| Luke |
I slowly opened my eyes. The sun was still out so that means I wasn't asleep for long.
But how long was I asleep?
I looked around.
Calum was snoozing away on the couch.
Along with Ashton and Michael.
The music was still playing, soothing and melodic.
I looked at my knuckles, they weren't swollen and red. They also aren't cold anymore.
Helen must have taken the ice pack off my hands.
Not recently though.
I checked the time.
6:05 PM
I've been sleeping for almost three hours.
My stomach growled.
I pushed myself off the couch and groaned.
I touched the scar above my eyebrow. It wasn't hurting anymore.
That's good.
I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
I grabbed a water bottle and twisted the cap off.
The ice cold water refreshed my dry throat.
I heard a dog's bark.
I went through the kitchen to the glass door that opened into the backyard.
Billie Joe stood out there.
He was looking up at me.
I opened the door and he walked inside.
Why would Helen leave him outside?
I pushed the thought aside and stepped out into the yard.
The garden had various fruit trees.
Can't believe Helen lived in such luxury.
Where is she anyway?
I walked back inside just in time to heard Calum grunt.
I slid the glass door shut and went back into the living room.
Billie Joe was laying on top of Calum, the dog's head was rested on Calum's tigh.
"He likes you," I said.
"He's such a cutie," Calum said and rubbed Billie's muzzle.
"Hey where's Helen?" I asked.
"I don't know, I barely woke up," Calum replied.
"She was outside when I last talked to her," Ashton spoke up.
I looked over to him and he and Michael were rubbing the sleep off.
"I feel way better," Michael said.
"Yea same here," Calum agreed.
"I'm going to check her room," I said and started going up the grand staircase.
I opened her bedroom door and she wasn't there.
Her bag was still unpacked.
The California air slowly moved the white see-through curtains that hung in front of the wide window.
The bathroom door was open and it was dark in there.
Where the hell is she?
I swear you can never leave that girl alone for more than 30 minutes without her going missing.
I huffed in annoyance and walked back down the stairs.
"Find her?" Calum asked.
I shook my head.
"I'll text her," I said and pulled my phone out.
I unlocked it and went to messages.
I clicked on her contact.
Me: Where are you?
Suddenly there was a loud thump from upstairs.
I looked at the guys and they all gave me puzzled looks.
"Is there anyone else in the house?" Ashton asked.
"No," I whispered back.
Calum sat up and the loud thump returned.
I bolted up the stairs once again and started opening every door.
All were empty.
"Hey look," Michael said.
I turned and Michael was pointing to a dark circular staircase.
"You think she went in there?" Calum asked.
"Well, she is the only one who knows this house better than any of us," Ashton stated.
I heard the noise once more.
"Fuck it, let's just go," I said.
We all started climbing the stairs.
"Why is it so dark?" I heard Michael ask behind me.
"I don't know," I mumbled.
We reached the top and I opened the door.
I stepped into a filthy old room.
It had no furniture but a small bed a few kiddy toys laying around.
Ashton sneezed.
"It's so damn dusty," He said.
"It is," Calum added.
"This looks like the attic from the movie 'Insidious,'" Michael muttered.
I heard someone giggle.
"Exactly like the movie 'Insidious,'" Michael said.
"That actually sounded like Helen," Calum spoke up.
I nodded.
"Well there's another door, might as well go see what's behind it," I said and pointed to the thin white door.
"This is why we wouldn't survive in horror movies, mates," Ashton said.
I went to the door and opened it.
"Another staircase?" Michael asked and huffed in annoyance.
"How many levels does this house have?" Calum asked as we went up the set of stairs.
"I don't know but if we find another staircase, we are going back down and can just file a missing person's report for Helen," I said.
"You make a great brother, Luke," Ashton said and slapped my back.
"Yes I do," I said sarcastically.
"Finally the top," Michael said.
I opened the door and was hit with the warm glow of the sun.
I saw Helen.
She was sitting on a chair, her back to us and she was facing the setting sun.
"I can see you have woken up," She said without turning to look at us.
"Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" Michael asked.
"No," She turned to look at us. "I heard you guys talking. Also, you have loud footsteps."
"How long have you been up here?" Calum asked.
"Awhile," She shrugged.
"What is this?" I asked.
"It's the roof. Even though there is a couch over there and a table right there, it's still a roof," She replied. "C'mon I'm tired of sitting on that chair."
She stood up and walked past us to another part of the roof.
She started running and jumped into the air, she grabbed a hold of raised section of the roof.
It was about six feet tall.
She twisted and was sitting on the edge, her feet dangling.
"You coming or what?" She asked.
We all jogged forward and jumped.
After we all got on, we sat next to Helen and watched the sun go down.
"Why is there a bed here?" I asked and pointed to the matress behind me.
"Oh, well, when the stars come out, it's pretty cool to watch them from up here. Beautiful actually. Especially when you have a pillow and a warm blanket," Helen smiled.
"When are we going to explore?" Ashton asked.
"Tomorrow," Helen replied.
Ashton nodded, "Cool."
"How are you all feeling?" She asked.
"Better," Calum said, "Especially after that nap I took."
"Yea," Michael added. "My ear's better."
"I feel alot better. The ice pack helped," Ashton said.
"My knuckles aren't swollen anymore, so that's good," I stated.
