Take Your Time

January 11th 2012
Anaheim, CA

The group had arrived at a hotel in Anaheim late the night before and Addie was assigned to a room with Jess. However they hardly talked, the photographer was too tired and fell asleep almost instantly, the drummer left to Stephen and Godsey’s room.

Addie had always been a morning person so she had no problem waking up early that morning, at six o’clock to be exact. Despite the cold air, the first thing she did was take a bath, a pretty cold one if it wasn’t for the water heater.

After taking the long awaited bath (she got quite sweaty last night) she just lied on her stomach in her bed and edited the photos she took the night before. She knew they were bad, but she was trying to find the wrongs in the photos she took.

About fifteen minutes into the editing, the sound of Coldplay’s Charlie Brown interrupted her. Addie took her phone and looked at the screen to read, ‘Dan Fusselman’ flash across the screen. She picked it up, “Morning,” She heard the man said, he sounded like he just woke up and it was no surprise for her, it was pretty early.

She cleared her throat, “Why are you up at this time?” The young woman asked, eyes still glued on the screen of her laptop.

She heard him yawn, “I’m not up, Marshall’s going to be there in five, bye,” He hung up just as quick, confusing her.

“What? Dan! Wait!” She protested, but the connection was already terminated.

“Shut up,” She heard Jess say before burying her head into her pillow.

Addie tried to dial Dan’s number again, but he didn’t pick up and it frustrated her. She decided if she wasn’t in the room, Marshall couldn’t get to her. With a last minute escape plan with too many risks, she took her jacket and put her phone into the pockets of her jeans, along with the room card. She turned off her laptop and walked to the door, ready to leave.

As if her morning couldn’t get any worse, someone knocked on her door right before she could reach for the doorknob. Had it really been five minutes? Despite the fact that she was undoubtedly a morning person, it was way too early for her to socialize, way too early.

Taking a deep breath, she nearly rolled her eyes when she saw who it was from the peep hole. Marshall, just great. With every bit of positivity left in her, she opened the door and forced a smile when she saw the pianist.

“Hi,” Greeted Marshall. There was a beanie on his head, and he was wearing a gray V-neck, along with a pair of jeans. To top it off he wore a dark colored jacket. Addie couldn’t deny it, he didn’t look bad, but she wasn’t ready to be friendly just yet. “Were you going somewhere?” He asked when he noticed what she wore.

It was then that she realized her stupidity. She was in a blue sweater, jeans, and an off white T-shirt that said ‘Get your heart on!’ she designed herself. Did she look like she was going to go out of her room? Yes, yes she did. “Um... I thought I’d wait for breakfast by the um... pool,” She couldn’t find a better answer.

He frowned at her, “The pool? At this time?” Marshall asked in confusion. There were a few reasons why her answer didn’t make sense; One, its winter and even though it’s California it’s still pretty cold; Two, it’s seven in the morning. She nodded awkwardly in reply and he reluctantly nodded, “Right, of course...” He trailed off.

“I um... I thought the poolside would be more entertaining than my room,” She tried to reason, scolding herself for sounding so stupid. She was afraid he was going to take her as someone who was quiet because she was stupid, she wasn’t, or her scores in high school proved likewise.

Addie couldn’t be happier when he nodded again, but this time it looked like he was convinced because he didn’t press any further. However, Marshall’s next question turned it all around, “I was going to ask you to come down for breakfast anyway so care for a walk together?”

She didn’t know what to answer. She could be rude and say no, but what reason could she give him? She couldn’t just suddenly bail on her so called ‘plan’. She could be nice and agree, but it was so early and she wasn’t ready to talk to him, she needed more time alone.

She finally decided on the latter, hoping for the best. “Let me get my camera first,” She told him before taking her camera which was lying on her bed, she might as well have her camera to keep her from having a conversation with him. She let it hung around her neck as she got out of the room and closed the door carefully behind her, afraid she’d wake Jess up.

They walked to the elevator silently and Marshall realized she wasn’t going to talk if he didn’t start a conversation, so he did. “Do all photographers carry their camera everywhere?” He asked, hopeful that he could bring out more than one-worded answers from her.

