I Wanna Live a Life From a New Perspective

”Why is the shower water cold, Jess?” James snapped, as he exited the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

“I don’t know.” I muttered, glancing back to the computer screen I was working on.

“Look at me, when I’m talking to you.” He snapped after a moment, and I turned to look at him. He had pulled on a pair of boxers, “Now,” He breathed, “Was I not clear when I told you that I can’t pay for your twenty minute showers.”

I shook my head.

“Then why have you still been using up all the water?” He snapped.

“James,” I sighed calmly, “I haven’t even used to shower today.” Which was obvious by my half greasy ponytail and rumpled clothes.

“Don’t lie to me, Jessica.” His voice was dangerously calm.

“I cut back my showers,” I told him honestly, “I’m sorry that the water’s cold.”

“Well, Jess, how else would the water be cold if you hadn’t used the shower?”

“Honestly,” I laughed humorlessly, “Maybe the tank heater for the building is broken. Or,” I shook my head, “I don’t know, James. What does it matter? Are we five?”

I felt the slap before I saw James approach me, and I flinched as he brought his hand up and slapped me again.

“I’m sorry,” I spoke quickly, keeping my composure as I met his eyes.

“Don’t start,” He warned, grabbing my arm and tugging me out of the chair.

“James,” I spoke softly, “I have to finish that email. It’s for one of your employees, and-”

He squeezed tighter onto my arm as he pushed me back onto the bed, “I said don’t start.”

I woke up quickly, glancing at the clock on the nightstand to see it was only 1:57 am. I turned on the lamp looking around and jumping up from the bed. I stepped away from it before glancing back at the door. I grabbed my keycard from the TV stand and quickly exited the hotel room. I turned left, counting down three doors before knocking on it quickly. Why are the lights in this hallways so dim? And why are they flickering? Oh, my God, it’s like a horror movie. Ryan, open the damn door. I knocked again.

The door opened right after the light above me flickered a last time and went out, and I quickly stepped into the hotel room arms going around Ryan’s frame quickly.

“They’re worse when I’m stressed.” I mumbled.

“Hm?” He hummed, and his voice sounded different, probably just rough from sleep.

“The dreams,” I muttered, “They’re worse when I’m stressed.”

“Why’re you stressed?” He asked sounding half awake.

“I just,” I paused, “I don’t know. I just am.”

“Hm.” He repeated, “What dreams?”

“Just bad ones.” I muttered, “Memories, I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“S’fine.” He stated through a yawn, “Want to stand here all night?”

“No,” I laughed, moving us back into the room to let the door close.

“Oh,” He muttered quickly, and I moved in the dark towards the bed, dropping my room key on the nightstand. I settled down quickly, and I wondered why I hadn’t noticed how good Ryan smelled before I smelled his pillow. I was half under the covers when Ryan got in bed, and I didn’t hesitate before moving closer to him.

“Thanks,” I muttered quietly before drifting off.

…

Brendon

I love hotel nights. First, I take a long shower, and I may have screamed a little Bob Marley, but heck, I’m allowed to.

Then, I settle into some comfy clothes and watch some TV in bed. Around 1am, I finally crash. Part of the plan, however, is not to be awoken less than an hour later by someone knocking on my door. Please don’t be a screaming fangirl, I repeated in my head as I slowly get out of bed. The knocking repeats itself, and I glance out the peephole quickly not really registering who it is before pulling open the door.

I was slightly taken back when Jess hugged me, and she is shaking a little bit, unless that’s my imagination. She said something quickly, and I glanced down at her confused.

“Hm?”

“The dreams,” She muttered, “They’re worse when I’m stressed.”

“Why’re you stressed?” I asked still confused as to why she was here.

“I just,” She shook worse, “I don’t know. I just am.”

“Hm.” I muttered blinking slowly, “What dreams?”

“Just bad ones.” She paused, “Memories, I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“S’fine.” I assured yawning, “Want to stand here all night?”

