Chasing Pavements

nine

9
-
𝚅𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊

I awoke to golden sunlight streaming through the window, a cordial acknowledgement of the rising sun. My eyes were wide open as the events of the day before unfiltered my haze of thoughts. I shot up and jerked my head to the empty space beside me.

So he did not spend the night in this room.

My feet shuffle beneath the ruffled sheets. The empty space beside me appeared to have left a cold breeze of air; the sun was warming me, but I felt anything but warmth. I let out an unconscious sigh as I clutched the white bedding close to my chest. I had no idea what to expect, but I certainly did not expect this. Disappointment. It's a strange sensation that makes me weary.

A knock resonates throughout the room, followed by the appearance of a head through the door. "Hey, you're awake!" Strom Aldendorff smiles as he greets me.

I thought it was appropriate to return his grin, so I did.

"Breakfast has been prepared. Do you want to eat with the rest of us, or do you want me to bring you food?" He provided me with options.

I didn't want to be a bother to anyone. They had already done so much to save me. Far too much. I made a weak motion with my head "No, you don't have to do that. I'll be there."

He responded with a polite nod and exited the room.

I sat back on the soft mattress, gathering my thoughts before rising to my feet and trotting towards the bathroom, towel in hand. I stepped into the tile-floored shower and turned the knob, allowing the ice cold water to kiss my face. I let the water completely drench me before reaching for the shampoo, lathering it in my hair, and rinsing it out.

I dried myself with a towel and wrapped it around my body before stepping out of the room after a much-needed shower because the summer heat was seeping through my skull. My wardrobe was limited to male clothing; I had no idea who donned it, but that didn't bother me. Clothes are just that: clothes. They all serve the same purpose. I was thankful just to have something to wear.

I grabbed a pair of grey sweatpants and a large black t-shirt, pulled it over my head, and tugged at the string, cinching my waist and cuffing the sweatpants to make them look smaller. The clothes wouldn't cling to my skin because it was baggy. I didn't like the way clothes felt when I was aware of them.

I put on a pair of slippers and grabbed the blow-dryer to dry my hair after I finished dressing myself. I gathered the thick mane into a low ponytail after it had dried and fluffy.I rummage through the drawers looking for lotion or the like, only to come up empty-handed and the open drawers a cluttered mess.

The ship swayed, and I almost fell over, but I managed to stay upright. My gaze wandered around the opulent small corridor. The floor was a blood shade of red, and the walls were adorned with small intricate gold pieces. There was no chandelier, but there was an elegant light that hung from the ceiling; it was small and could have been mistaken for one. On the thin tables, golden unlit candle holders sat primly. My feet led me through various doors until I emerged into the warm sunlight. The men were scattered all over the place; some sat at the table, others roamed the area, a few leaned on the railings, basking in the sun, and the majority stood around the table.

I fidgeted with my fingers as I noticed a few of them staring at me. I took a step forward to the table and discovered Stavros seated at the far end, holding a phone. Elegant cutlery festooned the entire length of the dark wood. Small candle holders were placed in the center, and they, like the rest of the candles I've seen, were unlit.

Once I saw Strom Aldendorff, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. It gave me peace of mind to know that I knew at least one person here. Being on a ship full of men was intimidating, especially since they were all looking intently at me. I dashed over to sit next to him. He gave me a warm smile as he greeted me and tipped his wine glass at me before downing it.