Rejection and Second Chances

Hotel, Motel

Ashton parked in a parking spot and I looked outside his windshield. It wasn’t an average hotel, obviously. There was one small building where you checked in and out and about 5 or 6 cabins dotted by it for people to rent. I got out of the car, following him inside.

“Hi, checking in for Ashton Laramie.” He said, smiling at the girl.

“One bed or two?” She said, not looking up from her computer.

“One.” He glanced at me and I nodded. She clicked away at her computer, finishing up by handing him a set of keys to one of the cabins.

“Alright, you are ready to go for the night. We, of course, have a complimentary dinner and breakfast. Go ahead and call us up here if you need anything.” He smiled back, grabbing the keys and turning towards me.

“Ready?” I nodded and followed him out the door, not looking back at the receptionist. He grabbed my suitcase, not letting me carry it, and opened the door to the cabin assigned to us for the night.

“Alright, what do you want to eat?” He asked when we got inside, setting my suitcase on the table and picking up a menu. The inside of the cabin was cozy but spacious, with a bedroom, separate bathroom, living room, and kitchen. With a touch of rustic decoration, it felt more home than anything I’d ever felt before.

“Adelina?” He said and I looked at him with a question gaze. He waved the menu around with a smirk. “Food?” My stomach rumbled at the mention of food.

“What’s on the menu?” I asked, grabbing it from him. “I want this.” I pointed at a plate of pasta with breadsticks and cheese. He nodded, dialing up the landline as I grabbed my suitcase and stepped into the bathroom. I shut the door after seeing him on the phone with room service, and turned on the shower.

I looked down at my suitcase and pulled out underwear and pajamas, realizing I had nothing to wash my body or hair with. I looked at the sink and saw the complimentary washing items, sighing to myself.

I had no idea how to go about getting my own things, nor who to ask for it. I undressed, stepping into the shower and washing myself thoroughly. I felt like I was washing away the stress of the past 10 years, and the warm water helped loosen muscles I didn’t know existed.

When I stepped out of the shower, I heard a knock on the front door. That must be the food! My stomach rumbled again, reminded of the fact I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. I quickly put on my clothes, brushing through my hair. I opened the bathroom door, the smell of his food hitting my nose.

The table has a small light above it, but it was dim. The tv was on, playing some show on the news, and one lamp by the bed was on. He was sitting at the table, cutting up his food. He turned and smiled at me.

“Come sit and eat, it’s nice and warm.” He said, smiling at me. I nodded and took my seat, taking the lid off the plate. The smell of the pasta hit my nose, the shrimp enticing the drool out of my mouth.

“This smells delicious.” I said, taking a bite of shrimp and wrapping it in pasta before putting it in my mouth. The flavor hit my tastebuds; everything I’d ever dreamed. I wasn’t allowed foods like this often, usually just fruits and vegetables that were steamed or charred.

“I ordered a moscato to go with yours, see how you like this.” He said, pouring a bubbling liquid into a a fancy tall glass with a long skinny stem and a flat bottom.

“What’s a moscato?” I asked, sniffing the liquid. The bubbles burst in my nose, causing me to sneeze, but it smelled sweet with a tang. I took a sip, the bubbles tickling my tongue and making me giggle. It had a sweet taste, but the bite of alcohol surprised me.

“You’ve never enjoyed a meal like this?” He asked. I shook my head, sighing softly at my filling belly.

“You’re not going to be surprised by the time you find out everything I haven’t experienced.” I smiled softly. He shook his head, taking another bite of his dinner. I took a few more bites as he finished his meal, finishing my glass of moscato.

“Are you ready for bed?” He asked as he cleaned up the dishes from dinner. I nodded, my head softly buzzing. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’ve never had alcohol before.” I said, giggling as I made my way to the bed. He chuckled to himself, turning off the lights and tv and laying down beside me. My head was clear as soon as I felt the pressure of his body next to me, and I was all to aware of his presence. My breathing started to quicken as I felt the air between us get thick with tension.

“Adelina?” His soft voice made its way to my ears. I swallowed thickly, my tongue feeling too large for my mouth.

“Yes?” I whispered back, scared of his next words.

“Have you ever…slept next to someone else?” His words were quiet, as if he didn’t know exactly what to ask.

“No. Never.” I said, even more quietly. I could hear his breathing quicken, his next thoughts practically words already.

“So you’ve never had…sex?”

“No!” My words were loud, ringing in my ears. I could feel the heat in my cheeks as I began to blush.

“No I didn’t mean-“ he sighed. “I wasn’t asking if you wanted to, I was just asking if you had…you know.” He almost stuttered, changing his words up.

“Have you?” I asked quietly after a while, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer. He sighed softly; I felt as if he was trying to hide it.

“Yes.” His response took a while. “I had a girlfriend of 4 years before I turned 18 and found out we weren’t mates. We split amicably and went our separate ways.” My heart skipped a beat, my chest tightening.

“Oh.” Was all I responded. I rolled over, tucking my hands under my head.

“Adelina?” He asked quietly. “Can I…hold you?” My chest tightened again. Hold me? I’d definitely never had somebody do that.

“Yes.” I whispered. I felt him roll over and scoot closer to me, gently wrapping one of his arms from my hip to my shoulder and pulling me close to him. My body fit into his perfectly, almost like I was made exactly for him. Our bodies were warm together, and I felt him press his lips against the back of my head.

My body felt so tired, my eyelids feeling droopy. They began to close, my breathing beginning to steady. I accepted the fact that this may be a dream and I may wake up in that hell hole tomorrow, but at least I had a taste of what my freedom would be like before I slipped into unconsciousness.