Searching for Love, Found Wealth

(Third person narrative intended)

Over at their hotel, Charles and his parents lodged. His dad signing some stuffs at the secretary’s table.

Charles walked inside to his room, room 104. He slammed the door behind him and fell on his bed. From the corner of his eyes, tears streamed down. He was sad, beaten – by the fact or probability Kiera would never forgive him. She meant a lot to him – especially with him grieving his sister – if only Kiera would understand. “I’m sorry” he whispered amidst sobs. Folding himself on his bed, he let the tears stream down more freely.

He couldn’t lose someone else important to him – by death or rejection. He felt a warm hand touch him on his neck. “It’s okay, I explained everything to her mom” Mrs. James assured with a smile. She hugged her son close to herself. He wasn’t just crying over his best friend, Kiera, but also his sister. She was also grieving the loss too.

It’s just a big blow to lose one’s family to the icy hands of death.

********

Waking up the next morning, I felt little better. “Kiera, Kiera” my mother’s voice resonated from downstairs. That was suppose to be my morning call but I beat it this time – due to sleeping early and not overthinking last night. I felt bad immediately. Somehow, I had emotionally bullied Charles. Even though it wasn’t intentionally.

“Mom, could I go visit Charles after school?” I turned sharply at my mom the moment she opened my room’s door. She was still shocked to see me awake “Um…Yeah?! You can…but that’s not “good morning”, eh!”.

I smiled and greeted “good morning”. Today had so many vibes, I could already feel it.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

My spirit was nearly dampened after my first period in class. My biology test, eleven over twenty again. I had gotten that for three times in a row. No matter how hard I tried, I never seen to surpass. I was smart, I knew I was but somethings didn’t fall straight.

“Hope my teachers aren’t bullying me too?!” I said out loud. My biology teacher was an American-born male unlike my former African-American female teacher. I still didn’t understand the charges she was fired on.

Perhaps it was a joint decision. “Oppression everywhere” I whispered glaring at my classmates.

My phone beeped. It was my mom sending me the address of Charles’ hotel. I felt a bit sick, I would have to face him today. I regretted asking my mom for permission.

I have been to a hotel before, but this was grande. The aura and splendor was magnificent. I didn’t know if it was a five-star hotel but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were. It had white walls and chandeliers at each room. Indescribable!

I met Charles few steps in. I just smiled casually, despite the fact I wanted to put out how sorry I was. He looked unsure, like he was scared of my next reaction. He need not worry, I wasn’t a monster.

Charles had opened a room – which looked like a bedroom – and had told me to wait for him there. He left shortly.

I sat on the small and only chair in the room. It’s leather seat was so soft. My eyes met a thick-covered book on the bed. It looked like a diary. It also felt familiar. “Charles’ diary!” I exclaimed to my surprise. It had always been since our childhood friendship.

Moving closer to it, I saw his name, “CHARLES JAMES”, written boldly on it. That confirmed everything. I moved back to the leather seat and waited for Charles and his parents.

It was going to thirty minutes now. I brought out my homework for that day, and began working on my math.

I heard some stomping – or running – sounds outside the room. I stood up for self-defense but Charles appeared as the door was swung open. “What’s up, dude, you scared me!”. It escaped my mouth.

Charles, still breathing heavily from his run, muttered “Sorry, I thought you’ve left. I was scared you left”.

Totally acting like I didn’t hear that, I returned back to my sums.

“And your parents?” I asked still working on my homework.

“They didn’t know you were coming, they’ll be back by evening” he responded. Evening? Should I be here by then? Don’t I have better things to do?

But the cool breeze from the air conditioner and the serenity of the environment made me decide without much thinking to wait for his parents. “I’ll wait then” I shrugged.

“Its almost an hour now. Mom and dad aren’t coming anytime soon” Charles mumbled to himself.

It seemed Kiera was engrossed in her assignments or she could have noticed how much time had gone. Soon, she closed up her notes and put them in her bags.

” The silence to come would be too unbearable for me” Charles thought. The moment Kiera placed all her books inside her bag, she stood up, same moment Charles was about to raise a topic.

“I’ll go look around” she smiled and made for the door. Charles reflected on that smile for minutes. His heart had sped up for a while.

Realizing, he quickly leapt to the door to chase after Kiera. She didn’t have any pass so can’t seen strolling about the hotel or she’ll meet trouble!

“thirteen…fourteen…fifteen. Fifteen Chandeliers?” the hallway had the longest number of Chandeliers.

I cat walked past some boys with an air of pride. I noticed they gazed and talked about me but they weren’t jeering so I assumed they were complimenting.

The rooms around looked bigger and…more expensive.

“Could I be in VIP section?” I asked myself aloud.

“Hey, where’s your pass?” an unfriendly voice hollered behind me. I turned to meet the angry face of a six feet tall white lady. “This is not a playground” she hollered again. It was getting embarrassing.

The two boys from earlier were now staring at us. How did I get here? I tried to remember. An old lady had used a card to open a door, and I had walked in casually with her. “Aish…the card is the pass” I muttered underneath my breath.

I looked up at the lady, she was checking the pass of the other two boys, “Go now” she beckoned on them. They left but turning back at intervals look back at me. They were now jeering.

With the woman now standing full length in front of me, I felt like a little six-year old girl being scolded by her mother for getting lost.