The only reason I was in this itchy graduation cloak and stupid hat was because Lisa and Todd were excited and I would never disappoint them.
Me and Aubrey had lied all these years to them, pretending to talk when we came back to their house because Lisa and Todd didn't deserve to see us fight. They did so much for us.
I sit down next to Aubrey in a photo studio where Lisa and Todd smiles at us. They'd made us pose so much that this was the longest amount of time I'd spend near Aubrey since we started college.
Lisa looks at the photos and smiles at the
photographer.
"I'll pay you the extra for working with these two within the week." Lisa says and the photographer smiles and nods.
"I mean it wasn't that bad but the tension was thick." Lisa nods.
"What do you mean?" Aubrey asks.
"Well, my dear son, it has come to my attention that you and Cassidy have not been speaking. I wish I'd have been told about this instead of trying to think of ways to ease this while you guys were away. So I made you guys do this photoshoot to make sure you guys get used to each other." She has this sly smile on her face.
"Mom what have you done?" Aubrey asks.
"Well you guys are going to be staying together, for a month, on a partners retreat." My hand flies to my mouth as I try to process this information.
She told me to clear my schedule... and I did. I had told her as well.
"No complaining, you guys cleared your schedules, said you were open for anything, this is anything and you guys don't want to disappoint me, do you?" She really had caught us there.
She motions Todd over and he rolls out of suitcases that we packed for the trip we thought we were going on, with the rest of them.
I go to my room and throw a pillow against the wall, hard.
I could already feel a splitting headache coming on.
I put the pillow back and sit on my bed. I'd just made it after getting back. I don't know why considering I couldn't sleep at all these days.
I pack the rest of my stuff and go downstairs to see Aubrey packed and uninterested.
I put my stuff in the car that Todd had so kindly bought one of us.
I reapply my SPF and sit down in the passenger seat. This time I remembered to bring all the essentials, pillows, blankets and I packed every single clothing item I owned. I couldn't suffer again.
Aubrey gets in the car and Lisa hands me a packet.
"You guys are on the friend packet so no lovey-dovey stuff and you guys better check in. I spent a lot of money on this. I just want to see you two get along." She says and I nod.
"Alright ma, we'll see you." Aubrey says as we leave.
I put in the address and he just drives.
We don't speak, we don't even make eye contact.
I get my iPad out and start playing some games.
"Do you still not have a phone?" He asks.
"No but I don't really use it. I only use it for calls." I say.
I don't why I told him that much. However, the story of how I received my phone is a story I shared with all my really close friends, so no one but I did tell Lisa and Todd over said phone and they laughed and said I was very lucky.
"What phone?" He asks.
"iPhone 13 or something." I say but shift to face the window because I don't want to speak to him.
"So..." He starts.
"So nothing. I don't want to speak to you. What I said back then still applies now and now your mum knows so all bets are off. We don't need to speak." I say.
"Yeah fine." He says and I get back to my reading.
We drive for hours until we get to the retreat and when we do, we pick our own stuff up and take our own stuff.
I walk up to the counter.
"Hi, we were booked this trip for us. Under Lisa Hartford." The clerk smiles at us.
"Ah yes, Aubrey and Cassidy. Can I see your IDs?" We hand our IDs over and she scans them and gives them back after she waits for verification. "You guys will be in couple suite 401."
"Couple suite, we were booked for a not couple one." Aubrey says.
"Ah yes, a Hayden Hartford called and amended the plan. She said that you guys asked for the upgrade when you were drunk and that's she's paid 200 dollars in a non refundable upgrade so be grateful you, don't mind my unprofessional tone, absolute biznitches." She smiles knowing that we obviously didn't ask for that but she knows we won't complain. Hayden definitely put that in the note.
She hands us the key and gets the concierge to take our stuff.
"If it's any consolation, no matter what kind of trip you're on, you go to the same classes. You can opt out for some classes but minimum is 10 classes a week or whoever paid for this trip will not be getting their moneys worth." We thank her and go to our room.
I walk in and see the bed and chose to set up on the sofa which seems to be a pull out. It's not very comfortable but I didn't sleep anyways so it doesn't matter.
I pull it out and lie down on it and stare at the sunset through the curtains on the beautiful balcony it has.
I try and take a photo on my phone but it looks awful. The way I got it was because I won a 'contest' but I'd never entered any contest, the phone was legit and there were no bugs so someone left it but who, I'd never really know.
I stare off into the sunset and hear Aubrey fall asleep peacefully while I stare out the window.
