This is going to be okay. I didn’t even blush at the mention of Jason’s gigantic steely balls.
Did I?
Eager to steer the conversation away from anything that might embarrass me, I asked Jason about his writing process, and as we talked, already I started to see another side to him and we hadn’t even left the country yet. In the past our conversations were usually silly and fun, or just plain basic since, when our families got together, there were always so many other people to speak to that we didn’t have time for much more.
I was in big trouble. Barely away from home and I was ready to disregard everything Ellie had said to me after one conversation with Jason.
Chapter 3 – Eiffel Tower Selfie
“Is this… it?”
Drew laughed as I dropped my suitcase and glanced around my room at the hotel that was to be our home for the next two nights. From the outside, it hadn’t looked so bad, but inside it was kind of… budget. Not that I had a right to complain; I’d paid for very little of the trip, but I’d still expected at least Premier Inn standards, even for somewhere inexpensive. The walls were an ugly
brown, as were the curtains. The carpet was clean but worn, and the amenities were basic in the extreme. There was a kettle and some tea and coffee sachets – nothing more. Not even a hairdryer, unless it was hiding in a cupboard somewhere.
“You were expecting The Ritz?” Mack asked as he peered inside.
“No. But… well, this is very… simplistic.”
“Welcome to the world of rock and roll,” Drew said, still laughing. “Are you going to be okay on your own while we find our rooms, and shower and stuff?”
I nodded. “Yeah, of course. I need to call home anyway. Mum made me promise to let her know when we arrived.”
“Give us say… an hour and a half,” Jason said, standing up on his tiptoes to see over the shoulders of Drew and Mack. “Then we’ll head out and find a place to party!”
I grinned, but Drew shook his head. “Nope. Dinner and an early night tonight.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “Alright, Mr Responsible, but you’re not killing our fun every night.”
“He’s right.” I looked up at Drew. “There has to be some partying on this tour.”
“There will be. But tonight we need to rest up because once we start moving, we won’t get much time for anything, including sleep.”
The tour schedule was pretty intense. Our next night off wasn’t for eight days, and in that time we’d be stopping in four different countries. And hotels? Forget it. Once we left Paris, we’d be on a tour bus. Glancing around the room again, mild panic filled me as I realised this would be the last night I’d spend in my own space for a long time. Maybe this place wasn’t so bad after all. Even with the drab décor.
“Okay, guys,” I said, suddenly desperate to get them out of my room so I could enjoy my freedom before it vanished for the summer. “Come get me when you’re ready.”
Drew smiled as if he understood, and placed my other suitcase on the floor. “See you in a while.”
The other guys said goodbye, and when I closed the door behind them, I leaned back against it and sighed. Life on the road was getting real already, and this was my first major moment of doubt since Razes Hell invited me along. Perhaps this was what my parents were worried about. That I’d get away from home and freak out because I hadn’t thought it through properly.
Except I had thought it through. So many sleepless nights, and not just from overexcitement. I truly had considered every angle, and every reason I’d told my parents about why I could handle this had been carefully mulled over and re-hashed in my brain. I knew I’d have little time alone, and I knew I’d have to live in a tiny space filled with boys. It hadn’t bothered me because I knew the positives would outweigh the negatives.
That’s what you need to do right now. Think of the positives.
Right. First and foremost, almost free world travel. Seeing places I’d have had to save for a long time to get to alone.
An experience very few people in the world would ever have. Aside from Ellie and the band members’ girlfriends, not many would have the chance to tour with Razes Hell in their bus.
A chance to document a tour. Surely that would be useful at some point and in some way through my journalism career?
A chance to get to know all of the band better. To see how they worked together and apart. To see rehearsals, and sound checks, and maybe a little of their writing process.
A chance to get closer to Jason…
Shaking my head, I shot that thought down before it had a chance to take hold. On the train journey, Jason and I had spoken about numerous things. I felt like he’d listened and considered my thoughts and opinions on whatever topic we were discussing, and it had felt really good. But the tour was only just starting. Way too soon to get carried away.
I pushed away from the door and straightened up. After many hours of travelling, I needed to shower, change and get ready to head out again. I knew I’d need a lot of the ninety minutes I’d been given to extract what I needed from my suitcases and then put it all back in so I could zip them up again. With a sigh, I set to it. It was time to get ready for my first taste of Paris!