Answer Me

Chapter 7

My damp outfit weighed heavier than a dress covered in beads and sequins as I walked back to the hostel. Every step I took was even heavier like they were tied to boulders. My hair stuck to my cheeks. I could smell the rain on my body even though the sky was clear again. I didn't know what to feel. Should I feel relieved? Should I feel happy? That call was something. I still felt bad for myself but, the unknown caller had shown me that there were still people - specifically, a man - who understood and didn't only see a woman by her looks.

Guilt wafted in my mind when I suddenly remembered that I hadn't thanked that guy yet. How ungrateful I was. Where could we find a person like that anymore? He could just hang up while I was ranting my problematic thoughts. He had nothing to do with me so, why must he care? But he listened. He really listened to me. And he said something. Just to make me feel better.

Make me feel...loved?

Ann wasn't at our room when I entered. She must be out with Ali. I heaved a relief sigh knowing of her absence. At least, I didn't have to explain about why did I come back with puffy eyes and red nose and also, sodden clothes. I peeled of the T-shirt from my body, leaving my torso and my arms to bear the coldness of after-rain atmosphere with naked skin. Again, I saw myself in the mirror.

What was it with mirrors to me? They had always made me feel low. They perished my tiny bit of confidence. They screamed to me in silence, telling me "You're ugly."

I scrutinized my bare upper body. My arms looked like logs, big but not hard like them, flaccid like unwatered plant. A frown etched on my face when my eyes fell on the sight of my flabby belly. My thighs seemed like they were suffocating to be wrapped so tight in my jeans. They couldn't fit.

The wind from outside blew into our room and my whole body shivered. In haste, I grabbed my towel and wrapped my body in it then walked to the bathroom. I tore my sight away from the wicked reflection of the mirror. Okay, not wicked but, still. It might be a sign for me to stop thinking badly about myself.

The shower was so nice it made me forget everything for a while. The heat was just right. My eyelids begged to reconcile and darken my sight. Crying so hard earlier added up the wanting to sleep. Sleepiness began to consume me and it sat on its throne in my brain once I saw my bed and my blanket. I put on clean clothes as fast as I could so that I could crash the bed quickly. Then, I let sleep gobble up my consciousness and take me to the dreamland.

§

I could hear birds chirping and the sun was already shining. The sunlight diffused into the unfamiliar room through the cream-colored curtain. I could hear not just the chirping but, a soft and steady breathing that wasn't mine because clearly, I was gasping that time. Too shock because I was trying to absorb the fact that I woke up in this room that wasn't mine. I turned my head slowly to my side.

Oh. My. Goodness.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS RILEY THOMAS FREAKING MCDONOUGH DOING IN THE SAME BED WITH ME?!

I didn't recall going out of my room. I didn't recall meeting Riley McDonough. I didn't recall meeting Riley McDonough in my pajamas! With baby elephants printed all over it. And it was pink.

I gasped once more. A loud one until the hot boy with soft dark hair beside me woke up. He smiled before opening one of his eyes. Oh dear, someone please come here and explain what was happening and I begged that person to kill me immediately. He peeked at me under his lashes, still smiling. His hand searched for my hand and when it found mine, he held it so tight, brought it to his lips and caressed it.

"Good morning, beautiful." His morning voice was unexpectedly raspy and it was so sexy. My breath caught in my throat. His eyes were still on me. "You look much more beautiful when you wake up, you know."

I was dumbfounded. I couldn't bear looking at him so, I let my eyes sweep around the room. And again, what was it with mirrors to me? There was a mirror in front of me and another one beside me. There was other mirror above me at the ceiling. And another one. And one more.

The room was covered in mirrors. My reflections were everywhere but, I couldn't see Riley in the mirrors. I turned back to Riley at my side. He was still there, and for God's sake, he still wore a smile on his face. "What happened?" was all that I could manage to let out.

"These mirrors only show beautiful things," he said. My lips carved into a smile at that.

I lifted my sight to the mirrors. My reflections were gone. All that I could see was Riley. There was no mirror left with my image in it except the one in front of me. I didn't look like myself in that mirror though.

I saw a rotting body at my place.

§

"Hey, Erin! Are you okay?" I heard Ann. Panicked.

The room I woke up in now was our room again. The mirror at the corner was normal. I saw no rotting body but, my normal self. Rivulets of sweat formed at the back of my neck and my back. Ann's brows knitted in confusion and panic.

"Hey, you okay? You were, like, gasping for so many times and then, you screamed."

"Sorry. I'm good. It was just a bad dream." I pressed my fingers to my temples. The room was still spinning in my sight. It was quite dizzying so, I lay back down to steady myself. Ann patted my shoulder and walked back to her bed, continuing her normal routine every evening with Netflix. "What time is it?"

"11:01."

"What?! How long have I been asleep?"

"When I came back at 8 something, you were already sleeping," Ann explained briefly.

"Oh. Hey, sorry for disturbing your Netflix moment though," I apologized. She must feel disturbed when I suddenly screamed.

"No, it's fine," she said, popping a peanut into her mouth, not leaving her attention from the screen.

That dream was something. Why Riley?