The Stale Taste of Recycled Air

I knew that bloody Brandy was a bad idea. Here I was, left with two completely plastered rock stars, dribbling and leaning on me in the elevator.
"Erin I fucking love you!" Billie yelled slobbering across my cheek.
"Thanks Bill," I groaned, hoisting him up onto my left shoulder.
"I love her too Bill," Tre spat, drool emerging from his lip. "You best marry her ass so I can be best man."
"YEAH!" Billie yelled, "Marry me Erin, please Marry me now!" Billie stumbled and I heaved him up with all my might, very amused at the situation at hand.

The elevator stopped at our floor, by now they had passed out on each of my shoulders. Flinging them on the floor outside the elevator I rolled Tre over, he had started snoring and I burst out laughing at how cute he looked. I took his key from his trouser pocket and desperately tried to heave him up from the ground. It was no good, he was too damn heavy. I sighed and trotted a few doors down to Mike's room.

I knocked softly on the door.
He opened it in a few seconds, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
"You okay Erin?"
"I'm sorry Mike, but my parents decided to give Tre and Billie their own body weight in flipping Ararat Brandy and now they are passed out. Could you give me a hand?"

Mike chuckled softly stretching his arms out. "Sure."
He followed me to the elevator and burst out laughing at the two of them collapsed on the floor and drooling on the carpet.
"Oh my, how sexy," he chuckled, helping me heave Tre up and dragging him to his room.
"Thanks for this Mike." I grinned through the strain.
"No probs," He hissed back through his teeth.

We heaved Tre up onto the bed and I took his tie off as Mike removed his shoes.
"Is Britt okay?" I whispered as we both stripped Tre of his Jacket and tip toed from his room.
"Yeah, thanks." Mike smiled at me as Tre produced a loud snore from inside his room.
We both laughed and shut the door carefully. "She was just a bit upset that's all. I felt a bit embarrassed at her behaviour."
I shook my head, "It's fine, shit happens."

Mike smiled at me as we both grabbed one of Billie's arms and lifted him to mine and his room. He was considerably lighter than Tre.
"So are your parents leaving early tomorrow or?"
"Yeah they are going to get an early flight to Athens, well they are supposed to be, they are so pissed they probably won't make it." I sighed as we shoved the door open and dragged Billie to the bed.
"They seem to like Billie." He smiled scratching his head.
"Yeah they really do." I grinned back. We lugged Billie onto the bed; Mike yawned and made for the door of our room.
"Thanks again Mike, I don't know what I would of done." I shook my head rather amused.
"Hired a crane for Tre probably," he laughed, "Anyway, night Erin, see you tomorrow."
"Night Mike." I yawned too as his mouth stretched.
"Oh, Erin..." Mike turned around as he left the room.
"I don't know what you and Britt had a chat about but she seems a hell of a lot happier...so... err... thanks." He grinned before walking off down the corridor.

I shut the door and turned to Billie who had just groaned softly on the bed. Approaching him in the faint bed side light he looked angelic. His adorable little face was so peaceful. I slightly regretted pumping him full of extra strong brandy as we couldn't talk about the revelations that Brittany had announced. But all the same, I was thankful that I could see him in a different yet drunken state. I leaned over him and took off his shoes, placing them carefully on the floor. Moving upwards to the top of the bed, I slowly removed his tie, watching his chest rise and fall heavily. As I removed his jacket I focused on his face. How his perfect lips fitted together, his sharp cheekbones and brilliantly long eyelashes. The smudged eyeliner around his eyes framed his endearing little nose and his hair stuck out wildly begging for my hand to caress it. I bent down and kissed his forehead softly, the smell of Brandy trouncing my nostrils and I chuckled to myself.

"I warned you about the brandy," I whispered as I wrapped my arm around his torso, fingering the loose fabric of his shirt. I nuzzled my nose into his neck, smiling sweetly at having him so vulnerable and all to myself.
"Hey..." he croaked, the vibrations of his words running through my body.
"Hi." I smiled back, "How's the brandy boy?" I sat up, leaning down to him. He chuckled softly eyes closed and smiling.
"Not so good," He whined, rubbing my arms.
"Told you so Mr. Ararat." I smiled kissing his cheek; he made a soft humming noise lazily, flickering his eyelids before snapping them shut.

He pulled me down to his chest and I softly rested upon his ribcage, rising slowly with every fall of his breathing.
"MMMM, just stay while I suffer," He whispered shifting his head backwards onto the pillow. I closed my eyes, not bothering to undress, not wanting to move from my cocooned position in his arms, I giggled to myself as my mind flickered to his drunken proposal in the elevator. I shivered as I realised that if we were both stone cold sober I would have said yes, despite everything I would happily lay here every night for the rest of my life in his arms.

