This is the last chapter I had written back in 2015... Let me know what you think!
"Here you go, Miss. Should you need anything else, don't hesitate to call."
"Thank you" Regina said as she gave the bellboy a small smile. He closed the door and she sat on the bed. It was only a quarter to nine at night, but she felt exhausted. Of course, it wasn't very surprising considering all the crying she'd done last night and how tense she had been during the flight. Planes really were horrid inventions. With a small sigh she pulled out her phone and called Mary Margaret.
"So, how great's the room?" The teacher started right as she picked up the phone.
"Hello to you too..." the tired brunette replied with a roll of her eyes at Mary Margaret's usual overblown enthusiasm yet smiling because she couldn't help but to love her for it. "The room is nice" As she said that she realized she hadn't even taken the time to really look around. It was spacious, with a cloud gray carpet, a nice color scheme all in all, pale blues and soft grays, both elegant and soothing somehow. There was a giant TV on the wall opposite the bed, and another one just as big in front of the couch in the other room, on the other side of which was a large modern-looking wooden desk and a nice plant in the corner. Right in front of her, on the dresser, there were small statues made of some sort of stone and over the bed, on the wall, hung a beautiful painting. Probably the most impressive thing in both rooms though, were the floor-to-ceiling windows or, more accurately, the view they offered. Regina stood up, taking in the sheets' softness on the bed as she did, and walked to the bedroom's window. "It's stunning actually" she said, lost in the beauty of the city by night. The skyscrapers, the lights... It was really something to behold.
"Great! Are you gonna go out now?" The teacher asked, snapping her out of her contemplation.
"I... Well, I was thinking I might stay in, you know, get some sleep?" Regina hoped her friend would let her have that but...
"What? No, no, no. Regina sweetie, I didn't give you that gift card so you could stay in your room the whole time! You need to go out, see the city, meet people, get some drinks, d..."
"Fine," Regina interrupted "if you want me to do that so badly, I will get a drink, one drink and then I'll go to bed, ok? And I'll do more tomorrow when I am rested, I promise."
"Really?" Mary Margaret squeaked with excitement, she couldn't believe she'd managed to persuade her friend so easily. "I'll leave you to it then, sweetie. Have fun!"
After saying goodbye, Regina hung up. She emptied her suitcases, neatly put away her clothes in the dresser and left the room. Two minutes later, she got out of the elevator and headed for the hotel bar, a small smile playing on her lips. I said I'd get one drink she thought but I didn't say where I would take it.
The room was about half full, a number of people sitting at the round tables spread around it, mostly in groups of four or five, and a few more were vaguely seen at the back in small alcoves probably designed to offer a bit more privacy to the guests. They were all dressed in expensive suits or, for the few women present, fancy dresses. At the other end of the room was the bar, elegant and made of wood with comfortable stools along it. Behind it, on the wall, there was a long mirror encircled by very modern-looking shelves of different lengths fixed at odd angles creating spaces of various shapes and sizes which were filled with bottles of alcohol and a few books here and there. It resulted in what was no doubt the most aesthetic bar she'd ever seen. She wasn't sure it was very practical though. After one last quick scan of the room she decided to go sit at the bar.
There was no sign of a barman anywhere around so the brunette took the cocktail menu to have something to do while waiting. She was reading it distractedly when a smug voice next to her made her look up.
"We'll have another bottle of champagne." Said the blonde man. He had barely looked at the barmaid as he gave his order and was now fixing Regina with an obnoxious smile.
"Right away. Anything else?" Asked the barmaid with a hint of irony that Regina was sure he wouldn't hear even if he was paying attention to her.
"Yes, be sure to offer this beautiful woman here a glass." He said with a smirk, certainly trying to be charming but epically failing. Then, as if it was sure to make the brunette swoon, he added with a wink "It's Dom Perignon".
"No, thank you." She said coldly, but with a soft smile to the barmaid as she saw her getting a flute. Completely taken aback, the man gaped at her stupidly, and out of the corner of her eye she could see the barmaid grin and hide it by bending to get something under the bar. He stayed like that silently for a moment, then recovering a bit he finally said "Well if you should change your mind we're sitting at the table over there" and walked off.
Satisfied, she watched him go, and turned back to the bar when she heard the barmaid's chuckle. Now that the annoying businessman was gone, she had a chance to really look at her. She had long, slightly curled blond hair up in a ponytail, green blue eyes that sparkled as she laughed at the man's ridiculous failure and very red lips quirked in a smile, and she was wearing a white fitted shirt with a slim black tie and black pants.
"For that, your first drink's on me!" The blonde told her with a warm smile.