Andrew awoke with a start. His eyes flew open and darted around his hotel room. He sighed and rolled over. ‘Stupid new room,' He thought to himself. ‘How is that I can never seem to wake up knowing where I am?'
Andrew sat up in bed and glanced at the digital clock-radio on the bedside table. It read 5:00. ‘Five AM?' Andrew thought incredulously. ‘Five-fucking-AM!' He rubbed his eyes and decided he might as well get up and go for a run, or maybe a swim if this hotel had a pool.
As he started to get dressed, Andrew thought back to the night before. He had barely had a chance to really talk to Grace, but he had heard about everything that happened after the concert from his friend Kristen. Grace had gotten in a fight with Lou and Howie and had announced to everyone that she would be leaving the tour. It barely made sense considering she hadn't even been back a day.
‘Oh well,' He thought. ‘I'll probably get a chance to see her sometime today. She was probably just angry last night.' Andrew pulled on a pair of old running shoes and left his hotel room.
Andrew walked down the hall, toward the elevators. Just as he was about to turn the corner into the elevator foyer, he heard a noise. It was kind of like a scratching sound. Curious, Andrew walked past the foyer and around another corner. There, he saw a familiar, young womyn shoving something white under a hotel room door.
Andrew's eyebrows creased. "Grace?" He asked. She turned her head in surprise as Andrew walked down the hall toward her. "What are you doing?"
"I'm giving Lou my resignation," Grace said softly. She sounded very unsure of herself. "I'm suppose to give two weeks notice but I'm asking them to wave that, because I haven't even worked with them for more than three weeks."
Andrew couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was outright lying to him. ‘You're her friend,' He reminded himself, quelling the slight urge to be angry. ‘She's made her choice and she needs your support. Maybe she just needs a reminder that you are her friend.'
"Actually, you've been working with them for over a month," He told her. Her face changed to one of someone who had been caught in the act. Andrew continued. "You've been on since a few shows before the North American tour. Even before Nova jumped on board. Obviously you've forgotten, but that's what you told me . . ."
Grace sighed, resigning herself to the fact that he was right. She shook her head slightly. "I don't even remember telling you that . . ."
Andrew bit his lip. He wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her and demand why she wanted to lie to him, why she had to leave the tour. Instead he just tapped his own head in explanation. "Photographic memory, I see words." He paused, thinking. "Were you just going to leave without saying goodbye?"
He watched as his friend's face broke into a smile of relief. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Bye Andrew," She said into his ear. Was there a hint of sadness in that voice? Maybe . . . "I'll miss you!" She continued. "You were my first ever male roommate! Even if I couldn't stay with you last night . . . or the last three weeks . . ." Now he could definitely hear melancholy in her words.
Andrew frowned. There was obviously no use in trying to convince her to stay for a chat. She probably had a plane to catch. He might as well say goodbye to her now. He thought back to those few times he had spoken with her over the phone while she was in the hospital. Everyone was so busy, including him. He couldn't have talked with her more than five times, and now she was leaving. Andrew mentally chastised himself and decided to be a bit light. He could at least wish her a goodbye with a smile. She deserved that much. "Aye lassie, but I was still your first!" He gave her a big squeeze. "And I will miss you!"
Grace pulled away and punched him lightly on the arm. "See ya around the galaxy!" She joked. They were both Trekkies.
Grace turned and walked down the hallway, leaving Andrew to rub his arm softly. ‘The girl is strong as hell,' He mentally noted. ‘I wish she would learn her own strength . . .'
After a few minutes of just standing in the hallway, thinking. Andrew decided that he might as well continue with his plans and go out for a run. He desperately needed to clear his head. Andrew walked to the elevator foyer and after pushing the button, waited for an elevator. Suddenly he heard a muffled sob and a stomping of feet. He turned to see Cora enter the elevator foyer. She looked very upset, verging on sobs. Upon seeing Andrew, she drew a quick breath and visibly tried to calm herself.
