CHAPTER 26: the last dress

Okay, I'm never drinking again, ever. God, my head hurts. I feel so woozy, I can't even think! This is the worst hangover I've ever had... I swear I'm never drinking again!

My head is pounding with a rhythmic pain like some sort of a big hammer striking it, and then I'm dry-throated and my body is badly aching all over and my skin feels like a sand paper. I tried to open my eyes but the bright light from the opened window blinded me, and I have to cover my eyes with my arms and hands. I sniffed a little from my underarm, but yeah, Nivea's lavender scent is still there, it's just that I can smell alcohol from me.

A ray of light escaped my hands, so I pulled the covers to my face. Darn you reddie, you opened the window- Oh crap! I remember it now!

I was kissing him last night! My eyes opened immediately forgetting the blinding light. I went to check myself-oh my... am I still a virgin? I closed my eyes and breathed, checking on my undies.

GOD!

Thank you! I still have them on...

I got up, stretching and wincing on the pain. My, I feel so bruised and sore! Maybe a cold shower could help, so I went to the bathroom.

After a nice shower, I went back to the carpeted room to put on my clothes and fix myself. I remembered arranging a meeting with Hotaru and a Filipino business man who owns a five-star real estate resort near the Pacific cost in the Philippines. I checked on something suitable to wear and- oh my gosh!

Looks like I have no other choice but to wear this one last piece of summer dress. I took it from the cabinet and contacted the laundry office of the building. This is crap! I've sent them my clothes three days ago, and the receipt says that I'll get my things back in twenty-five hours! It's just that I forgot to check on it. Now I'm left with this violet batik halter-strapped dress.

I took the phone on the side of the bed and uhm... There's an orange rose on the table right next to the phone. That's just sweet...

Since the phone was wireless, I took it out to save some time while dialling the laundry office. I gulped two glasses of cold water and then noticed a note sticking out from the door. Of course I opened the door, but cautiously, but found nothing there except for a box with a pink ribbon. "Whoa..." I muttered. Hyuuga must be jogging again, but why would he left this box here? Because it says in here: From: Natsume. I took the box in, after checking on it, and it's not a bomb. Well, it's a box of strawberry pie, and it really looks delicious. I placed it on the table, trying to redial the office, the first one was unsuccessful.

"Hello, Bubbles Laundry Shop, good morning..." The other line responded. Ah! Thank goodness.

"Yes, this Mikan Hyuuga, from room 713, Jasmineville Building..." Wow, I'm getting used to this name. "I just want to check on my stuff, my clothes, I mean... You picked it up three days ago and I got this 25-hour priority but I still don't have 'em..."

"Just a minute madam... I'll go check it..." and yeah I waited... and just as I was waiting, leaning on the sliding door facing outside through the terrace, the main door of the suite opened. I looked over my shoulders and saw Hyuuga. He pulled the headsets from his ears and wiped some sweat dropping from his face and looked at me. "'Morning..." he said on his usual toneless manner. I just nodded to acknowledge his presence.

"Ma'am?" So the other line was back. "Yeah?" I responded. "I'm sorry but it says here that your stuffs were delivered Tuesday, at exactly 6:12 pm-just before the 25-hour deadline... and you signed it." I can't believe what she just said. "Come again? Pardon..." I asked her, and she did repeat her previous statement.

"But really... I'm not kidding, I still don't have my clothes back and I didn't sign any acknowledgement receipt..." I told her as I turn to face the room and- I gasped, breathless.

Not again... darn him, he took his shirt off... and all I can do is bite my lower lip! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME? I turned my back again... Gosh! I feel weird. "Ma'am?" Oh yeah, I'm talking to someone else on the phone. "Can't you do anything with that one? I'm certain of what I'm telling you-I. Still. Don't. Have. My. Clothes. Back- You should check if you delivered it on the right suite, or you could've asked for a valid ID when you handed it over..."

"We'll try our best to get it back to you..." she said in an apologetic tone. "Uhm... you should... I mean, they're no ordinary ones, and I paid it..." I answered her. Please... Just don't tell me that my clothes are gone...

You know... I got them with my own money. I can't bear that anymore if everything I got for myself will just disappear that way-at first, my car... and now, my clothes? How about my Versace dress, my favourite New look floral tea dress, that Ralph Lauren Coat, my Levi's pants-there's five of them. Oh my gosh, and those Marks and Spencer's blouses, my roman-inspired Vera Wang dress and those couple of Dolce and Gabbana's... I also love that white and thin long-sleeved button-up shirt by Banana Republic. And my gosh- my Victoria's Secret night dress! I exhaled heavily. And the worst came to me just now...

