Chapter 12 – Hey There Sleepy Smile!
I woke up feeling better than I had any other day. I looked at my watch; it was 11:45. Instead of getting ready, I laid in my bunk watching Paul sleep. I missed his blonde hair. I remembered back to when I painted a portrait of him, and I couldn’t get his hair color right. Those were the good days back in Maryland, before his rock star days, before the confusion and before Ayla. After a few minutes I coughed, which woke Paul up. He rubbed his eyes and tried to focus them on me.
“Hey, how long have you been awake?”
“Only about 5 minutes or so…”
“Oh, well did you have fun?” he asked.
“Of course.” I replied.
Paul put his arms around my waist and held me tight. “Stalker.” He mumbled.
I laughed, “uh huh. But that’s a good thing…better than a groupie!”
“Truuuue…”
“Enough of this…I’m hungry.” I said.
“Loser…” Paul mumbled.
I went to the back of the bus, where Benji was playing PS2.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“California…I don’t know which part.”
“Oh cool…mind if I watch?”
“No problem.” I sat down next to Benji and my head on his shoulder. “I’m glad to see things worked between you and Paul.”
“Me too…I just wish that some things didn’t happen.”
“Yeah I know what you mean, it killed me seeing you two unhappy.”
I let out a sigh. “Do you want anything to eat?”
“Nah, im good thanks.”
I walked to the front of the bus where, where Billy was watching TV.
“Hey Biller.”
“Hey Hailey, how did you sleep?”
“Great, you?” I looked into the fridge where there was no sign of human food anywhere.
“I slept ok.”
I walked over to my cell phone, which had been on the charger.
“One voicemail, I wonder who it could be.”
“We’re gonna be at the hotel soon, in like an hour or so.” Billy said.
“O ok.” I sat down and listened to my voice mail. Apparently in one night Ayla managed to get the word out that I needed a roommate. The call was from some guy named Chad looking for an apartment. I knew I would have to talk to Paul before making any decisions.
“Who was that?”
“Some dude wanting to rent out my apartment with me.”
Joel came into the front of the bus just in time to hear my last statement. “So soon?”
“Yeah…but I don’t know if I’m gonna do it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, I like living by myself…I’m gonna go back to bed. Wake me when we get to the hotel.” Walking back to my bunk I found a dog collar on the kitchen counter. I put it on, thinking no one would make a big deal of it. I hopped back up into the bunk to find Paul still sleeping.
“Hey there sleepy smile!”
“Huh? Oh hey Hailey…Alkaline Trio? Hmmmm?”
I laughed. “Yeah, I love that song.”
“Me too.” I laid against Paul and he put his arm on my waist, pulling me in closer. “I love you Hailey.”
“I love you too Paul.”
“HEY! HAS ANYONE SEEN MY DOG COLLAR??” I heard Emily yelling at everyone.
Paul traced my jaw line with his fingers and then noticed a black leather dog collar around my neck. “Hey, isn’t that Emily’s?”
“Shhh…” I giggled.
“Ok.” Paul whispered. Paul leaned in and kissed me, although I can still hear Emily in the background demanding her dog collar.
"Where's my dog col—” Emily opened up the curtain to my bunk. “...Oh, erm.... hey you two...have you seen my dog collar?” I quickly turned around in the bunk as a reaction to what she said, “...Oh my god, is that my dog collar your wearing???"
“Yes.” I giggled and closed the curtain. “Hmm...some people.”
Paul laughed. She bounced back to the living room. I heard a fake scream coming from Benji, obviously meaning Emily was molesting him again.
We got to the hotel and the boys were bombarded with fans.
“Paul, I’m gonna go to the bathroom, I’ll meet you upstairs ok?”
“Yeah. Ok.” He gave me a quick kiss and I walked to elevators. As the doors started to close I heard someone call out my name.
“Hailey!! Hailey! Wait!”
I looked up and it was Maddie. I held the doors open for her.
“What are you doing here?” I asked her while giving her a hug.
“Uhh, after you guys left I realized Joel was too good to let go, so I caught a plan ride here. I’ve been waiting for you guys all day.”
“Wow…Joel is going to be so surprised!”
“I hope…I hope.” Maddie said. “So where are the guys?”
“Signing autographs in the lobby. I told Paul I’d meet him up in the room.”
“Oh cool. Hey do you want to get something to eat?”
“Yeah, I’m starving.” I pressed the lobby button on the elevator panel.
Walking back out of the lobby we tried as hard as we could to avoid the fans. I watched as Joel looked up and saw Maddie. She walked over to him, and gave him a hug.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” Joel said.
“I know, I jumped on the next plane ride here after you guys left.”
“Wow…” Joel grabbed her and kissed her. I heard all of the fans say “Awwwww!!!” in unison. As I was laughing I saw Paul signaling me to come over to him. “He just couldn’t let Joel have a moment, could he?” I said out loud.
“No, he couldn’t” Billy responded.
“Oh hey Billy.”
“What’s up?”
“Nothing, I gotta go, Paul needs me.”
“Oh…ok.” Billy seemed disappointed.
“Sorry!” I ran over to Paul and gave him a hug. “Throughout all of this confusion, I hope I’ll somehow get to you..” I sang to Paul.
“Wow, I never knew you had such a good voice.”
I blushed and giggled. “Thank you.”
“So what are you doing now?” Paul asked.
“Getting food with Maddie. Want anything?”
“Sure.”
“Ok, great.” I jetted off before Paul could tell me what he wanted.
“How will you know what I want?”
I turned around and walked backwards “I already know, silly!” I yelled. Maddie finally caught up with me after a few minutes. “So, how was Joel?” I asked Maddie while bumping into Benji.
“Don’t you mean Joe-Elle?” Benji asked.
“That’s a good one Benj.” Maddie paused, “JOEL seemed really happy.”
“That sucks.” Benji said. “I have some loving to attend to!” Benji jetted away faster than you could say the word “fluff”. (haha Maddie)
“Awesome. So where do you want to go for food?”
“Anywhere.” Maddie replied.