My Fake Fiancé

Chapter 23 : The Misunderstanding

I smelled like puke.

I didn't know if Noah hadn't noticed or if he was just being considerate. Probably the latter. I rushed to the room I had spent the night in. I couldn't go like this to Alex and Jamie. Of course they wouldn't mind and had already seen me this morning but I knew I looked like a disheveled rooster. I hadn't even brushed today. Noah must have been a saint.

Luckily, I didn't bump into anyone in the hallway, and when I reached the room, it was empty. I spent an hour in the shower, washing away the fatigue from the hangover I had successfully managed to ignore. My head still throbbed, but it was manageable.

I slipped out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, and wondered if I would have to walk half-naked around the resort to fetch my clothes. But magically, all my luggage was in the room. My phone, my bag, my clothes, and even my laptop. I blessed the unknown kind soul for the favor and picked out a blue jean.

When I was looking for my t-shirt, something else caught my attention. It was a hoodie with a beautiful ombre effect, seamlessly blending from white at the top to deep black at the bottom. I read out loud the words etched in the middle.

"If you CAN be happy, why not choose to be?"

It was just a simple piece of clothing, but it felt like something close to the heart. Something cherishable. It was not mine, but it's feel in my hands felt just right.

I pulled the hoodie close to me. It smelled like... wood. I didn't know much about perfumes, but I recognized this one in particular not only because I had tried it on, a few weeks ago but also because of the other familiar smell intertwined with the woody scent, which reminded me of a certain someone. The awareness made my head dizzy for a second.

The hoodie was Jamie's.

I should've accidentally put it in when I packed my bag. After all, we were in the same room a few days ago. I had never seen him wear this, but I felt like I had seen it before, so I closed my eyes and racked my brain. A mental image of shirtless Jamie materialized in my head. Right! Jamie had this hoodie on his shoulders when I walked in on a half-naked Jamie who had been furious at me for something-i-didn't-know-what-yet.

My hands itched to put on the hoodie and bask in the familiar scent. I didn't even know when I became so familiar with the way he smelled. It felt like a sin to hug his hoodie without him knowing, but I was a little more inclined towards the Devil than the Angel. So I did it anyway. I felt a sudden wave of comfort and safety wash through me. I didn't know what life had in store for me, but I wasn't going to let fate control my happiness anymore.

So, just like the hoodie said, If I can be happy, why not choose to be?

***

I was walking down the corridor, which led to the dining area, where all my friends were currently at peace without me. My mind wandered to the ombre hoodie tucked deep inside my bag, hidden from any casual eye. After a few minutes of mental war, I had finally decided that it was a very bad choice to put it on, especially considering the mess I had made.

I had checked my phone after getting ready. There were no texts for me. Only the group chats from which I had known where to go. Maybe they thought I was still with Noah. Though I tried to reassure myself that Alex and Jamie couldn't be so mad at me to ignore my absence, with each passing second, the hope felt more and more absurd.

They were mad, for sure. Not only because of Noah, but also probably because of the stunt I pulled yesterday. But that too didn't make sense because, obviously, Jamie had kissed me back. Maybe it was just in my head. Regardless, the feeling of dread seemed to only increase.