The Next Chapter

Chapter 41

Emery's POV

We've been on the bus for almost 30 minutes now (the traffic is a mess) and I'm getting more and more tired by the second. My eyelids are so heavy and this seat is oddly comfortable. Would it hurt to just close my eyes for a few seconds? I don't know. Let's try.

Bad idea. I wake up a while later. My head resting on Jake's shoulder and his head leaning against mine. He's asleep too. I quickly tear my head away, waking him in the process. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" I start but quickly notice that he's asleep again, his head resting on my shoulder this time. 

Should I wake him? It's not that it's uncomfortable it's just... We're not dating anymore. Isn't this weird? I'll let it go, just this one time. I slowly lower my head to his and smell his hair, just like old times. I miss this smell so much. I think he notices and is about to wake up but he just buries his head deeper into me. Still sound asleep. I sigh in relief. 

I glance over at where Ally and Andrea are sitting but they're both asleep. What would they think if they saw me here with Jake's head resting on my shoulder? I let the thought go away and try to go back to sleep but it doesn't really work. Now that I'm aware that Jake is so near me I just- I can't concentrate. 

I miss him.

I can't deny it. But I can't let go of that day. 

'The bitch knows what she's doing.'

I let out a big breath that I didn't know I was holding in and apparently it was bigger than I thought because it woke Jake up. He looks up to me, eyes still adjusting to the brightness. He quickly goes back to sitting straight up.

"Sorry. This isn't really giving you space is it?" He asks, scratching his neck.

I open my mouth to say something but instead of my voice, Mr. McPelt's fill the bus. 

"I hope everyone had a nice trip over here! But it's time to wake up now. We've arrived." We all look outside and take in this hotel that the school booked for us. They really didn't care about money and it shows. This must be like a four or five-star hotel. Geez. 

All of us start getting off the bus and wait for Mr. McPelt to sign us in at the reception. When he's done that we all are given keys to our rooms. Andrea, Ally and I get in the elevator with three other girls. 

"Which floor?" I ask them.

"Four and thank you." One of the girls say.

I press four for them and three for us. It's just quiet all the way up, not awkward or anything, just quiet. I think everybody's tired. At least I am. We arrive at the third floor and we walk out and say goodbye to the other girls.

I take the key and open our room, and the second we see it our jaws drop. Three king-sized beds, two big wardrobes, a big mirror between the wardrobes, a balcony overlooking the city with two chairs and a small table, a bookcase with a small couch and windows from the ceiling to the ground. 

"Well, this is..." Andrea starts saying but cuts herself off to keep taking in the view.

"Uh-huh." I answer and run to claim my bed. When they see me they do the same. I claimed the one closest to the door, Ally is in the middle and Andrea is closest to the balcony. This bed is more comfortable than the one I have at home. I'll sure miss this when we have to leave. 

After some time of just lying in bed, I check the clock. "We've been here for 20 minutes, when we're we supposed to meet downstairs again?" 

"Not for another like three minutes." Andrea says, eyes closed.

"Better not fall asleep then." Ally laughs and throws a pillow at her.

"I won't. I just- closed my eyes to rest them." She laughs back.

"Ally and you slept almost the entire way over here, how are you still tired?"

"You were looking at us? Creepy..." Ally laughs.

"I didn't have anything to do!" I laugh, defending myself.

"Didn't seem like it..." Andrea starts.

"What?"

"Don't pretend that we didn't see you and Jake. Comfortable much?" Ally chimes in.

"We didn't- I just-" 

"Relax, we're not going to ask you a bunch of questions if you don't want to answer them." Andrea smiles.

"It's not that I don't want to answer them. I don't know what to say, nothing happened. We just happened to fall asleep like that."

There's a bit of silence.

"Well-" Ally says and gets up from her bed. "Let's head down."

Andrea and I follow her out. I lock the door and put the key back in my bag. We're alone in the elevator this time, making me realize how big it really is. Everything is so big here. When we arrive almost everyone is here except for Mr. McPelt. He's late. Again.

As on cue the elevator plings and he walks out. "Sorry for being a little late." He says and gathers all of us closer. "We'll all go out to a restaurant together and after that, you're free to do what you want but everyone has to be back by ten. The teachers will go around to every room to make sure that everyone is here." 

Yeey... Curfew.

All of us leave the hotel and head to the restaurant. It's nothing fancy. But I do love the smell. Pizza and pasta. Italian restaurant.

Mr. McPelt booked tables for today and we are now shown to them. Ally, Andrea and I are sat at a table pretty far back in the restaurant, Jake isn't that far away. Just two tables before us. 

Do I care? No. 

Yes...

Damn it! I have to get my thoughts together!

If only he understood why...

But I can't...

I just- I can't.
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Thoughts?