Skulls and Roses

Chapter 2

As I walked into the lobby, the smell of fresh food hit my nose, making my stomach growl. I spotted my friends at a table, laughing and chatting, and I joined them.

"Hey guys, what's up?" I said, grabbing a plate and starting to fill it with food.

"We were just about to start eating. Where were you?" Danielle asked as she took a sip of water.

"I went to look for Alec. He ran off somewhere, and I got worried," I replied, feeling a little flustered.

Elena chimed in, "Don't worry, Izzy. Alec's probably just taking some time to himself. He's been acting a little strange lately."

I nodded and sat down to eat, but my mind was still on Alec. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Suddenly, Alec burst into the lobby, looking like he was in a hurry to get somewhere. He ran towards the elevator, and I called out, "Alec, wait!"

He didn't seem to hear me, and I quickly finished my food before following him to our room. When I entered, Alec was pacing back and forth, his face contorted with anger.

"Alec, what's wrong?" I asked, trying to get him to calm down.

"Nothing, Izzy. Just leave me alone," he snapped, not even looking at me.

I felt hurt by his words but decided not to push him. I left the room and went to the swimming pool behind the lobby to clear my head. The water was warm, and I felt my muscles relax as I let myself sink into it.

As I swam, I thought about Alec and the strange situation we were in. He had been acting so distant lately, and I couldn't help but wonder if there was something he wasn't telling me.

When I got out of the pool, I wrapped myself in a towel and headed back to our room. Alec was dressed in a towel, looking angry. "I think you have lost the simple discipline to knock at the door before entering, as everyone has some privacy," he said sharply.

"I'm sorry, Alec. I didn't mean to invade your privacy," I said, feeling guilty.

Alec sighed and left the room, giving me some space. I took a shower and got dressed, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Later that night, I went to a bar near our hotel, hoping to take my mind off things. As I sat alone at the bar, sipping on a glass of champagne, I noticed a girl next to me who was crying.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

The girl looked at me, fear in her eyes, and got up to leave. I felt a pang of sadness as she ran away without saying a word.

Suddenly, a guy approached me and held me by the waist. "Hi there, beautiful. What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he said, smirking.

Before I could respond, Ryan appeared out of nowhere and kicked the guy in the ass. "What the hell, Ryan?" I said, feeling embarrassed.

"You could have been in danger, Izzy. You shouldn't have come here alone," Ryan scolded me.

Feeling ashamed, I apologized and tried to explain, but suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach. I vomited the champagne I had been drinking, feeling terrible.

The last thing I remembered was someone catching me before I hit the ground, their blurry face hovering over mine.