Some sit on the floor, while others are singing Monsoon loudly.
I look around and see Kim doing the same.
"Couldn't Tom just send the name of the hotel?"
"David wouldn't let him." I shrug my shoulders and see Kim looking at me with raised eyebrows.
"They are never allowed to forward the name of the hotel they are staying in via message or email or anything. And he wasn't able to call me either, he was never alone."
There is in fact only one hotel in the street, so this must be it.
Kim sighs deeply and pulls me towards the hotel.
"We will know right away if this is the right hotel or not."

We walk into the hotel together and I look around nervously. What if Bill sees me? It just occurred to me that I don't know what they are doing right now. Kim is talking to the girl behind the counter and not much later she is standing in front of me with a key card.
"Come on, before anyone sees us." I pull Kim towards the elevator and impatiently press the button.
The elevator door opens and I step in, followed by Kim, who is busy on her phone.
I'm so busy with myself that I don't pay much attention to it.
I close the door behind me and start digging through my suitcase. I take out my toiletry bag and some clothes and walk to the bathroom and put everything down next to the sink.
"Is it okay if I shower first?" I poke my head past the door to look at her. "Kim?" She looks up from her phone and I can see a certain sparkle in her eyes.
"Yes, that's okay." She answers quickly and then looks back at her phone.

I close the bathroom door and turn on the shower tap. I take off my clothes and when the water is warm enough I step under the jet.
I close my eyes as the warm water hits my face.
In a flash I see Bill in front of me and a small smile forms on my face when I notice that I still imagine Bill with his long hair, instead of with his now shorter haircut.
I wash my body, wash my hair and get out of the shower.
I wrap a towel around my body and step out of the bathroom.
"Your turn." I gesture to Kim that it's her turn. She stands up and walks into the bathroom.
I plug in the hairdryer and start blow drying my hair.

When Kim comes out of the bathroom to dry her hair, I walk back into the bathroom to put on my clothes and do my make-up.
After about an hour we are both ready to go to the venue.
"Let's go get something to eat first." Kim suggests.
"Good idea, as long as it's fast and close."
Kim rolls her eyes and pulls me out of the room.
"The concert is in three hours! We still have plenty of time."
We walk out of the hotel together, looking for something to eat.
"Maybe that Italian over there?" I point to my left and look briefly at Kim.
She nods and follows me towards the building.
I step inside, followed by Kim, and sit at a table.
I look outside and nervously rock back and forth in my seat. I see out of the corner of my eye how Kim is busy on her phone and I look in her direction.
"Who are you actually texting all the time?"
"No one." Kim says quickly and puts her phone on the table.
"Come on Kim, you're on your phone all the time. That's not 'no one'."
She gets a slightly shy smile on her face and I look at her with raised eyebrows.
"Omg. You're in love?!"