Page 25 of All That Remains
"I want curry noodles," Sal mentioned, popping his shoes off and flexing his toes. “My wife’s got me addicted to those.”
"I just wantfood. Any food!" I growled, having worked up an appetite in the draining heat.
"Ok, how about we take some of this stuff back to the hotel,regroup, then we'll all head out for food? We’ll make a night of it, and keep things mellow and relaxing."
"Sounds good to me. Besides, I think I need a bandage. One of those girls clawed my freaking neck. It’s starting to burn."
“Ouch. Better hope she wasn’t diseased,” Rose said, poking at the wound until I winced.
On the taxi ride home, she laid her head on my shoulder and picked at my braided bracelet. Eventually she stole it altogether, like she did most little oddities I collected during my travels. She could usually sense when something was off with me, like a freaky, misplaced twin telepathy, but was likely waiting until we were alone to address it. Still, even the small affectionate gestures she offered were enough to assuage me. I rested my cheek atop her head and shut my eyes. Suddenly the world felt alright again.
Once we got back to the hotel, I ran into Nathan in the lobby and we chatted about what we got up to last night. He'd stayed up and done a little writing and had an early morning workout. That made me feel like shit because I’d drank all night and slept all morning. After making plans with him for later, I made a trip back to my room and took a long nap. When I woke, I read a text from Rome.
Rome: "Hey."
"Hey," I replied.
Rome: "Where are you?"
"I'm here. The hotel."
Rome: "Can I see you?"
I considered it, but Rose knocked and it was the perfect excuse to tell him no.
"Actually, mate, I'm headed out again. Maybe later?"
He sent a thumbs up emoji, clearly annoyed.
A few days later, on our last night in Thailand, all the boys and I gathered with the crew and had drinks. I left the club after a toast and headed back toSmallsfor a third time. Joe wasn't there, which was great because I wasn't sure I could face him after letting my walls down the way I had. The next morning, we flew to Seoul and news dropped that Rome had been photographed with a girl in Bangkok.
"Did you sleep with her?"—was the first thing I texted when we landed. We hadn't spoken a word since the last fraught text exchange, so my message must've come as a surprise.
Rome: "You know I didn't."
"I don't know anything."
Rome: "Don't start."
I left him hanging a few minutes before heading straight to his room unannounced. After beating on his door without relenting, his cousin Alan answered and looked freaked out.
"Rafe, all good, bruv?"
"Yeah, where is he?"
"Right here…" Rome said, appearing behind Alan, chin raised in a quiet challenge. "Give us a minute, bro," he said.
Alan nodded and looked me up and down before starting down the hall to his own room. Rome stepped back as I entered uninvited. Right away I smelled weed and a burning cigarette.
"You're not supposed to smoke in here. They'll charge the room."
"You work for the hotel or somethin’?" he quipped, butting the cigarette and sitting on the edge of the bed; hands in his pockets. "You pissed at me or somethin?"
"What'd you do last night?"
"Nothin' Rafe. Just, like, had a few drinks, mate. Y'know...with Alan and Alex and the bois."
I squatted before him. When we locked eyes, he nearly smiled, that is, until he registered how serious I was.
