London Boy | Jamie Flatters

Forty

Present

    "Come on, E," Trinity nudges me, plopping down beside me on my bed, "you can't stay in bed all day."

    "Watch me," I mumble, popping a piece of popcorn into my mouth. I have two more days of "vacation" before getting back to the studio, and I very much plan on spending it just like this, tucked under my covers in my comfiest sweats, watching reruns of trash reality TV, and eating room service.

    I tried going out last night to distract myself from it, and we all saw how that went. Last night keeps playing in my mind like a movie, a trainwreck that I very much want to forget about. I can't help but remember how gross it felt being in that Eli guy's arms and how much I wished they were Jamie's.

    So, I've been distracting myself in different ways, binging love island for so long that my brain feels almost numb. All of the girls spent the night, all squishing together on the two queen-sized beds, wearing matching white robes as we ate chocolate chip pancakes from room service.

    "Trinity's right," Devyn says, frowning at me, "we're all together for the first time in forever. We can't spend the entire time doing nothing. We should go out and have some fun."

    Falling back, my head falls on Lilly's shoulder as I let out a frustrated groan, "But the bed is so comfy, and love island is just getting good."

    "Is it?" Jenna quirks her brow from the other side of the room, taking a sip of coffee, "I feel like I'm losing brain cells over here."

    "Isn't it great," I say, eating another forkful of chocolate chip pancakes, "what a wonderful feeling? No thoughts, just vibes."

    "Alright," Bailey claps her hands together, raising her voice slightly to let me know she means business. "we've been sitting here all morning; we're wasting the day." She grabs the remote, turning the TV off, "We're going out."

    "I'm really not in the mood, Bai," I say tiredly. My heart currently feels like it's breaking all over again, conflicted and confused. I didn't want to have to put on a façade right now and pretend I was confident and okay. I just wanted to sit here in my sadness, which has been building for ages, constantly pushed away.

    "It'll just be us," Bailey reassures, "we can go to the private pool on the roof, the one reserved for VIP hotel guests. We can tan, swim, and read our books. It'll be fun."

    It seems I don't have much of a say in the offer because next thing I know, Trinity is dragging me out of my bed whilst Devyn throws one of my bikinis at me, pushing me into the bathroom to change. Devyn's chosen one of my more revealing bikinis, a black top that crisscrosses across my stomach and low-waisted bottoms that hug my hips perfectly, leaving little to the imagination in the back.

   "You look hot," Lilly exclaims as I walk out of the room, walking into the washroom next to change. Jenna, Devyn and Bailey have left the room, most likely to head back to theirs to change into bikinis of their own. Lilly, of course, is just stealing one of mine, a royal blue one that makes her eyes pop.

    Once Trinity's changed, we head to the elevator, meeting up with the other girls, all of whom are also changed into their bikinis now. "I'm still upset you dragged me out of bed," I say, leaning my back against the elevator wall tiredly.

    "Poor baby," Devyn teases, reaching over to pinch my cheeks, "how will you ever survive?"

     I roll my eyes at her as the elevator opens on the top floor of the hotel. In front of us is a large door leading outside to a pool reserved exclusively for VIPs with special cards to get in, "oh shit," Jenna curses as we reach the door, "I forgot my speaker. I'll be right back."