Missing Martha

20

Zoe brushed through her golden hair, taking a wipe to her face before moisturising and buffing in the skin-coloured liquid around her face.
Martin sat on his bed with his shirt undone and his hair still wet. He had his hands against his face which was white from the shock of the letter from his dead wife. He needed to control himself, he needed to calm down. But that feeling that he had lost two children and his wife kept digging inside of him. The abortion.. He would have lost someone either way. Turns out he lost everyone.
He needed to have fun tonight, he needed to smile, he needed to laugh. Martin looked down at his fingers, he was single now. He could get out there. He didn't need to remind himself of his past. It was over.

While painting on a wing of eyeliner, Zoe's door knocked. She quickly put on the hotel's white dressing gown and slippers before opening it.
"Hey miss? Can we borrow your straighteners?" Asked Cloda, half-ready.
"I've got them plugged in already," She said, "wanna use them in here? They take ages to heat up."
"Sure." Said Cloda, as she and Lucy walked in and sat on the bed beside the plug.
"Is sir okay?" Asked Cloda, running the straighteners through her hair as Zoë applied her red lipstick.
"I think so..?" She Replied, "Why did something happen?"
"Ollie knocked on his door but there was no reply." Intruded Lucy.
"W-when was this?" Asked Zoë, concerned now.
"Just about fifteen minutes ago."
"I'll text him." She replied, picking up her phone , "he might have just been in the shower."
"They said they could hear him." Added Cloda,
"I'm sure he's alright." Said Zoe, walking out towards the balcony before she noticed that Martin was outside on his.
"-two seconds.." she said, walking outside.
"Hey." Said Zoe, looking over at Martin.
Martin turned immediately, looking at Zoe with red eyes. "Hey." He replied,
"Your eyes are bloodshot.. are you okay?" She asked, leaning close to his balcony.
He nodded, "Yeah- Yeah must be shampoo or something." He lied, rubbing them.
"Emily left you a note didn't she?" Assumed Zoe, biting her lip.
Martin nodded, taking a deep breath, "am I so transparent?"
"Yeah a little." She replied, smiling. Martin looked over at her,
"You look nice." He complimented,
"I'm not even dressed yet, you cant say that." She laughed,
"Yeah, but your face is pretty." He said, smiling at her. Zoe noticed that he had taken off his ring, so she smiled back,
"You look nice too." She replied, sliding her hands on the railing facing towards Martin.
Martin smiled, standing up.
"Wanna come in when you're ready?" She offered, standing up and opening the door.
"-depends what for!" Laughed Martin,
"Now now! School trip!" She giggled, walking back into her room.
"He's fine yeah." Said Zoe to Cloda and Lucy, closing the door behind her, butterflies in her stomach for whatever reason.
"You know that we could hear every word you said." Laughed Cloda,
"What?! How?!" Asked Zoë, going red under her foundation.
"Well... obviously not soundproof doors- we'll leave soon!" Giggled Lucy, putting down the straighteners and switching them off.
"Oh god Martin and I aren't-"
"Oh yeah yeah yeah! School trip!" Laughed Cloda, standing up,
"I hate you two monsters!" Chuckled Zoë, looking back into the mirror before searching into her suitcase to find a knee-length black dress. She paired it with pearl earrings and a silver bracelet, she was just struggling to but on her necklace when the door knocked.
"Hey." Greeted Martin, smiling as he opened the door to see her. He was wearing a pair of neat black trousers with a tight white shirt where the top three buttons were undone. He looked her up and down, "You look amazing." He told her,
"Shut up." Giggled Zoë, turning her back to him, "you wouldn't zip me up will you?"
Martin tentatively touched her back, grasping the zip, he gently zipped it up, "want me to do your necklace too?" He asked, touching her neck lightly, making Zoe tense, he wanted her and she wanted him.
When the necklace clicked into place, Martin gradually moved one hand down to her waist in his attempt to make her turn around.
Martin's lips met her neck, he couldn't resist her, Zoë leant against her bed, gradually lying down as Martin continued to kiss her neck and crawl on top of her.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door before Ollie entered. Martin and Zoe immediately moved away from each other.
"I- I hope I didn't interrupt anything.." he mumbled,
"Nope!" Replied Martin, crossing his legs.
"Eh... just wondering when we were leaving?" He asked, checking his watch, "it's twenty past seven."
"Oh shit- yeah, now." Said Martin, standing up.
"Language Martin?" Laughed Zoe,
"Oh shit- sorry." Replied Martin, dazed. Making Zoe and Ollie laugh again.
Ollie gave a brief wink at Martin, before walking away.
Zoe looked over at Martin, still sitting on the bed.
"When's the last time you did that?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.
He looked at her from the mirror, grinning as he ran his fingers through his gelled hair.
"We can't get away with this while those little teenagers are pouncing about." He told her, smiling as she walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest, and leaning her head on his shoulder,
"I should lock the door more often." She chuckled, looking at her and Martin in the mirror,
"Is this what we're supposed to be?" He asked, staring into their reflection.
"I hope so." Whispered Zoë, kissing his cheek before the door knocked her again.
"Okay! Coming!" She called, taking her hands off Martin and spritzing herself in perfume before picking up her bag and opening up the door, seeing the others already waiting outside.
Martin walked up behind her, swirling his coat over him and saying, "Allons-y!" As they walked towards the lift.
"Are you five hungry?" He asked them, switching to the first floor.
"Not really, those sandwiches filled me up, and we all snacked on Ryan's crisps." Said Jemma, who had curled her hair down upon her shoulders.
"Well Zoe and I are eating." Said Martin, "you'll be playing all your nice jazzy pieces right? Nothing rock n' roll at a French dinner."
"No problemo. Romantic music it is." Laughed Ryan, who was wearing a black and white suit.
Martin smiled, leaning back and looking at everyone,
"Never thought I'd see my class looking so fancy." He said, feeling proud.
"Never thought we'd see our teacher looking so fancy." Mocked Ollie, walking out of the lift as the doors opened.
"I always look fancy Ollie." Pushing up the collar of his long black coat, looking over to Zoe who was smiling at him.
"Yeah, even that time we both came in plastered." Chuckled Zoë,
"My mother said that I was a very beautiful boy." Said Martin, handing in the keys at reception and holding the door for everyone to leave.
"Did she?" Questioned Zoë,
"No, course she didn't." Laughed Martin, closing the door when everyone left.
They walked outside into the city as the sun set. Ready for their first gig.