"You have to, take a deep breath. and allow the music to flow through you. Revel in it, allow yourself to awe. When you play allow the music to break your heart with its beauty." 

– Kelly White

Asher POV

It's been a minute, and the sandwich is long gone since I practically inhaled its juicy goodness, we are still stuck in the elevator and it shows no signs of the power coming back on anytime soon, I'm still sat next to Hailey and we're still stuck in here together.

Despite this shit happening, I'm not hating it completely, my headache and hangover is long gone and I'm actually enjoying myself considering there's not much happening or being said.

My managers and bandmates must be losing their shit by now, this has never happened before where I've gone AWOL, no doubt they have a search party out looking for me and causing chaos within the hotel, yeah, they're definitely going to make this a big deal, I just hope Chris saw me get in here, he was right behind me in the line.

So for my sake I hope that fucker saw me get in here because I really don't want to have to listen to my manager Lucy hurl shit at me and go all momager on me, she means well but the woman is driving me fucking crazy, the lady takes her job way too seriously, but because she's so crazy and takes her job seriously, this tour has been a breeze.

I hear Hailey sigh beside me, I'm still sat next to her, close enough to feel her leg against mine but not close enough that screams 'danger', I might be a man but I'm not some fucking creep.

The silence is killing me, I don't even know how long we've been in here, there must be something to do to pass the time.

I clear my throat and nudge Hailey with my knee, gaining her attention. "So." I pause. "Business or pleasure?" 

"What?" 

"Portland, are you here on business or pleasure." I ask again, more straight to the point.

It's been a minute and she hasn't said anything but then I feel her shift beside me. "Neither, it was.. sort of an impulsive vacation." She says slowly.

"Ah, so you're running from something?" I laugh out.

She groans out. "Is it that obvious?"

"Nah." I pause. "What's got you running all the way to Portland?"

She sighs out heavily. "It's.. kind of depressing really, and I don't really want to spill my guts to a famous guy."

I laugh. "Aw c'mon, it can't be that bad."

She snorts. "Yeah.. it is, well.. to me." She pauses, then sighs. "My ex cheated on me with my best friend."

Well shit, I wasn't expecting her to say that, what kind of fucking idiot would cheat on this girl? She's a natural beauty, she's funny and sweet, he must be a fucking tool to do something like this, and with her best friend? 

Now I kind of feel like an asshole. "Damn." I cringe out, not knowing what else to say to this girl.

She laughs beside me and the sound sends shivers down my spine. "Yeah, that's one of many words I would use to describe my situation."

"So when did this all happen?" 

"Valentine's day." She says and I grimace.

So, two weeks ago? Shit, no wonder she is in fucking Portland of all places and on the run. I would never play with her like that, she deserves more than a guy who looks at other women, if my mum taught me anything in life it was that you treat a woman with fucking respect and dignity.

"It went on for months.. sorry, you don't want to hear this." 

Months? "He sounds fucking charming." I say sarcastically.

She laughs and I feel her nod her head. "Let's change the subject." She pauses. "What about you, you must have a girlfriend or something."

"Nope." I say, popping my lips. "I never had time for relationships."

She laughs. "So, groupies?" 

I cringe at the way she says it, but she isn't wrong, I'm not proud to admit something so shitty, especially since my mum raised me better than that, life on the road can get boring and lonely pretty fast, but it was just sex and it was just sex for the girls too, nothing else happened after, not that I could let anything happen, the next morning I would be in a different part of the world, I'm not exactly the perfect guy to date.

"It sounds bad when you say it." 

She nudges my leg. "Hey it's cool, how old are you by the way? Can I ask that?" 

I laugh out. "Old, I turned 31 recently."

"Wow, happy belated birthday." She says and I laugh.

"Thanks, what about you?"

"I'm 24, my birthday is actually in a few days though." She says as if she just remembered. 

I raise my brows. "No way, what you got planned? Turning 25 is a big deal."

She hums. "Nothing.. I haven't thought about it really."

I ponder her words and can't believe what I'm hearing, this down to earth girl is traveling alone, her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend and now she's going to spend her birthday alone? A part of me is actually glad because what I'm going to say next is fucking crazy, I don't even know her but it just.. feels right to ask what I'm about to say.

