Melody's Muse ✓

25. Care

Cole

Hotel pool hours 

Weekdays: 9am-9pm, Weekends: 8am-10pm

I glance at my phone, it's just after 10pm. "Dammit," I groan.

"Well that sucks." Melody pouts.

I pause and think for a moment. After some internal debating with myself about ethics and whatnot, I slowly reach for the glass door's handle. I pull, and the door is unlocked.

"Sweet." I grin and take a step inside the indoor pool area.

Melody gasps. "Cole! Absolutely not," she whispers, tugging me back towards her. Her widened eyes quickly scan the hallway in both directions for any hotel staff. "They're closed!"

"Aw c'mon Mel, no one's around," I try to convince her. "You're on a break, remember? Have a little fun! Bending the rules every once in a while isn't going to kill you, you know."

I probably broke more rules than I should've throughout my teenage years. Skipping class, fake ID's to buy alcohol and get into clubs, hosting parties while my parents were away, the list goes on. I'm definitely no saint, but I'm better now, I promise.

"Well," she begins, absentmindedly playing with her hair, "alright, sure, why not." She giggles and takes my hand as we slip into the room.

The room is humid and smells like chlorine. There's the quiet buzzing of a pool filter coming from below. It's dark besides the lights along the floor of the pool underwater. They cast bright and wavy reflections that dance against the ceiling and white tiled walls. It tints the room a cool blue, supposedly a calming color to paint your walls.

I glance upwards, most of the ceiling is a skylight, giving a clear view of a starry sky. Same with the outer walls, they're all glass for the most part. "Let's go outside." I point to the doors leading out to the balcony.

There are several hot tubs outside, built into the floor. They're all lit up with different colors and aggressively bubbling away. Thick clouds of steam rising from each tub are clearly visible, the winter air around us is frigid. I wiggle my brows at Melody.

"No way." She crosses her arms and shakes her head. "I have to draw the line somewhere."

"It's cold Mel, I'm gonna freeze," I tease. Although I will admit that it's actually freezing out here. The outdoor heaters are off and my tough guy act can only go on for so long. "Plus, we've come this far, might as well go all the way."

"That's terrible logic." She rolls her eyes. I can tell by the look on her face that she's tempted though. "It's like saying you should finish a whole cake because you had a slice."

"Well lucky for you, I don't like cake." I wink and walk over to one of the tubs. Melody slowly trails behind me. "C'mon, just one night of rebellion, Mel."

She laughs. "Ok fine, just tonight."

I kick off my shoes and socks, leaving them on a chair. I take off my jacket and free myself from my dreaded tie. Melody blushes and shyly turns away as I unbutton my shirt and pants, leaving me in my boxers. It's instantly apparent that it's absolutely freezing out here. Goosebumps prickle my skin and my body begins to tremble.

I grab onto the railing and slowly step down the two steps into the tub. I sigh in relief as I sink in and the heat envelops me, driving away my shivers and numb fingers. I'm immediately relaxed as I sit on the bench and the jets pulse against my back and legs.

"I'll turn away until you're in," I assure her and turn around so that Melody is out of my view.

I hear some zips and fabric rustling, then the sound of bare feet against cement. The water splashes a little and I feel the movement against me as she gets in.