Big Time Pain

“Dude, check it out!”  Carlos exclaims, pointing to a crowd of people. 

“What’s going on?”  Logan asks Carlos. 

“How am I supposed to know?  Let’s go!”  They run over to the people and push to the center.  What they see makes them both laugh and feel sad. 

“Man, that’s just wrong.” Logan shakes his head as he sees people drawing on a girl’s face, the girl clearly asleep. 

“Yeah, but how awesome does she look with a mustache?!”  Carlos laughs, receiving a thump on the back of his head from Logan. 

“I mean, yeah, that’s wrong.”  Carlos gazes at the girl one last time before Logan drags him from the center of the mosh pit to the lobby.

“What’s going on out there?” Kendall asks as he and James meet Carlos and Logan at the front desk. 

“You don’t want to know,” Logan replies.  James shrugs and resumes quaffing his hair.  Kendall throws a look at Carlos, who doesn’t see since his eyes are fixated on a spot on the floor.  He can’t get over the innocent look on the girl’s face, asleep and peaceful.  She was so unaware of the chaos beyond her eyelids and dreams.  Carlos only made that joke so Logan wouldn’t notice him staring at her and ask questions.  Yes, the joke was even worth the thump on his head.  Thank you, helmet. 

“So, what do you want to do now?  We’ve got until noon to get over to Rocque Records and record with Gustavo.  So...any suggestions?”  Kendall looks around at the guys:  James fluffing away, Logan staring at him, or maybe right through him, and Carlos staring at the ground…or his feet.  Kendall doesn’t know, nor care.

“GUYS!!”

“What!?!”  Carlos and James’ heads snap in his direction while Logan comes back from la la land.

“What do you want to do for…” Kendall glances at Carlos’ watch,

“2 ½ hours?”

“Dunno”

“Don’t care”

“Whatever” were the responses Kendall received.

“Fine.  How about dome hockey?”  he suggests, giving up.

“Woo! Yeah, let’s go!”  They all head to the elevators except Carlos.

            “Carlos!  Come on!  Aren’t you coming?”  They ask.

            “Yeah, just give me a second.  I forgot my, uh, helmet over there,” he replies, removing it from his head and chucking it into the pool area.  The guys give him a doubtful and curious look, but shrug it off and leave without him.  Once the doors close, Carlos runs to grab his helmet and frantically spins in search for the girl he saw not 2 minutes ago.  Unfortunately, she is gone and so is the crowd of people.  He pounds his fist on a nearby table just as he hears a scream.  Running back to the lobby, Carlos halts just in time to see a pack of 4 or 5 girls and guys throw someone down the stairs, laughing and pointing before scattering.  The thrown person lands at his feet as he jumps back to avoid collision.

  “Ugh…” the body sighs and rolls over to expose an all too familiar face.  It’s her:  the mustache girl he was looking for.

“Oh my gosh, are you ok??” Carlos asks as he slides his arm behind her back to help support her.

“I don’t know…I hurt sooo bad…” she mumbles, barely audible.

“Oh, man.  Ok, here, come with me.”  He lifts her up, draping her arm over his shoulder and half-carrying her to the elevators.

My life sucks.  I moved to L.A. after my mom died and my father left for Zimbabwe and have resided at the Palmwoods for a week now.  Unfortunately, I’m nerdy and curvy, so everywhere I go, I get laughed at and teased.  The only good thing about living here is a boy band called Big Time Rush.  The short one is absolutely adorable.  I don’t know their names, though.  Bummer. 

            Today was the worst so far.  People were following me constantly and laughing, pointing, poking, tripping, and punching.  When they finally left me alone, I felt so depressed I fell straight asleep on one of the pool chairs in the shade.  When my eyes finally did shoot open, it is a result of a cold drink being poured on my face.  I sit straight up and shake my head, trying to get the liquid to drain from my nose.  A circle of people 5 deep are surrounding me, making it hard to leave until I hear Bitters yell something and everyone disperses almost immediately.  I quickly walk to the elevators, but there is a line for each one.  Yeah, that’s exactly what I need.  To be surrounded by a ton of people in a confined space.  I think I’ll pass. 

            Instead, I start climbing the stairs, not really paying attention, until I find myself face to face with a group of my main tormentors halfway up the staircase. 

“Please…” I whisper, begging in a way I was too big for earlier this week, tears forming in the corners of my sad, tired eyes.

“Nah, I think you’d like to take a ride down the stairs free of charge.  Doesn’t that sound fun?”  One of the girls asks.

“No, please, no…” I whisper.

            “Oh, well, since you said that…too bad!” she sneers

“Look out below!!”  One of the guys yells as I am thrown down the stairs, landing face first on the carpet below, pretty sure my nose is bleeding and I broke my right arm.

“Ugh…” I try to ask for help, or scream even as I turn onto my back, but all my fear and emotion is stuck in my chest.

            Out of nowhere, I feel an arm holding up my back so my head is now off the floor.  I open my eyes to see who it is, but my eyes blur and cross as I try to focus on one spot on this person’s face.

            “Oh my gosh! Are you ok?”  A deep, yet familiar voice asks.  I try to focus in again and see the face of the hot, short guy from that one boy band.  What was it called again?  Aw, man.  I think I might have a concussion.  Or amnesia.  Bummer.

            “I don’t know…I hurt sooo bad…”  I reply.  I might as well tell the truth.  I mean, I can’t just say ‘oh, I’m fine.  I’m used to being thrown down the stairs, so I’m able to just walk away.’  Yeah, that’s not going to work.

            “Oh, man.  Ok, here, come with me.”  He says, helping me to my feet, letting me drape my arm over his shoulder, and half-carrying me to the elevators.

            I couldn’t help but see a slight glint of fear, bravery, and determination flash in his eyes when he looked at me.  Normally, the elevators would have scared the you know what out of me, but with *him* here, I am no longer afraid.  I don’t even know where we are going, but I trust him.  I know he wouldn’t lead me astray.

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