tonight as i lay in your arms
i don't know what to do or say anymore
☆☆☆
Martha landed in Dublin in the late afternoon, went to the hotel and then to do some important things related to tomorrow night. The flight she was originally planning on getting was cancelled, she had a hectic afternoon of rushing around and she felt totally all over the place. By the time she headed back to the hotel it was 8 in the evening, she'd not checked her phone all day and she was absolutely knackered.
Sat on the hotel room bed, she pulled her phone from her pocket and lay down after kicking off her shoes. There were so many texts from Eli she felt so horrible about missing, although she didn't mean to ignore him. It was just a whirlwind of a day and she barely had a second to think.
Marthahendrixxx
Heyyy
Sorry it's been a hectic day I didn't mean to ignore your texts x
I'm at the hotel now though i can call you??
Elijahhewson
Hey stranger
Thought u were ignoring meeee
Marthahendrixxx
The flight got cancelled and all sorts was going wrong
Been all over the place I'm sorryyyyyy
I'll call you? I feel like I've not spoken to you in foreverrrrr
I know I'll see you tomorrow but still x
Elijahhewson
Hahah it's alright love don't sweat it
I'll give you a call in ten? X
Marthahendrixxx
Cool cool cool
Martha took those ten minutes to have a shower, wash her hair and throw on some old t-shirt from a gig she went to years ago. It had been more than ten minutes, but she didn't care though, she knew Eli would call her at some point because she had the slightest feeling that perhaps he'd missed her just as much as she did him.
It was only three weeks, both of them had been busy but it still felt like forever. Despite being busy, when the day came to an end and they could only call one another, it was starting to feel difficult. They were missing one another, but they both knew deep down it would always be the same. Phone calls and meetings every couple of weeks. Martha was planning a tour, festival season was around the corner and they'd be completely all over the place.
One thing they were good at doing though, was making th best out of the time they did have. It was as if no time had ever passed at all, and although things were still early, and the furthest they'd been apart was between Dublin and London, but they were good at making the most of the moments they did have.
Her phone started to ring the very second she got comfy in her bed, it was perfect timing she thought. She shoved the towel off of her head onto the chair in the corner and told herself to stop smiling so much at the pure sight of his name lighting up her phone screen, then she answered.
'Hey,' she pressed the phone to her ear.
'Hey Jim, you alright?' He asked. 'Whats your room number?'
'What?-'
'What number?' He asked, again, cutting her off.
'397...why?'
'Brilliant, two secs.'
The phone line went dead, Martha more confused than ever. She didn't know what was going on, she thought he wanted to call her? Part of her was mad she rushed her ten minute shower when she could've taken her sweet time if Eli was only to go through with a five second phone call.
She rolled her eyes and clicked on to her girls group chat. Her friends were coming to Dublin tomorrow for the gig, and she's neglected them all day too, so she ought to see what was going on in the 200 messages she's missed all day.
Although just as she did start to read them, there was a knock on her hotel room door. Martha was in the hotel room alone, on edge, and with a tendency to overthink absolutely everything. So she tiptoed to peek through the little peephole and pray that it was just a figment of her imagination. When she saw who it was at the other side, she couldn't think of another explanation.
'Eli?' She asked, swinging the door open more surprised than ever.
He wasted no time in rushing forwards to take her into his arms. The two of them giggling with excitement as Eli picked her up off her feet and welcomed himself into her hotel room, spinning round in a circle with Martha back in his arms, finally.
He knew what hotel all of Martha's team had booked. It was just a matter of finding out where Martha was and he knew the front desk wouldn't let up, even if he did pull the 'do you know who I am?' card. He wasn't going to show up to her hotel tonight, but the more he thought about her, he couldn't help himself. All day he was going crazy waiting to see if she'd messaged him.
'Oh my god, what are you doing here!?' Martha exclaimed, looking at him with the biggest grin on her face, he loved that look. 'You should've warned me! I just showered and I'm all-'
'You look beautiful.' He cut her off, hands on her cheeks as he kissed her again. 'Couldn't wait till tomorrow, sorry.'
'You're crazy,' she laughed, stepping up on her toes to kiss him before she sat back down on the bed. 'I didn't expect you to show up here, you know.'
'I know.' He smiled, sitting next to her after kicking off his shoes and tossing his jacket over the chair. 'I couldn't wait though, Martha. I missed you like mad.'
'I missed you too.' She said, Eli kissing her once more and pulling her over into his lap where she straddled him. 'You excited for tomorrow?'
'I am,' he said. 'You? Tell me about the last three weeks, every single thing, start with today, cause you look knackered.'
'I'm fuckin' shattered.' She said, 'Flight got cancelled and...'
The pair sat catching up with one another on three weeks worth of stories they'd already spoken over the phone, it was different though, they hadn't been able to lie so close to one another in weeks. Eli missed the look on her face when she gets all shy, her smile and face of excitement she wears when something unexpected happens.
