Southern Californ-I

XXI.

Southern Californ-i

Vanity

When the next morning came around, I woke up with  a terrible pain just below my stomach and a bit of nauseous sensation. Getting out of bed without managing to wake up CJ, I went straight to the bathroom.

I didn't throw up, but I did get a a drink of water. I held my stomach but the pain was still there. Today was the fifteenth right? It had to be since my birthday was the thirteenth and I let out an irritated groan. Nothing like a period that came earlier than I expected, but at least I know where the sudden pain was coming from.

Creeping out of the bathroom, I was quick to notice CJ wasn't in the bed. What I thought was him was actually just some blankets bunched up from me tossing and turning. His keys and phone not on the nightstand either, leaving me to wonder when he left and to where? I distinctly remember coming back to the room last night to see him watching TV and then I crawled into bed, quickly drifting off to sleep with him still there on the bed next to me.

I walked over to my bag and began to dig around, hoping to find an extra tampon that I may have left behind. When there was nothing in my bag, I went to my purse and thankfully found one in the inner pocket. I'll see if Mickey or Nicole could come with me to the little stop n' shop at the end of the street to pick up some more.

***

I went across the hall after getting myself cleaned up. I had sent a text to CJ but there was no reply, which I feel like was in retaliation for how I gave him the cold shoulder last night. I don't even know why I did, maybe it was just one of those mood swings I was having but I don't want him to take it personally. Anyways, I knocked on their door and waited. Seconds had gone by and not a single sound coming from the other side of the door, so I knocked a bit louder this time.

When minutes had gone by and there was still no answer, I called up Mickey where she answered on the second ring.

"Hey, what's up?" Mickey said into the phone. In the background, it sounded busy like as if she was downtown or at a bus stop.

"I'm outside your door- been here waiting for an answer, where are you?"

"I was sick this morning and went to the hospital, I have food poisoning so I'm gonna be back at the apartment in a little while. Isn't Nicole there?" Just great.

"No. There hasn't been an answer and are you okay?"

"I'll be back and then we can chill. Nicole should be there, unless she's in the shower or dead ass asleep. Look, I gotta go but I'll give you a call soon as I leave, okay?" She said in a more rushed manor then hung up. I guess a doctor or nurse came into the room but I brought the phone away from my ear and settled with walking to the store myself. I really didn't need anyone to go with me but it would have been nice to have company.

I walked on down the hall and took the elevator to the lobby. Walking out through the doors, it was grey outside as if it was about to rain but still kind of warm. Trippy weather but I just went about my way, passing by many people as they made their morning commutes. Throughout these few days, I hadn't seen a single trolley but that all changed when the red and yellow cart came strolling by along those cable cords. The bells that rang as it glided along the tracks put a small smile on my face for whatever reason but I needed to hurry so I could be back in the hotel before Mickey showed up.

"Aye what's good?" I heard a faintly familiar voice. At first I thought it was Jordan because it kind of sounded like him but I looked up from my phone to see the guy that Nicole snuck into her hotel room. He was walking the opposite way I was and I turned around to make see if he was talking to someone else behind me but it seemed to be just me walking in his direction and his dark brown eyes were set on me.