Living a Pseudonym

I slammed the phone back into its holder and began to pace the bathroom while occasionally knocking various items off the counter. They crashed to the white tiled floor with a crash alerting everyone of my dismay. I didn't care, my parents were in danger and there was nothing I could do about it. My crazy, drug dealer parents had found them and were doing who knows what. Angry tears welled up on my eyelashes, I wanted to scream.

“Angie... Are you okay?” Harry knocked on the locked bathroom door. I didn't reply, I simply kept pacing debating my options which were near zero. Harry gave up and walked away and I gave up my intensive pacing and slid down the beige wall. An electronic wall clock read 10:26 pm, it was late and I figured the best way to avoid problems was to sleep them off. I had no intentions of leaving the bathroom so a gathered a couple of scratchy, white towels and made a makeshift bed in the bathtub. I uncomfortably curled my body into a tight ball before crying myself to sleep.

'“Go on you dumb bitch.” a man with gruff hands pushed me into a dark cell that had the revolting smell of mildew. “You're a worthless piece of shit.” He grinned from a closed cell door. His footsteps faded away leaving me in the dimly lit, stone room. I shivered and tucked myself in the corner of the room. Soon my body felt limp as I watched it decompose in front of my. My skin turned gray and shriveled away leaving me virtually skinless. When I looked up everyone I loved was reaching for me. “Angelia...” My mom called to be before her body was sliced in half and it dissolved in a pool of blood. I tired to scream but I couldn't move, or breath. I was choking on nothing. I was dead.'

I sat up quickly and looked around the dark room around me, I was alive, unfortunately. The clock read 4:07am, I knew everyone was asleep at this early hour. I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes were red and wild from fear, I had dark circles under them. My hair was tied up in some form of a ponytail. I looked awful. I quietly opened the door and tiptoed through the room. Avery and Louis were in a bed together, they slept on their backs next to each other, a comfortable distance apart. I noticed one bed was empty, I thought nothing of it, it was probably for me.

I walked to the window sill and sat on it. The moon reflected off of the rolling ocean causing its reflection to become distorted. “You're up.” A voice whispered from behind me. I turned around to see Harry staring at me with two cups of tea in his hands. He handed one to me and sat on the opposite side of the window. He was wearing a simple black tee shirt and sweatpants. I thanked him for the tea and stared at the steaming liquid.

“Sorry for scaring you..” I apologized, ducking my head in shame.
“Ang, you have no idea how much I care about you.”
“That's the thing, I don't care for myself.” I confessed. “I always manage to mess something up. I blame myself for my family falling apart. My parents could be dead right now, or worse.”
Harry stared at me quizzically, “What happened in the bathroom?”
I debated telling him about my parents and how they were being tortured, how my birthparents knew my identity and were still intent on finding me. I wanted to tell him that I was scared, that I didn't want to be alone.
“I had a nightmare, that's all...” I trailed off and bit my nail, a nervous habit.
“Angie, you were talking to someone. I heard you, you can trust me.” Harry stared at me, his face full of compassion. I felt myself about to cry, I could feel the buildup of a storm willing to let itself out and that it did. I buried my face in my hands while Harry pulled me into a protective hug.

“Harry, they know who I am. They have my parents... they, they’re going to kill them!” I sobbed, gasping for air. Harry pulled me into his body forming a protective cocoon around me. He lifted me and carried me to the empty bed and tucked me under the fluffy, white comforter. I rested my head on a pillow and sniffled. Harry sat next to me, “Don't think about it, just sleep.” He murmured while stroking my head. His touch was the last thing I remembered before sleep overtook my body.

“Uh, I'm just thirsty. I saw a vending machine down the hall, you want anything?” I grabbed some spare change that was left for us.
“Dr. Pepper.” She replied and went back to watching some dumb reality show. I sighed and walked to the front door. I was about to close it when Avery yelled at me.
“You're telling me when you get back, brat.”
I rolled my eyes at her child like way of putting things. I walked down the hallway barefoot , the scratchy, patterned carpet felt like ants crawling on my feet, I cursed for not wearing shoes. I found the vending machine and payed for two Dr. Peppers, they fell with a clunk into the lower compartment. I took both of them and clenched my room key between my teeth. I turned the lid on one of the bottles, I jumped as it exploded all over me. I shrieked and dropped it, making an even bigger mess.

“Woah, Angie.” A British accent exclaimed from behind me. I turned around to see Liam staring at me very puzzled. “Why do you not have shoes on?”

I huffed a his humor, I was sitting in the middle of a hallway dripping with sticky soda and he cared about my feet.

“I forgot them.” I replied while bending down to pick up the things I had dropped. I stood back up and Liam took the items from me. I didn't protest.

“What are you doing back? I thought y'all had band stuff to do?” I asked while staring at my feet.
“Yeah, we finished early. The other boys are coming up soon.” He replied. I could feel him staring at me. “You do that a lot.”
I shot my head up and wrinkled my forehead. “What do you mean?”
“You never make eye contact with anyone, you always divert your eyes.”
I sighed, I had a reason for never making eye contact. I was scared to get too attached or too let them get too attached because one day I'd be gone and I caused too much sadness and hurt, why not spare some. I didn't want to get attached to people either because the could easily leave me stranded or be taken away like my parents, I couldn't afford that to happen again.

