Chapter Three
Howie and I looked up as AJ came running into the room with Nick on his heels.
“Yes! I won! I beat Nick at his own game!” exclaimed AJ before Nick tackled him to the ground. From his uncomfortable spot on the floor AJ continued, “Nick is loosing his touch!”
Nick shifted his weight on top of AJ before turning his attention to me.
“Chelley, you ready yet?”
“I’m ready if you are!” I followed Nick into the entertainment room and we started playing his latest game.
In case you couldn’t already notice, Nick was a real sore loser. He’d do anything to win or at least anything to not have anyone else know he lost. The second he realized there was no way he could possibly catch up to my high score, Nick abruptly paused the game. Standing, he stretched and faked a yawn.
“I’m going to take a nap before we reach New Jersey, OK?”
“No problem, Nick. I see how it is,”
Quickly, he shot his famous grin my way as I left the room. Finally, I had a chance to mess around in the mini studio --ah, my guilty pleasure. Immediately, I settled into the recording booth. What I loved most about this was I could run the whole thing by myself: I could play the beat, record my voice and then later fool around with the other aspects of producing a track. Everytime I stepped into the booth I had to laugh, me a wonderful dancer felt most at home in the recording studio. I was in no way a singer and I knew I sounded horrible which is why I usually waited until no one was around before slipping back here. With my eyes closed, I sang an original tune I had recently wrote:
I’ve been waiting for far too long
Longing to see you come and hear your voice
Touch your face
Feel your sweet embrace
I’m living here in misery until you come to rescue me
But your wasting too much time, I need you to be mine
Amazed with how the passion in my voice made the song sound, I stopped and slowly opened my eyes. The sight which greeted me could’ve very well given me a heart attack: Howie stood in the doorway. He softly began to clap and I was horrified.
“W-what are you doing here?”
“I was going to the bathroom and I heard you in here...you didn’t close the door. You sounded awesome, I think you choose the wrong profession...” he had to have noticed the look on my face to suddenly trail off. “Are you all right?”
“I come in here to be alone, I am not a singer,” I curtly replied, probably a bit too harsh judging by the disappointed look on Howie’s face as he retreated. I sat in silence for a while trying to straighten out my thoughts. I felt the bus stop and peered out the window. Going into Nick’s closet, I picked a winter coat, told AJ who was in the living room recovering, I was going on a walk and exited the bus.
It was too bad Florida didn’t have snow because I loved the way it felt beneath my feet. Snow is probably the only nice thing about traveling in the winter. Of course, the hotel was surrounded by a mall and small tourist shops and of course everybody was walking with someone else. This was something I noticed lately-- suddenly everyone became a couple. As if, it all happened overnight while I was asleep or something. How could I possibly have missed this sudden pairing up of couples? Was it just the season or could it be “true love”? Whatever it was, I didn’t want to be left out!
Why is it that each time I lose my self in a pool of thoughts Howie comes and dives in?
“Hey, Howie! What are you doing out here?”
“Just taking a walk, you?”
“Same here,”
“Mind if we walk together?”
The two of us began walking no where in particular. We enjoyed the tranquil silence for ten blocks. I counted. As we passed a Starbucks, Howie asked if I’d like to go inside.
“What do you recommend?”
“I’ve never drank in here before,” replied Howie. I smiled at the coincidence that both of us had probably never stepped foot inside Starbucks ever. Quickly, scanning the menu I suggested we order two tall hot chocolates. Howie wanted to stay and chat, but it was getting close to rehearsals and as we left the store I almost didn’t notice it-- it was so subtle. In his own sneaky way Howie had taken me on a date. He had brought me to this cafe, brought us drinks, and walked me back to the dancer tour bus whilst enduring a very interesting conversation about our lives and childhood. Departing from Howie, as I went onto the bus a huge grin crossed my face and I was glad no one was around to see it. I sat in a chair and got a sudden idea. I know I’m twenty six years old, but you’re never to old to believe in Santa, right? So, I wrote him a letter and put it in a envelope, but didn’t mail it-- I may be old, but I wasn’t stupid. I sat back peacefully, finally I could ask Santa for something worth being good 365 days for-- true love.
“MICHELLE! What are you doing in here? Did you forget about rehearsals?” questioned Nick’s annoying voice disturbing my peace. Although...it may have disturbed my peace but nothing could take that gigantic smile off my face.