Page 6 of The Very First Night

The elevator dings as it reaches the third floor and I step out into the hallway. I anticipate Elijah heading back down, but I’m surprised to find him tailing my steps.

“I’m not a child—I can find my hotel room without assistance,” I say, struggling with the key card.

He moves toward me, forcing me to step to the side before he takes my card and swipes it, opening the door for me.

“Thanks,” I mumble as I push through the doorway, stumbling slightly. When I’m only about a foot into the room, he grabs my arm.

“Kat…”

With every fiber of my being, I try to avoid looking at him, but he holds me in place until I do. “Believe it or not, I do care. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you; I wasn’t sure how. We didn’t exactly leave things on great terms.”

I think back to the last time I saw him. I’d do anything to change how things went for us. When I fell in love with him all those years ago, I never would have imagined we’d end up here.

Twenty-five and him engaged to someone else.

It was supposed to be us.

I simply nod, which seems to encourage him enough to release my arm.

“Get some rest, okay?” he says softly before backing away, leaving me in the doorway and disappearing down the dimly lit hallway. I watch as he enters the elevator before I close my hotel room door.

How the hell did we get here?

Kicking off my heels, I revel in the feeling of my feet against the carpet, the ache of the day setting in despite being dulled by the alcohol.

I trudge to the bathroom, hastily scrubbing off my eyeliner and mascara with a warm cloth. I run my toothbrush over my teeth, rinsing away the day before climbing into bed. Pulling back the white duvet, I sink into the cloud-soft mattress, cocooned in silence for a few moments until the sound of laughter and music floats through the wall from the room next door. Rolling my eyes, I throw an arm over my face, trying to ignore the fact that it is only 10:00 PM.

Don’t these people have any respect for other guests?

As I lie in bed staring up at the ceiling, I find myself replaying the day’s events. I knew it would suck, but I didn’t anticipate the level of anguish I would feel seeing Elijah again. He holds so much power over me even though we lead entirely separate lives now.

I hope one day that goes away, at least in some capacity.

The sound of pounding bass and boisterous laughter somehow gets louder, drifting from the wall behind my bed and making it nearly impossible to hear anything else.

I sigh and grab the blanket, wrapping it tight around me as I walk out onto the balcony. The garden below is illuminated by a few small lights, but beyond that lies only darkness. The moon is hidden behind a thick bank of clouds, but stars twinkle all around, tiny pinpricks in an otherwise black sky.

The wind pushes the clouds away, revealing the full moon. Its milky light shines above me as I look up, imbuing me with a sense of peace and comfort. Maybe the full moon is why today has been so weird. I’d like to think it is something as simple as that, but it’s never been simple.

Elijah and I were never simple. From the day I met him, it was messy and painful, yet invigorating and all-consuming.

Goodness—what I’d give to be able to go back. Redo it, do it differently, go back to the very first night…

Haven’t we all thought that once or twice? Wished to have the ability to go back and make better or different choices?

I sway as I squint at the night sky. A tiny streak of light pierces the darkness, streaking across the velvet canvas of stars before disappearing into the horizon.

Weird.

ENCHANTED

FOUR

FIVE YEARS AGO

KAT

The sun filters in through the window in the worst possible way as the pounding in my head increases in pace and intensity. It feels like I’m being whacked in the back of the head with a drumstick. I don’t know why I continue to do this to myself, but I’ve hardly ever been super smart when it comes to my alcohol consumption when out with friends.

---