Band On The Run

The Man Who Sold The World

In that moment of confusion, the door of my bedroom chose to swing open.

The almost indiscernible movement of the hinges had me wincing and throwing my hands over my eyes as a light poured into the room. I didn’t know what hurt more the sound paired with light or my sudden movement.

“Shit,” Nick swore and I heard the door close quickly behind him. “Sorry, Keel, I didn’t think you were awake yet.

Incredulously I pulled my hands away from my eyes and stared at him.

I thought maybe if I blinked, he’d be gone.

It had to be a dream, after the way I’d treated him and his friends yesterday, he shouldn’t be here.

Yet I blinked pointedly, and he was still there. I even repeated the process and he was still standing in the doorway.

There he was. His brown hair brushed to the side, those dark brown eyes fixed on me in concern while wearing a pair of light blue pyjama pants that hung on his hips and a white tee shirt. And though I’d been so surprised to see him, as I stared at him, I found the shock wearing off.

Who else would it be? The only two other people willing to go through that much trouble for me were Toby and Jay, and I don’t think they’d ever gone inside a bar like the ones I was performing at. Of course it would be Nicholas. God, he was much too nice and considerate for someone like me.

“It’s okay,” I finally murmured with wide eyes, but then I caught the sound of my voice and grimaced.

He sent me a hesitant smile, still standing a careful distance away just in front of the door just in case he had to make a quick escape. “I brought you coffee and Advil,” he told me, holding up the mug and a travel sized bottle in the other.

Just the thought paired with the adorable grin that crinkled his eyes made my heart melt, but also send a shot of pain through it, making my eyes prick with tears, but I valiantly held them back. “Thanks,” I smiled, my voice sounding slightly thick.

The hesitancy in his smile finally fled at my words and the soft tone of voice, and it took on a relieved appearance as he padded quietly to the edge of my bed, sitting on the corner. Staring at him cautiously, after all I’m sure my behaviour from yesterday wasn’t going to be let go that easily even it was Nick; I pushed slowly upwards so I was leaning against the headboard even though my head protested at the movement.

“Here,” he said, passing me the two pills and I instantly took them, placing them on my tongue before grabbing the coffee and swallowing deeply.

“Thank you,” I repeated, looking at him intently over the coffee mug. I wasn’t one for talking about my emotions too deeply, but I think he understood that my words were for more than just the coffee and medicine, because he smiled at me gently.

Shuffling slightly away from him, I silently patted the empty space in the bed beside me.

Understanding the invitation, Nick swung his legs over the side of the bed and even though the movement caused a squeak that my head didn’t appreciate, I didn’t mind too much. I just wanted to be close to him again, I had to be bipolar or else there was something seriously wrong with me, because my emotions were flinging all over the place these days.

Naturally he placed his arm behind my head, hooking it around my shoulders and I moved towards him, sighing at the human closeness. Maybe he didn’t understand and couldn’t help me in the way I wanted, but he helped in the ways that I needed. Closing my eyes, I leaned my cheek against his boney shoulder; I took a deep gulp of the coffee, thankful for the warmth to whisk away all the remnants of the liquor and cigarettes.