Andrew's eyes grew wide as he summed up her emotional state. Although they weren't good friends, Andrew did know Cora and thought she was a nice person, not to mention a great performer. He felt an instant concern for her. "Cora - Are you? I mean - what's wrong?" He asked. He moved to her and held her upper arms to steady her. "Are you alright?"
Cora was silent. She nodded slightly, but wouldn't meet his eyes. "What's wrong?" Andrew repeated, more softly.
"I-I-I don't know, what to do," Cora sobbed slightly. "I wasn't- I mean I shouldn't have-"
Andrew searched her face for something more, something to explain why she was so upset. "Cora, calm down." Andrew told her firmly. "What happened?"
"I," Cora sniffled. She met Andrew's gaze and took a deep, shaky breath. Her eyes closed as she exhaled. She tried to speak, but the lump in her throat turned her voice to a squeak. She opened her eyes and looked at Andrew. His face was filled with concern. "I-" She started again. She made a vague hand motion. "With . . . Nick. The group - I can't. And Alison - She doesn't know. No." Her words brought fresh tears, but as Andrew's strong arms wrapped around her, she quickly calmed down.
Andrew thought he understood now, but he wasn't sure. "Cora," He spoke softly and calmly. "I think you need to talk to Grace. If we hurry we can still catch her in the lobby."
Cora looked a bit confused, then nodded quickly. The elevator arrived.
By the time the elevator reached the lobby, Cora was far more calm. Her face was still red from crying, her clothes were wrinkled and her hair a tangled mess, but she at the very least was breathing normally.
As the elevator dinged and the door opened, Cora spoke. "I didn't sleep last night. I just walked around Cleveland." She paused as she turned to him. "Actually, I um - I rode one of those late night tour buses for a few hours and um, then I walked around . . ."
Andrew tried not to let his eyes pop out. "Weren't you worried about yourself?"He stepped out of the elevator and pulled her along beside him.
Cora shook her head. "I didn't care . . . But I'm female. I knew I could take care of myself no matter what happened . . ."
As they walked out of the foyer, Andrew pointed across the lobby. Grace had just finished checking out and she was about to walk out the doors. Andrew gave Cora's arm a reassuring squeeze and turned away. He could hear Cora calling for Grace as he turned a corner and headed out the back entrance.
Andrew finished his jog with a satisfying sprint and ran his hands through his chestnut brown hair. It felt good to out run everything. For a brief time he could get away from it all. Andrew walked past the empty patio area and into the front doors of the lobby. He glanced at a nearby clock. It was nearly 6:00 am. He still had a good half hour before he even had to be awake.
Andrew went up to his room and had a refreshing shower. His mind began to wander back to what Cora had said to him. ‘Did she and Nick sleep together? Is that what she was saying?' He wondered. He stepped out of the shower and toweled himself dry. He remember when Grace had first asked him what he thought of Howie. He hadn't really known what to tell her. Andrew had worked with The Boys as a back up dancer on other tours, but even then, he didn't really know Howie. He had finally told her that Howie seemed like a good guy to him, but to be careful. In fact, Andrew could almost remember his exact words: ‘With famous people, relationships get more complicated and it's not usually them who end up crying . . .' His thoughts echoed in his head. He stared at himself in the mirror. How true those words were for Cora . . .
Andrew slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of his nice, quiet hotel room . . . and into chaos.
Howie was coming down the hall. "Where is she?" He demanded of Lou. Howie was near frantic. "Do you realize that we have no way of finding her?" Howie asked Lou. "She left her cell phone here. There are no flights out of Cleveland to her home!' Howie paused as Lou stared at him. "I checked!" Howie snapped. "Besides," He continued, shaking his head. "I don't think she'd just go home anyway . . ."
Andrew took a deep breath and brushed past Howie. He speed walked past the other people in the halls; Nick, Lou, a few crew members, a member of SHE . . . Andrew headed for the elevators.
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