Little White Lie

Chapter 24

|24|

•Charlotte•

I heard a loud sigh in the room and I opened my eyes. I hated being a light sleeper and waking up with every movement, every breath was not a pleasant feeling. 

Lizzie pulled back the curtains in the room, the sun shining down on her as she smiled. "Paradise." She sighed with her arms wide open and staring out the window. 

Our rooms were stunning. Josh and Alex had bargained their way for us all so we were given the chance to move to the top floor, just below the penthouses. Our translator was robbing us but thankful Josh and Alex had caught on. They told Mr Walter who shook his head and told the translator that we didn't need her help. 

Josh and Alex were the new translators now and they got us new rooms. Lizzie and I were sharing a room and it had one of the best views I had ever seen. The ceiling to floor window was where Lizzie was standing. 

She was wearing a long white shirt as she looked at the view. I sat up in the comfortable bed and picked up my phone to see the time. It was ten am in the morning in Italy but it was too early to ring home to ask how dad was. Time zones. 

"It's your birthday tomorrow." Lizzie said as she turned to look at me. "I wonder what we will be doing tomorrow." She grinned as she walked towards her suitcase. 

I laid down on my stomach to watch her pull out dresses just as someone knocked  on the door. Lizzie quickly walked towards the door and opened it to see Anna, one of the students. 

"Mr Walter said he would like everyone in the lobby in ten minutes. We will be going to the local cafe for breakfast and then to The Colosseum." Anna smiled at Lizzie who nodded and she walked away. 

Lizzie closed the door and turned to me. "I want to look pretty." She said as she walked back to her suitcase and opened it up. "I think maybe dark denim shorts with a pink top? Or is pink too loud?" She started pulling out clothes from her suitcase until she found her box of pills which she placed on the bed besides me. 

"What are you feeling today?" I asked her as I rested my head on my palms and watched her take her pills. 

"Pink." She smiled to herself. 

"Then there's your answer." I said to her as I climbed off the bed and sat on the floor of my own suitcase. "I think I'm just going to wear jeans and a white top so I can look extra pretty tomorrow." I said as I pulled out my clothes and handed it to her as she stood up. Lizzie was on ironing duty. 

"Are you going to wear the red dress tomorrow?" She asked me as she headed towards the ironing board in the far corner of the room. 

I nodded my head. "It's in my suitcase just in case I feel like dressing up tomorrow." It was the red, burgundy dress that I never wore for Christmas last year but I had bought it with me just in case it called out to me. 

I wanted to enjoy my birthday tomorrow.

***

"Ciao." Ramon said behind me as Lizzie and I stood with the group. I turned around to see him staring down at me, his eyes wandering over my body. 

We were waiting for Mr Collins and Miss Williams to bring the other students down. 

"Eyes up, Ramon." I clicked my fingers at him and he chuckled as Lizzie grabbed my hand, and pulled me behind her. I walked backwards, careful of not tripping on her as Ramon followed me. We walked out of the lobby as Mr Walter saw the others. She guided me.