Game Over (Harry Lewis/Sidemen fan fic)

Open Door

Lea's Pov.

When I stepped onto American soil, it was like stepping out of the airplane and onto the battlefield. The small airport in Borrego Springs was dead and warm. We loaded off the small plane right onto the landing pad. The town's population was no more than four thousand, and spread out over a wide and dismal desert. My Grand parents on my mother's side had resided here before they died, the air here was always dryer, easier to breath it seemed. On frigid winter nights I used to escape their home and lay on the desert floor to stare at the star lit sky. I turned to Harry, Simon, and Lea as they took their time getting down the plane's stairs.

"The funeral will be in my home town," I said and pointed to the red-grey mountain in the distance, "It's just over the mountain, it's about a two hour drive in good weather. We'll stay in the Stanlunds Inn for the night, we can each have our own living spaces, then early tomorrow we'll make our way in to the city for the funeral. We can find a place to stay there after that."

"Ash, are you sure you don't want to call these people?" Lea asked gently.

I nodded, "I'm here for the woman who cared for me, not anyone else. Come on, The Inn isn't too far from here."

We made our way in the light warmth towards the center of town. From a mile away, I could see the inn over the barren grounds. The grass was heavily watered to survive in the dry heat, and there were tall, alit brass statues that were created in Borrego standing proudly out front. The white single Suites were lines up behind the check in building, fenced in to protect the guests from any unwanted peoples. I walked in and marched right behind the counter, the hostess began to protest until I looked up and made eye contact with her. Instantly she recognized me, just as I knew she would.

"Ashlyn?" She asked, her mouth gaping as she stood awestruck.

I showed no emotions as I checked the guest lists and sign my friends and I to the best complexes, "I'm taking 12 and 14 for my friends and I, I'll pay for it once I've set them up and checked to make sure that those are still your best rooms."

"Wait, Ashlyn," Candice reached out to grab me as I began to walk away from the hostess desk.

"My name is Ash, only family can call me Ashlyn." I ripped my arm away from her.

"But, Ash, I thought you had died." Candice seemed in legitimate distraught, but I bit back any remorse, "You turned in your resignation and then disappeared. We were convinced you had committed... Suicide." She whispered the word as if it were the devil's name.

I clenched my jaw, "I left. I didn't die. But even if I had, it clearly would have meant nothing to you."

Candice stood there in a shocked silence. She looked away, unable to bring herself to look me in the eyes. I sighed through my nose, my gaze still burning into her. I blinked the aggression away. Turning without a word, I headed out towards the housing quarters. Spaces 14 and 12 were farther away from the main building, but they were always the best ones. Kept the cleanest and best up to date, they were the ones that only people who were alone or preferred silence would take since the families and kids were typically closer towards the main building for the indoor pool and family games. Since the others would just be destroyed by kids any way, they were typically addressed in a lazier manner.

I could hear my friends behind me. Lea and Simon were talking about the sun, and the heat. The heat here was much more intense than what they were used to in London, but they didn't seem to angry about it. If any thing, they couldn't wait to spend some time absorbing the sun not heir pale skin. Harry was right on my ankles, his hand grazing my hip every once in a while as we walked, reminding me that my walk didn't need to be so violent.