When the Traveler Stays (OHSHC)

12 | Hanging with Haruhi (1831)

I woke up the next morning with a pain shooting through my feet and hands. Note to self: Mary Janes do not make very good dancing shoes. I groaned and rubbed away the sleep from my eyes. When I tried to stand up, I got a very dizzy feeling and I couldn't see anything. I was smart enough to turn around and face the bed before I fell face first. 

With my head smooshed into the mattress and mess of crumpled white blankets, I called for a maid. Well, I muffled for a maid. To my surprise, I heard the door click open and footsteps pad across to my bed. 

"Are you alright Miss?" I recognized the voice as one of my favourite maids who brings me tea every night. I tried to answer her, but frankly I have no energy to get up. So, of course I attempt to answer her with my face still covered in the duvet. 

"I don't understand what you're trying to say Araya-sama." I can just picture her now standing awkwardly beside me, her posture tall and her hands clasped in front of her. Feeling somewhat like a beached whale, I roll over to finally speak to her. 

"Would you mind-" I had to stop talking due to the mouthful of hair I had. Making raspberry noises. I brush the hair out of my mouth, and off my eyes and nose. "Would you mind getting me some aspirin and a cup of coffee please and thank you." She nods and walks out of the room. 

Sighing, I sit up and bring my dangling legs from the side of the bed, to actually on it. It only seemed right that every way I put the pillows I wasn't comfortable. I give up and just decide to sit on the floor. 

There I was; a second year high school student, sitting cross legged on the floor beside a bed. Not to mention I was currently wearing cupcake pyjama bottoms with a Totoro shirt on. Also, my hair probably looked like a rats nest because I didn't even bother to shower after the dance last night so it would be a mix of curls and knots by now. Now that I think about it, I probably look like the girls I used to make fun of with my chauffeur when I went to New York City. 

"Why are you sitting on the ground Araya-sama?" The lady came back in the room with a tray in hand. She set the tray on the desk and poured the coffee in one of the painted porcelain cups. I don't even need to say how much milk or sugar I want; she has done this so many times I suspect she remembers it better than her own blood type. 

"I gave up." I simply state to answer her question. She hands me the cup, and then the pill to get rid of my pounding headache. Then, to my surprise she sat down next to me. 

"Oh don't give up. You're still young; you've got your whole life ahead of you." I looked at me with a sweet smile. I could tell she was getting on the older side by the faint wrinkles forming on the sides of her eyes and on either side of her nose. 

"I know I'm young and that's why I'm giving up. Might as well quite while I'm ahead. Am I right? Or am I right?" I swallowed the aspirin and took another sip of the hot, bitter sweet drink. The maid just laughed and shook her head at me. 

"You know, when I was your age every Saturday, the girls and I would get together and hang out at the market place just to spy on the cutest guy at school whilst he worked at the local butcher shop." She smiled at the ground, remembering all the memories she spent watching a guy cut up meat I suppose.

Her saying something about hanging out with friends gave me a good idea. I jumped up from the ground and placed the coffee on the desk right beside the telephone. I picked up the phone from the receiver and dialed the number. I turned back around to see the maid had gotten up and was fixing the bed sheets. 

"Hey, I know this is going to sound really bratty: but I don't know your name." I smile sheepishly at her as the phone rang. 

"Just call me Jin, Miss." I nodded and we both smiled at each other before she went back to the duvet and I went back to focusing on the ringing telephone.