Ace of Clubs

The Morning After

Cold, stiff, empty.

Were the first three things that came to Leni's mind when she shifted in her bed. Where was she? What was she doing here? She couldn't remember. She felt the painful coolness of the air pierce her back so she pulled the covers up to her shoulders, snuggling further in her warmer side of the bed.

One of her arms felt numb from the position that she slept in so she turned her body to the other side.

She touched the other side of the bed, feeling the stiffness of the mattress and the comforter. It was cold, unlike her skin, but very much like the feeling of the room. Leni has never given thought to how cold and plush hotel beds were. She would usually just crash in it after a long day of work somewhere.

The temperature on that side of the mattress was different, she noticed. It was cold, but not as cold as the rest of the bed. It was warm too, but not as warm as her side which she had been laying on since last night.

Cold, stiff, empty, Leni thought as she continued to run her hands on that side. Was there something she put beside her? Or someone who laid beside her but wasn't there anymore?

Her hand came in contact with something much colder. It was a chain, a necklace more like. She traced it, feeling the links, and then the cross pendant. This wasn't hers.

Leni's eyes shot open and she propped herself up slowly, looking around the room. For sure, this room was hers. Her blue suitcase was on the corner, her towel hung on the chair. She remembered placing it there last night to dry.

She remembered drinking a few glasses of whatever liquor that was, and talking. She remembered having a conversation with someone on the floor of the hotel room, laughter, tears, and whispered I love you's.

It was only when she felt the striking coldness of the necklace on her palm that memories of last night started to flood her.

Oh.

Oh.

Last night's events came rushing through her mind. The misunderstanding with the hotel, sharing a room, laying in bed and not being able to sleep, drinking, talking, and Risa.

Hair longer than the last time she'd seen it, eyes a little sadder, but still so so beautiful, her Risa.

Everything else was crystal clear in her mind.

A chill ran down her spine as she looked at the empty space beside her. Please no, she thought.

Did Risa leave her?

She looked around the room frantically, looking for Risa's things. Maybe her bag was here somewhere. Maybe she left her phone, or her clothes, like how she left her necklace on the bed. Where was she?

Leni's head spun and she felt her throat constrict. She realized that she woke up earlier than she was supposed to so she got off the bed, took her clothes off the floor and her phone on the bedside table. Perhaps Risa left a message for her. There weren't any.

Please no, she thought again.

The sun hasn't fully risen yet and here she was, fingers trembling, dread filling her heart because where was Risa and why wasn't she here anymore? She was about to get in the shower when the door opened and in came the woman she was looking for.

"Oh, you're awake na," Risa greeted, not noticing Leni in her state of distress.

"I...I thought iniwan mo na ako," Leni whispered disbelievingly, avoiding Risa's gaze.

"What? Oh my god, no, no. Lumabas lang ako kasi tinawagan ko si Pia and I reminded her na Sinta had to be at school kaya gisingin niya na. S-sa tingin mo iiwan kita?"