That Stupid Ring

Part 22

"Oh my God!" Dale shrieks as he enters, looking glamorous in his oversized Prada shades and black shimmery blazer. "Okay, you need to hurry and pack. We need to arrive back in London in exactly 4 hours because Swan Lake starts at 8 and they don't accept late-comers."

"Swan Lake?" I force myself to sit up.

"Yes. It's playing in London right now and I want to see it. So hurry! You took a shower today, didn't you? When was the last time you showered?"

"This morning!"

"Ok, you need to put some makeup then. Your face needs a pick-me-up."

"Give me a break," I bury my face in the pillow, "I am suffering from a heartache."

He sighs, "Paris, listen to me. I get all this broken heart situation but you cannot hide in here forever. So the Prince is getting married, there's that, and now we ought to move on to the next programming of our lives."

I sigh. "Can't I just be sad for a couple of days?" 

"Swan Lake in 4 hours. Let's go!" he picked pieces of my clothes on the chair and started throwing them into the opened luggage, "That driver I hired out there isn't exactly the fastest driver either so we need to move now."

"But you've come all the way to Nettleton. I thought you'd want to spend a couple of days here"

"Excuse me? Haven't you seen what's out there? Grass. Grass and nothing else."

"The town can be charming..."

Dale sighs again, this time out loud. "Paris. I get that you love Nettleton. If I spent a week with... say, Liam Hemsworth, in here I would love it too. But I didn't and I want to leave. And frankly, you need to leave to. How will you move on if you keep immersing yourself in this place? This place got memories so it's not exactly helping. You need to get out of those memories, not sulking yourself in it!"

He's right.

I nod, "You're right."

"Of course I'm right!" he says, throwing another one of my shirts into the luggage. "It would be silly if we didn't have at least one good night in London together. I mean, it's London."

"Right," I nod, "Okay."

***

Dale wanted to go to the bathroom before we leave, so I tell him I'll go the car first so I can put my luggage. I took one last look at the room before I leave.

Bye, Nettleton, I hiss. Bye, memories.

I stop by the receptionist desk to leave the room key. The innkeeper wasn't there so I decided to scribble a quick thank-you for her because she's been really nice. Thank you so much for accommodating me last minute, I wrote in the guest book, this is a very nice inn and you are an excellent host. One tip: maybe you can plant some gardenias at the back? They'll really make the garden really nice. Trust me, I have seen it before.

I put the pen down and was about to close the book when I heard a familiar voice.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turn my head.

William is standing in front of me.

"Please don't tell me you're going to leave, again," he says.

***