Solstice

Chapter Four

Sophie was busying herself with the bed sheets as she tried to ignore the sound of the footsteps coming from the stairwell. She tried to ignore the sound of footsteps that were coming from the stairwell. She tried to focus her mind on the hospital corners that her mother had drummed into her since she was seven years old and not on the key turning in the door of the Sun Suite. She hadn't come down from the high she got from the earlier conversation she had had with her musical hero. All afternoon she had been singing theatre songs in her own way, rocking them up to suit her voice and hoping that some agent would hear her through the wide open windows. As she heard the door close, Sophie decided to start singing again. Her melodic yet edgy voice filled the room and floated through the slightly ajar door. When she heard more footsteps she stopped suddenly and craned her head to try and identify who they belonged to. There was definitely more than one set and Sophie released that she had no idea who they were.

"Mum?" Sophie called out slightly shaking. "Elizabeth?" she called out again in the vain hope that the singer in the next room would hear her. In her nineteen years on the planet, Sophie could honestly say that nothing had spooked her... until now. She clutched the pillow she was holding tightly to her chest as she tried to control her breathing. As the footsteps drew nearer, Sophie could feel herself shaking and the clattering of her beads of her bangles betrayed this anyone who would walk through the door at that very moment.

"Well hello, pretty lady," Ricky said as he pushed the door fully open. Sophie's mouth dropped open as the corners of her lips involuntary curled into a smile.

"Oh my God!" she squealed as she dropped the pillow she was holding onto to.

Elizabeth was trying to concentrate on organising her new wardrobe when she heard the rumpus coming from next door. She had tried singing to herself but the singing from the next room put paid to that. Combined with the thundering footsteps coming up from the stairs this made Elizabeth angrier than she should have been. She threw her new clothes in frustration sending them flying across her freshly made bed. She pulled off the clothes that Victoria had given her and grabbed the dressing gown and wrapped it around her tightly. She tightened her ponytail and took a deep breath before gripping the door handle. With another deep breath, she flung the door open almost sending her new toiletries flying off the dressing table.

Once outside her room, Elizabeth was met with the sight of Sophie giggling and laughing with the four men that had been downstairs earlier. Sophie seemed to be enjoying the attention but not so much from the quieter one of the four who seemed to be quite enamoured with her. Poor, delusional children, Elizabeth thought to herself as she stood in the doorway. She watched the scene unfold before her taking particular attention of the lead singer. She hadn't noticed the way his eyes danced when he laughed. They were the colour of the sea outside her window sprinkled with little flecks almost like diamonds, which is the best metaphor that Elizabeth could come up with right now amidst everything. She leant against the door, steadying herself with her hand. Yes, he was cute, but he was so up himself and ...

"Elizabeth!" Sophie said excitedly as she spotted the singer in the doorway. Elizabeth resisted the temptation to roll her eyes but instead smiled politely and raised her hand in a small wave.

"Hello, Sophie." The singer said as she crept back into her room suddenly conscious of the fact that she was only wearing underwear and a dressing gown. Ricky also turned his head in Elizabeth's direction which made her, even more, self-conscious.

"What's the matter?" Sophie asked as she walked over to her heroine. Elizabeth crept back into the room a little further so much so that only her head and hands were visible. "Come and meet the boys."