Gangs and Roses

Chapter Twenty-Four: Phoenix

Chapter Twenty-Four

Phoenix

My eyes slowly opened, the white ceiling nothing but a blur and my whole body aching. My head throbbed, someone's fisting punching it from the inside. I slowly rolled over onto my side, expecting Will to be there but feeling nothing but an empty bed, just a lot of white sheets under my touch.  

For a moment I wondered where he was, and why he wasn't in bed with me but then I remembered. I looked over the side of the mattress and sure enough, there was a very stiff looking Will still gently snoring on the carpet floor. 

I fell back onto the bed, facing the ceiling. I felt a surge rise up in my throat. I shot from the bed, my head banging, only making it to the toilet just in time to throw-up last night's lasagne.  

"Paige?" came Will's voice, entering the bathroom. I looked over my shoulder, my stomach burning, to see him standing in the threshold, still wearing last night's clothes. "You alright?"  

I nodded. I slowly rose to my feet, feeling a little better. I flushed the toilet, seeing the sick wash down the piping. I wanted to give Will a hug - I was about to - and tell him that I just needed someone to hold me, that I wanted comfy pyjamas and a glass of water. But when I see him make no move to help me in anyway, not even a comforting embrace, I remembered that we were in a fight - and Will was nice enough to even ask if I was okay. 

A tear escaped the corner of my eye and I quickly wiped it away, not wanting Will to see me weak. "I'm fine," I said bravely. He exited the bathroom with a nod, leaving me on my own.  

I stared at myself in the mirror, my black hair, my skinny arms and shoulders that seemed to be get thinner by the day. This wasn't me. This wasn't any of me. I didn't dance with random guys, I didn't starve myself, not even a craving of chocolate had passed my stomach, my name wasn't Stephanie. I was Paige.  

I wanted to go home.  

Stripping myself from my black dress, I got into the shower. For some reason, there was no hot water so I was left under the freezing cold spray. I wanted to get out so badly, wrap myself in a towel and pretend it was Will hugging me. I washed my hair slowly, conditioning it and making sure every inch of my body was clean. Once getting out, my body numb, I grabbed the white towel hanging up and I brushed my teeth.  

I wiped my mouth with the hand-towel, only to find myself ducking for the loo again, a second lot of vomit coming out. Where was this coming from? I guessed that it was from the alcohol last night, even though I rarely woke-up being sick after a night out partying.  

I was sick twice after that.  

Emerging from the bathroom back in my black dress, I found Will lying on the bed, two bowls of cereal (one already empty) on a red tray.  

I was in no state to eat. Will could have the second bowl.  

"I'm not hungry," I murmured. I had no brush to brush my hair but that didn't matter. It was short and wild - Will would be the only person to see it. It didn't need to be perfect.  

"Alright." Will leant forward for the second bowl. He propped himself up with pillows and started eating the cereal quickly. "What time do you want to leave?"  

"When you're out of the shower."  

"Right."

We checked out of the Bellagio an hour later - I say we checked out. What I really mean is that we - well, we didn't.  

We came out of the lift in yesterday's clothes. We didn't have any bags with us so it basically just looked like we were popping out. Will even sent the receptionist - the same sour man - a smile and wave. We exited the grand foyer and out into the already warm sun. Will and I didn't speak. I followed his lead onto the Las Vegas Strip, turning right and heading no-where in particular except south.