Ever So Slightly

A short while later, I hear the door open and close again, and I open my eyes to find William standing above me. He puts out his hand to pull me up and I accept, stumbling and falling into him as my legs collapse beneath me.

And I may have just twisted my ankle but all I can feel are his arms, clutching onto me, steadying me.

‘Ohh fuck,’ I groan, as he leans me up against the wall to get a better grip, pulling my arm around his neck and slipping his around my waist.

‘Maybe you should take it easy, huh?’ he suggests, smiling softly, and walking me over to the bed.

I lie down and he sits on my left, scratching his head distractedly.

‘Vicks wasn’t actually in her room so I couldn’t find her, but I’ll talk to her later for sure.’

‘Okay,’ I murmur, eyes closed.

‘So which hotel are we in?’

‘I dunno the name, just some shitty little one. Usually we take a tour bus, but someone went and fucked all the engine like, the morning before we were supposed to leave, so now all we have is Gabe’s Delorean, and a rent-a-coach we had to hire once we got here. Now we just use those for transport and crash in hotels once we get to the cities.’

‘Where else are you playing?’

‘Well, we have two shows here, then a whole day off, then Manchester, two in Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow, um…where else? Cardiff I think…Oh and London of course. We’re playing two there too.’

‘Wow, you must be pretty big - how come I’ve never heard of either of you?’

‘Ah,’ sighs William, satirically. ‘That would be because you cover your ears and bury your head in the sand. And have psychotic parents.’

I laugh.

‘But seriously,’ he continues. ‘Our crowds are pretty underground here.’

‘Ohh.’

Well what else is there say?

‘So how many people are here? With you I mean.’

‘Well, there’s the Cobra crew - Ryland’s sharing with Gabe, Nate’s sharing with Suaraz, and Vicky-T’s on her own. Then there’s the Academy gang - Chiz and Mike are sharing, and Butcher and Sisk got landed with this tiny single room - which is quite funny ‘cause I got this one all to myself. Then there’s the sound guys, the press guys, PR…you know - there’s a lot of us.’ He dropped back onto the bed with his hands behind his head.

I nod and pretend that these names mean something to me, and do my ‘Phase Two Of Looking Busy’ stance. Keeping my left eye on the ceiling, I tilt my head ever so slightly, and look down at William with my right eye.

Fuck.

His shirt has ridden up…exposing the hard muscle of his stomach, and a thickening line of hair crawling down from his bellybutton. I look up sharply, trying to keep my breathing even.

Fuck he’s hot.

I close my eyes briefly and then open them again, rolling onto my front so that the sides of our bodies are touching. Without even thinking, I bend my arm and lean it on his chest, propping myself up, my hair nearly brushing in his face.

He stares up at me, looking somewhat dazed, a shy smile playing on his lips.

‘So sing me something,’ I murmur, my voice cracking ever so slightly as I look down at him.

He doesn’t break his gaze, or the silence that followed my request for a few moments, but then he closes his eyes and swallows, wetting his lips.

‘When the summer is gone…it won't be long, 'til some one's got the fever creeping inside…when the city is moving and your eyes - are a moving and you just can't fight that feeling, but you said it's the last time-’

I’m instantly hooked. His voice is so perfect - so melodic and sad - that it brings a lump to my throat, tears to my eyes. It was like, not only the lyrics, but his voice, and the song ,and gentleness of the song were so honest, it could break hearts, and I can almost feel mine breaking. I lay my head down on his chest, next to my arm.

‘-Lies are lies in everybody's eyes, and I don't believe you…lies are lies in everybody's eyes and I don't believe you- ’

Astounded, I want him to stop - nothing should have my emotions wrapped round it’s finger like this melody - but I want him to carry on forever at the same time. I need him to keep singing, to keep me from crying.

He eases to a gentle end, a voice as soft as cashmere finishing with ‘When the summer is gone it won't be long till someone's got the fever…’

By this point, I am crying, silently, with my body aching for that song again.

He opens his eyes to look at me as I hastily wipe my own, smiling as if I hadn‘t been crying at all.

‘That was amazing…so, fucking, amazing. How do you - did you write that? It was beautiful…get me, crying, I’m so over emotional.’ I laugh weakly, as more tears come to my eyes, threatening to spill.

So slowly, he brings his hand to my face and wipes my cheeks with his thumb.

‘Thanks,’ he says quietly, pulling himself up slightly and placing one arm behind his back for support.

His face is so close to mine now, that I can smell the coconut shampoo on his hair, and see each of his eyelashes, fluttering under my shallow breath. He inches his face just millimeters forward, as his eyes flick over my lips.

Instinctively, I wet them, then trying to cover it up by biting my bottom lip, I flick my own eyes to his.