Songbird by Jamie Campbell

about.
    My next reason to panic struck me. If my alarm had just gone off, Demi’s would have gone off half an hour ago. It wouldn’t be long before she was banging on my door and demanding I let her in so we could have breakfast together. She was more predictable than my alarm.
    “Forest, wake up,” I said urgently, shaking him at the same time. It didn’t matter how adorable he looked sleeping peacefully, he needed to get the hell out of there. “Forest, come on.”
    He mumbled in reply so I started shaking harder. I didn’t stop until he opened his eyes and blinked. “Brierly?”
    “Yeah. You need to get out of here. Like, right now.” He sat up, wiping his face to get everything in focus. I didn’t have time for that. “Demi will be here any second, you have to leave. Quickly. Now.”
    I pushed him out of the bed, not allowing him any of the time he wanted. When he eventually stood, I raced around the bed to make sure he would continue moving toward the exit.
    A knock on the door interrupted my efforts. I shot over, seeing Demi’s happy face in the peephole. “Hide,” I ordered Forest. It was our only option now.
    He knitted his brows in confusion, I don’t think he was entirely awake. I pushed him toward the bathroom.
    “We didn’t do anything, why are you making me hide?” Forest asked sleepily.
    “Because Demi will think we did do something.”
    “But we didn’t.”
    “Are you sure?” I asked, glad to at least hear he didn’t think we slept together either. Hopefully he wasn’t as fuzzy on the details as I was. Or did I want him to be? Perhaps if we both couldn’t remember, it would be better.
    “Of course I’m sure,” Forest replied gruffly.
    “Just wait here,” I urged. I didn’t have time for a big conversation. Not when Demi was pounding on the door and just moments away from calling the concierge to let her in. I left Forest there and prayed he would take the hint and stay hidden.
    “Demi, good morning,” I said as I swung open the door. Hopefully she wouldn’t notice I was still wearing last night’s clothes. “I was in the bathroom, sorry.”
    She looked me up and down, I tried desperately not to look as guilty as I felt. “You don’t look so crash hot. Please tell me you’re not getting sick on the third day of the tour?”
    “I’m not sick, just tired. And hungry, shall we get some breakfast?”
    “I suppose-” I cut her off as I grabbed the key and left the room, guiding her down the hall as quickly as possible. We got to the lift and hit the call button. The second the elevator arrived, I pushed Demi inside.
    “I forgot something, I’ll meet you down there,” I sa id as the doors closed. They said timing was everything in this business and I hoped it would apply to my personal life too.
    I hurried back to the room and let myself in, just as Forest was sitting on the bed putting his shoes on. “I’m really sorry I woke you up. And made you hide.”
    He shoved his foot into his boot a little harder than was necessary. “Why are you so ashamed to be seen with me?”
    “I don’t know, I guess I just-”
    He stood, putting up a hand to stop me. “You know what? Don’t worry about it. You’ve made it quite clear that you don’t want anything to do with me and I keep pushing the point. See you on the bus.”
    He left before I could say anything else. Forest was probably the one guy in the world that I didn’t want to hurt but it seemed like I was. And I was doing the whole thing just to protect myself. It wasn’t fair to him.
    I knew then and there that I had a decision to make. I either had to completely leave him alone, or do something about my feelings. I needed to be in or out, none of this sitting on the fence business that was nothing but selfish. Forest didn’t deserve that.
    He was still the sole focus on my mind when we were barreling down the highway after breakfast. So far, I thought I was doing a good job of covering it, especially with Demi. She