Chapter 30
I wake up to a mild pain in my neck. I groan and rub it, trying to alleviate the ache. As always, I am disoriented having just opened my eyes. The first thing I realize is that I am on the ground. I sift through the mass of blankets and pillows. Yawning, I force myself up, though my legs are like jelly. My first thought is to take a seat in the desk chair and check my email. I open the email from my dad, it is my essay revised. I have two days to perfect it and complete the rest of my application. I sigh and roll to pull the shades open. It is still early, but some people are outside. Early birds are jogging, walking dogs, and running for coffee. I stretch my arms above my heads, watching pigeon fly down to grab a dropped crumb. I turn to the bed where Calum and Luke are cuddling. I roll my eyes, understanding how I ended up on the floor. I pull out my phone and take a picture of the duo, waiting to post it to social media. They look so adorable, childish, and peaceful in their sleep. Calum turns onto his stomach and tosses his arm over Luke, pulling him closer to him. The bed creaks and the rustling of blankets fill the room until he is comfortable.
The hotel phone rings, and I scramble to get it, not wanting to wake them up.
“Hello?” I whisper.
“Lee, hey, it’s Mikey. Why are you whispering?” His words are slurred and roll out of his mouth heavily like cinderblocks.
“Luke and Cal are sleeping. What’s up? Are you okay?”
“Yessss…Ash was just getting worried since they aren’t in our room. ‘Kay. See you soon for breakfast.”
“Soon? What?”
Before he can answer the call ends. I stand at the head of the bed with the telephone receiver beeping in my ear. The phone clicks when I put it down. There are three loud raps on the door and I tiptoe there quickly.
“Who is it?” I peak through the peephole, my voice going up an octave.
Michael waves lazily, a grocery store bag in his other hand. I open the door letting him and Ashton into the room, then lock it behind them.
“I am so hungover!” Michael exclaims and sits down on the edge of the bed.
Ashton walks in, then immediately lies down face first on the carpet in front of the TV. He groans and his body convulses. Michael rummages around in his bag and hands me a white takeout container.
“Chinese food, really?” I ask. “It’s nine in the morning.”
“Nine in the afternoon, your eyes are the size of the moon.” Ashton grumbles, barely audible.
Calum and Luke stir in the bed, then get up: wide-eyed and puppy dog faced. I unstick my chopsticks and start into my shrimp fried rice.
“How’d you sleep, Lee?” Calum sinks out of the bed to sit on the floor beside me.
“Pretty well,” I say, swallowing a chopped carrot. “Seeing how I can’t remember falling out of the bed.”
Calum’s eyes widen, “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Shit. I guess three people one bed is one person too many.”
I shrug and close my lips around the chopsticks. Michael passes around the rest of the food, saying it is the best cure for a hangover, though he and Ashton are the only ones suffering the symptoms of too much partying.
“Ashton, Ash, you have to eat something.” Luke coos, trying to get the 6ft man child to turn over onto his back like a pancake.
Ashton grumbles and moves his legs like he’s swimming.
“Ash, it’s almost ten thirty…” I say.
“I hate the mornings!” Ashton roars.
He forces himself up then tears off his shirt.
“Oh goddammit: headache.” Ashton lets his head loll into his cupped hands, and begins rubbing his temples.
Luke turns on the TV, flipping quickly through the channels, before settling on iCarly, not what I would have expected. The volume of the world has definitely turned down compared to yesterday. There are only the average city sounds: cars, horns, and construction, not partying.
“Any resolutions, Mr. Hood?” I ask, trading my shrimp fried rice for plain white rice.
He hesitates for a minute.
“No, not really. Be a better person, I guess. I never really followed through with resolutions.”
I nod, “Yeah, no one really does them. They’re just empty promises.
My phone vibrates in my pocket sending a chill through my body. I consider letting it ring, but it’s my mom, so kind of important. I lift Calum’s arm and stand, then make my way to the door. Calum looks over worried. I mouth that it’s my mom and slip into my slippers. The hotel hallway is empty, as I anticipated. What kind of person spends their time in a hotel hallway? It smells clean and fresh like laundry detergent with a touch of lavender.
“Hi mom,” I say, being sure to keep my voice down. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes and no.”
I shuffle to one end of the hall, mesmerized by the New York skyline. My breath hitches in my throat. What does yes and no mean?
“Lee, are you in the hotel?”
“Yes?” I say questioningly, raising my eyebrow and my voice.
“Good, Lee. Start packing your things.”
“Why? Mum, what’s wrong. Is everything okay?”
“Your flight leaves for California in seven hours.”
Sorry for the short chapter. But school is crazy. Good luck for anyone taking finals soon. Hope you all have awesome Spring Breaks. Literally, I am just going to hole up and write for you lovely people. xoxo
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