"How about hanging out with me?" I pause. "I mean, tonight is my last show and after that, I was thinking of sticking around for a few days."

"You don't even know me." She laughs softly. "I could be a murderous psychopath."

I smirk and shake my head. "Guess I'll have to find out."

"I'll think about it.." 

I was hoping she would say yes, but I know this is sudden and strange, coming from me a complete stranger to her, but when something feels right, you have to take a leap of faith and jump at that opportunity, at least I asked her, guess I'll just have to wait and hope for the best.

I was supposed to head home back to London after this last show, but I wouldn't mind sticking around and seeing how this goes, something about her makes me feel like I would regret it if I just went home and didn't test these new feelings I have for her out, I'm not a half-arsed kind of guy, if I want to do something or try something out, I go for it head-on.

"What time is your show tonight?" She asks.

I forgot all about the show for a second. "7, at Moda Center."

"I hope we get out of here soon, would suck if you missed it."

I shrug. "It's the last show of my tour, I'm sure my team is freaking out as I speak." I pause. "They probably know I'm not in my room so they'll check the security cameras, once they see I stepped in here, it's only a matter of time untill the power comes back on." 

She releases a relieved sigh. "Oh thank god, I really hate this."

My chest tightened at her words and I don't know why but that fucking stung. "Ouch." I say to myself out loud.

"Oh.. uh I meant being in here, not because of you, I just.. I have a fear of heights and tight spaces, I'm secretly freaking out." She pauses. "My hand hasn't stopped shaking" She laughs nervously.

I frown and look at her. "You should've said something, can I do anything to help?" I ask.

"No.. it's fine, really, I'll be okay." She says softly, but I don't believe her.

Shit, fuck it. "I have an idea, give me your hand."

I feel her shift beside me. "Um.. I-I don't know."

"Trust me, this works, my guitarist and mate Oliver does this before shows." I reassure her.

It's a long shot, but the last thing I want is for her to have a panic attack or worse in here, she must be having it rough since I've seen this shit first hand, Oliver has stage fright and swears by this technique helping him before he steps out on stage.

"Okay.. um, so what.. I just give you my hand?" She says nervously.

"Yeah, give me both of your hands, promise I don't bite." I say jokingly, trying to ease her worries.

She laughs quietly and I reach out over to her lap until I find her hands, they're soft and tiny in mine and I feel like a creep to admit it but my heart skipped a fucking beat when she put her hands in mine, I just hope this works for her.

I clear my throat. "Okay so, I'm going to put my thumbs on your tendon.. right.." I pause and feel for the central tendon on both her wrists. "Here."

I put pressure down on my thumbs while my hands hold onto hers gently, I press down hard enough for it to take effect but not hard enough that I hurt her or make her uncomfortable, Oliver taught me this one night and I thought it was bullshit, but after seeing him do it a few times before a show, it can't be total bullshit if it worked for him.

"Uh.. so what now?" She asks with a nervous chuckle.

I shrug. "Honestly? We wait... " I pause for a few seconds. "Let's get your mind off of this."

"What's your last name?" I ask, cracking the ice first.

"Um.. Quinn." She clears her throat slightly. "What's yours?"

"Reed."

"Asher Reed." She says slowly and I will admit, I love how she says my name, it doesn't feel like she's saying it as everyone else says it, there's something about it I can't put my finger on, I just know it sounds fucking unreal coming from her mouth.

I laugh out huskily. "Okay, next question.. Cats or Dogs?"

"Dogs, every time."

Is it weird to be turned on by her fucking answer? I'm starting to believe I hit my head somewhere and I'm dreaming all this shit, no way I'm awake right now and this girl is for real.

"Same." I say with a wide smile.

"Where do you see yourself in ten years?" I ask.

"Hopefully not still working off my student debt." She laughs. "But seriously.. I'd like to have a family.. a house.. a dog, and a few children running around." She pauses. "What about you?"

I smile at her answer, liking it a lot. 

I shrug. "If I'm being real with you, I want to settle down, being on the road was a dream when I was 16, but as people say in your thirties, I'm not getting any younger, besides it doesn't sound too bad to live the simple life."

She laughs softly. "That's such a famous person thing to say." She jokes. 