Well, she didn’t give him a one worded answer, she didn’t even give an audible answer, she only shook her head, as simple as that. Of course she didn’t mean to, but her voice didn’t sound so right because it was so early and in her theory she’d need some vocal warm-ups first to get her voice right, and she wasn’t even a singer. Those vocal warm-ups usually involved singing along to songs she liked, sometimes songs qualified as her guilty pleasures quietly.

However, Marshall didn’t give up, because he asked her another question, “So why do you?” They entered the elevator and he pressed the L button that represented the Lobby. He was sure that his question required more than just a shake of her head or a nod.

She shrugged, “I like taking random pictures,” She answered simply, her voice quiet. It was only natural for her to give the simplest and shortest answer she could think of, she just never liked talking about something unimportant, that’s all.

“Can you take a picture of me right now, then?” He smiled at her, happy that he found that little window to interact with her more. Marshall was told by Dan the previous night to pay attention for little holes in the thick shell of hers and break in through it, it sounded so philosophical and poetic, but Dan was still the one who said it so it turned out pretty funny to him.

Addie raised her eyebrows at his request; it wasn’t something she was used to. People don’t usually ask for their photos to be taken, they knew she was going to take photos of them anyway, whether they want or not. “I’m sorry?” She asked for clarification.

He just kept smiling, “Yeah, take a picture of me right now,” He repeated his request, now with a different sentence though it still had the same meaning.

She was still a little bit confused, but she took off the lens cover of her camera and adjusted the settings a little before snapping a quick picture of him, right when the door opened.
She noticed they were still at the tenth floor and frowned, why were they stopping? That’s when an old couple entered, they couldn’t be younger than sixty and in all honesty, Addie thought they were adorable. The fact that they were so old but still together, and they looked quite happy.

As the elevator door closed, the middle aged woman started a conversation, to Addie’s distaste. “You two make an adorable couple,” She said. Her hair was already white, and wrinkles were already forming on her skin. Still, it was pretty clear that the couple were dressed for the gym, which only made Addie like the more.

However, her statement about her and Marshall made her feel awkward. The photographer turned off her camera and put on the cover of her lens, letting it hung freely around her neck once again. She then looked at Marshall for help, hoping that he could explain because he wasn’t in the mood.

The pianist caught her look and cleared his throat before saying, “Ma’am we’re not exactly dating, we’re just friends,” He gave the old lady a polite smile and Addie did the same.

“What is it with you young people these days and being friends with benefits?” The lady asked with a frown, complete with a disapproving tone. The only thing Addie wanted to do was bang her head on the wall or facepalm, but she could only blush at the statement.

“No, we’re um... simply friends, we’re on tour together,” Addie shook her head, finally taking it on herself to explain the situation. God, how she wanted the elevator ride to just end that moment.

“But-“Just then, the elevator door opened, as if someone up there answered Addie’s prayer.
“Let it go Lucille, I’m sorry,” The old man smiled apologetically at Addie and Marshall before stepping out of the elevator.

Marshall shrugged, sending a certain look at Addie before stepping out of the elevator as well, the shy photographer followed behind him. They were silent for a few seconds until Marshall laughed, “I’ve never been in a situation that awkward, honest,” He said.

Addie gave out a small laugh, quickly covering her mouth. They exchanged looks for a second, silent, but they started laughing again the next, it was only natural for them. “Awkward is an understatement,” She said as they walked to the direction of the restaurant and the pool.

“Breakfast or pool?” Asked Marshall, just to clarify because he noticed the breakfast buffet was already open though it wasn’t crowded yet.

“Breakfast,” Addie answered almost instantly, she didn’t really want to go to the pool anyway, it was only a lame excuse she made up. Without waiting for him to respond, she walked to the counter. “Room 1624,” She said to the waiter, showing him her breakfast coupon.

“And 1605,” Marshall added, showing the waiter his own breakfast coupon.

“So there’s a person left for each room?” The waiter clarified, taking their coupons on writing some things in the leather book on the counter.

“Yes,” Marshall and Addie answered at the same time. The difference was in their voices, Marshall’s voice was sure, Addie sounded like she was trying as hard as she could to restrain herself from speaking out loud.

“Please come through,” The waiter told them and Marshall was the first one to walk to the buffet, while Addie followed him silently. He couldn’t believe the conversation between them had ended like that, he was hoping the conversation would last longer than just an elevator ride to the lobby.

“So,” Marshall started as they took the amount of food they desired, “do you always wake up this early?” He asked, trying to start another conversation.

