One Way Ticket | a love story

Chapter Seventeen

We soon reached the hotel and they led me to the bedroom where I left my bag. It was a two-bed and bathroom room with a small kitchen, not too heavily decorated. - Leave your bag and put these on. Whenever someone passes, greet them. That's lesson number one. And look everyone in the eyes. There's a worker with tics who usually looks away while doing so, his name is Roger so if you do see him, don't correct him. - They tossed me clothes that completely matched theirs and I left to the bathroom to change. A few minutes later I was done and they approached me with hair gel on their hands and started running their hands through my hair in an attempt to tame it and make it stick down and stay still. My eyes were half-closed, staring at their shoes.

Soon they pulled away and we went out, looking around the hotel and I listened to everything said. Every rule they gave me and tried to memorize the details but there were just so many. As we finished, my knees were trembling. And I had to know everything whenever any guest asked me something, know how to switch between languages and so many other things.

This hotel has a spa, an inside garden, so many rooms, a restaurant, they even sell scented candles, like hello?? It has literally everything someone can need and it's in the center of the city. Also close to my now old apartment and university.

It was already lunch time and Sam pulled me by my hand down the staff stairs into the back of the kitchen and grabbed some salty pastry, passing it to me. Not into my hand, but into my mouth. As it touched my lips, I opened my mouth and bit into it, glancing around in case anyone saw what had just happened. They smiled and put the leftover piece in my hand, eating one themself. A tall girl came into the room and looked at us both.

- You're stealing now? - her voice was stern, making me freeze. Luckily, she starts laughing and I relax again. - Is it good? - she asked and grabbed one, stuffing her mouth and waving to Sam and me, leaving us alone.

- That's Tiff. Her full name is Tiffany. She's on the dishes. - they smiled and tapped my back, smiling slightly then gave me a bottle of water from a smaller fridge.

I sat on the counter to make the aching in my legs calm down a little. - Do you have a boyfriend? - Their question made me choke on the piece I was eating, then cough out while shaking my head. - Your legs are shaking as if you do. - they laughed and ate another piece of pastry, giving me two more. - Eat. - they said. I grabbed the piece and ate, the taste melting into my tongue while I chewed. It was getting stronger in moments and I felt the amazing taste of rosemary in the dough together with the vanilla filling. It was weird but good and my stomach was more than happy to have something in it.

-Let's go to class. First, we have to change. Remember, our room is on the first floor, number 5. Floor one is not allowed to the guests and for them floor one is our second floor. To go to our rooms, you have to use the staff stairs which we already went by. - I nodded and swallowed the last pastry piece before leaving with them.

I changed back to the same clothes I wore before and we left the hotel early. The walk was nice, the breeze blew, birds were chirping and the weather was okay. This time we reached class in time. I needed a bit of a thicker jacket and an umbrella because it was raining again. We sat next to each other and I took notes, half zoned out and half focused on what I was writing. Soon I felt Sam's head on my shoulder while they stared at the professor.

When class ended, their head was still leaning on my shoulder and I looked down at their sleeping face, my own burning up from how close we were. I gently shook their shoulder. - Hey... wake up. - It came out as a faint whisper to which they lifted up their head, and for a few moments, our faces were closer than I was last night with Mona. I turned away and started packing my stuff. They got up with their stuff and looked down at me.

- I will walk you to your apartment. - They smiled and grabbed my bag, heading out with it. I grabbed my umbrella and almost ran after them, whining a little. Usually, I didn't like when people took my stuff but as their laughter echoed the hallway, I couldn't help but smile and enjoy the moment.

We walked back to my apartment, talking once in a while and the time passed quickly. I wanted to invite them inside but I had to pack. - I'll bring a part of my stuff tomorrow. - I said and they nodded. - Do you want me to take something right now? - They asked but I shook my head and said goodbye, then went inside the building to my apartment. I smiled to myself and waited for the elevator, sighing softly to calm my blushing cheeks down.

I entered the apartment and found Arthur on the couch, awake. He looked at me and stood up.

- Noah! - he said but my face remained cold and my tone came out deeper than usual. - Get out. - he froze in his place at the words that came out of my mouth, looking at me. - Noah, please... don't complicate. Just hear me out. - His voice was shaky.

- I said get out!! - Tears filled his eyes and he sniffled before going out. I shut the door and locked it when he left, staring outside. My own eyes were full of tears but I couldn't cry. I was regretting that decision even though I didn't really know why I kicked him out. But this wasn't the time to visit nor did I want anyone visiting me.

To distract my brain, I started packing my bags for tomorrow so I could take them to my room before going to the morning classes. After placing them next to the door, I went to the kitchen and packed up the snacks, proteins and other things I won't need these days and put them into the bags by the door. I ate something little and turned my computer on, starting an essay.

At 11 pm, yes. I won't be done by 2 am but sometimes you have to stay up a bit late. It was from the biology lesson earlier. Might seem silly but we learned about ecology and our essay homework is to write an essay about ecology and about something I would do to save the planet from pollution. I chose to clear out the waters and filter them from all the things people throw in it and make the water dirty in any way.

As planned, the essay was done at 2 am and my body was relaxed under the sheets. My eyes were slowly closing and the sheet mask on my face was doing me a big favor in moisturizing my skin. It relaxed me more than anything, making me fall asleep. But I stopped myself from giving in and soon took it off, dumping it in the trash can beside my bed, allowing myself to stay laid on my back for a few moments before falling asleep on my side, cuddled up to the pillows and hugging the sheets close to my chest.