In Denial | Alex Turner

XXI

We spent some time in our rooms, some of us napping and the others just resting. I was sleeping in my room while Elle was sitting outside writing. She had taken up writing lately and she was quite good at it.

I woke up by a familiar loud laugh. I looked at my phone charging on the nightstand next to me; 5pm. I must had been very tired.

I sat up on the bed and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands before looking at the balcony where I noticed three familiar figures.

"'Ey, look who's up!" Jamie exclaimed as soon as he saw me sit up. His stool was facing me as he needed the railing to rest his back on.

Elle and Matt turned around, looking at me with a smile as their chairs were facing the view underneath them.

"Fuck, I slept a lot," I groaned as I sat on the empty chair next to Matt.

"You looked like you really needed it," Elle commented as she sipped some of her coffee.

"Yeah," I mumbled and placed my legs on the chair, hugging them around my torso. "So, what are we doing tonight?" I blinked a few times, trying to fully adjust to the light.

"We were thinkin' of goin' for a ride at the beach," Matt stretched and placed his right hand on the back of my chair.

"But then again, it's 28 minutes away," Jamie added as he stretched his legs and put them on my chair.

"We can go tomorrow," I turned, looking at Matt. "We'll all be less tired and have more fun that way."

"Oh!" Elle exclaimed. "I read on the website of the hotel that we can rent the jacuzzi room for an hour," she leant forward from her seat. "What do we think?" she grinned.

"I'm in," I dismissed with a wave of my hand as I didn't have the energy to disagree or anything. After all, it'd be a great way for us to relax.

"I'll go tell the others then," Matt stood up from his chair and adjusted the denim jacket around his shoulders. He gave me the rest of his coffee and told us he'd text us to see if the others agreed before leaving our room.

"What are the others doing anyway?" I took a sip off Matt's coffee and threw Jamie's feet off my chair, placing them on the empty chair next to me.

"Nick, Katie and Brea are playin' chess in me room," Jamie explained. "Actually, Brea n' Nick are playin' chess, n' Katie is there in case Brea wants to attack Nick for winnin'," he rolled his eyes and we all laughed together.

"What about Alex?" I asked hesitantly.

"No idea, to be 'onest," he shrugged. "Probably at the bar, 'aving a drink."

I nodded and looked at my phone that just received a notification.

Sent by Matt to Me at 5:05pm;
They're all coming. Still have to ask Alex, though. No idea where he is.

Sent by Me to Matt at 5:05pm;
Jamie says to try the bar.

Sent by Matt to Me at 5:10pm;
Found him. Says he's going to be there.

"What time should we all gather in the lobby?" I asked Jamie and Elle who were having a conversation about which they preferred; cucumbers or tomatoes.

"Erm," Jamie dragged the word for painfully long.

"Tell them at 8," Elle rolled her eyes at how slow Jamie was being.

Sent by Me to Matt at 5:12pm;
Alright, we'll all meet at 8 in the lobby.