The New American Dream

Part Four: Amsterdam | Chapter Twenty-Eight

Traveling with the metro in such a big group felt slightly weird, when all of us had pooled into it, several wagons were filled. Especially since many seats had already been taken beforehand and chaos broke out when most students scrambled to get a seat.

As I wasn't feeling all that good still I got to sit down, I was the only one from the nine of us that sat and I felt a little awkward about all the attention I was getting. Thus I was even more happy when we were out of the metro again and walked to Body Worlds in the morning sun of Amsterdam. I wasn't particularly interested in Body Worlds, but it sounded interesting enough for me not to try and come up with a way to doge out of it.

We had to wait a bit when we arrived, it took a while to get in with such a large group. The long standing didn't sit well with me and I felt nauseated once again, helplessly I sucked on my water bottle to attempt to make the feeling fade. Eventually we got in, locked in our bags and went up in the elevator, each with one of these gadgets with headphones that told you stuff about the exhibitions.

In all honesty, the exhibition wasn't good for my stomach and nerves at all. Don't get me wrong, I love gore and horror movies but that day it was just the worst thing to happen to me. Displayed were organs, skeletons, nervous systems and such, there was also a sawed-open head of a man, which I stayed a safe distance away from. Dan stayed with me which I thought was very cute of him.

"You can go and look," I offered weakly.

"I don't need to, I've already seen it. Cassie said she promised Mrs Holland that one of us will always be with you and I guess it's my turn," he said with a smile, but his brow furrowed in concern. "Hey, you look pale."

"Yeah, I'm still not feeling great. It'll get better soon, it's always worst in the morning."

"Maybe you should sit down for a moment. There's a bench at the end of the room, come on," he told me and took my hand.

I craned my neck but was unable to see a bench, I wondered how he knew it. A sudden wave of nausea washed over me from the sudden movement and I forgot all about it.

Dan pulled me through the room and soon enough a bench came into view. His hands gently guided me to the bench and he sat me down, taking his place next to me. Dan didn't say anything, just his presence was enough and I felt like he knew that.

From my spot I could still look around the room and look at everything from a very safe distance. "You know, it's not that bad. I can see many things from here," I joked, but closed my eyes then, enjoying a moment of peace.

Instead of saying anything in response Dan just squeezed my hand reassuringly.

We waited for the others and the sitting actually helped me. No one asked questions, which I did appreciate. We went through the stories of the building, I glanced at everything as I walked through the rooms and then sat back down on the bench that waited at the end of each room. I let the others take their time, hurrying them was the last thing I wanted to do. I didn't mind waiting for them at all, it gave me time to start feeling better.

"Dan do you think it has to do with the—" I glanced around the room and spotted the teachers nearby "—the thing yesterday night? That I still feel so miserable?" I asked in a low voice so they wouldn't hear me.

Dan thought about it. "I don't think so," he concluded after a moment. "If you're always like that when you travel."

"I guess I am," I said. "I hate it," I added quietly.

Dan scooted closer to me, his arm pressed up against mine and sending little electric jolts through my skin. I liked the prickling sensation. "It just shows you get excited about things and that you feel very strongly," he told me.