how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

twenty-nine: aching

ACHING

As Lucia's eyes flickered open, she registered her unfamiliar surroundings. The memories of the night before came rushing into her consciousness and she sat up abruptly.

If only it had been a dream.

She felt horrendous, a dreadful combination of coming down from what she'd taken, being hungover and having cried and thrown up the whole evening.

After adjusting to the light streaming in through the window, Lucia slid out of bed and made her way to the bedroom door. She opened it, revealing Mel seated in front of her TV with the morning news playing. She had a coffee held between her hands, and was already in a black work skirt and white blouse.

Mel looked up upon hearing the door open.

"Morning, how are you feeling?" She asked warmly, sipping her coffee.

"Like shit." Lucia chuckled, running her hands through her hair that was still slightly wet from the night before. These were the kind of times she regretted not being able to use magic, such as a trusty drying charm, but there was no way she could in front of Mel.

"There's coffee on the bench, and feel free to have anything you find in the kitchen to eat." Mel informed her, eyeing the dark circles under Lucia's eyes.

"Thanks so much Mel. Again I'm sorry for springing myself on you with no notice last night." Lucia spoke as she poured coffee into a large mug.

"Enough of that, you know it's my pleasure," Mel assured, "I have to go to work today though, but feel free to use my Netflix or have a bath, literally whatever you want."

"That sounds great, thank you." Lucia said as she sat down beside her on the couch, "You haven't seen my phone, have you? I can't remember whether I had it with me last night."

"I think you may have left it at the hotel." Mel said carefully, not wanting questions from Lucia as to why she knew this early in the morning with Lucia obviously in a fragile state.

"Oh, right." Lucia frowned, thinking of nothing worse than going back to the hotel room.

They watched the news for a while, Lucia guiltily enjoying the distraction of other peoples' misfortune.

"I better go now." Mel announced after a few moments, standing up from the couch to put her mug in the sink, "You can call me from the home phone if you need, my number is on the bench."

"Thanks Mel." Lucia smiled, leaning into the soft back of the cream-coloured couch.

There was a jingle of keys and a click of the door as Mel left.

Lucia sighed, taking another sip from her mug and zoning out from the chatter on the TV.

Her piercing headache was rather distracting, and the constant nausea caused her appetite to waver in and out of presence.

Lucia decided that food would likely settle her stomach, so she got up to put a piece of bread in the toaster. This seemed like the only thing she could force down right now.

After spreading it with butter, she sat down again and began scrolling through shows on Netflix to pass the time as she ate.

***

It was past lunch time, and Lucia was still feeling rather uneasy, so she decided a bath might calm her senses.

After filling the tub with hot water and some of the pink bubble bath on the sink, she stepped in. The water was almost painful on her cold feet, but after moving them around for a few seconds she managed to lower herself in.