In the Band

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Allison’s P.O.V.

The girl in the mirror stared back at me, dark circles under her eyes from countless sleepless nights, hair sodden from the shower she just stepped out of, yellowing bruises scattered across her naked body. Her stature slouched from exhaustion. Not only from the lack of sleep, but also the exceeding effort she had to make to continue to seem happy and normal.

The girl looked exposed.

The girl looked vulnerable.

The girl looked real.

A knocking came from the door, but I didn’t take my eyes away from my image in the mirror.

“Merry Christmas, Allison!” I heard Brendon’s voice filled with his usual enthusiasm. He continued to yell season’s greetings to different people throughout the tiny hotel room.

I’ve been in here too long. I got dressed, making sure to wear long sleeves to cover the bruises on my arms. Then, I leaned over the sink to apply cover-up. After putting on the rest of my make-up and blow drying my hair, I scrutinized myself in the mirror once again. My appearance was shockingly different from the one I had just a few minutes ago.

I heaved a big sigh, hoping I had the strength to make it through another day, and opened the door of the bathroom.

The first thing I saw was Brendon, dragging Jon with all the blankets from his bed wrapped around him out of the room they shared.

“Brendon, It’s 8 in the morning, let me go back to sleep.” Jon said groggily.

“C’mon! It’s Christmas!” Upon glancing at me he said, “Look, Allison’s already dressed and ready for the day!”

Jon looked over at me with puffy eyes. “Then go bother her,” He went back into his room.

Brendon’s shoulders sagged. “What a Scrooge,” he said shaking his head. “Spencer and Ryan’ll get up for Christmas!” He smiled at his idea, opened the door to their room, and stepped inside.

With all the enthusiasm a person shouldn’t have in the morning, Brendon said loudly, “Merry-“

“GET THE HELL OUT!” Ryan and Spencer unanimously yelled.

Brendon stepped out of their room, “Yeah, I expected that.” He walked over to me, clad in red Christmas pajamas and a Santa hat.

“I guess it’s just you and…” his eyes widened quickly with realization, “Carson!”

He ran to the front room where the couch that Carson and I shared was. I followed this time to see that Carson was very much awake and folding the pull-out bed back into the couch.

He faked wiping away tears looking around at us, “I’m….not…alone!”

Carson and I were pulled in roughly for a group hug. I inconspicuously took in a whiff of Brendon’s intoxicating scent, missing being able to wear his jacket.

“I don’t care if you girls are Jewish! It’s Christmas!” He started to sing ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ and I had the long-forgotten urge to kiss him. He was the only person to make me genuinely smile.

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“When are we going to Pete’s?” Carson asked Ryan, who was sitting next to her on the couch in our hotel room.

He looked at his watch, “Well, he said any time after nine, so we have half an hour or so.”

I looked around at the decorations Brendon insisted on putting up. The man was stringing up lights with Spencer. Singing ‘Let it Snow’.