Saving Lucas

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The hotel was exceptional. Even in his wildest dreams Anton never thought of checking in a hotel this grand. He sat in the lobby with Ringo and Winter while Lucas processed the forms. They had no luggage. The only luggage they brought was Winter’s backpack. Lucas told him that the backpack contained money. They had to pay everything in cash, because credit cards and ATM’s are traceable. Anton just nodded and shifted his vision across the room. There was a glass partition, and he can see somebody in a tuxedo, playing the piano. Men in bowties—he assumed they were waiters—lifted trays with one hand. The guests inside looked elegant in their formal attires; women in gowns and men in suits, and wondered if he’d ever experience that kind of luxury. Then he remembered he had a million pesos stacked in his account. When this is all over, I’m going to come back here and be one of the guests enjoying this kind of luxury, he thought. 

Winter saw him and followed his gaze. She smiled when she saw what he was staring at.

“Men in suits and women in gowns, sipping wine and eating caviar. It’s so typical,” she said in a low voice.

“What?” Anton asked, looking at Winter.

“You’d think they have all the luxury in the world. No problems, no nothing,” she explained. “But the truth is, these people are here to escape. They fill their eyes and their stomachs and their minds with nice things. They make themselves believe that they are living in a fairytale, where women wear stilettos and dance through the evening and men sipping wine admire the way they strut in that god awful dress, usher them to their cars and bid them good night. Those are all just for show. People tend to cover horrible things with what they consider as pretty.”

Lucas nodded silently and looked at her. Was she also a mere illusion? Is there something horrible, rotting, decaying inside her that’s being covered with her beauty? Woah. Deep. You Shakespeare now, Anton? He thought to himself.  The only truth that was clear to him now was that Winter was a lot more than she appears to be. You hear what her mouth has to say and she grows even more beautiful. He had never met someone who has insights like this. Come to think of it, he dated bimbos. She was way different from them, and far different from the waitress he had met a few hours ago. He was about to throw a line when Lucas came back, four card keys dangling from his hands. 

“I booked us all in the fourth floor. All the other floors are full. This is the nearest to the exit,” he explained. “Let’s settle down and get some rest. We have to leave at five o’clock tomorrow.”

Anton followed them to the elevator. The ride was quiet. He assumed that everybody’s tired. Well, except for him, maybe. He slept the entire flight. 

The elevator pinged. They stepped outside and Lucas handed him the card key. His room number was 425. They walked him to his room. He slipped the card key and twisted the knob, then slipped the card key into the power source. The room lit up, revealing a rather plush decoration. The walls were painted khaki and white. The bed was king size. There was a 32” LED plasma T.V complete with DVD player. Anton’s jaw almost dropped at the sight. He looked at the bed, and imagined how soft it was. His apartment bed was nothing but a crappy single foldable one, on which he could barely make himself fit. He walked towards the bed and let himself drop. The sheets smelled like heaven. The bed was soft as mallows. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. 

“Our rooms are right beside yours, on your left and on your right. Winter will be staying there,” Lucas pointed to the room facing Anton’s. “Rest well, Mr. Diaz.” 

They turned to leave. Anton sat up, and was surprised to see Winter still standing in the door way. 

“Will you be okay in here?” Winter asked too casually.

“Sure,” Anton answered as he rose from the bed and walked towards her. He stopped a good two feet away from her. “Are you going to be okay in there?” He gestured to her room.

She smiled. “One of the boys, remember?” 

“Oh. Yeah. I almost forgot. You da ballz.”

Winter playfully punched him in the arm. Then turned to leave.

“Hey, Winter?” He called out.

“Yes?”

“Good night.”

Winter smiled and turned to her room. She offered one last peek out her door, smiled at him, then closed it.