The Bachelor

Seven

The morning of the next day is surprisingly calm. I wake up and change into sweatpants and a baggy sweater and go downstairs to get some complimentary breakfast. When I'm sitting in the dining room I see other women that look like they could be bachelorettes. They're all about the right age, and they all sit alone, like me. That's until I see a group of them walk in. They're talking and laughing, I can't hear what they're saying though. They sit together and I decide that they could be the actresses. I spot the same girl that I had seen in the hallway. She catches me looking at her and gives me a friendly smile. It settles my nerves a bit, knowing that there will be some people in there that won't want to slit my throat. When I get up and leave they are still there.

John said someone would come get me from my room at four. And the first girl would get out of the limo at eight. I sit around for a while before I almost explode from being cooped up in my room. All I want to do is go for a run, but I don't have any clothes. I have my running shoes and sports bras, but nothing else. I have an idea so I get up and walk down the hall. I knock on the same door I went to yesterday, and shortly after, Barb opens it.

"Caroline, what can I do for you," she greets.

"I was just wondering, do you have any workout clothes?" I ask. She looks like she's thinking before she responds,

"Yes I believe I do, come on in." I follow her in and notice that there are less clothes hanging on the racks than yesterday. She rumages through a box and comes out with black running shorts and a loose fitting blue workout tank top.

"Would these work?" she asks.

"Yes that would be perfect," I say, and after thanking her profusely I go back to my room and change. I check google maps on my phone and discover that the park we went to yesterday is actually quite extensive and there are paths that go through a forest around it. I take the elevator down and manage to get out of the hotel without running into anyone, which I'm thankful for. It's not like they can force me to stay in the hotel but I just didn't want to have to answer any quesitons.

I retrace our route from yesterday and I run right past the playground. I follow the path as in goes into the woods and I continue along it as it weaves in and out of trees. I pass a few people, mostly walking dogs, but also a few fellow runners. There ends up being quite a lot of hills so the run is much more challenging than I expected. But I know that pretty soon I won't be able to run whenever I want. So I go until I'm tired, only breifly getting lost in the woods, before finding my way back out to the main park. It's quite sunny and when I lose the shade of the trees, the heat is intense. I'm about ready to collapse when I get back to the front doors of the hotel. I figure I must have been out for at least forty five minutes, which is alot for this weather. I get lucky again and don't see anyone on my way back to my room.

By the time I'm showered and dressed it's almost four. I'm grateful that I won't have to sit around any more, because that only leads to overthinking. I pack up the few items that I have back into my bag because I had been told that I wouldn't be coming back to my room. My hair is still wet but they're probably going to make sure it looks good so I don't worry about it.

I hear a knock on my door and I promptly answer, to see John.

"Time to go! You all ready?" I nod, and grab my single bag before following him out, and to the elevator. On the ride down he says,

"I'll show you to a room, where you will be made up for tonight." I have no idea why it will take three hours to get ready but I'm just going to let them do their thing.

I get to the room, which seems to be a conference room. There are tables with mirrors set up along the edges and a large table in the middle with all kinds of supplies. There is a clothing rack at the back but unlike the ones in Barb's room, there are only five dresses hanging from it. I actually see Barb, she's talking to Michelle.