The next morning, I awoke to the chirping of birds and far away chattering of many people. The light of the sun leaked through the drawn curtains and illuminated my face, tinting my eyelids orange and making me squint.
Suddenly, the sound of the blinds being drawn back filled the room, and the bright sunlight of morning completely filled my vision.
I groaned and grimaced, not ready for the bright light of the sun. A man's deep chuckle came from somewhere near and I waved my hand.
“Five more minutes, Daddy...” I mumbled, still half asleep.
The voice chuckled again and this time it was closer. “Is that always what you say in the morning? Sorry to break it to you, but I'm not your daddy.”
My eyes snapped open and I sat up straight, finally realizing where I was. A handsome man stood at the end of the double bed and smirked at me. His arms were crossed and he was looking upon me with amusement, his blue eyes full of twinkling mischief.
“Although, I could be if you wanted me to,” he added with a wink on the end.
“Oh my God, I'm so sorry!” my cheeks flushed red and he shook his head.
“No, it's fine, I was just kidding.”
As I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, he turned and started walking towards the living room. I just noticed the smell of bacon and eggs wafting throughout the hotel suite and looked around for the cause of it.
“Oh, I called room service, by the way. Do you like bacon and eggs?”
I nodded silently and Gavin lifted up a tray of food. I picked up the only full plate and a fork, beginning to stuff my face quickly. I hadn't realized I was this hungry until I saw how delicious it all looked.
“Wow... you can really scarf that stuff down...” I looked up from the plate. He was looking at me with amazement, like I had become his idol or something equally as weird. I blushed and ducked my head away from his admiring eyes. I set my now empty plate on the coffee table and walked into the bathroom to change out of my pajamas.
It was the beginning of the festival, which meant that most of the town was going to be there. I needed to be dressed casually enough that I could walk around for hours, but I also needn't look like a slob, either.
After pulling on a decent pair of jeans and a loose blouse, I began packing up the things I left in heaps on the floor and putting them in my bag when I caught my reflection in the mirror. I looked myself in the eyes and noted the dark circles beneath them. Did I really not get that much sleep last night?
I sighed and cupped my hands around the rim of the sink, staring my reflection down, looking for any other imperfections that I might see. The real world is the same as high school, everyone cares about their appearance and what front they put up when in public. I didn't want anyone to look at me strangely because I looked half dead. I was going to be here a week, after all.
I knew that I hadn't gotten much sleep. It was awkward for me to stay in a room with someone I barely knew. I knew he wasn't sharing the same bed and that he was on the couch, far away from me. But the thought of someone in a room with me that I barely knew kind of freaked me out. I wouldn't be able to stay a week like this.
I cocked my head slightly tot he side and stared at myself questioningly, realizing that I didn't actually know how long I would be staying with this man. For all I knew, he could be leaving tomorrow. Maybe he was a wealthy business man who might need to suddenly return to work? I shared a sympathetic look with myself. I'd feel bad for his family, I thought.
Quickly, I straightened myself up, staring at my reflection in horror. He had originally tried to schedule a room share with a different person, right? What if he was supposed to room with his girlfriend? Or even worse, his wife?! People did that nowadays, right? Especially with a famous couple, or two people who are both in charge of large businesses, they'd keep their last names different.
“Hey, do you always spend this much time in the bathroom?”
I jumped from the sudden voice and knock at the door. I hadn't realized that I'd been in here so long, and I felt bad. I apologized quickly and exited the bathroom. Gavin was on the phone and looking out of the window absently. The conversation seemed serious and so I quietly sat down on the couch that he had arranged back to normal before I woke up.
“Yes, that's fine. Okay, bye.” He hung up the phone, putting it on silent, and put in in his pocket. He nodded to me before heading into the bathroom, himself. I turned on the television for a few seconds before shutting it off again. I was feeling jittery and anxious, not knowing what to do by myself. I didn't know if I could leave yet without telling him so and I didn't want to seem rude by just leaving.
I paced around the room for a few more seconds before wandering over to the open window. I rested my elbows against the windowpane and rested my head in my hands, looking down at the busy street bellow me. Many people were already enjoying the bright spring day, talking and laughing with friends.
The door to the bathroom opened and Gavin came out. I smiled at him and walked over to my purse. As I picked it up I turned to him and, in an awkward way, said, “Uhm... I was just going to go now.”
He nodded and walked over to his bag, quickly grabbing his wallet and shoving it in his pocket. “You mind if I join you?” he asked politely.
“Uh... No, not really.”
He smiled and opened the door for me. I walked by cautiously, not knowing if I should let him join me or not. Where was the person he was supposed to meet? Shouldn't he meet up with her, instead of hanging out with me?
When we reached the lobby, Gavin headed straight for the doors and I followed suit. The outside was warm and the sun was shining brightly through the white, puffy clouds that were scattered all over the sky. I breathed in the fresh smells of the different foods cooking in different stands that were mixed and blended into the clean and inviting smell of spring.
“Where do you want to start?”
I shrugged, “Anywhere is fine. It's fun to see what everything has around here.”
He chuckled and nodded in approval. “Good choice,” he said.
We walked around the town square, through the bustling crowds of people and entertainment. A few people were dressed up on stilts and walked around through the crowd, stopping occasionally to talk to little kids or pose for pictures. I laughed multiple times throughout the hours we spent just walking. Gavin was funny and charming, he had a good sense of humor and never paused before saying what was on his mind.
In the middle of the square, where the fireworks were being carried out and set up elsewhere, probably a large open space where everyone could sit down at watch the coming show, a large waterfall fountain sat elegantly. It was a good resting place for someone who had been walking for hours and small, circular, wooden tables were set up all round, almost like an outdoor cafe.
“Would you like to get some ice-cream?” he asked, turning to me with a smile. He gestured to an empty table in the square and told me to wait while he got us some.
“Wait, Mr. O'Donnell, that's not necessary.” I didn't want to seem rude, and I had my own money to spend with me. I was never good at letting people pay for me when I was willing to pay for my own. I began getting my wallet out of my purse pocket when he stopped me.
“No it's okay, I got it. And please, call me Gavin.”
He made me put my wallet away, taking my wallet from my hand and forcefully putting it inside of my bag when I kept refusing. He smiled again, triumphantly, and asked what kind of flavor I wanted. I didn't want to tell him but quickly, I realized I was being unusually childish around him.
“Chocolate,” I mumbled before he strutted away to get me some ice-cream. I sat in one of the chairs with a huff, wondering why I came with him in the first place. Was it because I didn't want to walk around alone? Or was it because I didn't want to seem rude and decline?
I shrugged it off, figuring it was probably a combination of both reasons. But absentmindedly, I realized I probably had a better time today, with Gavin, than I would have if I had declined and walked around by myself. It was my first year at this festival without my family and I hadn't asked a friend to come with me, either. Maybe, I thought, I'm just using this as an excuse to not be alone.