The sun shining into my window, between the curtains, woke me up. I rolled over in my king sized bed and looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. The time read 7:30 a.m. My Saturday mornings were reserved for sleeping in and watching the Disney channel until noon so I couldn’t help but feel irritated when I saw the time. The early bird catches the worm, I thought to myself. Perhaps the new me will get up early on Saturdays, I considered. I got up and pulled the curtains open. Looking out the window I could see buildings for miles and miles. In the far right corner I saw a beach. A smile came across my face and I couldn’t help but feel content. This is my life from here on out, I realized.
I checked in to the hotel late yesterday afternoon and was so jet lagged that I ended up going to bed without even eating supper right after my new boss, Rosalie, showed me around. She explained that I would be doing the same job as I used to, except I would also be taking care of the VIP guests. My room at the staff accommodation was basically the same as their hotel rooms, except it was a rather outdated version. At the end of a long hallway filled with doors, behind which other employees lived, there was a common living room and kitchen that we all shared. In all, there were twelve of us living there. I had met two guys who were working at the front desk, James and Luke. They were best friends from Sydney, Australia and their accents made me swoon. I couldn’t wait to meet everyone else.
I decided to change into some clothes and get some breakfast. I headed into the common room to ask if anyone wanted to join me, but found it empty. Walking down the street, I felt so little. All the buildings were tall and the streets were busy. I walked along the sidewalk, examining everything and taking it all in. I came to a stop and waited for the pedestrian sign to light up so I could cross the street. People were jaywalking and I couldn’t help but feel annoyed for all the drivers who end up waiting thirty seconds longer at their red light because of someone who pressed the pedestrian button, but crossed before their turn came around. I stood there and waited for the little light, shaped like a person, to appear in the box across the street; partially because I believed in karma, but also because I was a little afraid of crazy drivers.
When I crossed the street I noticed a little coffee shop had an open sign in the window. I walked in and ordered a black coffee and a muffin. The place was small, but quaint. The walls were stone and the chairs, bright red. There were couches at the back of the shop, where a couple was cuddling. I sat down and grabbed the newspaper. I flipped through it looking for my horoscope.
Taurus, you are faced with new challenges today. But freight not, you will come out on top in the end. Your eyes will be opened to new things and you will see everything in a new light. However, do not get too excited too quickly as you will be face with a hard decision in the near future. A new opportunity will present itself, take the leap.
Hmm. Well isn’t that insightful, I thought to myself as I looked around the place sipping my coffee. Across from me, there was a lady filling out some sort of paperwork, and on my left, a man was practically inhaling his scone. Everyone was going about their business, and I felt like I was already fitting in. I mean, there I was at my regular coffee shop – well okay, It was my first time there, but I could see it being a part of my weekend routine.
I finished up my breakfast and it was only 9 a.m. Now what? I wondered what I was going to do with the rest of my day. I grabbed my purse and headed outside. The sun was warm against my skin. There were still a few more days before April was to begin, but everyone was walking around in shorts. On my way from the airport I was looking out the cab windows and I asked the driver where the snow as. He laughed at me and said if I wanted to see snow I would have to hike to the top of the mountains.
The rest of my day was spent exploring the city, or at least the hotel surroundings. I had gotten some lunch at a Bistro and brought it to beach where I had my very own beach picnic. I texted Malorie a picture of it and she had responded that it was storming at home. On my way back to my hotel, I noticed an internet café and found myself peeking in through the window. No, you swore to stay away, I reminded myself, but couldn’t bring myself to budge. Perhaps I’ll just inquire about rates, I mean there’s no harm in just asking, right? I thought as I looked at the computers. If you think about it, it’s something I should know. If some day, someone randomly asks me how much they charge per hour at this particular place, I will know the answer and will be helping that person. It’s really all about relaying information to other, right? I tried to convince myself and then nodded approvingly as I made my way through the doorway.
The café was small and stuffy, with only six computer stations. An Asian man was standing behind a desk piling discs and I walked toward him.
‘’Excuse me?’’ I interrupted his work. ‘’What are your rates?’’
‘’Two dolla one hour, five dolla tree hour’’ he said with a thick accent and then opened another box of discs without even looking up at me.
‘’I’ll take an hour’’ I found myself saying.
‘’Two dolla!’’ shouted the man and I handed him the money. ‘’Number one...tree’’ he pointed to a vacant station that read 13.
I sat down in a black swivel chair, much like my own and quickly checked my e-mails. 6 new messages the screen read. I clicked to open my inbox and couldn’t believe it, they were all from Phil. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should read them.
The last time I spoke with Phil, I told him I didn’t know if I would have access to a computer. When I said this, his face grew sad. At the time, I think part of me wished I really wouldn’t have access to one. I wanted to have a clean break, but couldn’t break apart from him. I placed my hand on the mouse and took a deep breath as I clicked on the first unread message in my inbox.
So there’s this girl…
The rest of the page was left blank, and normally I would have been confused, but I knew Phil and nothing he ever did was accidental. I smiled as I remembered this one night, when I was feeling sad, Phil asked me to tell him something that never failed to make me smile. I told him how stories always made me happy. So he ended up telling me a story about a boy named John. John was in his canoe. He was headed down the river when all of sudden the canoe tipped over. John didn’t know how to swim so he yelled for help as he grabbed on to a tree branch nearby. John was very scared of the strong current. And as I sat there remembering the story, I recalled interrupting Phil as he told it to me.
“Is he going to live?” I asked him eagerly wanting to know the end.
“No he dies.” He said blatantly.
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as I thought of Phil’s made-up story about poor John and the canoe. Most people would have a happily ever after ending to their stories, especially when telling them to someone who was already sad, but not Phil.
I confidently clicked next knowing that these messages were like a puzzle that I would have to piece together to make a story. Gosh, I hope she doesn’t die, I thought.
I met her a few months ago.
Oh my goodness, is this about me? I wondered. Excited, I clicked next.
She has this insanely amazing smile.
She moved away and I miss her like crazy.
But I know she’ll come back one day.
Until then, I’ll send her emails every day.
xX
As I finished reading his messages, I realized that no matter how far the plane had taken me, I could never escape how I felt about this one boy from the internet. I followed my heart to a far off destination, and it followed me too.
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