Duplicity [h.s]

11

Three very loud bangs and the shout of my name is what fired me up from my sleep, my eyes jumping open to the ceiling of my hotel room.

"Aven Brooks!" The voice I've became familiar too sent me into a full stage of panic.

I shot upright on the bed, papers still scattered all around me and all the lights still on. I look at the clock and see it's was 5:03am.

My blood ran ice cold as I realize what I've done.

"Shit!" I shouted to myself and launched out of bed, my door still shaking from the fist banging on the other side.

I run to the door and open it up, my hands shaking. I met eyes with Sal standing there with a coffee gripped in his hand, clipboard in the other, and a look of pure rage on his face.

He was quick to notice my pyjamas.

"Were you asleep!"

"I'm so sorry I—I forgot to set my alarm. I'll be ready in five minutes." I said in maximum stress, lightheaded from jumping to my feet so fast.

"Everyone is waiting in you! We were suppose to depart four minutes ago!" He shouts back, my heart racing.

"I'm so sorry. I'll be down very quick I just got to change." I ball my fists in anxiousness.

"Hurry! You need to be downstairs in five minutes!" He storms away in a rush, going down the hallway at a quick speed.

I shut the door and sprint around my room, scooping all the papers and tossing them in one pile. I didn't finish signing everything and Sal needed those by today. I threw off my pyjama pants and my shirt, running into the bathroom to start brushing my teeth. I fill the bristles with toothpaste and start brushing dramatically while running around the room to gather more stuff just in my bra and underwear. I toss on deodorant and grab the easiest thing to throw on my body; track pants and a black sweater.

During all of this, toothpaste was nearly foaming out of my mouth so I ran back and spit real quick. I continue to brush while slipping on my sneakers, getting down on my knees and zipping up my suitcase.

This is not how I wanted to start my first morning.

I finish collecting my things all with one hand, running back to the sink and spitting toothpaste again. I quickly rinse my mouth out and tap my toothbrush on the side of the sink to get rid of the wetness. I sprint back to my bag, tossing the toothbrush in and grabbing all the papers off my bed.

I juggle the papers, my two suitcases, and my purse dangling around my hip all while heading to the door.

I didn't even put my contacts in I was in such a rush, my glasses were tucked in my purse because they kept bouncing around my face when I was running all over the room.

So now everything was blurry but I just had to get myself to the bus. Once I get in there I will clean up and put my contacts in. I looked very bad in what I was wearing, a really big sweater and baggy track pants.

My whole trip from my room to the lobby was a blur, literally. Before I knew it I was downstairs and Sal was standing impatiently in the big open area.

"Let's go!" He ordered as I ran faster.

When I got up to him in my nearly blind state he grabbed my two suitcases.

"Your bus is outside about to leave, I'll handle these." He ordered me to run some more so I did.

"I'm sorry Sal!" I shouted while running down the elegant lobby at dawn.

I got outside so the morning air hit me like A breath of fresh air. There were three tour busses all lined up in front of the hotel, only one of the doors being open.