Holliewood (Completed)

chapter thirty-eight

"I don't know how people open this so easily," I said, struggling to pop open the bottle of champagne. My palms were even red.

"Let me see that. You could've just asked," Raymond said, walking towards me in swim shorts.

"You were on the phone though, I didn't want to disturb you," I responded.

He and I found ourselves in our hotel room after the Rerun festival. It was currently the wee hours of the morning, and music had been playing to drown out the silence.

Raymond took the bottle from me and angled it away from him as he carefully twisted the cork. A gentle pop sounded and with that, a few bubbles escaped the bottle.

I took a hold of the champagne flutes and let him fill them each halfway. When he was done pouring, he set the glass on the nearest table.

"Okay, let's have to toast," I said, handing him one of the flutes.

He took it from me and held it up towards mine, "what are we toasting to?"

"Well for starters, your birthday, duh," I said rolling my eyes at him.

"That was technically yester-"

"-I know, I know. We're still toasting to that, and to us putting on a great show," I held my flute up with a smile.

"You mean to you putting on a great show," he corrected.

"Can we just toast already before you get more technical and shit," I tilted my head to the side.

He let out a chuckle and shook his head before saying, "aight aight. To good things."

"To good things," I repeated.

We brought our flutes to each other and they clinked throughout the suite. I brought mine to my lips and took a sip.

"Well... I'm going to start up the jacuzzi so I can unwind a little before bed," he told me.

"Oh okay," I said, looking towards the balcony of the sweet where the brown-detailed jacuzzi was.

He walked away.

I took a slow sip of my champagne, letting the bubbles tickle my tongue as I watched Raymond step into the jacuzzi. He moved with a kind of relaxed ease, his shoulders dropping as he sank into the warm, swirling water.

The whole car ride I had been debating my thoughts; they seemed to be too loud. A lot had been happening in mind head and I thought I had fully managed to quiet it down, but the thoughts were back.

Maybe the only way to quiet it was by sleeping.

I broke my view of him and headed to the room I'd be sleeping in. My suitcase had been placed in a corner and I walked over to it.

Stop running.

I briefly closed my eyes and let out a heavy breath. My mind was fucking with me.

I bent down to open and skim through my clothes for my nightwear. My eyes managed to find them, the same way they managed to find my black two-piece bikini. The idea of joining Raymond came as quickly as I had tried to brush it off.

You two just toasted to his birthday and now making him celebrate it alone?

Maybe he wanted to be alone.

Maybe not.

I inwardly rolled my eyes. I can't believe I was doing this.

My brain was really fucked up for messing with me.

I grabbed my bikini and placed it on the bed before undressing myself. I was going to give it thirty minutes max - that would be enough time spent.