The show must go on Part II.

Chapter 10 - the storm

Narrator POV

The room is not particularly large, but not incredibly small either. It's bearable. It would be perfectly bearable if the circumstances were normal. If they were a fun band of four friends who loved doing sleepover parties in each other's hotel rooms. If they loved spending every spare minute together anyway. That's how they used to be. But they're not like that any more.

As Perrie trots into the room a little later than the others, her face falls even more. She catches a quick glimpse of Jade as she has already taken the bed closer to the bathroom and promptly runs a huge arc to accommodate the bed by the window.

"Welcome to my bed," Jesy greets her with a wink. "Hope you don't mind us being bed partners."

"You're the best choice," she says defiantly before throwing her things on the bed, looking around for a moment and then making a quick decision. "Yep, I'm out," she says firmly, taking her key card back and is about to walk out the door when she runs into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," apologises a young man with a name tag across his chest, "Forgive me."

"It's all right," Perrie says curtly with an uncharacteristic smile that doesn't reach her eyes. She doesn't want to be held up any longer and tries to push past him when he touches her lightly, holding her, which sets her alarm bells ringing.

"Excuse me," she says threateningly, about to pull away, but he immediately raises his hands. "I'm sorry, but I was sent here to tell you that you're not allowed to leave your room."

"Come again?" she asks, stunned, shock written all over her face, before she just laughs, shaking her head. "Yeah right, I don't care."

"Miss, please," he begs, stopping her again. "There's a storm raging outside, a big, bad storm. Nobody's allowed to go out."

"I'm not going out, I'm going to the hotel bar, to the gym, I don't care where! Just out of here!" she shrugs, really couldn't care less.

"Everything's closed for safety reasons," he says apologetically. "I'm really sorry, but all hotel guests have to stay in their rooms for safety reasons."

"Bullshit," she says incredulously. "You're kidding me."

"I'm really sorry..."

"You know what? I don't give a shit," she remains stubborn, wanting to turn round and leave.

"Miss, please... I... I'll have to call security otherwise," he tries to warn her as politely as possible.

"Oh, the security?" she just gets angry. "Well, go ahead then! Why don't you call the fucking security? Shall we call your boss as well? Do you actually know who we are? Unbelievable..."

Before she can rage any further, Jesy sticks her head through the door, glances uneasily from left to right for a moment before she spots Perrie and presses the most fake smile ever to her lips.