Before I Fall
Chapter 38
Bella's Journal
I watched as the rain pattered on the windows. I could hear Ian in the other room laughing at a text from a girl he had met online a month ago. I sighed; I would never get 16-year-olds, not at 14.
I hated England, too much rain, nothing to do, no one to talk to. We had been here a little over a year and the place still hadn't grown on me as my dad said it would. I couldn't wait till we moved, anywhere else.
I ran my fingers over the cold dusty window pain as I heard a woman yelling at my father because there were no dry towels in her room when she had asked for them five minutes ago. Another laugh from Ian and a bang from the front desk finally pulled me away from the window as I turned to watch what was going on. My dad had the angry woman and one of the maids both standing there and it seemed like things were settling down. Great, there went my entertainment.
Just then the door opened and two boys about 17 or 18 walked in holding guitar cases and pulling suitcases. I watched as they went up to the front desk just as the angry lady left. I watched as one complained about the weather and the far off hotel and the other looked over to me. I smiled and I could have sworn he smiled back. My dad handed them card keys and they left the lobby. I jumped up and walked over to my dad.
"Who were they?" I asked as calmly as I could.
"Two members of some big shot band here," my father answered. "And don't you think about bothering them. They are here to stay away from crazed fans, not to get bugged by the manger's daughter."
I nodded, understanding my place. Looking back towards the window, I decided that I wasn't getting out of this place today, so I started back to our room, passing Ian on the way. As if he knew what I wanted to do, he shook his head. I stuck my tongue out at him.
Standing outside our door, I watched the room I knew my dad gave one of the rock star boys. It was one of the nicest rooms in the stupid place. He wouldn't have given them one of the other rooms unless they asked. I stood there and stared for a good two hours, listening to the rain pound on the roof of the three story cabin like building. Finally the door opened and the quiet boy who had looked at me walked out. I smiled as he saw me.
"Hi," he said with a small smile. Then in the kind of voice you used when talking to a kid or a dog he asked, "Do you know where the vending matching are?"
Now upset, I said, "Down the hall to the left," my voice showing off my new annoyance at the treatment.
As he walked down the hall, I slid down the door and leaned my head back with a small bonk. What was I doing? I was 14, he was like 18. He was some big musician and I was just a little kid in a hotel. Why would he even want to pay any attention to me? Why was I even paying attention to him? It wasn't like I had ever done anything like this before. I closed my eyes and listened to the rain that never let up. That's right; I was stuck, where I had never been stuck before.
"Hey," I heard. I opened my eyes to see the quiet rock star boy looking down on me again. "You ok?"
"Just board," I answered. "It rains a lot here. Can't really do anything when it's raining here."
He smiled then, taking a sip from his bottle of soda and asking, "Do you want to hear a song?"
Not thinking, I nodded, quickly standing up and following him into his room. It was a nice room, large bed, large bathroom, large TV, a lounge chair and a couch. The only thing different than the last time I had been in there was the open suitcase on the bed, guitar on the couch, and song sheets scattered on the floor. The boy closed the door and sat on the couch, picking up the guitar.
"I'm Andy, by the way, Andrew for my fans, but Andy for everyone else," He introduced himself.
"I'm Bella," I introduced with a smile, sitting cross legged in front of Andy like a little kid getting ready for story time.
I watched as he pulled his pick from his guitar. He strummed a few notes before starting up with a fast beat song about breaking up with a girl who cheated on him. He was pretty good and I was entranced by the music, the words, the actual meaning in the song. When he was finished, I clapped and he laughed at me.
"How old are you, Bella?" He asked, leaning down so that he was more on my level.
"14," I answered proudly.
"Well, Bella, you ever sing before?" As he said this, he picked up a sheet of music and handed it to me. I looked at it, barley able to read the notes, but understanding the words well.
"You want me to sing?" I asked surprised by the request. "Because I haven't sung since I was a lot younger. I don't know how good I'll be."
"It doesn't matter; I just want to hear you." And with that Andy started to play the song. I took another quick look at the lyrics before starting to sing them. Andy face went blank. I was afraid he was going to stop because I was bad or not what he was expecting, but he kept playing till the end of the song. Then he just looked at me a minute before saying, "And you're 14."
"I'm sorry, was I bad?" I wanted to cry and run out. This was so embarrassing.
"No… Good, really good," He said with obvious shock in his voice. "And you said you don't sing." I shook my head. "Well you should."
Just then the door slammed open and Ian rushed in. He took me by the arm and looked to Andy and yelled, "What do you think you are doing with my little sister?"
"Dude, I was just playing a song for her," Andy said with a laugh.
"Well, I don't want you around her again. Come on, Bella." Then Ian dragged me out of the room. I took one last look at a confused Andy just as the door was closing. As soon as it was closed Ian looked to me and said, "Don't go in his room, or anyone else's room alone again, do you understand. I don't want to lose you to some creep who thinks it might be fun to take a little girl."
I nodded, looking back at Andy's door. He wasn't the bad guy, I know that now. I wasn't the one who had to worry.