The Book Of Us

16. A Touch Too Close

My arms are still wrapped around Engfa's waist, and for a second, I close my eyes, feeling the steady hum of the bike beneath us. The cool night air and the warmth radiating from her back almost make it... peaceful.

"We're here," I hear her say, but it's like I'm lost in the moment, not fully registering her voice. She repeats herself, sounding a bit more impatient this time, and I feel her hands trying to pry mine off her waist.

Snapping back to reality, I let go and try to dismount the bike a bit too quickly, but my foot slips, and before I know it, I'm on the ground. Great, just great. I look up to see Engfa staring down at me, an eyebrow raised, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and disbelief.

"You fell. Again," she says.

I brush off my pants, trying to salvage what's left of my dignity. "Yeah, thanks for pointing that out," I mutter.

Engfa just stares at me, her face blank, and then—without a word—she turns and starts walking away. I watch her back, irritation simmering as I call out, "Yeah, thanks a lot! Really appreciate it."

I follow behind her, watching her as she strides toward the building, looking completely unbothered. Meanwhile, I'm here, reeling from the little fiasco of stumbling off that bike. It's like I have to make a fool of myself every time she's around.

As I near the entrance, Engfa just lets the door swing shut, not even bothering to hold it open. I barely catch it before it slams into my face. My mouth drops open as I stare after her, watching her walk off as if I don't even exist.

Fine. Stay calm, I tell myself. She did get me back here, after all. No need to make a scene. With a sigh, I push the door open and head inside.

As I finally catch up to the door of our room, Engfa is just standing there, arms crossed, watching me like she's waiting for something. I look at her, then at the door, and raise an eyebrow.

"Well? Are you going to open it?" I ask, feeling my patience wearing thin.

"I left my key inside," she says.

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Who leaves their key in the room?" I mutter under my breath, already digging through my bag, trying to remember where I put mine.

"Can you hurry up?"

I throw her a glare, pulling everything out of my bag as I rummage around. Makeup, my phone, loose receipts... no key. My heart sinks a little as I empty out my last pocket, coming up empty.

"Are you kidding me?" I whisper to myself, trying to stay calm. I check my pockets, then check again, even though I know it's pointless. Finally, I turn to her and shrug helplessly. "I can't find it. It must've fallen out somewhere."

Engfa's eyes narrow as she closes them, clearly trying to keep it together. I watch as she pinches the bridge of her nose, clearly frustrated. "Say that again," she says slowly, her tone dripping with disbelief.

"I. Don't. Have. My. Key." I enunciate, crossing my arms defensively. The alcohol's definitely making me more annoyed than I normally would be. "And maybe don't blame me, alright? Who leaves their own key inside the room?"

Her jaw tightens, and she checks the time on her phone with a deep sigh. "Unbelievable," she mutters. "Just... unbelievable."

I fumble with my own phone, dialing Heidi, then Marima, but of course, they're both unavailable. Their phones go straight to voicemail. Great. I feel Engfa's glare and turn to her, unsure of what to do. "So, any ideas, genius?" I ask, waving my phone.

Engfa huffs and walks away without a word.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I call after her, following her down the hall as she heads outside. I realize she's scanning the ground, looking around.