Visionaries

four

// FOUR //

"Cass? Cass, darling, I have to leave for brunch with Darius. Are you coming?"

I look around the messy room with dimmed lights and no sun light because of the curtains, which is not ideal, for everything I need to throw in my purse. Keys, phone, makeup, wallet and the go-to meds I could possibly need.

"No," Cass calls out from the bathroom. She comes out in her boxer shorts and black cami putting on her left earring.

"I'm just going to relax here for a while," she continues. "I'm probably going to go back to the university anyway."

"How come?" I ask bending down to grab my phone laying on the floor by the bed. I must have knocked it off the night stand during my sleep. I get up and point at the curtains with a pleading smile to which Cass extends an arm and does her 'whatever' face.

I run to the other side of the room and I dramatically push the curtains open as if I were in a play. I fight the sudden urge to sing 'Tomorrow' from the Annie musical when the sun's rays shine at me.

I shake the childlike desires off and I turn around quickly. I grab my purse from the bed. I then slide over to the TV and I grab my hotel card beside it.

"Okay then, Cass. I'll take off."

I look at my phone to make sure I'm on time. 9h45. I still have half an hour and I'm walking so I guess I'll be early if anything.

"Be careful. Don't talk to strangers," she says as I pass in front of the bathroom. She is straightening her blond locks.

"Will do, you too. Oh, and don't go falling for teachers."

She crosses her fingers. I laugh and get out of the hotel room. I make sure, again, that I have everything that I need in my purse before I head off to the elevator.

I hum along the rhythm of the classic instrumental song "Requiem for a Dream" that has been stuck in my head all morning. I haven't even seen the movie, but somehow the violin track keeps playing in my mind.

I press on the button to go down and in almost a second, the elevator doors open.

From the elevator to the coffee shop itself, I did not cross a single person. Throughtout the whole walk, not a single person passes by me on the sidewalk. I spend the whole time alone, which I don't really mind.

Although, I'm shocked that I realized, because I was constantly so fascinated by the green life here. Everything is so much more green and clean and fresh in Lugano. I cannot wait to get my letter from FU. My parents are supposed to call me when it comes in and if I'm still here, they'll mail the letter back here which is unfortunate.

I pull open the door just as an old aged couple approaches the door as well. I keep it open for them to go inside. Even at, what I would estimate, the age of 85, they keep smiling and laughing together. They absolutely cannot keep their hands off each other. I love it. I cannot help but smile. I wish I can have that someday.

"Thank you, dear!" The woman exclaims.

"Oh, she thanked you! That's a word she has not had in her vocabulary since we got married," her husband says with a huge smirk.