I groaned as my phone rang out next to me.
"Eurgh...I'll kill Adele, why put 50 cent as a ring tone... "
'Many men, many, many, many, many men Wish death upon me Lord I don't cry no more Don't look to the sky no more Have mercy on me'
I made an irritating noise in my throat and my mind clicked, yeah many men want me dead, i.e. Adi.

I crawled up from Billie's chest and he shifted to his side, smiling slightly. I looked at my phone, the alarm read, G AND P LEAVE FOR AIRPORT.
I took the key from the bedside table and dashed out the room down the corridor to G and P's room, knocking forcefully P answered. I breathed a sigh of relief to see they were up and ready, but looking very worse for wear. G had huge bug sunglasses framed with crystal things around her eyes.
"You okay?" I chuckled as G sighed.
"I can't handle drink anymore."

Helping them move their luggage into the elevator I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My hair was knotted and resembled a bird's nest, my eye make up was smudged down my cheek and my dress was creased. I could see G biting her tongue and I giggled in my throat. As we entered the lobby, the bell boy took the cases and hollered for a cab.

I turned to my parents, they looked completely exhausted.
"Tell Billie a million thanks." G smiled.
I grinned back, "If P hadn't of pumped him and Tre full of Brandy he would be here instead of passed out in the room."
P chuckled, "Sorry about that, he did enjoy it though I'll send him some."
I rolled my eyes, "Okay."
"I told him that whenever he gets time off you and him should come and stay with us for a bit."
I nodded, "It is hard for him to... "
"I know." P nodded, "Well, we must be off."
"Thanks P." I grinned as he pulled me in for a bear hug.
"Glad to see you've found a nice boy," He whispered in my ear, "not like that pussy Will."

I burst out laughing, getting quite teary eyed as I always did having to say goodbye to my parents.
"Bye Erin." G grinned pulling me in for a hug and kiss, she smelled like Channel No. 5 like she always did.
"Be good, and well, I do like Billie lots and his little friend Tre, say goodbye for me." She sighed rubbing my back.

I followed them out into the street and waved their cab off down the road.
Tears slowly falling from my eyes I sniffed frustrated that I got upset again with them leaving. No matter how much I complained about them, they were still my parents whom I loved and them being thousands of miles away in Greece did hurt me slightly.

Creeping back into the room I heard the convulsions of vomiting form the bathroom. I cringed and smiled to myself.
"Billie!" I shouted out walking to the on-suite to see him leaning over the toilet.
"Sweetie are you okay?" I asked grabbing a chair and moving it next to the toilet, stroking his hair softly.
He nodded; eyes shut tight clutching the rim of the bowl. I withheld a giggle and moved to fill up a glass of water for him.
He flushed the chain and sat on his feet gasping,
"Thanks." He quivered, taking the glass and gulping at it I held him tightly and he leaned back against my body groaning.
"Christ that brandy packs a kick."
I laughed, "You stink."
Billie grinned, "Really? You love my manly smell." He grabbed me, forced me down and sat on me; I felt the cold floor rush up through my body.

I grinned at him as he stroked my cheek.
"Look at the state of me." I sighed running my fingers under my eyes.
"You look beautiful." He sighed looking down at me.
"You are still drunk, last night was chaotic."
"I'm not drunk, I feel better after having thrown up everywhere. Did P and G go then?"
"Yeah, they looked like shit too. They kept saying 'say Bye to Billie' 'say thanks to Billie'."
He chuckled, "I like them."
"They like you lots; G was making drunken passes at you last night?"
Billie threw his head back and laughed, "Really? Wow," he gasped.
"Hey!" I frowned hitting him playfully, "She liked Tre more."
Billie smiled at me, "Tre will be made up he said G was a MILF."
"Oh god." I sighed, clutching my head.

Billie leaned down and sniffed his shirt, "God I DO stink. What does my housekeeper suggest?"
"I suggest..." I grinned evilly at him, "... that you take a bath in that ridiculously sized tub."
Billie smiled, "What time is it?"
"Err, 7."
"Hmmm, kinky, morning baths, I like it lots. I need you to wash me though; it would make me feel so much better."
I grinned, "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." He grinned filling up the tub as I got off the floor.
"I don't know about that, I'm not trained to deal with contaminated waste."
Billie laughed, "I'm too toxic too touch eh?" He giggled sliding his hands down his body comically.
"Yeah you are since you have just thrown up everywhere."
He shook glancing at the toilet, "I'm not contaminated anymore now then am I? I need some TLC."
"The girl group?"
"No you."

I picked up a bottle of smelly bath stuff and poured the whole thing in as the water filled the bath.
"It smells of sick." I chuckled as Billie raised his eyebrows at me, expecting me to reply to his previous comment. I stayed silent and suddenly he grabbed me and flung me in the foaming water. I gasped as I bobbed up from the froth to see Billie diving in and splashing water everywhere.
"You tit! This dress is dry clean only!"
He laughed, "You sound like G."
I grabbed my mouth in horror, "Oh god no really?"
"I was joking," he giggled, kissing my forehead and fingering my dress that had stuck tight to my body.

