I went to the bathroom to get ready. Absentmindedly, I closed the door; after peeking out again, I saw that he was getting dressed. I had to fight the urge to run over to him. Closing the door, I started to work on my boring shoulder-length brownish-black hair.
After ten minutes of yanking and fighting with the flat iron, I was finally ready. I sauntered back into our room, getting ready to say something witty until I realize he wasn't in there. Thinking that he was in the lobby downstairs, I walked out the door, locked it, and took the elevator downstairs. An instrumental Melissa Ethridge song was playing. Elevator music has always irked me.
When the elevator door opened, I saw a huge crowd of people, all talking to each other. Some of the girls were in maroon cheerleader skirts with ugly, ripped fishnet stockings underneath. Most of the guys were wearing the most hideous red jerseys I had ever seen—and, of course, with matching barf-color shorts. I saw Dom in the crowd and ran over there to surprise him. I slapped his ass playfully. Then I realized--
It wasn't Dom.
The guy turned around. My mind was screaming MAYDAY MAYDAY. I felt my cheeks burn; I knew they were almost to their brilliant shade of embarrassed. I looked at him....he looked oddly familiar...
"NIK??!" I half-screamed, half-whispered in shock. It was Dom's brother—but more importantly, my ex. "What--What are you doing here??" I stammered.
He chuckled. Then he frowned. "Hey, Veto," he said coolly. I flinched at my old nickname. "Where's Dom?" he asked, like I would have known.
"I'm not sure...I figured he'd be down here. He wasn't up in our hotel room..." I was starting to get worried. Or, if he was okay, and just didn't tell me where he was going, irate.
Nik and I waited around, making small talk. One of the many things I still haven't mastered in my twenty years.
"...So then I was like, why did he do that? The bear was right there!" Nik said, laughing so hard the cheap wine in his Styrofoam cup spilled on his black, Ryan-Stiles-like shoes. I chuckled along, even though I had missed the story line. I'd been thinking about Dom—and how he would feel about all of that.
Then it happened. He leaned in for a kiss. I freaked out and backed away. He looked hurt, but he knew that I was over him and that I was in love with, of all people, his brother. Upset, I ran down the hall, up the stairs, and into our hotel room.
Ignoring my trouble to catch my breath, I went into the bathroom and on impulse started to fill the sink with cold water. When it was full, I took a deep breath and stuck my head in. I let it all consume me, leaving me numb. Eventually I ran out of breath and was forced to take my head out. Once I did I immediately felt a little better.
I grabbed for a towel to dry my soaking-wet hair—but just enough that it stopped dripping. I flipped my head up; I felt so fresh, so new.
I walked out to lie on the bed and when I got there—there was Dom.