American Love Affair (5 Seconds of Summer fan fiction)

Chapter 24

"Fries!"  Calum reaches eagerly for the greasy red McDonald's container.

"How much longer?"  Michael asks, biting into a burger.   

I wipe my fingertips on a napkin, eyeing the boys.

"Like two more hours."  Ashton checks his phone.  "I'm still so tired."

"One word: coffee."  I wink, taking a sip of my latte.

"Doesn't that stunt your growth?"

"Maybe?  But I think you're all good."  I slide the cup across the table to Luke, who passes it to Ashton.      

"Yummy!"  He smiles, holding onto the cup.           

I roll my eyes, and consider fighting for it, but he needs the caffeine more than I do.  A meet and greet then a show is a lot after a ten hour drive.  Calum leans his head on my shoulder and groans.

"Guys.  How about we play a game." I suggest, trying to keep their minds off how tired they are.  "How about...Eye Spy?  Would you rather?  Never have I ever?" 

Calum lifts his head and stretches underneath the table.  None of them say anything.

"Fine.  How about we play What's Yours Like?" 

"Is that an American thing?"  Ashton asks.  "Explain."

"Okay, so...there's usually a board that goes with this and a whole set, but.  I don't think we need it.  So, one person is in the hot seat.  So...Luke that'll be you first round.  Then," I open the notes app on my phone.  "We'll choose a word–a noun–and tell you what ours is like.  So if the word was...biceps.  I would say mine are lanky.  Ashton would say mine are big.  Then Luke, you try to guess.  Get it?" 

"Sounds fun," Calum mumbles, putting his arm around my shoulder.                   

I tap out 'bunk bed' and show Calum, Luke, and Ashton.

"So, I just, say what mine's like?"

I nod my head. 

           *                         *                        *

The hotel room is fresh, as always, but the view is especially unbelievable.  Europe is on another level.  It's historical and modern; all the buildings look like they were built centuries ago, and as an American, I feel very out of place.  

Tourists and residents are still roaming the streets, taking advantage of the last drops of daylight.  And here I am: inside and alone.  I flip on my laptop and sit cross legged on my bed.  I glance up at the television, which is on for background noise, forgetting for a second that I don't speak German.  Without thinking, my fingers tap out some website: Buzzfeed, Facebook, BBC News.  I scroll through the pages without fully realizing what I'm doing.

To say the band has been busy these past few days would be an understatement.  I haven't seen them for more than ten minutes since we arrived.  

A buzzing sound pulls my attention away from my laptop.  But the noise isn't the tv.  Groaning, I get out of bed and dig around my bag for my phone. 

"Hi, Mom."

"Lee, I'm on my way back to the hotel.  Have you eaten yet?"  A car honks in the background.  

"No not yet."  I roll my eyes.        

"Lee," she says, disappointed, like I'm a child.  "Call room service; it's almost eleven o'clock.  You need to eat something.  Just get something light.  I'll see you in the morning."

"Bye.  Love you."  I end the call. 

 For a moment, I consider leaving the hotel and finding a restaurant in the city.  But I'm already in my pajamas, and once my bra comes off, it doesn't come back on.  

Flipping through the hotel room service menu, my eyes wander to Eiscafé.  A quick Google search and I decide to order the popular German drink: coffee with ice cream.  

Thankfully, the man who picks up the phone to take my order speaks English, so I can understand him through the heavy German accent.  

When room service arrives, I click on Netflix and dig into my salad.  A few moments later, there is another knock on my door.

"Hi Calum."  I say, letting him into the room. 

He collapses into my arms, and I pull him into my room.  

"Are you okay?"  I ask, getting him comfortable in my bed.          

"The show was exhausting."

I take a sip of my drink and pass it to him.  "You look really tired." 

"I am tired."  He whines.  "And this is quite good actually." 

We brush our teeth in silence, staring at each other in the bathroom mirror, then walk to bed.  Closing the curtain, the city has livened under the cover of dark.  The holiday lights lining the street sparkle below the window.  I pad back over to the bed, curling underneath the blankets. 

"Christmas is coming," I breathe the cool mint into Calum's face.  "Candy canes.  Gingerbread.  Snowflakes.  Hot chocolate.  Pine.  Ornaments.  Are you going to miss your family?" 

Calum nods, "Yeah.  I think Ashton is going to have the most...trouble being away from home.  Cause his siblings are younger, so...that's really going to suck.  But it's almost a whole week off.  I love the fans but, I'm exhausted."

"If you're tired go to sleep," I link my fingers with his.      

"I want to talk to you...what kind of..."

"Shh...Calum.  I'm tired."   I press my index finger to his lips.

I close my eyes, raising my arm above my head like I am trying to itch my back.  Calum shifts in the bed. 

"What are you humming?  It sounds pretty."  I mumble in my sleep.

"Nothing, just I can't sleep, so I like to work on...you're asleep aren't you?" 

"Mmhmm."