Chapter 5: Glitter Gel Pen

                                    

                                          
Originally Published: October 24, 2022
LEO'S POV:
"So, this is our hotel room," I told Nena as we stepped over the threshold. The rest of the guys were directly behind us, squeezing into the main area of the suite.  
"It's really nice," she politely reacted, taking in the interior.
"Thanks. So, do you want a drink or a snack or anything?"
"Do you have any juice?" She trailed after me into the kitchen, me finding complimentary orange juice from the hotel.
"We have this." I held up the container as she nodded.
"Okay, that looks really good." She managed to sit one of the bar stools with how short she was, causing me to freeze. I found myself just staring at how cute she was, snapping out of it to pour her beverage. "Thanks," she said when I slid the glass over. I watched as she brought the cool refreshment up to her lips, catching my buddies staring over at us. They directed their attention to the television though when I caught them.
Ellen and Tobey were the only ones talking in another corner of the room, but I couldn't hear what they were saying.
"You want to hang out in my room? Everyone's busy watching t.v. in here," I slightly laughed. I touched the back of my head as she nodded with her mouth on the rim of her glass. I led her to the bedroom that I shared with Tobey and a couple of the other guys. I carefully shut the door after we entered, bringing her to the mattress I slept on.
"It's getting late," she observed by a round clock on the wall. Her hands were in her lap as we sat together.
"I know. You can leave if you're too tired to stay." I licked my lips before pressing them together, finding myself subconsciously sitting the same way she was.
"Did you really want me to come here? I mean, your friend was the one that basically invited me."
"Yeah," I simply answered, but I didn't sound entirely convincing.
There was awkward silence as she looked at anywhere but me. I just lied straight back horizontally across the bed, sighing through my nose.  
"Are you tired," she wondered.
"Not really. I got twelve hours of sleep last night," I shared, her gradually leaning back on her elbows before lying next to me. There was at least a foot of space between us, her green eyes drooping as she tiredly gazed up at the ceiling.
"I didn't get much sleep last night," she yawned, covering it with her hand.
"Do you want to leave," I checked.
"Do you want me to leave," she questioned, looking over at me as I almost had the urge to laugh at this looping conversation.
"No, I just thought you were tired."
"I am, but we could find something to talk about."
"Alright," I agreed. "What's something about you I don't know yet?"
"Everything," she lightly joked before giving a real answer. "I write poetry. It's almost like diary entries for me, since I'm horrible at writing regular ones."
"I bet they're great," I yawned by mistake. "Your yawns must be contagious." I was subtly teasing her as a smile tugged at her lips.
"I'm glad we ran into each other again."
"Me too. Hey, you want me to look up the hotel number while we're here?"
"Yeah, that would be nice. That way we can plan where we run into each other next time."