He rolled it up over my head and flung it across the floor, it made a SPLAT! Sound on the tiles and we both chuckled. I pulled my shoes off and chucked them across the room before moving over to Billie and unbuttoning his shirt. Our eyes met intensely as I came to the last button and peeled back the cotton to reveal his naked torso; tattoo's shining in the water. Billie took up the shirt and tossed that out the tub, it splattered also as it hit the tiles. This time we didn't chuckle, the atmosphere between us was tense, the want burning in my stomach drove me mad and as he looked at me with eyes that screamed yearning I felt my heart thud in my chest and my mouth become dry. I slowly moved my hand down to his crotch. Intent on not kissing him yet, fixed on focusing at one thing at a time instead of the mad desperate rush it was every other time we fucked.

I slowly pulled down the zip to his pants and began to peel them down his legs; he groaned and leaned against the wall of the tub. Water exploded everywhere as I cleared the pants from his body and chucked them on the floor. Slowly, I waded my way towards him, smiles fixated on our faces. He leaned in to kiss me but I pulled away, taking all my strength to move from those precious lips of his.
His hair had become stuck to his head making his face more prominent than ever. I reached forward slowly, brushing my fingers against his torso then moving my hand up around his neck, before leaning in and kissing the warm skin there harshly, sucking at it slightly as he groaned unable to resist contact any longer and grabbing my body and pulling me onto his lap. I pulled my finger through his hair as I looked down at him. My stomach contorting in knots at the intense look in his eyes.

"I thought you were too hung-over to do anything." I smirked.
"Like a silly little throbbing in my head can keep me from you." He grinned, running his hands up my thighs and to my hips, I gasped at the feeling of his hands and he smiled as I forced my self down on top of him, water splashed as he fought for control and forced me under so he was on top. He smiled at me as I twisted his hair within my fingers and he lazily caressed my thigh.

His nose brushed mine, all I wanted was him to kiss me, I wanted to feel his lips against mine I wanted to taste his mouth so badly it hurt.
"Kiss me," I moaned, not caring if it sounded pleading.
He grinned and pressed his lips against mine, my stomach exploded as I felt him explore my mouth, I pulled his head closer, desperate to have more of him.

Dozing on the bed encased in Billie's arms, a faint knocking erupted on the door. I got up and threw one of Billie's t-shirts on and went to answer it. It was Adele.
"Hey." I smiled leaning on the door, grinning evilly, she looked green, her skin was waxen and her eyes were dark.
"Hey," She croaked back, "Please say that you have some pills to cure this shit."
I giggled at her, "Yeah I have pills..." I turned walking back into the room. "Wait there... " I turned back as she tried to follow me."
"Why?" she asked shifting her weight against the wall.
"Billie's is asleep and not dressed."

She snapped up from her support, "What? Wow...err I mean, what? I thought that you two... "
"You missed a lot last night Del." I smiled handing her the pills.
"Oh God, I remember yelling at Britt then following her onto the street and... " she stopped searching her brain to try and remember.
"And then you passed out and Tre took you back to your room." She clutched her head, "I fucking hate Steamboats."
"Hmmm, well I'll update you; I and Billie still need to talk about the whole 'teacher' thing. Britt came and apologised to me and G and P have gone home. They don't know anything about the whole argument so don't spill your mouth." I sighed clutching my head. My brain too fatigued to function properly. She nodded, stuffing the pills down her throat.
"Gotanywater?" She muffled through closed lips.

I ran to fill her up a glass and handed it to her.
"P.S," I began, "I know you were only trying to help me but for God's sake did you have to do that in the restaurant?"
"I'm sorry." She sighed, gulping down the remains of the water. "I was drunk."
"Just a bit." I shivered feeling the cold against my bare legs.
"Yeah so anyway Adele, you have to apologise to Britt for acting the way you did... AS SHE HAS TO DO TO YOU!" I yelled through her attempted interruption.
"Okay, okay." She waved up her hand in defeat.
"Thanks for my great wake up call by the way," I snarled at her.
"50 Cent, many, many, many, many men," She sang through her croaky throat, laughing softly.
"Well, we need to all pack, on the way back to your room pop in and thank Tre for looking after you last night."
She grinned back, "I will."
"Hey Erin."
"What?"
"Just let me have a sneak peak at Billie, come on, I won't tell anyone... "
"Bye Adele."
"Erin come on..."
I giggled as I shut the door.