That plain white T-shirt-no, it's not just an ordinary T-shirt. Because I made Jennifer Aniston to sign it with "I LOVE ANGE, JEN" when I met her, telling her that my name was Angelina while I made Angelina Jolie sign the front with "I LOVE JEN, ANGE" also telling her that my name was Jen. Oh com'on! I just can't bear it, that they're quarrelling over the damn-hot Brad Pitt... I love them both... and I love that T-shirt. I'll die...

"What's that sulking for, huh, Polka?" that guy from behind asked. I don't want to look, he can still be shirtless and all. "The laundry shop just told me that my clothes are missing..." I answered him, and I don't know how on earth he reacted. I just heard the TV skipping on channels until it finally settled on a news channel, CNN. A female voice discussing Eclipse coming premiere was on the air. "Move on..." Natsume said, "We still have lots of things to do..." he stood up and answered the ringing phone. I just notice that he was all neat and totally dressed so there's nothing to worry about.

I exhaled heavily, getting myself on the other side of the room to check on something to eat. I remembered the pie. "Hey, thanks for the rose and this..." I waved a piece at him before I took a bite. Well, I actually wasn't able to take a bite because Hyuuga splashed his grape-flavored Gatorade on me. My eyes were closed, feeling every droplets of the liquid falling from my face. I hate him-I totally hate him!

"There're worms on your pie... deadly worms..." he said, and that's when I opened my eyes to see- YUCK! Don't make me describe it. I threw it right away, panting, so much disgusted with that. Wait. Why would he give me worm-strawberry pie?

"You gave me that pie!" I shouted at him, very much mad. He raised both his eyebrows, like he didn't understand those words that just came out of my mouth. "I didn't..." He managed to say, after a minute of silence.

"What?" I asked him, discombobulated. "I said, I didn't send or gave you that pie? Why would I? I prepared strawberry almond oatmeal before I left. See? It's still there on the table, in front of you..." he said, pointing on a covered porcelain bowl. I'm actually confused. "Then who left it there, with your name on it?" I asked him, analyzing things. Is someone trying to... kill me? Of course, there will always be... but who?

"Definitely not me." He said, gulping a glass of his Gatorade-which reminds me.

"Then why didn't you just tell me instead of spattering me with your drink?" I shouted again.

"As if you will listen if I tell you... You might even think that I'm playing pranks on you... It's your fault, anyway. You should check on your food first before consuming it, hag..."

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Yeah, he's right, it's my fault. I looked down and AAAHHH!

MY DRESS! I don't have a spare...

That's why I am standing here, crying...

"Hey..." Natsume seemed to notice. "You can just change... Sorry 'bout that..."

I sighed. "The laundry shop lost my clothes... I don't have any spare left." I rolled my eyes on him while he looked at me from head to foot. But Jesus! I'm just starting the day and I got a load of crappiness in a row! Great. Just... AAARRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

"I'll lend you something to wear..." he said. Is he thinking? As if his clothes would fit on me! "You can use them temporarily, we'll shop later..." he told me after noticing my bad expression. Anyway, I felt my face lighting up when he said that we'll shop later. So I followed him to the room where he kept his things-the same room I'm sleeping, of course.

Almost all didn't fit me-they're over-sized! Loose and will end up just below my butt! I can see him losing patience when I made a mess of his neatly arranged things, but well, he's keeping it cool. I kinda like it.

Of all these shirts, I found something white and really cute but a little big and held it in front of him. He just shrugged. "Now give me a moment please..." I told him and he left the room. I spread it on the bed and looked at it for some seconds. "Hmm..."

I made a few cuts and stitches and ta-dah! I puckered my lips to kiss my lovely reflection, turning to see my back. I tousled my hair in a messy do. I tightened my white gladiator sandals and finished my looks with a fedora hat. "Uhm... Lovely..." I complimented myself.

"Oi Polka! Hurry up! Imai's getting impatient..." Natsume called on the other side. "Yeah, just a minute..." I shouted back.

Hm... I cut the T-shirt's collar in a slanting design so that my left shoulder comes out to show my gray halter designed garment under it. It's just a very simple t-shirt make-over. I took my bag and left the room.

Hyuuga gasped when he saw me. "What have you done?" he asked looking at his shirt. "Uhm... I just put on some design..." I innocently flashed a smile on him. He pressed two fingers on his temples and exhaled.

"You'll pay me for that shirt..." he finally said, leading me out of the suite.