She sighs out and I look up at her. "Am I hurting you?" I ask, hinting at my thumbs pressed into her wrist.

"The opposite... I feel much better, thanks.. for doing this." She sighs out.

I feel Hailey jump as the lights begin to flicker on in the elevator and the sudden brightness within the small box had me blinded for a good few seconds, I'm having to blink my eyes a few times to readjust to the sudden white light beaming brightly now in the once dark metal box.

I look up to in front of me and there sits Hailey, her hands no longer in mine as she rubs her eyes from the suddenness of the lights coming on, I haven't seen her face yet but one thing I had noticed is how small she actually is, she's a tiny thing for her age.

Her hair is long and silky, it's blonde and as I  silently check her out I can't help but realize I've literally never commended on a girls hair being nice... and silky, that's just something I have never done, honestly, hair is hair, but hers is.. nice, pretty, she has good hair, yeah.

My mouth goes dry when she moves her hands from her face, and I don't know why but I'm actually speechless, if she wasn't ticking all the boxes before, she sure as hell is now, she has blue eyes I could stare at and get lost in for the rest of my life, happily, she's got soft features and there's a certain daintiness to her that I fucking love about her face.

That and I don't see a single piece of makeup on her face, her hair is natural and wavey and she's dressed rather casual, in a simple blouse and dark skinny jeans with boots, but it's doing fucking wonders to my heart rate, it's pulsating like I've had one too many coffees.

Her eyes meet mine and I see her cheeks blush slightly. "Um Hi." She says awkwardly.

I laugh and smile at how adorable she is. "Hey." I pause. "Looks like we're saved."

I move to stand up and move my hand out to pull Hailey up with me, luckily she takes my hand without thinking about it and I pull her up, my eyes focus shift from Hailey's face to the elevator doors, the numbers are now lit up and we're moving again, we are no longer stuck on floor two as the numbers rise.

I see Hailey grab her bag from the ground and put it over her shoulder, she lifts her head up and her eyes catch mine staring at her, she's smiling at me shyly and I can't help but smile back, completely oblivious to the doors opening.

"ASHER! Oh, thank god!"

I snap my eyes away from Hailey's and to Lucy's, my manager pushes herself through the sea of staff and other people standing around the elevator, until she makes it to me and wraps her arms around me, it takes everything to not roll my eyes at her.

"You scared us, never do this to me again, I think I aged by twenty years." Lucy says dramatically.

I smile apologetically and my eyes shift to Hailey, she's standing uncomfortable in the corner, clearly uncomfortable from the number of people making a fuss over me, she's not said a word. Lucy pulls me from the elevator and I see my bandmates, some firemen, staff, and people with rooms in the hotel crowd around this area.

"Seriously Asher, next time bring your phone! You've been gone for four hours!" Lucy groans out and rubs her temple. "You missed soundcheck, we needed to be there an hour ago!" 

What did she say? "Four hours?" I say out loud, not believing I heard her right.

"Yes, you must've been bored out of your mind, let's go, you go live in an hour and we are SO late!" Lucy stresses, dragging me away.

Wait wait wait, Hailey! I didn't get her room number.

I turn around and she's gone, and no longer in the elevator, in fact, I can't see her at all from the number of people that are crowded around us to get a glance at 'Asher Reed'. She's gone and I can't believe I didn't ask her what fucking room she was in, she must've slipped past me when Lucy was fussing over me and dragging me out of the elevator. 

I shrug my arm away from Lucy's hold, having enough of her dragging me like a fucking ragdoll. "Calm down, it's no big deal." I sigh out.

I see Lucy's eyes go wide, she's about to say something to me, or yell it at me, but Chris interrupts her.

"Shit man, we thought you passed out somewhere, never thought it'd be in there." Chris says laughing beside me and I sigh out, slightly annoyed.

Oliver comes up behind me and slaps me on the shoulder. "Did you at least get some sleep in there?" He asks.

I shake my head. "Nah, but it's all good." I got something much better than sleep can ever give me.

I just need to find her and not let her slip through my fingers a second time, that's the easy part, the hard part is actually finding her, but shit, mum didn't raise me to be a quitter, even if I have to knock on every door on floor five to find her, I will.

And I'll do it with a fucking smile on my face, if I get to see her again, it's worth it.