My least favourite part of travelling is that you are always bound to leave something in the hotel. After I landed in Massachusetts, I discovered that my favourite eyeliner had been left behind in New Jersey. I know that I used it this morning, and I knew exactly where I had left it. On the right side of the sink, next to the little soap dish. I am glad that I had time to get to a Sephora, but I had absolutely no idea where a Sephora was. I am sure my taxi driver wouldn't know. I will just check into the hotel, then do some exploring.

I checked into my room before the boys even got to the hotel. Paul had them doing some radio interview. They were going to talk about being back on tour and what they look forward to the most, just like they did in Toronto and New Jersey. All the questions were the same. I felt bad for them, how many times could they be asked what their favourite colour was before their heads exploded? As a journalist myself, I shuddered that the questions were only surface based. Perhaps Paul will let me interview the boys throughout the tour so I can get to know them better. Make a nice little going home article.

I decided that after the chaos that had occurred the past few days, I deserved a nap. The show wasn't for another 6 hours, so I had plenty of time to just relax.

---

I woke up with a jolt. It was late, I felt it in my gut that it was late. The gig had started and I was nowhere to be found. This was just wonderful. I jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I looked up at myself in the mirror. My eyeliner and mascara smudged all around my eyes while I had slept. I looked like a baby raccoon. Now I had to wash my face as well. I was going to be even more late and I am sure I would lose a day of pay for this.

I washed my face quickly and then dried my face off with a hand towel, leaving behind traces of black. I ran back to the bedside and grabbed my phone before rushing to put on my shoes. Why did I have to have the high tops out? I should have gotten my slip-on's out of my suitcase. I stumbled to the door while trying to tie the laces on my left shoe, hitting my head on the handle.

Real smooth, Stevie.

I grabbed my camera bags and flew out the door of my room, running to the elevator. I pressed the button for the lobby probably ten times, hoping it would somehow make the elevator faster.

The doors opened to the lobby and I started to rush out, bumping into Liam.

"Stevie, what are you doing in such a hurry?"

I looked at him for a moment, very confused. "Liam, shouldn't you be at the stadium? I was headed there now."

"Stevie, it is only 2:00 PM. Why would I be at the stadium right now?"

I grabbed my phone to check the time. It was 2:03 PM. I let out a huge sign of relief.

"I woke up and thought it was 7. I thought that I was late. I thought that -"

He laughed. "Well, you're not late. It is still early. Why don't you hang out here for a bit or go out and see the sights."

"You know," I sighed, "I do need to go get some new eyeliner. I forgot mine in New Jersey. I'll go put away my cameras and then I will call a taxi."

"A taxi? Why?"

"Um, so I can get to the mall?"

"I'll go with you, we can use my car."

"Oh, yeah, why didn't I think of that?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Go put your stuff away, I will have them pull the car around the front."

I went back up to my room and went to look for my hotel key. It wasn't in any of my pockets, or my camera bags. I started to look on the floor in case I dropped it. Then I remembered, I put it on the nightstand in the room. God, I was going to lose everything on this tour if I wasn't careful.

---

I finally got a new room key and put everything away. I grabbed my wallet ran back downstairs where I got in the back seat of a black SUV. I didn't realize that Liam meant that he had someone drive him everywhere. I thought he had a rental car or something. Paddy was in the front seat of the car and I was in the back with Liam. We started to drive to the mall when I realized that the windows were so darkly tinted, that I could barely see outside. I started to roll the window down and Paddy turned quickly around.

"Ma'am, could you please roll the window up?"

"Her name is Stevie, Paddy. And let her have it down. She's never been here, she just wants to look at the place."

I smiled at Liam, "I can roll it up, it's not a big deal."

I rolled the window up and squinted hard to see through the dark tint.

The mall that we were going to was just a few minutes from the hotel, which was nice because I could feel like Paddy was just waiting for me to do something. The driver pulled up to a mall entrance and I started to get out. Liam put on a hat and pulled it low so no one could see his eyes. I thought this was an odd thing to do, so I started to tease him.

"Afraid of the halogen lights hurting your skin?"

"Ha ha." he grimaced. "I don't want anyone to recognize me. I am just trying to have a nice day out."

I hadn't thought about that. He probably gets people coming up to him all the time, asking for photos and autographs and just trying to touch him. I have never been around a band that required a body guard and disguises to hide from people. No one I hung out with was that famous. I guess I took for granted a simple shopping trip, to him it is a pretty big ordeal.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't think about it."

"It's okay. I am pretty used to it by now. Most times I don't mind, but I don't want my photo taken while shopping today."

---

I found the glorious Sephora counter at JC Penney's and made a bee line for the Kat Von D section. Liam was a little ways behind me, looking at cologne in the corner. I grabbed 3 of the tattoo liners, just in case I forgot the eyeliners somewhere else again. Knowing me, it was bound to happen. After I made my purchase, I walked up to Liam and asked him if he was ready to go or if he was going to buy anything. He said he was thinking about buying a Versace cologne, but was not sure which one. I grabbed the bottle he had in his hand and took off the cap to smell the cologne. I retched so hard, I almost threw up. It smelled like a shifty car salesman.

"Liam, please, for the love of everything holy, do not buy this one. It smells like regret and bad decisions."

"And which would you select?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

A clear, square bottle grabbed my eye. It had the word Play on the front of it. I took off the cap and sniffed it. No retching this time.

"This one. Definitely buy this one."

He laughed, "As you command."

He went to the counter and paid for the cologne. While he was paying, I was looking at the Naked palettes on display. I noticed two girls that had been hiding, very poorly, behind some clothes racks near by. I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. Is this what he has to go through every time he wants to go out somewhere? People following him and wanting to talk to him, but never plucking up the courage? They were watching him like a hawk, any movement he made, they covered their mouths to prevent their squealing from being heard.

Liam came up to me with his bag. "Ready to go?"

I was still looking at the girls, one had a camera out and she was taking pictures of Liam.

"Yeah, let's go. I am not really in the mood to spend all my money today."

We left the store and got back into the car. Liam took off his hat and stared out the window. I was still pretty shaken up, and I wasn't even the one they were watching.

We pulled up to the hotel around 3:00 and I just wanted to get back to my hotel room. I needed to definitely take a shower. Being watched made me feel dirty for some reason.

I walked away from Liam and the car as soon as we were stopped. I didn't wait for him to get out of the car. I just wanted to get out of that space. I headed straight for the stairs, I wasn't going to wait for the elevator. I heard Liam call after me, but I wasn't going to stop for anyone.

Notes

Reposting as I could not edit with the edit button.