Penny seemed to know everyone, everywhere. As soon as we entered the hotel it was non-stop "-Penny!! -Oh hi!!!" William was in shock. I took careful note of every little thing I saw. I was determined to be just as cool.

Whenever she saw someone she deemed extremely important, Penny would introduce William as "a very close, very dear friend of Lester Bangs," and me as "someone you'll be seeing again very soon." I enjoyed that. William was too caught up in everything to take time out to give me skeptical looks, but I knew I would receive them later. When Polexia joined us, I hung back to talk to her.

"Nice shoes," she commented, looking me over. I remembered my All-Stars.

"Ah, thanks."

She proceeded to introduce me to a ranting kid who looked to be about William's age, Vic. Apparently, there is no greated Zeppelin fan than him. I don't doubt that.

We came to the room, where Penny let go of William's hand and rushed in, exclaiming "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please extinguish all smoking materials and notice that the captain has turned on The No Smoking sign. Your seat and tray tables should be locked in their full and upright positions."

The room burst into applause as she continued, "In the unlikely event of a water landing, the seat below you will serve as a ... oh, the hell with it!" Everybody laughed. I spotted Russel on the couch next to Dick, guitar in his hands. Across from them on another couch was Jeff, who was next to Ed, and looking in our general direction. I say 'our general direction' because I wasn't foolish enough to believe he'd be looking at me. Polexia nudged me, motioning to William. He was staring intently at Penny.

"I'll go talk to him," she murmured, leaving my side to speak with the young 'un. I wasn't sure what to do. I watched as Penny made room for herself between Ed and Jeff, taking the beer from Ed's hands. I watched as Polexia whispered in William's ear. I watched as Russel stared at Penny. Taking this all in, I walked to the little bathroom to appear as if I knew what I was doing here. I didn't.

The mirror was smeared with the toothpaste of careless band members and I subconsciously wondered whose room this was. But I looked in the mirror at Rainy Taylor. She was pale, and her eyes looked lost. The red shirt she was wearing was too small. Her bust was exaggerated. Uncomfortable with this, I fidgeted, and looked down to see if it was really as tight as it looked in the mirror.

I jumped slightly as I felt a hand on my shoulder. "You're not wearing your hair down tonight," the owner of the hand said, and my heart raced when I recognized it.

"No, I rarely do, actually. That was a one time thing."

"You should make it a more often thing." The hand moved from my shoulder up to my hair and slowly undid the ribbon that held it up. My long brown hair fell down, nearly to my waist, and Jeff chuckled. "Definitely more often."

I couldn't help but smile. If the comment was supposed to flatter me, it was. If not, it was anyway. His hand moved down to my waist and I felt something more than just flattery. I turned around. His hand didn't move, and we were almost in an embrace.

"I can close the door," he offered.

I nearly had a heart attack before realizing that I definitely wouldn't mind. But playing hard-to-get had always been a favorite strategy of mine. So instead of nodding my approval or doing something of the same meaning, I wrapped my arms around him, hugged him hard, and then unglued myself and retreated into the room.

Dick was alone on the couch now. I couldn't see Penny or Russel anywhere. Polexia was trying to coax William into a beer. Ed was gone, and Larry was with some girl I didn't know. Watching the two of them for more than a few seconds was making me wish that they would go and get a room, though.

I rescued William by claiming the beer for myself. And though I wondered, I didn't ask Polexia where Penny was. The look on William's face didn't make it hard to decide that she was with Russel somewhere. I absentmindedly put my arm around him and huggled him to me. Polexia rasied her eyebrows at me, nodding towards the bathroom where Jeff was just now walking out of. I shrugged, not sure of what to say. But to my surprise, Jeff walked towards us.

"Hey, The Enemy," he greeted William.

"Hey," William said, immediately untangling himself from my arms and straightening up.

"What?" questioned Jeff, aghast. "It's cool to be hugged by a girl." He made quick to prove his point and grabbed me. "Right, Rainy?"

Well, what else could I do? I hugged the rock star, closing my eyes to avoid whatever look Polexia would have on her face. Sh.e was too good at picking up on things.