Martha didn't have the privilege of appreciating him over the phone, she missed him more than she'd let on. Falling for somebody is a terrifying thing, particularly for Martha, however she looked at Eli in her hotel room he showed up at without her even asking, and the fall didn't seem to feel as bad.
He wanted to stay the night with her, after not lying with her in so long, he was close to begging her. She offered though, however, followed the offer by an extreme apology as she knew he was staying at his family home and she worried she was stealing him from them. Of course he just found it funny, he didn't have his own flat in Dublin so he lived with his parents anytime he was here, which has been for the last three weeks. They were encouraging him to go and see Martha tonight anyway, but he was used to Martha and all her irrational fears, it's what made her an album he knew would be so great.
They lay beneath the covers, her head rested on his bare chest, both happier than they'd been in weeks. It was the simple things that did it. Confined to four walls of a hotel room and they still had the best time with one another, but that was down to the company. He ran his hands through her hair as she moved her fingers back and forth on his chest, drawing shapes and love hearts as they spoke quietly.
'Sorry, I'm not good company tonight.' Martha explained. 'I'm just tired.'
'You're great company, I'm happy.' He told her, kissing the top of her head. 'I'm just glad to see you.'
'Me too.' Martha smiled.
'You nervous for tomorrow?' He asked, knowing she'd most likely say no despite her mind saying the opposite. 'Don't be, you'll kill it. Everyone's a big fan of you over here, my mum included.'
'Who will all be there?' She asked.
'Our families, our friends who you'll love, Ryan's girlfriend, you'll get on with her. Rachel too, our friend from school, she's buzzing to meet you.' Eli explained, 'don't be nervous about that part Martha, everyone loves you already. Our friends are dead chill, the girls will love you cause...they're like that, and our families are dead chill too.'
'What about your family?' She asked, resting her chin on the back of her hand as she looked up at Eli, arms resting on his chest.
'Dead chill.' He chuckled, repeating himself. 'They know about me an' you, but they're not...I don't know, they're not scary I promise you. Told you, they love you already.'
'It's still kinda scary.' Martha said.
'I know, but trust me, you'll be fine. In the least weird way, mum already considers you part of the family.' Eli laughed, Martha did too. 'She's no even met you and she's asking if she should put another chair at the table for you.'
'That's sweet.' She smiled.
'Bigger fan of you than me, but that's cause she's such a...I don't know, she actually thrives on anything remotely feminist, and as she should, but it's just funny. To her, your single is like...the greatest thing in the world.' He said, causing marths to laugh. 'She always says, 'we need more music like Martha's, more angry woman music, Martha gets me', and all this and that. It's actually hilarious so, honest to god you've not to worry.'
'I'm glad.' Martha chuckled. 'They sound sweet.'
Eli was close with his family, he always has been. Martha thought it was really sweet, the bond he has with them all. Even when she called him, they'd shout through to tell her that they said hello. So whilst she hadn't actually met them, the more she thought about it all, the less terrifying it all became.
It was nerve racking though, to open a one off hometown gig for somebody, never mind that gig be for your friends,and also the guy you're seeing. That adds a whole new layer of anxiety to it all, and Martha had been through every possible scenario and every situation that could happen. It was driving her mad, until Eli talked her though it all and the worries vanished one by one.
'Who's coming for you?' Eli asked, running his hands through her hair.
She'd never spoken about her family, and he never asked, figured if she wanted to mention it she would've by now. He was curious, but he didn't let it get the better of him, at the end of the day, it wasn't his place.
'Kyra and Simone,' Martha said. 'They're erm,..I'm not close with my parents, it's just Kyra and Simone I'd call family.'
'Well, thank god I've already met them.' Eli smiled. 'Before I even met you as well.'
'I know.' She chuckled, shuffling around so she lay on her side next to Eli. 'They're pretty great.'
'You can call all us family,' Eli said, taking her hand. 'Although, we'll never compare to Simone and Kyra. You're right, they are pretty great.'
'Thanks,' she smiled. 'They've been by my side since we met, I was eighteen and for the first time I felt part of something. I'd be lost without them.'
'Look at you now.' Eli said, a smile on his face. 'You've worked dead hard Martha, the whole world can see it, harder than we did that's for sure. We're all proud, you know that?'
She couldn't quite handle the intimacy of the conversation. Four hours of sleep, reunited with Eli, the night before one of the most important gigs of her life, a couple days before her debut album is out. It was all hitting extra hard tonight, and as her eyes got teary, Eli kissed her forehead and hugged her a little tighter. There were no words she could find to say how much she appreciated him, or even just the things he was saying to her, but he knew without her even saying.
'Sorry, I get emotional when I'm tired.' She laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes as he just smiled. 'Your bloody big gig tomorrow, This should be about you!'
'Don't be daft.' He chuckled, 'I'm just glad you're here.'
marthahendrixxx added to their story!
simone.atkins
omg
did eli come to the hotel
who took that pic 🤨
marthahendrixxx
hehehehe
elijahhewson added to their story!