cheap thrills :: [malik #fdc]

four. nightlife

Mari is far from fine when she wakes up the next morning.

It's about five AM when she runs to the toilet; startling Lennon from her sleep.

"Mari?"

She's practically heaving her guts when she hears her roommate behind her in the bathroom.

She reaches weakly to flush her vomit. "Yeah?"

"Aw, babe," Lennon strokes her back, "I'll be right back, okay? I'm just gonna go get you some water."

She nods silently, laying on the floor in fear of throwing up in bed. She can tell she's not quite done, her stomach turning and gurgling loudly.

Lennon returns with bottles of water not too much longer afterwards.

"Damn, Mari," she exclaims, rushing into the bathroom.

Mari coughs over the toilet bowl,  "Sorry for waking you."

"No, no. Don't apologize," Lennon says. She grabs a towel and wets it with cold water. "Feel better, babe," she sighs, pulling her hair back and placing the towel against her neck. "Looks like you came down with something. Maybe it was something you ate..."

"Maybe," she chokes, feeling the onset of more throw-up.

Lennon rubs her back. "Mari...?" She begins. "You alright?"

She grabs the toilet bowl. "Umm..."

And she heaves again.

By about eight, Mari's thrown up and fallen asleep and thrown up again.

This cycle continues until about ten, when finally, with her stomach completely empty, she begins sipping water and eating a few crackers room service had brought at Lennon's request. So, Mari sits groggily in bed, watching as Lennon gets ready to meet Oasis for their activities for the day.

"So, we've got a break at like, three," Lennon says as she sprays sunscreen and steps into her clothes. "And I'll be back before we have some other shit to go to at like, five-ish," she says, "But you've got the itinerary, and you've got  my number, so of course call me if you need anything and I'll be back before if you--"

"Lennon," Mari begins, "I'm fine."

"But, seriously. If you need anything--"

"I'll call."

"Okay, but--"

"Go, Lenn," she smiles. "I feel better, I promise."

"You're sure...?"

"Positive," she raises her thumbs-up into the air. "I can make it by myself," and she motions to the crackers and water bottles around her bed, "I have everything I need right here."

And hesitantly, Lennon nods, "Okay," she says, adding, "but you'll tell me if you need anything, right--?"

"Go!" Mari exclaims with a laugh. "Leo will leave you, girl. I don't want you to miss the bus."

"Okay, okay, I'm going, I'm going...just let me know if--"

"Lennon."

"Alright," she throws up her hands. "I'm gone."

And the door clicks shut behind her.

And Mari is alone.

And while it'a probably a good thing that she's resting, it sucks that she's missing her second and last day in Bolivia.