Page 29 of The Suite Life
It’s funny she should say that because I can’t wait to meet him either.
16
Waking up in the bed of my dreams, in the nicest suite I’ve ever seen, I stretch and yawn, feeling the soft sheets against my skin.
I slept with the window open, allowing the gentle Hawaiian breeze to sweep in, making the sheer net curtains dance in the air. I can’t help but sigh, already convinced that this suite life is something I could get used to.
I’ve never really had a space truly to myself before. I’ve moved from my family home to live with housemates, then I moved in with Nathan, and finally I moved back in with my parents again. I’ve never been able to just do anything I wanted. I should walk around my suite naked. Because I can.
With a cheeky grin, I decide to go for it. My T-shirt drops to the floor, and for a brief moment, I feel like I’m performing a striptease for myself. It’s silly, but I blush. Okay, now I’m naked. What next?
I think I’ll head downstairs, make myself a cup of tea, and sit on the sofa and drink it. Just me, naked, in my suite, with a cuppa. Like a slightly sad, vaguely horny version of Cluedo.
I manage to walk halfway down the stairs before I notice Keanu, the hotel employee from yesterday, standing there staring back at me.
‘Shit,’ I blurt, legging it back up the stairs, retreating to the safety of the bedroom.
What do I do, do I hide in here forever or… No. I should just face the embarrassment head-on, go down there and face him like the strong, independent woman I’m pretending to be. Let’s nip this in the bud like adults.
I throw on a robe and head down the stairs again.
There he is, still standing there, holding a newspaper like a shield.
‘I… I was supposed to bring you your newspaper,’ he stammers, offering the paper as a peace offering.
‘It’s fine, honestly,’ I reassure him, taking the paper. It seems like it’s business news – he needn’t have bothered.
‘I’m so sorry for flashing you,’ I add, feeling my cheeks growing redder.
‘No, I’m the one who is sorry,’ he insists. ‘I thought you were sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake you, so I thought I would leave the paper on the table. Please, don’t tell anyone.’
‘I’m more embarrassed than you are, believe me,’ I tell him. ‘I’m not going to tell anyone.’
I can see a wave of relief wash over him.
‘Thank you so much,’ he says. ‘If there is anything I can do for you while you’re here, please just let me know.’
‘Can you make me forget that I just did that?’ I quip, trying to lighten the mood. ‘Honestly, it’s fine, thanks for the paper.’
Keanu can’t flee the scene fast enough.
I decide to laugh it off, shaking my head as I drop the newspaper down on the table – well, if it doesn’t have pictures of celebrities on the front, and salacious headlines, then I’m not really interested.
Instead, I’ll head upstairs and put on some clothes – lots and lots of clothes – and then head out to meet my family for breakfast.
Oh, and I’ll try not to flash any more hotel employees while I’m on my way.
17
Something seriously strange is happening.
I had an amazing night’s sleep – something I haven’t been getting all that often recently, either down to my life just generally feeling like it has fallen apart or the fun fact that I can hear my dad snoring through the bedroom floor – but then how could I not, in my super-king bed, in my suite? The suite life definitely suits me, it turns out. Who knew?
That’s not the strangest part of the morning, though. What’s weird is that, ever since we came down for breakfast – me, Lucy, Rick, Nathan and Sunshine – I haven’t been able to shake this feeling like the entire world is revolving around me. No, I’m not just being big-headed, because I’m in a suite (although I suppose I am, just a bit), it’s like… you know inThe Truman Show, how everyone in town, and everything they are doing, is all about him? I’m not joking, from the moment my bum touched the seat, it’s been like the ‘Be Our Guest’ scene fromBeauty and the Beast. Everyone who works here is being so nice to me, so accommodating, so attentive. I’m not complaining, I just don’t understand.
None of my tablemates do either, evidently, because they’re watching everything almost suspiciously. Even Lucy, who I know loves me very much, has this look etched on her face, showing that she can’t understand why this is happening.
‘Did you win the lottery or something?’ Rick half-jokes, raising an eyebrow.
