Butterswap

9

Sunlight filtered through the lace curtains and shone directly into my eye. I groaned and jolted up, regretting it immediately when my stomach lurched. My head was spinning and I could barely focus on anything. I laid back down on the bed again.

My hangovers were normally painful but very quick. I sighed. After a few minutes, the sharp pain subsided to a dull ache in my temple. I opened my eyes again and shrieked.

"What the actual fuck?"

Keenan's mop of hair was splayed across the foot of the bed as he slept against the frame. I shook my head, trying to recall what happened last night. I vaguely remember something about someone leaving...or something like that. I must've drank too much to remember anything useful about what happened.

There was a towel in his hand and only then I caught sight of the mountain of used towels beside him in a pile.

I frowned, what happened after?

I was guessing he cleaned me up using all those towels. I smiled. I took a moment to admire his sleeping face. I frowned when I noticed his pained look.

Why was he so damp with perspiration? I looked desperately around the room to find the air conditioning settings. 25 degrees celsius.

I put my hand to his forehead. He was burning hot. But the room temperature was just right, why was he running a fever?

"Keenan." I shook his shoulder and checked my watch. Shit, we were going to be late for our flight home.

His eyes cracked open a little as he squinted at me.

"Hi." He mumbled as he winced again.

"You're running a fever."

"Am I?" He groaned before he sneezed.

"You probably caught a cold from yesterday." I recalled him sneezing many times through yesterdays dinner.

"We got to pack. We have a flight." He tried and failed to get up.

"No, not with your condition like this." I pushed him firmly back against the bed. "Stay put here, I'm going to get some medicine for you." I brushed my teeth, got changed and hurried out of the hotel. Fortunately, there was a mall within walking distance from which I got some flu medication and fever reducers.

Keenan was still in the same position when I got back. I fed him his medication before helping him up onto the bed. I switched on the television and surfed the channels. Why isn't there anything remotely interesting?

"Would you rather go for a hot air balloon ride or bungee jump? What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?"

"I would rather a hot air balloon ride. And accidentally ate a caterpillar once. Don't ask why. I would very much not want to remember anything."

"Do you remember anything from last night?"

"Fuck, did we do anything last night?"

"No, we didn't."

"What did we do last night?"

"Nothing."

"Okay." I eyed him skeptically. "Do you have any hidden talents?"

"I can tie a cherry knot in my mouth."

"Ooh, show me!"

He gestured to the fridge. I opened it up and sure enough there was a bowl of complimentary cherries sitting there waiting to be eaten. I washed the cherries and passed Keenan the bowl. He ate the cherry before putting the stem in his mouth.

The stem came out a neatly tied cherry knot. I cheered in amusement at his cool party trick.

He spat in out into his hand and aimed it into the wastepaper basket at the other end of the room.

"Goal!" I shouted for him. He turned to face me, looking at me with a serious expression. He was still perspiring but at least not as much as before. His breathing was still laboured, though.

"Holland, if you had one last day to live, what would you do?"

"That's a damn odd question. I've never thought of that. I still have a long way to go." I smiled, trying my best to sound convincing enough.

Something told me he didn't believe a word I said.

"Why are you on this trip?"

"For fun."

I guess he believed me because he let the matter go. He closed his eyes and exhaled. After awhile, he was sleeping soundly. I put my hand to his forehead again. His temperature was reducing slowly. I sighed in relief.

I switched on my phone and went to book the next possible flight back home. I caught sight of another flight information.

Hm, a flight to Dubai sounded interesting. I booked two tickets for the both of us and payed with my credit card.

"Holland, it's boring staying in the whole day?"

"I'm not the one who's sick." I scoffed.

"At least entertain me."

"You're the one with the good knock knock jokes." I rolled my eyes.

"I know." He. smirked.

"I assume you're not sick anymore?"

"Never was."

"Oh, yeah?" I raised my eyebrows and pulled up a picture I took while Keenan was fast asleep. He scowled at me.

"Oh, by the way, we missed our flight. I changed it to a flight to Dubai. You're okay with it, right? If you aren't, we could always go back home." I shrugged.

He seemed to consider something before smiling at me, nodding in approval at my next intended travel destination.

"What's up with you? You're like brand new Keenan. Old Keenan would kick up a huge fuss over the sudden change of plans."

"Well, I'm just saving both of us the trouble. I'm enjoying myself anyway. Aren't you?"

"That I am."