I woke up with a start from a deep sleep. I looked at my sparkly guitar-alarm clock--5:07 AM. There was no way I was getting up at this time. The time zone change was definitely getting to me--back in Missouri I would have been awake—and thriving. I thought the day ahead--how it would be, no doubt, the greatest day of my life. I fell into a daydream, stumbling back to reality after I realized I had drooled on myself. There was no way I could go back to sleep after that.

I turned over on the creaky, ratty hotel bed I shared with my boyfriend. He was still in a deep sleep until I just happened to yank on his baggy shirt. He stirred, and I said softly, "Go back to sleep...it's early." He turned over to face me and says, "I don't want to go back to sleep...I'm awake now." His eyes were gazing straight into mine.

I smiled at his thoughts. "Hmm…You wanna play X-Box?"

"Okay...but I get to be the guy this time. I'm tired of the stupid cheerleader...."

xx

After playing X-Box till about 10 o'clock, he fell asleep. I turned off the TV and lay next to him on the bed, enjoying his presence. I thought of our plans in England until I fell asleep too.

My Blackberry vibrated in my jacket pocket; it was a text from my sister. I awoke from a very strange dream of Dom and I lost in London, with kangaroos following us and cupcakes falling from the sky, and looked at my phone:

Sis: Mick! Wake up! It's noon...How's Dom? Missin his fam?
Moi: He's sleepin...I'm awake...idk we haven't talked about it...

I looked over at him. His short black hair was kind of messy. He was wearing an old and wrinkly LPU6 shirt and baggy dark jeans with dirt on the bottom. It all clashed with his brand-new Mike-created kicks. It always made me smile when I think of how he sleeps in his shoes.

I watched him stir, waking up finally.

"Afternoon," I said, smirking. I caught his lips with a short but passionate kiss.

"Mmm....afternoon," he said when we parted.

I smiled. "Come on, we're meeting my sister and her fiancé at the club in half an hour."

He looked uncomfortable. "Yeah...okay…"

"Well it is the first time you're meeting them. Don't worry," I added as I kissed him again.

Xx

I went to the bathroom to get ready. Absentmindedly, I closed the door; after peeking out again, I saw that he was getting dressed. I had to fight the urge to run over to him. Closing the door, I started to work on my boring shoulder-length brownish-black hair.

After ten minutes of yanking and fighting with the flat iron, I was finally ready. I sauntered back into our room, getting ready to say something witty until I realize he wasn't in there. Thinking that he was in the lobby downstairs, I walked out the door, locked it, and took the elevator downstairs. An instrumental Melissa Ethridge song was playing. Elevator music has always irked me.

When the elevator door opened, I saw a huge crowd of people, all talking to each other. Some of the girls were in maroon cheerleader skirts with ugly, ripped fishnet stockings underneath. Most of the guys were wearing the most hideous red jerseys I had ever seen—and, of course, with matching barf-color shorts. I saw Dom in the crowd and ran over there to surprise him. I slapped his ass playfully. Then I realized--

It wasn't Dom.