Baby, Just Close Your Eyes

I was the first one awake. There were insane butterflies in my tummy.

“Get up.” I nudged Jared and walked out of the room. One by one the boys groaned and whined about how early it was. It six hours we’d all be sitting in a hotel room in New Jersey getting ready for the rehearsal dinner for the Ziabko-Hoover wedding.

“I’m staying here. I don’t wanna go.” Pat whined sitting down at the table in his pajamas. I swished my coffee in the cup and sat it down on the counter.

“We have to be at the airport two hours early, bro. I hate getting on planes just as much as you but the plane takes off at eight. Go get dressed and shut the hell up.” I grumped trudging upstairs.

“Hey.” I smiled up at John and grabbed his jacket off his bed, wrapping it around me.

“You’re yelling at us to get dressed and you’re not dressed? Not fair, Annabelle.” I looked down at my shorts and boots.

“I’m going in this. No one said I had to look cute to get on a plane.”

“You do look cute.”

“No. I look like a weather confused whore. Ugg’s and shorts? Its dumb but its soo comfy.” He laughed and kissed my forehead.

Grumpy and annoyed we were all on the plane and sleeping within minutes of take off.

@__@

“Hey Bella!” I smiled and hugged Tim.
.
“Hey buddy! How are you?”

“Jet lagged, bro. I’m going to go lay down in my room.” Tim said ruffling my hair and heading down the hallway.

I sighed and opened the hotel room door. John was passed out on the bed, shoes still on and shirtless. I laughed quietly and slowly removed his shoes.

It gave me time to think. I was sure I had done something too fucked up for words that night I had gotten completely trashed. It was a twisted, wave like dream but Slade and I…..he left two days later and we were never alone but he treated me no differently so maybe I was being ridiculous. I was confused and nervous and needed Katy but her plane wouldn’t touch down until five. I sighed again and nudged John aside, curling underneath the blanket.

“Annabelle…..Bell’s…wake up.” I lifted my head off the wet pillow and wiped my face. Gross. Nice sleep but gross.

“Hey Ohhhh.”

“You want the shower first or can I take it?”

“I’ll go. It takes my hair longer to dry. Hate being a girl sometimes.” He rolled his eyes and kissed my forehead.

“Get in the shower, bitch.” I stared at him a second before shutting the door in his face. What the fuck was that about? I shook my head and turned on the shower.

30 minutes and a near nap in the shower I was out and brushing my hair when John pushed past me into the bathroom.

“What’s up with you today?” I asked watching him. He’d been acting weird ever since we had gotten off the plane.

“Nothing.” I glared at his back and slammed the door shut. Quickly shoving on my dress and a pair of moccasins I walked out of the room and down to Pat and Kennedy’s room.

“Hi.” Pat said stepping aside in a dress shirt and basketball shorts.

“Hey.”

“Everything okay?” He asked sitting in the chair. I sat down on the bed cross legged, draping the dress over my knees.

“No. Your bff is being a total ass. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.” Kennedy appeared in the door way, a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

“Did you possibly say something?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Did you tell him his ass looked fat in those tight ass jeans kid is sporting right now?” I looked at the doorway, John was moodily staring at me, he rolled crossed his arms, I shook my head and pulled my phone out of the pocket on my dress.

“I’m going to wait for Katy.” I said not making eye contact with any of them.

It was always my fault it seemed. I had pissed insert name here. I forgot to ask this. I didn’t wake someone up on time. It was fucking bullshit.

I sat down in the lobby and stared at the ceiling.

“Miss?” I looked up at the awkward teenager before me dressed in the hotel uniform.

“Yeah. What can I help you with?”

“There’s a gentleman at the bar who would like to see you.” I sighed and stood up.

“Thanks, bro.” I handed him a five and walked over to the bar. He wasn’t hard to pick out. Shaggy blonde hair and feet barely touching the floor, Ziabko was sipping out of a short glass. “Are you even old enough to drink yet?” I asked jumping onto the bar stool.

“Shut up, whore.” I playfully glared at him.

“Can I get you something mam?” The bartender asked.

“Anything Grey Goose, bro.”

“ID?”

