Winding Paths

Chapter 1

Tobias' POV

As I grab the handle of my leather suitcase from the oscillating rack, I take in a breath of fresh air. The air here seems cleaner than that of the air in my Chicago apartment building. I just finished senior year at Payton Prep and I couldn't wait to get out of there. My two friends and I planned a trip to the Bahamas, but watching them constantly make out is getting kind of old. Zeke and Shauna have been dating for two years and they can't keep their hands off each other.

I ditched them last minute and bought a plane ticket to London. The eleven hour ride was bumpy and awful, but if I was stuck in a giant tube in the sky with those lovebirds- I would have jumped.

I walk along the corridors, my luggage trailing behind me, heading for the exit. I pass all of the shops and benches hurrying to reach the doors. When I finally do, the bright sun floods my vision. I push past the crowd of people and put my hand up, trying to hail a cab.

One pulls up in front of me, and I open the door to the backseat. My suit case is small enough for me to just slide it in next to me. 

"Where to, Sir?" The driver asks me.

"The Cheshire Hotel," I reply, handing him a slip of paper with the address on it.

"Right away, Sir," he says with a smile. The kindness of the people here really caught me off guard. In Chicago, it's keep your head down and hope you don't get shot. This new dynamic is refreshing.

My phone starts to buzz in my pocket and I pull it out. Zeke. I answer it with a shaking hand.

"What the hell man. Where did you go?" He bombards the second the line connects.

"I shagged a ticket to London. Now you and Shauna can be by yourselves. You won't even notice that I'm gone." I hang up before he has a chance to respond. He tries to call me back, but I reject it as we pull up to the hotel.

"That'll be £46.75," He tells me, turning around in his seat. I hand him a £50 note that I traded my American dollars for at the currency exchange, a kind smile on my face.

"Keep the change, Thank you." I say, opening the door and stepping out.

"Thank you, have a nice day," He responds, turning back around.

I turn around and look at the front of the hotel. There are eight doors with gold trim and glass paneling that are manned by two doormen. One standing on the outside and the other inside. The landscaping leading up to the doors on either side are well balanced with a mix of flowers and shrubbery.

I walk up to the doors and the doorman opens one for me. I thank him and he bobs his head in lieu of a vocal response. The lobby is just as extravagant as the exterior. The red carpeting blending beautifully with the dark hardwood that forms a perimeter around it. I make my way the wooden reception desk and marvel at the wall of keys behind it. All of the kind look like antiques and contribute heavily to the charm of this hotel.

"Checking in under Tobias Eaton," I say to the desk clerk as he types rapidly on the computer in front of him.

"Alright, I have you in room 194, a standard suite. Is that correct?" He asks looking me from the top of his round glasses.

"Sounds good to me," I say. I truly have no idea which room I booked, it was just the cheapest.

The clerk turns around, grabs the key above the number 194, and hands it to me.

"Here you go, enjoy your stay." He says with a smile.

"Thanks." I smile, turning around. Walking to the elevator bay, I press the up button before the door to my left opens, two women exiting prior to me entering. The elevator attendant raises his hand, his fingers hovering above the button panel as he raises an eyebrow at me.

"I'm not quite sure what floor, but room 194," I say. He swiftly pushes the button to the seventh floor.

We ascend quickly, my ears popping from the sudden change in altitude. The golden doors slide open, I thank the attendant and step out. I roll my suitcase down the first aisle I see, but the last room had the number 180 written on it. I walk down the aisle next to it and find my room.

Unlocking the door, my eyes widen in shock. The room is incredibly underwhelming. The beauty of this hotel did not translate into this room. The only things in the room are a small twin bed, a bedside table with a phone, a counter with a small television, and a door to a sparsely furnished bathroom. I lay my suitcase on the bed, sliding in next to it. I face the ceiling with my arms folded above my head and my legs sprawled on the floor. The ceiling has obvious water stains that are slightly unsettling.

This may not be as fun as I thought.

***

Hi :) it's Jamilah here.

This was written by caseybear12319 and I wanted to know your opinion on it, she's a good writer and we created this book so we could both improve. Hope you liked the first chapter, next one will be written by me :)

Thoughts?