Helen nodded, "That's cool. Are you guys hungry?"
"Yea, starving," I muttered.
"I need food," Michael agreed.
"What do you guys want?" She asked.
"I dunno," Calum replied.
"What about In-n-Out?" She asked.
"What's that?" Ashton asked.
She laughed, "It's a burger place. It's really good. We're getting that. Trust me you'll love you."
She pulled out her phone and started tapping the screen with her thumbs.
She put the phone to her ear.
"Hey Dad," She said. "Can you pick up some food please?
"In-n-Out. Yea get five number 3's no pickles on any of them. Also get five milkshakes, vanilla. Don't forget the ketchup, please. Yea. Okay, thanks. Bye."
She hung up.
"Can your stomachs hold on for fifteen for minutes?" She asked.
We shrugged, "Why not?"
After twenty minutes of silence, we heard a powerful car engine.
"That's Dad," Helen said and got up.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"I just do," She replied and went to the opposite edge of the roof.
She peered over.
"Dad! Did you get the food?" She called.
"Yea, I did!" I heard Dad reply.
She squealed.
"Let's go!" She said and jumped off the edge we were sitting on and ran towards the door.
We all hopped off and followed.
My growling stomach told my legs to hurry the fuck up.
I ran down the stairs.
The sounds of our footsteps on the metal staircase, echoed.
I bolted down the seconds set of metal staircase and finally stepped into the hallway.
Helen was already going down the grand staircase and I followed.
"I can smell the burgers," Michael said and I sniffed the air.
He was right.
My mouth watered.
I reached the bottom.
Dad closed the door behind him.
"Thanks Dad! You saved us all!" Helen said and took one of the bags.
I took the two drink holders and Followed Helen into the kitchen.
"Is Adin still asleep?" Helen asked.
"Yea, he's taking some strong medicine, maybe he'll get off of them tomorrow or the day after that. He's doing good though, especially after you too talked."
Calum coughed, as if to let us know he was there.
"You're his strength, Helen, his rock."
"I know," Helen said. "I just want him to be okay."
Helen pulled out two burger and handed one to me and another to Calum.
I eagerly took it and sank my teeth into the burger.
My mouth exploded in flavors.
I practically moaned.
"This is so good!" I said.
"Oh My God," Calum said.
MMichael and Ashton bit their burger.
"This is amazing," Ashton giggled.
"Mmhmm," Michael added, mouth full.
Helen and dad laughed.
"Tourists," Helen said and they laughed harder.
She brought out her own along with two squared small plates that held fries.
We each got one.
Before I knew it, we were all talking, eating our fries and burger, and drinking our (delicious) milkshakes.
"Helen what happened to your cheek? I barely noticed," Dad said.
Helen froze.
Calum sipped his milkshake and avoided eye contact.
"Oh, yea, I uh," She stuttered. "Luke threw his shoe, and it hit me in the face. It was an accident."
I choked on my burger.
I looked at her.
"I don't know!" She mouthed.
"Yea, it was an accident. I meant to throw it at Calum," I said.
"See Calum! You should have jumped in and taken the shoe for your girl," Michael spoke up.
We all laughed nervously.
"Well next time be careful throwing your shoes at Calum, Luke," Dad said and ate a fry.
"Yea, of course," I said.
Dad stood up, "Alright, I'm going to do some paperwork, in my office. So if you need me I'll be in there."
"Okay," Helen said.
Dad left the room and disappeared behind the staircase.
"I threw my shoe at you face?" I asked Helen.
"I panicked! It's the best I could do okay!" Helen replied.
"Whatever, what now?" I asked.
"Movie?" Michael asked.
"Yea," We all agreed.
"What movie?" Calum asked.
"Anchorman?" Helen asked.
"Why not?" Ashton asked.
We ended up watching Anchorman, one of my favorite movies.
We all laughed.
After the movie ended we watched The Hangover.
"This movie remind me of us at Adisia and Cade's party," Helen said.
"Yea, except, we didn't lose anyone," Michael laughed.
"And if we did I'm pretty sure it'd be Helen," Calum laughed.
"What?" Helen asked while laughing.
"To be honest, I think it's be Luke," Ashton said.
"But who's gonna end up marrying a stripper?" I asked.
"Michael," Ashton replied.
"I'm not a child person," Michael said.
"You guys are too much," Helen said.
"Luke's gonna end up dry humping the tiger," Michael said.
"What the fuck?" I asked.
They laughed.
"Calum's gonna be be the one to jump out of the trunk naked," I said.
"Why me?" Calum asked.
"Your bare ass is already all over the internet," I replied.
"That's true," Helen laughed.
"Yea, you enjoyed that picture, didn't you?" Calum asked Helen.
Her smile wavered and she stared blankly at Calum.
"This is why we should never go to parties ever again," Ashton said.
"Agreed," Michael said.
It was at midnight.
We finished watching the movies and we had all said good night to one another.
I was laying in my bed.
The cool air came from the slightly open window.
What a day.
And it's only the beginning
Can't wait to explore tomorrow and have some fun.
I pulled the white sheets up to my chest.
I turned to my side and hugged a pillow.
I smiled to myself.
Traveling is so fun.
Hopefully I'll be able to tour the world one day with the guys.
As a band.
Yea, that sounds awesome.
My eyelids started to get heavy.
I finally closed my eyes and fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.