The day we saw forever

Remember me

After Midnight
After being side-eyed by the hotel clerk, we manage to get to our room at the top floor. It's a cheap hotel not far from the hilltop. The room offers no fancy view as it almost directly faces to hotel across the street. The room smells damp but the bed looks and feels comfortable.

I throw my backpack in the corner and fall back on the white linen. She follows my example. One bed. One room. I felt as dirty as the clerk thought of me. He saw us walking in and made up his mind. A young man and woman, giggling like teenagers in love. Are we in love? Am I in love?

'Are you with me, Maxi?' she rolls to her side and leans her head on her hand. I nod quickly.

'Will you tell me where we've met before we head back home?' I sigh.

'Is that still bothering you?' she smirks. Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

I watch her unwrap a toothbrush from the pack that we've bought at the night shop before heading to this dump of a hotel. She disappears in the bathroom and I listen for the sounds that follow.

With her absence my mind starts to trail off to tomorrow. I have prolonged a goodbye but it's inevitably coming. I'm wandering in my mind too long for her to slip away from me and suddenly I'm thinking about my parents with their endless fights. Did they once lay in a dirty hotel dreaming about the ability to stop time just to be in a moment with the other forever?

The door creaks open and there she is. Her hair is down again. Loose curls gracing her face. Her dress is hanging of her left arm. I'm seeing more skin of her than I ever have before. She wears a lace white bra with matching knickers and I swallow a little too loud.

'Oh stop that!' she throws the dress over a lonely chair in the corner near my backpack and flops herself next to me on the bed, tugging at the sheets underneath until her body disappears from my eyes once more. 'Move!' she laughs.

About twenty minutes later I've joined her. We are in awkward silence. Lying perfectly still. Two half naked people under a thin sheet trying not to touch. I wriggle my fingers nervously by my sides. Should I move my hand closer to hers?

'Max?' her voice raw.

'Calli.' I echo back.

'I'm not having sex with you tonight.' The smooth sound of her voice leaves an unexpected gnarly feeling in the pit of my stomach.

'Okay.' I try to cover my disappointed. It's there though.

'When I saw you this morning...' she begins as I try to recollect myself. 'I was happy.'

'Me too.'

'No, you don't understand. I was happy you showed interest. You didn't before. Probably why you don't remember me. It's okay, I'm not very memorable. Most people only know me because of my mother...' her voice trails off.

'Stop,' I move my hand and grab hers firmly. 'I'm an idiot. It's me...'

'Not you? Seriously?' I don't have to see her to know she's raised her left eyebrow. I'm starting to know her ways by now.

'I am serious. I should remember. You are amazing. You're breathtakingly beautiful and you're fun. You're interesting, far more interesting than me. More than most of the people, if not all the people I know. You are memorable. I've been blind.'

'Thank you.' I can hear the tears she's holding back.

'Hey...' I move closer. She rests her head on my chest. My arm around her. My fingers sliding over her shoulder in circles. Goosebumps form where I've been. She lets out a deep sigh.

'I'm still not having sex with you though.' She whispers against my chest, setting off a chain reaction of laughter.

'I'm okay with that.' I laugh.

'Let's just see if you remember me tomorrow.' She places a gentle kiss on my lips.

I know I'll remember her forever.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took a little while. Sorry. I've been adapting to this worldwide pandemic and my mind wasn't in the right place to write until now. Enjoy! Stay safe everyone. X.