The Heart Rate of a Mouse (Larry)

Chapter 5: Immortality

We get to Denver just as the sun is setting in the horizon, the bus coming to a stop outside the Cosmopolitan Hotel. We cram into the lounge and wait for permission to go. Ed's got pillow imprints on his cheek and Cal's eyes are unfocused and sleepy as Ben goes to get the hotel keys and ask where Charles can park the bus. I lean into the lounge couch, feeling like a zombie.

Michael's sudden burst of laughter attracts the attention of the entire crew, and he keeps peering outside one of the window. "Dude, there are two girls outside with a sign that says 'The Hood Twins'," he grins, and Cal instantly perks up slightly.

"Oh, that's gonna be Kirsten and Kirstin," Cal grins. "Always on time! Amazing girls! There's a party we're going to. Anyone coming?"

Ed and Michael instantly volunteer, which is hardly surprising. What is a surprise, however, is Harry saying, "Sure, I'll go." He's leaning against the bunk area door, his hair tousled and his clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them.

I focus on my bitten and sharp-edged nails, studying them quietly. Luke instantly asks, "Yeah? Because I'll go if you go."

Harry fell asleep before we even reached Lincoln. I listened to him breathing for a while, losing track of time. He sighs in his sleep sometimes - these peaceful, deep sighs, and then he shifts slightly. I managed to untangle myself a hundred miles before the state line, grabbing a book and moving to the lounge where the guys who hadn't moved onto the bunks were dozing off.

He looks well-rested now, soft and warm. I think back to the party in Cleveland, him doing coke and ending up in a corner with some guy all over him. I smirk to myself a little. It's amazing how many different sides he has to him.

"Far out, man. Anyone else?" Cal asks, and I shake my head. I'm going on my forty-sixth hour of being awake, and we're outside a hotel and don't have a show tonight. I know what my plans are.

When Ben comes back, handing us all our room keys, we finally get permission to leave. I keep waiting for some kind of an indication that shows Ben knows, a knowing look or a smirk, his eyes piercing through my skin in disgust, the way Liam's did at first. There's nothing there. It's like Ben's made out of stone, and it's unnerving beyond belief.

What else does he know?

I've stuffed semi-clean clothes into a small suitcase, gripping onto the handle as we pour out of the bus. Kirstin and Kirsten instantly rush over, giving Cal a hero's welcome. I head straight for the revolving hotel doors as Cal calls out that the party people should be waiting outside in half an hour. We cause a commotion in the lobby - or not us, the tired band and crew, but the few kids that appear out of nowhere, waving LPs and posters around like maniacs when Ben said that the coast was clear.

Ben groans, "These two again, for god's sake."

I hear my name called out several times with slurs of, "I'm your biggest fan! Louis! Liam! I love you guys! Ed! ED! Remember me?!"

"Hi, Walter," Ed says with a wave that says 'I don't give a shit'.

"Sisky! But you remembered! Oh god, you remembered!"

I promptly ignore the boy and his thankfully more silent friend, impatiently pressing the elevator button up as Ben and Charles step in to kindly ask the kids to go. When the elevator doors open, my band rushes in first, clearly desperate to get away from the stalkers. There's no room for me, Cal saying, "Sorry!" as Kirsten and Kirstin press to his sides, Liam shrugging apologetically.

"Thanks, you guys," I remark, giving them the middle finger as the doors slide shut.

Charles and hotel security are in the process of kicking out the fans, and the kids are now putting up resistance and persistently calling my name, and I stab at the arrow up until I hear another soft 'bing'. I look at the hotel key in my hand - 532.