THIS LOVE | shayne topp

1.02

   THIS HOTEL WAS VERY nice. They had all just checked into the Anaheim Marriott, and Eleanore was glad they had gotten a room there so far prior to Vidcon. The lobby had been packed with influencers and fans, it being very difficult to get through.

   It took thirty minutes just to get their room keys, but they made it. Eleanore was sharing a room with their manager, Fiona, while Laurie and Hunter had their own room. They decided to stay from Wednesday to Sunday, just to settle in the first night and not have to rush home Saturday night after the convention.

   Eleanore fell back onto her bed as Fiona scoped out the room, looking through each drawer of the dresser and nightstands, then going into the bathroom and beginning to unpack toiletries in there.

   A knock sounded at the door, Eleanore groaning. "Eleanore, be alive! Get the door please."

   "Ugh, fine."

   Eleanore slowly made her way off the bed as the knocking continued, and opened the door to find Laurie and Hunter standing there, looking way more energetic than her. The two walked past her and into the room.

   Laurie looked around, shocked. "Your room is so much bigger than ours! That's not fair." She walked around the open area, before plopping herself down on the couch.

   Fiona walked out of the bathroom, empty bag in her hand. "Manager privileges." She shrugged, walking over to the open suitcase laid open on the bed closest to the window. "Which I'm surprised they didn't give the room up to some people who showed up earlier than us. It's happened before."

   "Well, the convention center is open to creators to get our passes. Wanna head down with us, Ella?" Laurie asked while standing back up from her spot on the couch that she stayed in for so little time.

   Eleanore nodded her head, "Sure."

   Surprisingly, the elevator was empty. But the hotel lobby was truly insane. Which, nobody was surprised since they had arrived not too long ago and they weren't in the hotel rooms for long either.

   She caught a glimpse of Courtney Miller, someone she had never met but heard a lot about when Aaliyah, Shayne, and Damien all started Smosh. Eleanore watched a few Smosh videos, but stopped the longer she was in her past relationship.

   Eleanore's heart skipped a beat as she turned around to the side, walking out the door to the hotel quickly and over to the convention center.

   She took this as a sign that the rest of Smosh was also at the hotel as it seemed Courtney was walking over to someone in specific. But again, the lobby was so packed you could barely see in there.

   A while later, her and Laurie finally got their creator badges, specifying they didn't have a panel on it, but they did have a meet and greet. The two girls sat a table, Hunter going to get the three of them lunch.

   Eleanore was continuously looking around, nervous she was gonna see someone she knew. She couldn't decide whether she wanted to see them or not. Too many emotions were piled up in her mind right now.

   Laurie was looking down at her phone, making another post for Instagram for the podcast, as Hunter was posting an episode tonight when they all got back to their rooms.

   They always posted on Wednesdays, but never had a set time so some of their viewers and listeners like to play a guessing game of when it'll get posted. Sometimes even Laurie and Eleanore tag along in the guesses, as Hunter has control over posting.

   "Why are you so paranoid? Because of crazy fans?" Laurie asked, chuckling while putting her phone face down on the table.

   Eleanore nodded her head no, "I wish. My brother is here." She said with a shaky laugh.

   "Oh shit. I did see them on the Instagram. I thought you would've said something." Laurie said while crossing her arms over her chest, straightening out her posture.

   "No. I'm so scared to talk to them, Laur. I don't think I can do it."

   "Them?" Laurie took a second, trying to figure it out through the brunette's look. "Oh, right. Shayne and Aaliyah. You know, they didn't reach out to you so why are you so worried?"

   Eleanore sucked in an anxious breath. "They did reach out though. I did nothing!" Her voice raised as tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.

   "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. Let's change the topic." Lauie put up a defensive hand, softening her voice to try and calm down her emotional and anxious friend sitting in front of her who was biting at her cuticles.

   Eleanore sniffles. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have raised my voice." She runs a hand through her dark hair, letting her shoulders drop from the tense state they were in.

   "You have to stop apologizing for everything." Laurie stood, grabbing her things from the table. "Let's go somewhere else so we're not so... public. I'll tell Hunter where we are. He's taking forever anyway."

   The girl nodded along, following in her lead. Laurie was leading the way down the corridor as she kept glancing at her phone while texting her boyfriend. "Ugh, hang on. He needs my help with something. Wanna stay here or come with me?"

   "I'll stay here. Just text me." Eleanore responded.

   Laurie nodded, before walking off and leaving her by herself in the hall. Eleanore sighed, moving off to the side incase anybody else was walking down here so she wasn't in anyones way. She pulled out her phone, getting ready to text Fiona.

   "Eleanore?"