Caged Bird | ✔

Chapter Sixteen

Damien is gone when I wake up

I did not expect him to be here when I awoke, let alone have spent the night, he had to get back to Riley I remind myself. I roll over on the bed, taking advantage of the extra room, staring straight ahead at the curtains with the seashell shaped watercolor designs on them

I would probably need to get up soon, I needed to shower and freshen up before it was time for me to head out

There was a remote on the pedestal next to a notepad and pen. I picked up the remote examining all the different buttons and switches

I pressed a button that had two arrows on it facing outwards, upon pressing it, the curtains had begun to draw back from the windows and the screen sliding door of the balcony, exposing the bright light outside

''Damn'' I mutter aloud, slowly getting up to get a better view; the sun was up but hadn't quite reached its full apex yet for the day, I could just about spot the shoreline of the beach that stretched to the horizon of blue sea, from the room

There was not a single person on the beach, the light brown sand looking soft and enticing enough that I had the sudden urge to sink my toes into the sand, whilst the waves lapped gently against my ankles

It was truly breathtaking, I went back inside and set the remote back on the pedestal when I saw that Damien had left a note scrawled onto the first page of the notepad

Your first session with Simon Fisher is next week Tuesday

10: am sharp

37 Hammel Street, Belvedere

(213) 509-6995.

So you can add this vital piece of information to your planner, seeing how you love that thing so much

I smile at the words, and tear it from the spine of the notepad and put it in my bag.

I get undressed and hop into the shower with the faucets that hit me from every direction, the warm water soothing my overused muscles and washing my body clean from any residue of Damien on my skin

It feels as if I am on a high, I feel so happy that my cheeks hurt and even when I had brushed my teeth using the resorts complimentary sanitary items in the bathroom I couldn't even help but smile back at my own reflection

Jesus, get a grip Ava

After putting on the same clothes that I had on yesterday. I had readied myself to go and drop the key at the front desk by the clerk, hoping that the woman behind the huge mahogany counter with the resorts logo engraved in the wood, does not recognize me and the fact that I have the same outfit on from yesterday

''good morning ma'am'' she says, smiling at me. Her easy smile is contagious and I give her one back

I drop the key onto the table, and she slides it off the table, I lose sight of the key the moment its off the desk

''we hope you enjoyed your stay, and hope to see you again'' she says beaming

''thank you'' I murmur

I definitely enjoyed the stay

.......

Dad is not at home by the time I come back, I had locked my bedroom door before I left so that he would think I was sleeping when he got up. Yesterday, before I had left to meet Damien I had made some lasagna and put it in a microwavable container, with a sticky note labeled; for dad on the aluminum foil I had used to cover the dish