“No,” She laughed, and I relaxed at the sound, expecting her to say goodnight and return to her room until she stepped forward, causing us both to move back and the door to close.

“Oh,” I muttered confused. She walked further into the room, and I was more confused when I heard the springs in the bed creak. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I decided instead to just write this off as a weird dream and go with it. I froze again, however, when she slid closer to me in bed.

“Thanks,” She spoke before her breathing evened out.

I closed my eyes, settling into the mattress and soon falling back to sleep.

…

Ryan Omniscient/3rd POV

The one thing Ryan likes most about hotel nights is that most of the time he wakes up on his own. No alarm clock, no disruption on the bus, no loud thump from someone falling out of their bunk in the middle of the night.

So, that was what Ryan was most looking forward to. He wasn’t expecting to wake up to someone shaking his shoulder and speaking quickly.

“Ryan, Jess isn’t in her room.” Zack spoke, and I blinked at him slowly until the words registered, and I sat up quickly.

“Is she okay?” He asked dumbly, already walking towards the door.

“She isn’t in her room.” Zack repeated, emphasizing the sentence.

Ryan paused, “Where is she?”

Zack sighed loudly.

“Sorry, it’s still early. I’m, just, yeah.” He shook his head, pulling open the heavy door and heading into the hallway. He knocked on Brendon’s door and started to get unpatient, looking at Zack. Zack sighed pulling out his spare key and unlocking the door. Ryan headed into the room quickly, and he froze when he saw too lumps under the covers, jaw dropping, and oh, he is definitely awake now.

Zack entered the room, and Ryan looked at him wide eyed, putting a hand over his open mouth.

“I found her.” Ryan mouthed, covering his mouth again as he laughed.

Zack started towards the bed, but Ryan reached out grabbing his arm, “I got it. Just let Jon and Spencer know she’s fine.” He whispered.

Zack glanced at him for a moment then back to the now closed door before sighing.

“Boy can’t keep it in his pants.” Zack mumbled as he exited the room, pushing past Jon who was standing in the hallway, glancing in at the room at Ryan confused. Ryan just shook his head at him before the door closed.

Ryan walked around the bed and kneeled beside it, the side Jess was facing, before reaching out and squeezing her shoulder.

…

Jess

I woke up to see Ryan in front of me, and I brought my hand up rubbing my eyes.

“Hey,” I mumbled.

“Hey,” He spoke, and he had a grin on his face. I returned it closing my eyes again.

“No, you have to get up.” He spoke quietly.

“Why?” I mumbled stretching, and what is that weight against my back? I froze and scooted forward, looking down to the hand on my hip and back to Ryan wide eyed. He still had that grin on his face. I turned and Brendon sleeping face was far too close, I slid further to the opposite edge of the bed, practically falling onto Ryan.

“I thought you guys had separate rooms.” I whispered, making it onto the floor next to Ryan.

“We do.” Ryan answered.

“So, why is he in here?”

“This is his room.” Ryan insisted.

“No,” I shook my head, then went wide eyed. Last night, and Ryan’s voice not really sounding like Ryan’s, and.

“Oh, my gosh, Ryan, I went to the wrong room last night.”

Ryan started laughing, his eyes were watering, and he had a hand pressed tight against his mouth to muffle it.

“What am I supposed to do when he wakes up?!” I whispered wide eyed.

Ryan shrugged, “Don’t act weird, or it will be weird.”

“Great advice.” I mumbled.

“You wake him up and act normal, and I’ll leave like I was never here, alright, cool.” He nodded to himself getting up and exiting the room. I stood slowly, straightening my clothing before walking to the other side of the bed.

“Brendon,” I spoke, and he didn’t move.

“Brendon,” I repeated, “You have to get up.”

He moved a bit before turning his head and blinking at me, “What?”

“It’s morning, time to get up.” I spoke, “I’m gonna go find some breakfast and get my bag, hurry up and get up.” I turned and grabbed my key off the nightstand, exiting his hotel room and walking down the hallway to my own.