Later on at breakfast I noticed Adele came down late, I glanced at Brittany who began chewing her lip frenziedly at my cousin's appearance. Tre, who looked like death from the brandy, Mike and Billie all simultaneously left to start packing and I rolled my eyes at how men seem to only pick up signals when it's easiest for them, I was quite surprised that they scarped I would have thought that at least would have stayed and laughed . Brittany swallowed and mouthed, 'please stay' across the table at me. I was quite taken aback at her request but smiled nevertheless and sat finishing off my coffee.
"Morning," Adele sighed, sitting down with a coffee and toast.
"Morning," I replied looking at Brittany who had put down her coffee cup delicately.
"Adele..." she began.
"I'm gonna beat you to it Brittany, I'm sorry." Adele sighed buttering her toast. Brittany smiled at her.
"I'm sorry too."

I sat there awkwardly as the silence followed. It felt like they were saying it as a matter of principal rather than genuinely meaning it.
"Oh my god right Brittany, yesterday we saw this Seagull and it was enormous... " Adele snapped starting to talk to her like nothing had ever happened between them. I sighed and rose from my seat.
"I'll catch you later."

I grinned, leaving swiftly, shaking my head that I had even considered their apologies to have anything behind them, especially when it comes to Adele who gets excited about Cadbury's chocolate frogs.
Billie had nearly finished packing as I entered the hotel room.
"Hey." I smiled, sitting on the bed.
"Hey." He grinned back, scratching his head and sitting down next to me.
"You ready to go?"
"Yeah," I answered sighing. "It's been eventful."
"It has." He chuckled taking my hand from the duvet it was resting on.
"You've learned a lot about me on this trip haven't you?" He sighed, not looking at me.
"Well, you've learned a lot about me, the fact that I have screwy snobby parents and a cousin who causes mayhem whilst drunk."
Billie chuckled softly, "you're avoiding it."

I smiled back; he knew I was avoiding it, 'it' being the whole thing affair with the teacher. I was avoiding it last night when he woke up for a moment from his drunken stupor, and I had avoided it this morning when we did it in the bath. I didn't want to talk about his affair with the teacher, I didn't want to listen to this thing that would hurt me, and I didn't want to hate him.
"In the bath..." he grinned "it was different, more intense, do you think...do you think it's because, you knew it was the last time?"
I looked at him shocked, "What?"
"Well I'm guessing that you'll probably not want to see me after... "
"Well, you need to tell me everything before I go and make assumptions."

I heave a sigh clutching his hand. My body shook as he let go of my tight grip and stared at the floor.
"Now?" he asked.
"Well, it's been put off long enough."
"You don't want to wait till we get back?"
"You brought it up, you may as well finish." I found myself folding my arms and listening, it reminded me of how I and Will broke up, and I jumped at my thoughts. Part of me thought this would end us and the other part screamed that this would not break me and Billie up.
"Okay, well... err, so I wasn't exactly in the best state of mind. I mean I had to start writing songs again and I didn't know how I was going to write better songs than the last album and... " He sighed screwing up his face as if he'd tried to block the memory out.
"Okay and then I and Adi were fighting, over everything over ridiculous things like when Adele picked that fight over the gelato last night, stuff like that." I nodded; listening to his words intently and watching his eyes squint as he spoke.
"So anyway, I think it was having an effect on Joey, especially at school and I had to go in and see his teacher. She was new, not even that pretty, but she, I don't know, she asked me to go to her place to talk about Joey's grades. I knew it was a pass at me, but I still went, one thing led to another whilst we were talking and it just happened, we did it on her couch. The guilt was horrible, she kept trying to call me and I explained to her that it was a mistake; I was married, that night I was depressed, a little drunk. But she kept calling, threatening to go to the papers and everything, anyway she eventually stopped calling. But Adi went to pick the kids up from school one day and she called her in her classroom and told her. Said, I'd asked to go to her house and everything. Then it all escalated, I was so stupid."

He stopped and looked at me, his eyes watery. My heart snapped, I was confused, I didn't hate him, I felt sorry for him.
"I dread going near that school, in case she comes out or even tells Joey. He moved classes, I rang the principal and asked her to move Joe and she did it, no fuss. But every time I go there... " he drifted unable to find words.
I knew I had to say something, to reassure him, but I couldn't find the words. I couldn't open my mouth, he just looked at me and I knew he was trying to read my face.
"You...I understand if when we get back... "
"Billie, from what you have just told me it sounds like one mistake that's escalated."
"So what? Does that... ?"
"Well it means that... " I sighed; I couldn't leave him for something that didn't affect me, whether it made me feel like shit or not. "I'll keep being your housekeeper if you want me too."

A grin spread on his lips and he leaned in towards me,
"You are too good to be true; I'm never letting you go Erin Kenyon." He giggled kissing me harshly like he really meant his words.
It felt different kissing him, it felt more trusting, I knew his dark little secret now and I was surprised that I didn't hate him for it. I thought I would bellow and scream and never speak to him again. But there was something about him, always something to make my heart melt and forgive him, hold him, love him more than ever.