Your Mark on Me

Chapter 28: Desperate Measures

They wouldn't let me in. It had taken me a whole hour in the taxi to get there and a whole load of money spent on the ride, and they wouldn't let me in.

I wasn't stupid. I hadn't just gone to the reception and asked for his room number. No, I sat in the lobby, trying to look as inconspicuous as I could (which probably meant I looked suspicious as hell), hoping I could loiter around until he'd come out.

I had checked online the flights to UK: there was one at five in the morning, another one at nine, then midday and another one in afternoon. It was crazy, but I couldn't risk it: what if he took the earliest one? I had come right away, in the middle of the night, and I was ready to wait as long as I had to if that meant that I would get my answers.

It was two in the morning now, I was miles away from home, and, after only half an hour of waiting, they were kicking me out. Not literally — but quietly, politely, I was asked to leave the premises.

"But I'm just waiting for my friend", I insisted.

The woman at the check-in desk nodded, visibly fed up with me, and repeated for the third time, emphasising every word:

"I understand, Miss, but as I told you before, Mr. Crawford doesn't want to be disturbed. Especially in the middle of the night. By someone who doesn't even know the room number."

She gave me a fake smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Look, can you please just tell him it's Scarlett. He's not expecting me, but if you tell him that it's Scarlett's waiting for him in the lobby, he'll come down. I guarantee."

The woman sighed. It wasn't enough that she had a night shift, now she had to put up with a stalker. "Miss, I don't want to have to call security."

"Fine, fine, I'll go."

Luckily, it was summer. Plus, I had a cardigan with me, which was quite handy now, as I sat perched on the steps outside. It was far enough so the staff couldn't see me from the inside (or so I thought), and close enough to keep track of anyone coming in and out. There were quite a few people, for that time of the night.

I couldn't help but wonder where it was that they were all going and felt a sudden wish to fly somewhere far away, anywhere where I hadn't been and seen. In a world so big, there were so many places that fit the description.

After another hour, my mind began filling with scenarios even more ridiculous that the one I was in. What if it wasn't even him, but someone else with the same name? Or what if he'd gone past me and I hadn't recognised him? After all, it was dark. I was biting my nails nervously when I saw the security patrol in the distance, already eyeing me.

I got up and rushed back to the lobby. The same receptionist was at the front desk; she rolled her  eyes when she saw me coming. "Miss, I already told you..."

"Look, I know it's late and all, but..."

Through the transparent window, I could see the security staff walking up the entrance stairs, so I took the hundred dollar bill that I was saving for the taxi and slipped it into her pocket. She eyed me carefully, without saying anything.

Security was now in, a big, bald guy, sporting a moustache that looked very out of place in combination with his hairless face and scalp. I held my breath.

"It's ok, Bob, the young lady is one of our guests."

I let out a relieved exhale.

She didn't make the call, but she let me wait inside.

I woke up with a stiff neck and my body curled in an unnatural position on the faux-leather chair in the lobby. Someone was tapping my shoulder and a familiar voice was calling my name.