The Only Way Out

The next day no one even rolled out of bed until after twelve in the afternoon due to vicious hangovers.
I lazily rolled out of bed with Christy still sleeping next to me on the other side. Pretty much everyone else was awake and talking in the kitchen or living room of the hotel. I rubbed my eyes and walked into the bathroom that was connected to the room I was in. When I looked in the mirror, I noticed my hair was a disaster and my eye make up was smeared down my cheeks. I giggled and fixed my appearance, not wanting to look like a clown on Crack when I walked out into the kitchen. When I decided I looked decent enough, I walked back into the room just in time to see Christy stretching.

“Hello, sunshine,” I smiled at her half-open eyes.

“Hi,” she said in a raspy voice.

I laughed and said, “you must’ve lost your voice because of the concert.”

“Yes, that’s definitely why,” she slowly got out of bed and stood up, attempting to fix the sheets a little bit.

“Do you remember anything from last night?” I asked her while sitting on the foot of the bed.

“Not a thing,” she admitted.

“Fuck.”

She laughed and said, “let’s go out and eat some breakfast, I’m starving!”

We walked out into the kitchen and living room to see everyone’s heads turn to look back at us.

“Well good morning, beautiful girls,” Andy, the bass player said to us. Sarcasm or not – I didn’t know.

“Morning – or should I say – afternoon!” Christy giggled.

I just smiled and sat down on a stool at the bar in the kitchen. My brother was making eggs and bacon in two frying pans with a small dishtowel over his right shoulder. I smirked at the sight and had almost forgotten that my brother liked to cook as well as be a singer in a band. Shawn came and sat on the stool next to me and yelled at my brother jokingly demanding he make him some waffles too. My smile grew wider as I watched my brother shake his head slowly then throw the towel at Shawn.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Shawn turned to ask me.

I just nodded “yes” and looked down at me hands finding them fascinating at the moment.

“Should’ve figured. I had to carry you all the way from backstage to the car, then from the car to the bed,” he laughed while telling me the story.

I smiled and looked at him for a moment, “sorry about that. But thank you,” I said quietly.

“It really was no big deal, you’re light as a feather,” he shrugged.

“Alright, who wants breakfast!” My brother called out so everyone could hear him over the loud frying of the food and the boys’ video game.

I heard everyone yell in unison and come crashing together into the kitchen to line up.

“Wow, you guys must be hungry!” Shawn observed sarcastically as he looked at the animals we knew as our friends.

I laughed lightly and he looked at me, but I didn’t look back. Christy looked at me too, then winked and smiled.

**

“What do you guys want to do today?” I heard someone say as I was dazing off into my own personal Wonderland.

“I don’t know.” I heard someone else’s voice chime in, then another, “we should go swimming in the pool!”

“Yeah, good idea, Mike! Let’s go!” I heard numerous voices say.

“Are you going to come? Hello? Ava?” I snapped out of it and saw Christy’s hand waving in front of my face.

“Huh? Oh yeah, of course,” I got up from the plush couch and went into the room where my suitcase was.

I rummaged around and finally found my red and black striped bikini then started undressing in the room. I put my bottoms on and then someone walked into the room as I was faced toward the door, “hey, guys, do you want – oh shit! I’m so sorry!”

I was startled and quickly covered my breasts, seeing that it was Shawn that had walked in. My cheeks heated up revealing a deep, crimson color as I stared at Shawn for what seemed like forever. He looked shocked and at a loss for words, then turned his back toward Christy and I insinuating that I put my top on, and then he continued to ask his question, “do you guys want something from the store? Rob sent me in here to ask you guys. The door was wide open, I’m really sorry, Ava.”

I finished putting my bathing suit on and Christy said, “okay, she’s decent now. And yes, can he get me some donuts? I’m craving them like mad. Ava? Would you like anything?” She turned to look at me and Shawn turned around to look at me as well.

“Um, just an Arizona Iced Tea, please,” I said timidly.

“Alright,” Shawn replied and walked out of the room.

“Fuck, I shouldn’t have changed with the door open,” I said pulling my hair into a messy, low bun on the side of my head.

“It’s alright, love, at least you’re hot and he’s hot, so what’s the problem?” She joked.

I smiled and chucked a pillow at her with force.

“Now get your damn bathing suit on and let’s go swimming!” I shouted at her.

“Okay, okay!” She said while heading over to her duffel bag to grab her bikini.

Hers was rainbow-colored with white polka dots. She looked so fucking cute in it. When she was dressed, we grabbed our sunglasses and went out to the pool. Everyone was already inside splashing around or jumping in simultaneously. Christy went and sat at the edge of the pool with her feet in.

“Oh, It’s the perfect temperature!” She exclaimed.

I went over to one of the lawn chairs, put a towel down, and laid on top of it in hopes to getting some color to my pail skin.

“Ava! Why don’t you come in? The water’s fine!” I heard someone yell.

I looked up and saw my brother and Mike slowly approaching me with devious smiles planted on their faces.

“Oh, no, guys, please go away!” I yelled back, “I just want some sun first!”

“Sorry, Ava, that simply won’t do,” Jeremy said as he stood near my head and Mike stood near my feet.

I knew just what was about to happen, and I tried to avoid it at all costs. I kicked and screamed and yelled “no!” and cried for help, but I still ended up being carried against my will by my brother and his friend, and splashed helplessly in the cool water. When I rose to the surface I took a deep breath and glared at my laughing brother and Mike. I quickly made my way to the steps and got out of the pool. I faced my brother and Mike and yelled, “thanks a lot, assholes! I’m going home, bye!”

I turned away and was about to enter the hotel and I heard Christy yelling for me and Mike and my brother pleading for me to come back and that they were sorry. I smiled to myself, then hid the smile and turned back around. I started walking toward my brother and Mike with a furious look upon my face. When I got a few inches away from them, they looked at me with horror, then I smiled wide and said, “just kidding!”

Then I shoved them both into the pool sending small tidal waves out to the edges. Everyone started laughing when they realized what happened. I slapped my hands together in satisfaction as they came to the surface grasping for air.

“Fuck, little sister, I give you props for that one!” Jeremy yelled from the middle of the pool.

“You mother fuckers got what you deserved,” I shrugged like it was nothing.

I jumped in the pool to join them and after I did Jessica came up to me and patted me on the back telling me how hilarious my joke was.

“I’m back from the store with everyone’s requests!” Rob appeared at the back door with a couple plastic bags in his hands.

Everyone went to get their items from Rob but me. I just didn’t feel like getting gout of the pool after I got inside. Shawn came over to me and handed me the Arizona Iced Tea I requested and that’s when I noticed his black eye had only gotten worse.

“How does your eye feel?” I frowned.

“Oh, it’s a little sore, but it looks worse than it is,” he replied putting his feet in the pool.

After a few minutes, most everyone got back into the pool and we were splashing each other and playing the game chicken. I didn’t even notice Daniel wasn’t in the pool anymore until he came out of the hotel, closed his cell phone and looked at all of us for a moment.

“West Palm Beach cancelled,” Daniel announced with a sad voice.

“Wait, what? Why?” The band all asked together.

“They’re expecting a tsunami,” he explained.

“Shit, that sucks. Well we can stay another couple of nights here! We’re all enjoying ourselves enough, aren’t we?” My brother looked around to ask everyone.

“Yeah, of course!” Everyone agreed.

I just nodded my head. I knew this was going to be two more nights of crazy adventures, drugs, alcohol, loud music, lust and pure bliss.