The Switch

Chapter Fourteen | Art is Pretentious

The sunlight filtered in through the curtains, a bar of light falling right across my eyelids. I blinked into the light before groaning and rolling over, flinging my arm across the body next to me.

Wait, what?

I cracked open my eyes and found that the body was Nick. He was laying on his stomach, arms tucked under the pillow, face turned toward the side. He was shirtless, the contours of his back like valleys, muscles prominent. I admired his beautiful figure, and the way his eyelashes fell on the pillow.

This all felt so normal. I could wake up like this every day of my life and be content. My mood shifted as I realized that I only had about three more days on land to spend with Nick. How was I going to tell him that I had to leave? Would I tell him? Would it be easier to just leave one night without a trace and hope that Nick would forget about me within another week? We had gotten so close over the past few days. I felt like I at least owed him a goodbye. I sighed and ran my hands over my face. I'd figure it out later -- it was too early to be thinking about such sad things.

Wiggling so as not to wake up Nick, I slowly got out of bed. I quietly snuck across the floorboards toward the bathroom, cringing whenever one creaked. After I relieved myself, I checked my phone.

There was a text from Lydia.

Urgent meeting this morning at 11 at the Scrambled Café. Be there.

A glance at the time made me start moving a little faster. I quickly brushed out my hair and put on a cute teal tank top and some white denim shorts. I grabbed my purse and slipped on some black flats as I scribbled Nick a note:

Good morning :)

Had a meeting today - will be back around 1 pm.

xoxo, Marina <3

I sat lightly on the bed beside Nick and brushed the hair back from his face, gently planting a kiss on his forehead. I ran my thumb lightly across his cheekbones, smiling fondly at the boy that had stolen my heart in such a short amount of time.

Nick stirred slightly, shifting onto his back, flinging his arms above him. His mouth was open, and he snored slightly. I grinned. What a dork.

I placed the note on the bedside table, along with one of the pink roses he had recently given me, and shut the door quietly behind me.

* * *

I arrived at the Scrambled Café right at 11. I was rushed into a seat by Rachel, plopping into a booth across the aisle from Lydia and her followers, who each had a small bowl of fruit in front of them. The diner was large and overcrowded. It was hard to hear the other girls speak over the clatter of plates and the dinging of the bell in the kitchen. The smell of bacon and coffee wafted throughout the room. I looked down at the menu, which was covered with greasy plastic.

"Where have you been?" Rachel hissed through her teeth. "I feel like you just disappear all the time since you know who."

I looked over sharply at Lydia, who hadn't seemed to have heard any of what Rachel had said. "Seriously, Rach, keep your voice down. You don't want me to get banished, do you?"
She sighed. "No, definitely not. I just miss my best friend." Rachel grabbed my hand and played with a ring I was wearing on my middle finger.

I noticed she was wearing a long-sleeve shirt with puffy shoulders. "Aren't you hot in that shirt?"

She looked down, surprised, like she had forgotten what she was wearing. "Oh, no I'm fine in this top. We don't sweat, remember?"

"Speak for yourself," I replied. "It's hot in here."

We waved over the frazzled-looking waitress and I ordered an omelet with mozzarella cheese, bacon, and avocado. She filled up my mug with steaming coffee as Rachel filled me in on what was going on.