Spaceking

Chapter Five: Like Madam Turtoise Or Something

The next morning, I was the first one to get out of bed. I was excited like shit for today and tomorrow. Because today was the first of September, and tomorrow was my birthday. I was turning twenty. Jolene and Lisa had promised me I could choose what we would do these two days. I had decided on some shopping today and really wanted to go to that famous wax museum tomorrow. What was it called again? Like Madam Turtoise or something.
So I was out my bed around nine. It had to be a kind of record. I peeked through the curtains, seeing the sun was yet again shining bright. I headed to the bathroom, planning on a cool shower, seeing I was melting in this room. I bypassed the other window on my way, and I opened it. The cool air that I expected wasn't there; instead the air was humid and warm. It felt heavy. Hopefully the shops had air-conditioning.
As I was in the shower, I heard movement in the room. There was a soft knock.
"Oi, how long?" A voice asked groggily. Ahh, Lisa just got out of bed. I could just picture her standing at the door with her hair in her mouth, together with the line of dried drool.
"Maybe three minutes? I'm almost done," I said. "Is Jolene awake yet?"
"Mhm. She's going to shower tonight."
"Okay then," I said, turning of the shower and grabbing my towel. I quickly dried of and changed in my clean underwear. Lisa opened the door, dragging her feet to the shower. I exited just as she took her leggings off. When we celebrated our fith anniversary (yes we do that seeing none of us had boyfriends) we decided we would buy eachother leggings. I got Jolene a pair full of pictures of Josh Hutcherson, she got Lisa 5sos ones and Lisa bought me two pairs; they came together. One was Avengers themed, the other one was filled with small Batman logos.
When I came into the room, Jolene was already tucking a white shirt with a pocket saying 'District 12' in a black skirt. We were all such nerds.
"Goodmorning," she chirped.
"Morning," I answered, going through my clothes. I wore the same shorts as yesterday, but today I wore an Iron Man shirt on it. I braided two small strands of my hair and crossed them over my head, something people called Halo braids I think.
We still had an hour to go get breakfast at the hotel when Lisa was fully changed. So we made our way down, and started to line up at the buffet.
I ended up having toast with butter, hash brown, pieces of pineapple and two kiwis. I felt quite healthy when I had finished it.
We sat at a table for four, and a guy who was alone at the hotel sat with us. He was in his late twenties, and out of the two sentences he had spoken to us, I had understood his name was Timothy and he was in London on a business trip. He wasn't really a talker, even with Lisa asking him questions all the time. Most of them he answered with a simple nod or a shake of his head. When Lisa started the famous 'wife?' question, he excused himself and left the table.
Jolene and I giggled at Lisa, who was staring at the back of the leaving guy, a little bit starstruck.
"Somebody a bit in loveeee?" Jolene sang, and Lisa turned to us, blushing.
"Did you even see how hot he was?" She exclaimed.
I shrugged. I hadn't really looked at him. I only noticed that he had blond hair that hung in curls around his face.
"He didn't really look like a business-type of guy," Lisa continued. "More of a surfer."
Jolene and I shook our head in amusement and made a move to leave. When we waited dor the lift, I swear I heard Lisa mumble: "I need to know his room number."

*************************************

After we had gotten our stuff from our room, we again made the short walk to the closest underground stop.
It was a short ride, maybe ten minutes, before we got off. When we got off the escalator, we looked around and immediately found a shop that we were all interested in. We were lucky; our parents had payed the hotel and the boat, so we only had to pay extra costs, like food, drinks and what else we bought. I had a fair amount of money I could spend.
We found a lot of small, cute shops. Of course, we also entered the more known ones, ones we also had in Belgium. I ended up buying a couple of fun shirts and a summer dress before we went to eat at a McDo around one. Lisa and Jolene had bought more than me, but I was saving the money I had taken with me today. We were nearing a street where there were three more 'geeky-nerdy' shops. There was a clothes shop, one with board games, books and movies and one with a bit if everything. I was planning on spending more there.

*************************************

We exited the last 'geek' shop. I was now carrying five bags instead of one. Lisa and Jolene only bought a movie and some books, but I got myself a limited edition box with all the Harry Potter books, shirts and sweaters Sherlock-, Harry Potter-, Marvel- and Attack On Titan themed and a couple of seasons from some shows I have at home. I even found a second-hand section in a shop. After looking around a bit, I picked up a black silicon bracelet. It said in big: 'Danisnotonfire'. When I found it, I squeled quietly and immediately decided to buy it. I hadn't expected to own any Dan or Phil merch before I was home again and could buy some online. I already found some one Redbubble and their shop.
So when we exited the shop, the bracelet was around my wrist and, even though it was the smallest one, it was my favourite purchase from today. Jolene was still confused about who this guy not on fire was, but Lisa grinned at me when she saw me with the bracelet.
It was around four when we were outside again. We hadn't noticed because we were in the shop, but the sky had turned a very dark grey. We were dressed in shorts and short sleeved shirts, but the difference with an hour ago was that we were the only ones. Everyone outside was wearing jackets and most of them even carried umbrellas with them, still closed.
A cold wind gave me goose bumps.
"Shit," Jolene whispered, voicing my thoughts. "We need to get back before it starts raining."
But exactly when she said that, the sky opened and it started pouring. No kidding, pouring. The water fell and fell so suddenly, everyone was startled. But people around us put on hoods, opened umbrellas, or just reached their door. We stood still for a minute, shocked by the sudden cold, when we all started moving at the same moment. We held our bags on our head, trying to keep dry a bit as we speedwalked down the street. There was an underground stop in the next one, and we were heading that way. We were soaked already, even though we were only in the rain for two minutes.
We were twenty-two feet away from the next street, when it happened.

Someone ran into me. I didn't fall, but I stumbled and had to stop walking so I didn't fall. When I looked up, I saw the person that ran into me. He hadn't noticed me, was speedwalking, just like me a second ago. It was an enormous guy dressed in black skinny jeans and no jacket. Nor an umbrella. He was wearing a hat though, but with the wind and the way he bumped into me, it fell off. He didn't notice or care, he kept walking.
Then, I looked around for Lisa or Jolene, but I saw them nowhere.
No problem, I thought to myself. You know the way to the hotel. First, you need to give his hat back.
I ducked down to pick it up, but I hesitated.
It was a llama hat. One thought crossed my head.
Dan.
I shook my head.
No way. That would never happen, Jo. Don't be silly.
I stuck out my hand, picked the hat up and stared at it for a while.
I should put it on. I mean, wouldn't hurt. Just until I find this guy.
I started running in the direction I saw him go as I put the llama on my head.