A Part of My Memory

Zara

I woke up with a pounding headache the next day. With a heavy groan, I sat up slightly in bed only to find Ally and Serena barely asleep, groaning and holding their heads.

"I can't believe you all fainted," Faizah tsked and tossed a pillow onto each of us, ordering us to get out of bed. That only got more groans from us.

Eventually, I managed to get out of bed. Faizah tossed me a bottle of water, which I failed to catch, and ordered me to drink it, which I did because I felt so dehydrated. She went to take a shower and I decided to search for something more efficient that would cure this hangover. I pulled on a cap, slipped on a pair of slippers and left the hotel room, but before I could even press the elevator button, the doors opened and before me stood Elliot.

He only looked at me, and there was something about his expression that made me anxious. I racked my mind but couldn't find many memories of last night. Had I done something I shouldn't have done yesterday?

"Your floor is below us, what are you doing here?" I decided to ask instead.

The elevator doors began to close but Elliot stuck his hand through and the doors automatically opened again.

"Where are you going in your condition?" He asked instead of answering my question.

"What condition? I'm perfectly fine," I told him and he cocked a brow, unconvinced. "I'm just going to look for something to cure my hangover."

"Lucky for you, I've got just what you need," he said, suddenly handing me the plastic bag he was holding. "These will help cure your hangover."

"You got them for me?" I asked, somewhat baffled at his generosity. "You really didn't have to."

"I did," Elliot said, almost sheepish. "But it's not just for you," he added quickly, "it's, um, for Serena and Ally too, they were farther gone than you were," he chuckled awkwardly. "And technically it was Reed who got these for you, I sorta used his credit card."

My lips curved into a smile at that.

"Now go back to your room and get some rest," he advised.

Before leaving, I inspected the contents in the plastic bag. Crackers, water, but the item that stuck out was... "chocolate?"

"You said chocolates cure all your sicknesses," he told me.

"When did I say that?"

"The first day we met, in the shops," he reminded me. "I know you meant it as a joke, but I thought the chocolate would still help." He pressed the button for his floor and just before the doors closed he offered me a soft smile before saying, "Get some rest."

I looked back into the plastic. Snickers and Kit Kats were the only chocolates inside.

So he's a good listener too? I thought to myself then sighed. Why is he so attractive?

I made my way to the door only to remember I forgot my key card inside.

Perfect.

Serena and Ally were likely too hungover to answer the door, and Faizah wouldn't be able to hear the door over the shower. It took her at least half an hour to finish in the bathroom so I would have to wait. I was perfectly fine with waiting though, I had chocolates to pass the time.

****

I could only fully function after 10 am, and it was probably only because of the cures Elliot—and Reed—had brought for me—well, us—as well as the pills Faizah had forced down our mouths.

Faizah choreographed our entire day. First, in order to relax we went to the spa. I wasn't surprised when my jaw dropped upon entering the lavished and luxurious room. Then, we hit the beach and spent the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon doing activity after activity. Wakeboarding, scuba diving and even white water rafting. The latter was the most fun, what with the complete change in environment. Our guide drove us through the hills to a river where an inflatable raft awaited us. He navigated us around rocks, trees and waterfalls. My adrenaline was constantly on the high every time we crashed into waves and sped down small waterfalls. The activity immersed us in nature and we experienced scenery and views that, otherwise, wouldn't usually be accessible.