American Love Affair (5 Seconds of Summer fan fiction)

Chapter 26

                                                        Chapter 26

        I stand slowly, ignoring the fact that my legs feel like they are going to fall off, and stumble to the door.  I tug down my tank top and plaster a cheery smile on my face.  I unlock the door and swing it open, letting Liz and my mom into the room, but not before being locked in a five second hug (Liz) and quick cheek peck (my mom). 

        “We brought breakfast.”  Liz announces merrily, hoping to get us all riled up on Christmas. 

        My mom lays out some packages on the kitchenette counter, mail from the band’s families for the holiday and fan mail from fans smart enough or creepy enough to send it to Toulouse, France general delivery, instead of their address in Sydney.  Luke pulls his mom into one of his famous engulfing hugs that if you are lucky lasts ten plus seconds.  I stride over to Calum, who is standing, watching the world outside of the window. 

        “Hi,” I whisper.

        “Hey, Merry Christmas.”  He plants a quick kiss on my lips.  

        I feel my mother’s eyes glaring into my back.  Ashton grumbles while Michael tries to get him to move so he can put the bedding on the beds. 

        “No…I don’t want to.  I need my beauty rest.” 

        Luke helps the moms take the food they brought from the take out bags, eager to start breakfast.  A sweet honey like smell masks the scent that emerges after four guys share a room.  I pull a plump piece of French toast sprinkled with powder sugar and some sort of syrup onto my plate, then pour myself a glass of orange juice.  My body is craving coffee though, but I don’t see my mom carrying a paper cup, and I am too damn lazy to spend five minutes brewing a cup in the crappy hotel coffee maker. 

        My body is stiff sitting on the couch in the living room.  The party is spread throughout the room, trying to ignore the lack of seating.  Calum, and Luke are on the couch beside me.  Liz and my mom are each seated in one of the uncomfortable hotel chairs, and Michael and Ashton are lounging on the floor, with their plates on the coffee table.  It is Christmas, so I’m not sure if anyone is going to say grace despite Jesus’ birthday.  No on makes a move to recognize the birth of the Christian’s savior in anyway, so I cut into the French toast.  The taste of warm caramel sauce plays on my taste buds with the French toast.  I finish quickly and Calum announces eagerly, ‘Presents!’

        The five of us kind of did a Secret Santa like thing for gifts for each other.  Ironically, I don’t know, I was the last to pick, but I got Calum   I deliberated immensely searching shops in the countries we would come to and scoured online for a gift that I thought he would like and use.  My eyes glaze over the Seattle Supersonics snapback I ordered, under the tree.  It is obvious that I wrapped it, because it is immaculate, precise, and neat, I always had a knack for wrapping.  The boys had a bit more…difficulty and their gifts are more…creatively wrapped.  Liz quickly tosses couple more gifts under the tree, before the band start going through them, sorting the minimal amount into piles.  I stand up and dump my dishes in the sink, then rip open a hot chocolate packet, letting the contents fall into a mug.  The hot water runs over it, turning the powder into a deep brown liquid, and I stir it with a spoon.

       I think that I feel especially tense in the room, because my mother is here.  I don’t feel comfortable leaning my head on Calum’s shoulder, giving him a quick kiss, or even slipping my hand into his.  The warmth from the mug spreads through my hands to the rest of my body.  I place the mug on the coffee table and re-position myself on the couch.  I rub my hands uncomfortably over my wrists, wishing I had on long sleeves.