Addie nodded, silent once again. He didn’t get it, she was already quite casual around him
just a few minutes ago, why did she change so abruptly?

“I couldn’t sleep last night, I only slept for two hours,” He tried again, hoping that this one would work. He wouldn’t want to be a part of a conversation where he’d be the only one to talk.

“I hope it won’t ruin your performance tonight,” She told him with a small smile. That smile made him happy somehow, at least she was responding and he wasn’t just talking to himself.

“Same here, Adds,” He replied. “Do you want anything from the egg station?” He asked her as he was going to get an omelet for himself.

She stared at him for a second before answering, “An omelet would be nice,” She said as she took a fork and a knife, “Thanks, Marshall,” She thanked him before walking to a table for two.

About five minutes later, he came to the table with two plates, one with their omelets and another with the food he took from the buffet. “Meat or mushroom?” He asked her to pick between the two omelets he took.

“Which one would you like?” She asked back. Marshall took the omelets after all, he should be the one to pick in her opinion, and she had to be polite.

“It’s really up to you.”

“No, it’s up to you.”

Marshall was about to deny that, but she had a persistent look on her face that told him she wouldn’t change her mind about it. He sighed, “I’ll take the meat,” He took it with his fork and put it in his plate.

Addie had a small smile on her lips as she took the mushroom omelet from the small plate, happy that she won that argument. It was pretty childish but at least she was winning something from him, seeing Marshall, John, Stephen, and everyone else living their dreams made her jealous, she was only at the first step from being a famous photographer that everyone appreciates.

“So Dan told me you’re from Baltimore,” Marshall started; it took her attention because she instantly look up from her plate. “Do you know the guys from All Time Low?” He asked, hoping that they have mutual friends apart from Dan.

Really? Couldn’t Dan just shut his mouth and not talk about her? She felt as if privacy meant nothing to the older and more professional photographer. “Am I supposed to? Because that’s all you guys ask since yesterday,” She replied. Why do people keep mentioning All Time Low anyway? She had no idea who they were, she had only heard some of their songs but she never knew how they looked like.

“No, but I thought they’re pretty well known in Baltimore.”

“I think you should ask my brother for the ‘populars’.”

He raised his eyebrows, “Oh you have a brother? What’s his name?” He asked, happy that he found yet another topic to talk to her about. He wondered why he never thought of talking about her family before.

“Carter Henson,” She answered before taking a bite of her mushroom omelet, chewing quietly. She never liked talking about her dictator of a brother, she hated him a lot, she always had.

“Henson? Dan said your last name is Shirley,” He frowned. It wasn’t that Marshall liked sticking his nose into other people’s bussiness, but he was simply curious.

Addie took a sip of her drink, “I changed my last name to my mom’s when I turned eighteen,” She explained, putting down the glass. “And what else did Dan tell you?”

“Your birthday, April 27th, I guess now I have two people to call on that date,” He smiled at her, “You’re going to turn 21 right? Your birthday is not far from John’s and Singer’s,” He pointed out.

“When will he stop talking about me to other people?” She muttered as she ate, unaware that it was loud enough for him to hear her.

“He talked about good things,” He tried to reason, defending Dan. Dan Fusselman’s a nice person in his opinion, and he was just trying to help the girl socialize after all.

She kept her eyes on her plate, “What good things?” She asked before taking a piece of sausage with her fork and putting it in her mouth.

“He mentioned how talented and dedicated you are, he also mentioned how much you like romance novels and shitty pop music,” He answered, smiling a bit at the last part.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes, it was typical Dan to mention her music taste that he loved to bash so much. “Just because I like Gaga’s singles and I like some of Rihanna’s songs, doesn’t mean I like shitty pop music. Adele is NOT shitty!” She protested, her voice louder that it had ever been since she trashed around in Dan’s grip the first time she arrived. Fortunately, the buffet’s not crowded yet, so not many people heard her.

He put his hands up in defense, “Hey! I didn’t mean it like that, Dan said that, not me,” Marshall tried to calm her down, he didn’t expect a response like that from her, he’d never expect her to be like that. “Don’t hurt him, no one can judge you from your music, you like other bands as well right?”

“Adele is not shitty pop music.”

“Alright, alright.” He surrendered, a little smile on his face as he started eating again.