Muddle on! (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 9.2

    I was dead set on not taking my car to get to the hotel, and simply use a taxi or something. But, after the heated debates, Ted managed to convince me to reconsider. I, personally, hated how much noise my car made when I took it out of the garage, and parked it on the curve in front on the house. It irritated me to no end listening to vroom-vroom-vroom-vroom each time I stepped on the gas pedal. The same sounds produced absolutely opposite effect on Ted. He looked smug and appreciative. That made me switched sides, and I ended up on the passenger seat. If he liked it so much, he could as well drive it.

     When we’ve passed our next-door neighbors, I saw a smirk stretching on Ted’s face.

     “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?” I narrowed my eyes at Ted. His lips continued stretching wider until I heard a giggle coming out of his mouth.

     “Seriously?” I puffed.

     “Oh, come on, Bells. You got to admit that the story with red undies was priceless. The way Eddie Buckner narrated it, still hunts my imagination. Hold on…” he breathed out a short chuckle. “How did he say it…I was outside when she went down her drive way. She turned around and bent down, to pick up the newspaper…and then I saw it…red…so red…and the skin…”

     “OOOOOoookay!” I stop my hand up in the air, stopping him from going any further with these descriptions. My cheeks for the third time today became a color of tomatoes, and I hated such advanced level of my embarrassment. I usually stayed cool when talked about physical things. It’s just today it was too much to handle. First, I walked on the couple in the middle of a making out session, which was no doubt only seconds away from the big boom. Then, I saw a bulge sticking out from the guy’s boxers. And now, this!

   

     Toooo much.

     Except the occasional comments of Ted about the city, and the roar of the car, the rest of the ride to the hotel went smooth. Sometimes, I would steal a glance at the dress that my sister bought me for her wedding. I don’t know if I should laugh of cry. The dress was very nineteen eighties, though of a very pretty lavender color. Oh, hell with it, it was hideous and two size bigger than I needed. I didn’t slimmed down that much. All my former clothes still fitted my body, though it sat a bit looser, but not dramatically loose to actually need to buy new once. Later, I just gave up and decided that I didn’t really care about the dress. The wedding party was not for me but for Kristen, and I could just suck it up for this time being.

     When we got to the hotel, it turned out that the room that was reserved for me, had only one bed. Miraculously, all other rooms were reserved too, and we could switch for two beds or even one but King sized one. It was really a cliché moment, however, it didn’t stop neither Ted nor me from dropping dead on it once we made it into the suit. I won’t say that I didn’t see Ted that way, I did and very much, so. I just never let the thoughts, or even thoughts of slight chances and possibilities of something happening between us, more than friends should do, ever enter my head. Once my cheek reached the pillow, I closed my eyes and muttered a “goodnight” to Ted and in few minutes was out cold.

     When I woke up it took me a while to get my thoughts together. It was around five in the morning only, and the light in the room was gloomy dark. I turned around to find Ted peacefully sleeping on his back under the cover. He had some T-shirt on, and looked fresh and rested in comparison with me. I haven’t even changed my clothes from the last night. I peeled the cover from my body and stretched my bones, getting up. Trying to be noiseless, I opened my travel bag and found my toiletries along with some clothes to change. I didn’t take much with me. Only my high heels, a pair of sandals, some casual shirts, one pair of shorts, a blouse just in case, and two vases that I made for my sister as a present. Yep, I made her the vases. Myself. And was immeasurably proud with myself for that, because they both came out perfect. I even decorated them with inspired by Mediterranean Sea prints.