“Oh. Shit. Never mind, bro. Not used to being carded. Sketch clubs have a way of getting around that.” I said leaning back on the stool and staring at Alex.

“You ready for tonight?”

“Yeah. I can’t wait to get away from them. Girls are definitely my favorite kind of people right now.”

“I’m mildly offended by that!” Alex said pouting.

“You are a girl. Your hair is always nicer than mine. Those highlights are not natural, baby.”

“I’m from Jersey. It’s okay to highlight your hair and get a tan here when you’re a man!”

“Psh. Whatever. They all care to much. I love them to death but they are just ridiculous. Not to mention if they aren’t jumping down my throat about imaginary problems then they’re being total assholes.” A glass was put down in front of me.

“You need it more than I do.” The bartender said. I smiled up at him and tipped the glass back.

“You’re their best friend. You know something about each of them that hardly anyone else knows. It makes them super protective over you.” I shrugged.

“John and I were good when we left this morning and then we fell asleep in the hotel room next thing I know he’s being a bitch and I’m being blamed for it. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just over thinking everything.”

“Is it…..uh….ya know…….the thing?” I stared at him for a second before doubling over in laughter.

“Oh. Wow. Alex, sweetie, stop. We both know you don’t want to know the actual answer to that question but to clarify; no. It’s just jet lag. Back to back flights all over the US, a little bit to much drinking, and planning for a year long trip. It’s a lot to deal with.”

“True. How is John, by the way?”

“He’s himself….a more moodier version of himself.” My phone rang from my pocket. I looked at the screen and answered it.

Katy was ten minutes from the hotel but they weren’t showered, dressed, or fed so we’d have to postpone the talk. I sighed. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear but what could you do? Driving was easier than planes these days.

“Go see your amazing fiancée. I’m going to go finish getting ready.” He smiled and got up.

“See you later.”

“We’ll be there!” I said skipping over to the busy elevator.

Walking out of the hotel with a man on each arm dressed to kill in Jersey was almost liberating. The cold cleared my head and made me happy. Everyone else was also happier and seemed somewhat better than things had been at the beach house.

@__@

John was plastered.

I watched him from the other side of the hotel room. He was struggling to remove his boots and finding it the greatest thing when they slipped from his hands.

It was a problem I had been avoiding for weeks. At first he was just having fun and then things went downhill…fast. It turned into an every night ordeal. He was becoming an alcoholic at 21 and I didn’t know what to do about it.

“John, honey, look at me.” I sat down on my knees in front of him. His eyes met mine. I knew he wouldn’t remember a word of it in the morning but I missed him. This drunken mess in front of me wasn’t the John O’ Callaghan I had met a year ago.

“You’re beautiful.” He cupped my chin.

“You have to stop. This drunken mess you’ve become is driving me insane. I miss you.” He stared at me confused.

“I’m right here! You’re the one leaving.” In that moment it hit me; the bender had started a few days after I told him about Africa. Awesome.

“I can call them and tell them I’ll do it some other time! You can’t do this though! Once in awhile is okay but this….I’m worried. We’re all worried.” He got up slowly and walked over to the bathroom. I heard the water turn on.

“I’m sorry, Bells. It was only eight. I figured the more ridiculous I acted the more likely you’d just leave and let my life go downhill alone. I don’t even know what I’m thinking anymore. I love you.” John sat down against the wall and stared out the large window. I crawled over to John and straddled him, kissing his cheek.

“You are a ridiculous man, John Cornelius. I’m not going anywhere for a little while. We have each other for tonight. One day at a time.”

“We aren’t looking past tonight?”

“Nor back. We’ll live everyday like it’s the last.”

“You sound like a Boys Like Girls song.”

“Fuck you. They’re a great band!”

“Yeah. I’m a douche. We’re friends. We make fun of each other. Its band guy code.” I giggled.

“There’s a code?”

“Kind of like girl code but not as intense.”

“Whatever. We are going to bed so you can sleep this off. Last fitting is tomorrow and I doubt any of us will sleep tomorrow night.” He smiled and climbed into bed, me right behind him. Cold sheets were best shared with someone you loved, right?