“You have beautiful eyes you know.” Liam murmured breaking me from my thoughts. I shook my head and continued to walk in silence. We reached the hotel room and I was about to slide the key through the lock but Liam stopped me with a gentle grip on my wrist.

“I know you're sad, I can tell that when you smile it's fake but I can assure you that we would never hurt you. We are here to protect you.”
“Not willingly.” I whispered, knowing that I was a nuisance.
“More like You and Avery are more than two girls that we have to take care of, we are here to be your friends as well.” He tilted my chin up and forced me to look at him. His soft, brown eyes showed the kindness in his personality, they showed loyalty.
“Okay.” I whispered. It was all I could say, I was flummoxed.

-----
I walked into the hotel room with Liam by my side. I took the remains of my soda and put it in the mini fridge. I looked for Avery, she wasn't on the bed where I had left her. I heard a giggle from the bathroom, I shot Liam a confused glance, he shrugged and pulled me to the door and pressed his ear against it. I did the same, I strained to make out Avery's voice shrilling at someone else.

“Louis, stop moving!” She shrieked. I could hear a splash and then a clatter.
“You stink at this job.” A male voice replied, I recognized it all Louis'. I turned to Liam who had a mischievous grin spread against his lips.

“I say we scare them.” He raised his eyebrows. I vigerously nodded, excited to see their reactions. I watched Liam grasped the doorknob. He suddenly pulled it open as quick as lightning and shouted at Louis and Avery. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

I could hear Avery scream and something heavy hit the floor. Liam was laughing uncontrolably, I peeked out from behind the door to see a rather peculiar sight in the tiny bathroom. Louis was laying on the ground, moaning about how he hit his butt. Avery had ran into the bathtub and pulled the curtain over her, only her head was sticking out. Various hair products were spread across the sink counter as well as makeup. When Louis sat up I couldn't help but laugh, his hair was stuck together in thick clumps of gel and his face was a different color than the rest of his skin. He looked ridiculous. Liam was laughing as well, he snapped a picture and ran away before Louis could tackle him.

“No way, that picture is not allowed to be deleted!” Avery ran from the tub and sat on Louis back and grinned, she was clearly proud of herself.

“I got your soda.” I handed it to her, she thanked me and poked Louis' head. I walked away just as the loud sizzle of a soda exploding went off in the bathroom. I could hear Avery scream with Louis following. She ran out of the bathroom soaked in Dr. Pepper. Louis followed her, without a shirt I might add. His hair was a huge mess and he was equally covered in the soda. Harry picked this as a good time to walk in, He opened the front door and scanned the room. Avery and Louis were in the corner covered in soda. Louis was half naked and his hair looked like a rat's nest. I was laughing my ass off on one of the beds next to Liam who was trying to tweet but he was laughing too hard to type properly.

“Angie, I am going to kill you.” Avery screamed and bolted towards me. I jumped up and sprinted to Harry who stood in the threshold utterly confused.
“Dude, hide me!!” I exclaimed. Harry's eyes widened but he reacted quickly by pulling me into the conjoined room and locking the door behind us.
“I'm not going to ask about that.” He laughed and shook his head.
“I wouldn't.” I joked before sitting in a chair by the window. Harry stared at me with a hurt look on his face.
“Why are you so far away? I don't bite.”
I stared at him but turned the corner of my mouth into a loose grin. I stood up to join him on the bed. I plopped myself across from Harry and folded my legs into a crisscross.
“You have an amazing laugh by the way.” Harry informed me. “I don't get to hear it all that often.”
I diverted my eyes and stared at my hands that had fallen limp on my lap. Harry broke the silence by a throaty cough.
“Have you ever heard of the question game?” He asked, I shook my head 'no' which earned a cheeky grin from him. “Well basically we just ask each other random questions, its a good way to get to know someone.”
“Uhm, sure. Why not.” I replied and waited for the first question.
-----
“What color underwear are you wearing?” Harry asked with a playful smirk on his face. I cringed because I didn't have a problem with him asking but I had a problem with my answer, a lacy black thong. I was wearing leggings and panty lines were a major no-no. We had been playing the game for over an hour and as the time went by we had grown more comfortable around each other. Niall had also joined in so I had two boys waiting or my answer.
“Black.” I replied simply.
“Same here!!” Harry replied and shot his hand up while flashing me knowing smile.
“Hm, I think I have clovers on mine.” Niall laughed. I laughed at him because of his irish heritage, of course he'd have clovers on them.
“Mate, are you actually wearing those?” Zayn laughed as he entered the room.
“Yeah, why not?” Niall replied. “They are super sexy.” He grinned at me.
“So are mine.” I seductively smiled and left the room leaving the three boys very bewildered.

“Where'd that come from?” I heard Zayn exclaim to Harry and Niall who murmmed in agreement, I also heard the exchange of the word fit. Score for Avery.
-----
“So you were talking to the boys.” Avery gave me thumbs up to which I slapped her hand away. We were in the bathroom getting ready for bed.
“They're nice, I suppose.” I rubbed Neutragena onto m skin and cherished the clean tingle of eucalyptus after I washed it off. I was drying my face off when the phone rang, my blood turned to ice. Before I could tell Avery to not answer a feminine voice rang through the room.

Notes