HOMEBOUND TO YOUR ARMS | GXG

CHAPTER 2

Melina pov:

The town was small, with only a few stores scattered around, easily counted on one hand. The trees were withered and leafless, as if they had lost their souls, and there were barely any people outside, like a sad ghost town, abandoned and lost in the middle of nowhere.

The first place I decided to go after stepping into the town was the hotel. I could see it from a distance. It was clear that the hotel was old, its walls worn and windows chipped, sending a chill down my spine. How lonely was this town?

I felt so exhausted. Though I’d slept through the entire bus ride, my body and neck ached from the position I had been in, so I walked toward the hotel. It wasn’t far.

As I approached the hotel, the wind seemed heavier. When I pushed the door open, I was embraced by the warmth inside. The place was warm despite its cold, empty appearance.

A girl sat behind the reception desk, her head buried in a book. When she looked up and saw me, a wide smile spread across her face.

Her hair was curly and brown, and her eyes were a deep hazel, with freckles across her nose. Her smile was very charming.

Surprisingly, I found myself smiling back. As I walked toward her, I could hear my footsteps on the worn floor. I slightly leaned forward, placing my hands on the edge of the desk. "I’d like to book a room," I said.

Her smile widened as she leaned back in her chair. "Your room is 109. It’s the best room we have," She said, standing up to grab the room keys. She handed them to me gently.

"I gave you a big discount, but don’t tell my mom I did," she said with a warm smile before burying herself back in her book.

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Thank you," I murmured, my voice barely a whisper, as I turned toward the stairs to head to my room.

Just as I was about to turn and head to my room, her voice stopped me. "Visitors don’t usually come here. Why are you?" she asked. Her eyes were full of curiosity as I turned to face her.

I hesitated, unsure how to answer, searching for the right words. "I don’t know why I’m here," I finally admitted with a shrug.

She stared at me for a moment before bursting out laughing. "You’re funny, so funny! Do you really not know why you’re here?" she said, as if she thought I was joking.

"I am," I said in a serious tone as I smiled back at her. She looked at me again, like she was trying to figure me out, studying me, as if I were a page in her book.

"You’re a very strange person," she said, shaking her head, smiling. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. I hadn’t smiled or laughed like that in a long time.

"Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Harper. I’m the daughter of the owner of this place," she said softly, smiling at me.

"I’m Melina. I travel a lot," I said, watching her expression as she chuckled softly.

"Well, nice to meet you, Miss Traveler," she said, her smile a little wider. She looked at me for a second longer as I nodded. "Nice to meet you too," I said.

Then I walked to my room with a smile on my face, something I had almost forgotten existed. But it faded away as the darkness of the hallway closed in around me like a black hole. The atmosphere felt heavier, suffocating. I quickened my pace, trying to outrun my thoughts, trying to push everything out of my mind.

When I finally reached my room, I didn’t hesitate as I threw myself onto the bed, feeling the weight of the world, as if it might swallow me whole.

I stared at the ceiling, my mind in chaos that wouldn't calm down. All my memories felt distant, as if they were fading into nothing.