20 Days In His Bedroom

Chapter Ten

I walk for a while, searching for anywhere I can stay. All the shops are closed, and I have nowhere to go. I stop in front of a bar. At least there are people inside. Maybe I can ask a girl to let me stay at her place—just for tonight.

I step into the bar. It's filled with smoke, laughter, drunk people, and loud music. I think this is my first time in a bar. I hope it's the last. I'm only here because I have no other choice.

"Hi, can I talk to you?" I whisper to a red-haired girl. She immediately stands up and tosses the cigarette she was smoking.

"What did you say?" she asks.

"Can you let me stay at your place? Just for tonight? I'm new in New York." I try to speak louder, but the music is too loud to hear myself.

"What?" She eyes me up and down. I don't blame her. Honestly, I must look crazy. What am I even doing—asking a random girl in a bar? This isn't me.

"You can get any guy from here," she laughs.
"But you need to change. Take off this jacket—no, take off all your clothes. I'll give you a dress and some makeup. You're pretty. I'm sure you'll—"

"No, thank you," I interrupt, then run out of the bar.

Oh God.

No way. I'm not doing this.
I guess I'll go back to Nial. But... will I have to sleep in the same room as him? I really don't have other options.

It takes me half an hour to walk back to the Hilton.

I ask the receptionist about Nial's room. Thank God she remembers me.

"I don't know why you all call him Nial," she says, raising an eyebrow.

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind. His room is R23," she answers with a smile.

"Thanks," I say before heading to the elevator.

I reach his door and knock. I hope he answers. I know it's late, but it's freezing outside and I have nowhere else to go.

I knock again, harder this time.

"Hey," he says gruffly from inside before unlocking the door. He's shirtless.

Oh. My. God.

"You?" he smirks. Of course, he's going to tease me the whole time.

"Okay, look... I just— I didn't find anywhere else to go," I admit.

He chuckles.
"But I took back my offer."

"Really? Fine, then." I turn to leave, but he quickly grabs my arm.

"Come on," he says with that same teasing smirk. His touch is soft, and he smells like cologne. His hair is wet, and he's wearing blue shorts.

I sit at the edge of the bed. I'm too tired to stand anymore.

"Don't think I'm sleeping with you in the same room," I tell him.

"So you're going to kick me out?"

"No, don't worry. First, let me say—I only agreed because I had no other choice."

"Okay, take the bed. I'll take the floor."

"No. I'll sleep in the bathroom. You sleep in your lovely bed."

"The bathroom?" he laughs. "Seriously?"

"Yes. That's my only condition."

"No way."

"Why are you even arguing?"

"Because I'm not letting you sleep in the bathroom."

"Who said you had to? I said I will."

"Still. I won't allow it."

"I'll feel safer there. I'll lock the door. It'll be like we're in separate rooms."

"What if I need to use it in the middle of the night?"

"We're already past the middle of the night. If you need it, just wake me up. Please don't make this harder."

"Fine. You're crazy," he mutters as I pull my arm from his grip.

"Thank you, though," I say again.

I head into the bathroom and lock the door. It's actually really nice. Compared to the ship's bathroom, this feels like heaven. I take a long, hot shower. I use the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. It's the best shower I've had in four days.

I try not to think about Mom and Dad. It's been four days without them. I don't want to cry.

I realize I don't even have clothes. I wrap myself in towels—three on the floor, one as a sheet, and one as a cover. There are so many towels here, I'm grateful.

One of them smells like Nial's cologne. It must be the one he used. I pull it tighter around me and smile. I fall asleep wrapped in his scent.

A knock on the door wakes me.

"You want to use the bathroom?" I ask, sitting up.

"No. Come eat. I ordered pizza."

"I'm not hungry, thanks," I lie. I'm not just hungry. I'm starving.

"But I might eat a little." I open the door. He's still standing there.

"Finally took a proper shower," he teases.

My hair is still wet. I unwrap the towel from my head and let it fall onto my shoulders. I can tell he's staring, even though I'm still wrapped in towels from head to toe.

"Yeah," I mutter. "You too, I guess?"

"Sure," he smirks.

I sit at the table. He ordered two big pizzas. The smell is mouthwatering. I don't wait for him—I open the box and grab a slice.

"Is it good?" he asks, sitting across from me.

"Very."

It's the best pizza I've ever eaten. Maybe this hotel isn't so bad after all.

"I don't know if there's a towel left for me to use tomorrow," he teases again.

I giggle.
"There's one left."

"I think the towels are covering you more than real clothes."

"Well, I'm glad. I don't have any clothes, anyway."

"You could buy some."

I'm not sure if he's teasing because he knows I don't have money, or if he's just saying it casually.

"When I find Mom and Dad, I'll do everything," I say softly. He doesn't respond.

"Nial?" I say his name, breaking the silence.

He chuckles. Every time I say his name, he laughs. I don't know why.

"Why did you help me?" I ask.

"Help you how?"

"Why did you carry me in the ocean? You could've just left me."

"Because I wanted to help. I mean—not you specifically. I would've helped anyone."

"I was wondering... why wasn't I wearing a life jacket? Were you?"

"Yeah, I was. I took it off because it made swimming harder. I think it's made for people who can't swim... like you." He smirks. "And you were wearing one."

"No, I don't remember that. So why carry me if I had one on?"

"Because you were unconscious, remember? And I felt pity for you."