Roomies - The Baby Years

Chapter 17

It had been one hell of a strange night. From finding out that the man I had a crush on was no longer married, to finding out that the man I had seen on TV a couple of years prior was a god when it came to sex. As I was pulling up to the hotel, the realization that I probably never would see Gale again gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

I was soon walking into the lobby of the hotel and it didn't take two seconds before Keli was right next to me. She had on last night's clothes, I had on Gale's shirt and it was almost as long as Keli's dress.

"Where the hell were you?" She asked me in such a calm manner only she could, and yet she sounded angry, "Eli told me you jumped on a motorcycle with some random guy?"
I shrugged and thought back at the ride to Gale's house last night, how beautiful the world had looked on top of the mountains.

"He wasn't some random guy, Keli." I smiled at her and we went into the lift. I pushed the button to my floor and Keli stood next to me with her arms folded over her chest, looking angry but curious.

"I'm sorry I left you there alone, it all just happened so fast."
"What did? Feel free to tell me, your best friend." She pouted and the doors to my floor opened, we walked towards my door and that's when she realized what I was wearing.

"Where is your dress?"
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Tell me!"
I stopped in front of my door and turned to her, biting my lip,

"It's on Gale Harold's floor, covered in whipped cream..." I said and took a deep breath, expecting her to freak out but instead I heard that the door next to mine closed and I looked over and saw Eli. He looked...ruined. I hadn't seen him look that small before, it was scary and the excitement over Keli finding out I had slept with Gale disappeared.

"Keli, give me a sec?" She nodded and walked into my room as I walked over to Eli.

"Hi. Did you get home safe last night?" I asked and he nodded,

"Yes, just going for breakfast. You want anything?" I shook my head, I wasn't hungry. To be honest I was kind of feeling sick to my stomach at the moment.

"Look, can we talk about last night?" I said and Eli licked his lips,

"I tried talking to you last night but you ended up riding on the back of motorcycle with some way older dude than you so I'm not sure it's such a good idea."
"Please Eli, give me five minutes to just change."
He looked at me with an unsure expression and I felt like I had broken him,

"Please, I'll pay for your breakfast." I said and tried to smile, and he shook his head,
"It's a complementary breakfast, Stella. Just...hurry up." He answered and I practically ran into my room, told Keli I would be right back as I changed into a pair of sweatpants and a shirt, and put on a pair of sneakers. I put my hair up in a bun on the top of my head then went back out to where Eli was standing by the lift.

We came down to the restaurant where the breakfast was being served and Eli hadn't said anything yet, so neither had I. I wasn't feeling as confident as I usually did next to him. I was feeling more like a child who had gotten a scolding from a parent and didn't know quite how to continue on with her regular behaviour.

We got our breakfast, sat down at the table and that's when I couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Eli, I'm sorry I overreacted last night."
"No it's... I should have told you earlier, I shouldn't have listened to Louis."
"No you did the right thing, I'm just a bit messed up and when things happen that I haven't counted on happening, I don't care how I react...until the next day."
"I get it. I just wished you would have talked to me instead of running off with that other guy."
"I know. I should have stayed and talked to you. But I'm talking to you now, and I am sorry for how I handled last night."
"I am too. And I've been thinking."
"About?"
"About how maybe I should go back to Watford."