groupie - h.s

chapter one

"good morning eloise what did they do? what has your country ever done for you?"
peter mcpoland

                 Occasionally there is a moment in the early morning when everything is silent. Not a single car rumbles on down the streets, lamp posts slightly flickering, and only the birds are just beginning to awake. The sun dims the darkness, shedding light with soft rays. The dewy grass was cold and wet to the touch. Everything is simple then. Spring had always been my favorite season, despite the raging allergies that came along with it.

A buzzing woke me up. Upon opening my eyes, I noticed that sweat dripped down from my forehead. I glanced over to the neon green digits that flashed on the bedside table. It was seven in the morning. Although protesting myself in the process, I shut the alarm off and forced myself to sit up. I shuffled over to the bathroom door, turning on the lights. A dingy figure stared back at me in the motel mirror. My small hands turned on the metallic faucet. I tried to convince myself that the cool water that splashed against my face would make my problems go away. They did not.

Remembering what had originally woke me up, I stumbled back onto my bed, overly exhausted. I knew I had to get moving soon if I wanted to make it on time. The motel room that I called home late last night looked the same, the only thing indicating my presence was the suitcase and bass case thrown by the bathroom and my toothbrush on the counter. My hand ran over my face, covering a yawn and rubbing my eyes in the process.

Unfortunately for me and my skin, I had not taken my makeup off last night. Rookie mistake. Sluggishly, I made my way back over to the bathroom. Using the sleeve of my shirt and a bit more water, I wiped the rest of the smudged eyeliner away from the outer corner of my eyes. I thought about washing my mouth out, but quickly decided against it as motel water did not seem that appetizing.

Gripping the edges of the shirt, I pulled it over my head and chucked it towards the bed, not caring where it landed. The rest of my clothes soon followed suit, as I tried to figure out how the shower worked. Eventually it turned on, a small victory I allowed myself to have. Despite the warming water that hit my back, I shivered. More than often, my body's default temperature was cold. So the warmth that took over was very much welcomed. Wishing I could relish in this forever, I knew I couldn't stand here for long.

After finishing my quick shower, I had an embarrassing fight with my suitcase, almost losing the towel wrapped lazily around me in the process. I should've kept everything organized, especially for moments like these, although I could honestly not be bothered to fix it. After a humiliating amount of time, I finally picked clothes I found worthy. Although the tights had a few holes, it matched the aesthetic of the small skirt I decided upon. A skimpy camisole that stopped just short of my belly button adorned my chest, a black faux neck long sleeve underneath.

Wishing I had been less reckless with my belongings, I begrudgingly picked up my things around the room, stubbing my toe against the corner of the bed frame in the process. If my mother heard the profanities that left my mouth, I'm sure she'd have a heart attack. By the end of my cleaning up, I knew I needed to get in shape. How could I be so out of breath? Shrugging it off, I threw my rather large jacket over my shoulders, bracing myself for the cool April morning.