hiraeth

chapter three

-Day two-

(16 June 2014)

Around 3am, there was a light knock on my door. I was frightened, who could it be? I was alone in the room and Aissa turned back. Probably he wasn’t planning to, anytime soon.

I stood up from my warm bed, to be hit with a cold breeze. I snatched the light ball from the bed stand and started walking slowly to the door as the knocking continued.

I closed my eyes, said a prayer and then counted to three. When I opened the door I saw about three figures but I couldn’t see them clearly so I opened the light.

“We are sorry we woke you up…” Islam apologized as he and Saphir carried Aissa. I almost gasped but I caught myself.

“Is that a lamp?” Nabil asked as I hid my weapon behind my back shaking my head “What kind of a thief or a murderer would knock the door before he kills you or rob you?”

“Oh, shut up I don’t know! I was scared, and when I’m scared I get confused.” I returned the lamp back to the bed stand as they walked in and putted Aissa on his bed.

“I’m sorry you have to go through this” Saphir said rubbing his palms. “I told him to knock it off but sometimes he just doesn’t listen.”

“It’s okay, really…I mean he told me he drinks so It’s fine.” I reassured.

“Okay, so I’ll visit you first thing in the morning to check on him. When he wakes up give him Alka-Seltzer, they’re in his bed stand drawer…” Saphir looked anxious so I patted his back.

“Go get some sleep, I can handle this. It’s not my first time dealing with a drunken person.” I spoke leading him to the door.

After, all of three them were out and I was alone with a person who is out of conscious. I walked to his bed and he was still wearing his air max. I got on my knees in front of his bed and started untying his laces. He was mumbling some words; I didn’t even try to make out.

I throw his shoes in the corner, feeling disgusted with the smell.  When I tried to fix his position in bed, I was met with failure. He was so heavy; I couldn’t even lift his head. After pushing and grabbing, his fixture was okay so I covered him and made sure his neck wasn’t bent and closed the door and headed for my own sleep. Surprisingly, I was able to fall asleep right away.

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I slowly opened my eyes and the sun light was shinning from the room window. The curtains were slowly blowing the cold breeze of the morning, the beach waves crashing on the sand added to the natural soundtrack.

I stretched my arms, and sat up looking around. Everything was as I left it last night. Aissa on his bed, his shoes thrown in the corner, and the lamp was sat on the bed stand.

I got out of the bed, and slipped my warm feet in my slippers as I headed to the bathroom. I stopped in front of the mirror and whispered.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” I didn’t expect any answers as I sigh and opened the tap to wash my face. “This could never end” I whispered again as I grabbed the tooth brush.

“Oh, Shut up Danielle. You can do this, it’s only for a couple of months!” I ordered my inner self who kept on feeling guilty.

I returned to the room, and he was still lying there like a dead body. I decided to order breakfast.

By the time, breakfast was here. I checked the time and I was shocked that it was 9am. I have never woken up this early before.

After, I arranged the room; grabbed the dirty clothes thrown on the ground and putted them in the bathroom, made my bed, cleaned the makeup tabled and putted the clean back to the small closet.

Someone knocked on the door when I decided to wake Aissa up. It was Nabil and Saphir and I was thankful that I didn't have to do the mission myself.

"Aissa, come on wake up!" Nabil started slapping his slightly on his cheek as they both sat down on the bed's edge.

"What a thickhead" I throw my hands in the air as the two guys laughed.

"I...heard...that" Aissa mumbled into his pillow as I handed him the pills and a cup of water. "Thanks" he whispered sitting up.

"How drunk was I?" he then asked.

"Well, you've had four Jack and coke, six long island and about twenty vodka shots" Saphir explained.

"Twenty?" I gasped.

"He had a drinking competition with a guy at the bar." Nabil answered me.

"Bloody hell!" I cursed under my breath.

"When is practice?" Aissa then asked.

"No practice today since tomorrow is the game." Nabil answered him standing up.

After a few minutes of silence, I spoke up suggesting “I can take you for a tour around Sao Paulo…if you want.” And all their faces light up.

“Really?” Saphir asked as I smiled at him.

“Yeah, we could walk around in the markets, then I’d take you to a not far away aquarium it’s known worldwide for the biggest whale shark. But first we must grab a lunch. I know a sushi place nearby” I ranted as they snickered.

“You really love this city, don’t you?” Nabil laughed as I nod, kicking them out of the room.

“Go get ready. We’ll meet you in the lounge in 30 minutes.” I said and slammed the door behind them.

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We all walked down to a sushi restaurant a few blocks away. It was right near the hotel and the boardwalk.

“Hi! Table for five” I said.

After we all took our orders we got to talk. We talked about how nervous they all were to the Belgium game and how Germany is doing so well already. They were talking about football and only football and I had to try and look like I understand everything they’re saying.

 “What’s inside that black bag by the way Dan?” Nabil asked as I popped a California roll into my mouth.

“That, my dear Nabil is a camera.” I said opening my bag, showing the my canon 5d.

“She majors in photography” Aissa said for me.

“And I’m going to capture every minute with you guys because who knows, maybe one day you’ll be a super international football player.” I joked as they laughed.

I opened the bag again, grabbing my favorite lens and putting it on. I stood up and looked at them “Say cheese” I cracked as they said with their mouth full.

“That’s perfect guys.” I said examining the picture.

After we finished lunch, we all walked along the boardwalk, stopping at random places and doing fun things. We stopped at a game with the water guns. You had to shoot the water into the clown’s mouth, so Nabil, Saphir and I played.

I thought I was winning until I saw Nabil’s red light go off first. I slumped   down pretending to be sad as he laughed. “Here take this” he said while handing me a fluffy stuffed unicorn I laughed.

“Aww thank you” I said taking the prize.

Aissa’s face was getting red and his knuckles were going white. If I didn’t know better I’d say he’s jealous. But that’s not even an option.

We all kept walking when we stopped at a T-shirt shop, we all decided to get something from there. I picked out a tank top that said ‘California Dreaming’ on It, I loved it! The boys all got goofy ones and we of course took a lot of pictures.