Ever So Slightly

I wake with a start, on an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room.

Screwing up my eyes in the harsh light of the lamps, I peer around as the memories of earlier return to me. Memories of my spaz attack at ‘Siska’ - I cringe inwardly.

I glance down at the alarm clock, reading 09:49pm, and shakily reach for the glass of water beside it. Gulping most of it down, I drag myself out of bed and towards the door - stumbling slightly over my bag which I hadn’t noticed was in my path.

I’m going to find William - I don’t much fancy sitting here by myself all night.

As I close the bedroom door behind me and enter what appeared to be a sort of kitchen-lounge, my eyes relax, much less offended by the bland cream walls and the darkening glow coming in through the window.

On the side of the room I entered through, I can see a sofa and TV set, and a little table just under the window. On the other, there’s a wall of kitchen countertops, and a white door just by the mini-fridge.

I make a bee-line for the door wrenching it open, only to slam it shut again, squealing.

It appears that just I’ve found the hotel corridor, unlike the family of four outside, who have just found a squealing, semi-naked girl.

I’m such a spaz.

I trudge back through to the bedroom, and make my way over to William’s wardrobe. Fuck this Vicky person - if William wasn’t going to find me any clothes, then I’ll just have find them for myself.

I squat down and rummage through the bottom of the wardrobe where all William’s clothes were folded, and pick out a greying pair of black skinnies, a dark blue tee, and a black leather jacket.

I’m not too surprised to find that the jeans fit, given that they were made for girls anyway, but the tee’s a little large.

‘Fuck it. No one will be able to tell when I’m wearing the jacket,’ I think, throwing it over my shoulders and slipping on my shoes.

I take a look in the mirror. Not bad…only, my hair needs straightening. A lot.

I dig around in the wardrobe until I find a sort of baker-boy style hat, and flinging it on my head, I leave the room.

Pulling the kitchen door shut behind me as I leave, I trip down the corridor happily, wondering where I might find William.

After walking round this floor for a few minutes, I’m becoming slightly agitated - until I see a man and a woman talking outside a random door. My face lights up as I see that they’re both wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘The Academy’.

‘Excuse me,’ I interrupt, smiling. ‘You couldn’t tell me where I might find William, can you?’

The woman rolls her eyes and sighs impatiently, but the man says, ‘Who’s asking?’

‘Oh, sorry! My name’s Hannah - I’m just looking for-’

‘Yes Hannah, you and every other little fan girl,’ butts in the woman. ‘I don’t know how you found this hotel, but I suggest you leave, and quickly, before I have to find someone to escort you out. Do make myself clear?’

I blink and open and close my mouth a few times before I can form a sentence.

‘You don’t understand, he knows I’m here - he kidnapped me. I just want to-’

‘Maybe you didn’t understand,’ she interjects again. ‘You leave now, or I call security.’

Tears well in my eyes as I realise how ridiculous I sound. Of course I look like a fan girl, running around this hotel, trying to find William.

My chest suddenly constricts and I’m finding it hard to breathe properly - I spin on my heels and walk away as quickly as I can, trying to locate the door I’d just come out of. After a few minutes of frantic searching, it hits me.

I don’t know what room I was in. I don’t know how to get back. I’ll be forced from this hotel if that man and woman see me again, and I’m stuck in the middle of Birmingham with no way to get home.

I can feel myself shaking as I involuntarily start to cry - I’ve always been over emotional.

I march down the corridor, head bowed, and turn the corner to where I’d found the elevator earlier. Punching the down button and stepping inside, I let it all out, making stupid muffled wailing noises and sniffing, until the elevator lurches to a stop.

I get out and my quick walk turns into running as I cross the reception and burst out of the doors. Stopping as I reach the 6ft high wall in front of the hotel, I slide down it, shaking and blubbering, wrapping my arms around my knees and trying not to notice the cold.