Please Don't Try and Turn On the Lights

12. Beach Day

The next morning, I was awakened by a strange sound coming from the bathroom. It took a few seconds for me to grasp that it in fact was the sound of someone having a piss. I was not used to living with guys and the sound embarrassed me. I felt as if I was eavesdropping on someone's private conversation. I buried my face in the sofa I was occupying.

I heard the toilet flush, the sink running, a yawn, and then bare feet on the hotel carpet.

"Rhea?" I heard a hoarse voice whisper.

"Hi," I whispered to Jamie who was standing in front of me in nothing but his boxers. He was carrying a glass of water in one hand, and used the other hand to scratch his belly. With his dumbfound expression, unruly hair, and red-rimmed eyes, he looked as if he was having a rough morning.

"What are you doing here?" Jaime asked me, perplexed.

"I decided my own hotel was too far away. I hope you don't mind me sleeping here."

"How did you get in?"

"Uh...You let me in?"

"I did?"

"Yeah," I laughed, "Don't you remember?"

"Must've thought you were Nick.." he shrugged, "although I do have to admit that you are prettier than Nick by far."

I laughed heartedly at his remark and sat up so there was room on the sofa for Jamie to sit down next to me. We started talking about last night and had a good laugh thinking about Miles on the dance floor. Jamie started telling me a wild tale about a dance-off Miles had once been in.

"Oiiiiii, Cook!" I heard an annoyed man yell from the bedroom, "will you shut up! I'm trying to sleep in here."

"Sorry mate. I'll try and keep it down" Jamie said and banged the radiator loudly just to annoy the very hungover Matt in the next room

I snickered when I heard a loud groan from the bedroom, "Cookie, I will not hesitate to come out there and break your good arm.."

Jamie proceeded to bang the radiator loudly.

"What the hell, mate?" Matt came into view a couple of minutes later. He was wearing dark blue trackies and a hoodie, "Cut a bloke some slack! Why are you so noisy?"

"We've got company," Jamie said, tilting his head towards me.

"Oh, hi Rhea. Didn't see you there....Did you sleep here?"

I nodded.

"I thought you were going to go home with that American bloke?"

"Naaah..." I said, "I mean, he was nice and all but it didn't feel right to go home with him yesterday."

"And where's Nick?" Matt asked.

"Last time I saw him, he was sucking some poor girl's face off. Miles too.."

"Yeah, and Al," Jamie said. It made my heart clench. Had Alex hooked up with that girl before he had taken me home? Before he had almost kissed me?

"Are you seriously saying that I'm the ONLY one in the group who didn't hook up with anyone yesterday?" Matt asked us, looking perplexed.

"Well, I didn't either," Jamie said.

"You're excused. You have Katie back home... I'm a bloody rockstar, goddammit, if I can't get any, how are other people going to?" Matt sulked.

I laughed at his remark, "well, as far as I could see, you were texting that Breana girl all night!"

Matt's face flushed, "she's got a boyfriend. It was just some friendly texting.."