I had both hoped Erik would and wouldn’t be here when I made the decision to accept The Bishop Inn’s offer to host me. Seeing him would make it all fresh, and Juniper…
I shake my head and get up from the bed and peel off my dress, and remove enough detritus from the bedspread to be able to sleep. If I CAN sleep. I notice a clump of black hair on my pillow and try not to gag. I will leave that out of my blog, but wonder how it got here, and how I hadn’t seen it earlier, especially since I’d found the room to be immaculate upon first inspection.
I shrug and slip under the covers, grabbing a wet wipe to half-ass remove my makeup while I fish around for the remote control. There is no way I’ll feel comfortable with no noise and no light throughout the night, and I had already decided that if anything happens in this room I’ll have to respectfully leave and write a blog with what I already have.
Every little noise I heard made me jump and look all around me at a whiplash rate of speed. It was clearly going to be a long night.
Chapter 3
Kat
The good news is that I’d eventually gotten to sleep. The bad news is that it hadn’t been until 3am, and had been fitful with nightmares of gnarled shadow creatures. I was dog tired, but had committed to spa appointments at 8am.
They had booked me with a full package and I felt it would be unprofessional to try and postpone it. Besides, what work was better to have to power through than a spa day anyhow? Sure I had to maintain professionalism, but that was pretty minimal for this. As long as I didn’t whip off my towel and start twerking, or begin eating mineral mud in front of the staff I’d likely be just fine. I didn’t have energy for either of those activities anyhow.
I had attempted a shower to try and force pep into my step, but was still so on edge that I’d constantly peeked out of the shower, afraid of seeing who knows what.
Predictably, I’d fallen asleep during my 90 minute massage and woke embarrassed and rubbing saliva off my lip.
The nap fortified me for the facial, sauna and body wrap, and at the end of it all I felt like a recharged noodle. I had been so wrapped up in exhaustion, fear of the supernatural and excitement about Ian that I had managed to compartmentalize my anxiety about the reunion this evening. Now it was beginning to creep in as I made my way back to my room.
I’d been cognizant of being camera ready, so to speak, as I walked around the hotel, in case I ran into classmates or Ian. I was relieved to not have seen anyone I knew, save for Greg, the flirtatious-cum-surly-cum-bromance bartender, who’d saluted me as I walked past his spooky bar.
I looked at the clock and tried not to let nerves get the better of me as I realized it was time to get ready. I’d already had my hair done in the hotel salon earlier, and I’d elected for a soft updo. Curled tendrils framed my face, with the sides swept with large braids into a loose bun at the back of my head.
I slipped on my chosen dress and looked at myself critically. It was a fitted, sleeveless, V-neck, floor-length cocktail dress, with a daring slit up one leg, and it’s brilliant, turquoise satin was luminous and vivid against my artificially sunkissed skin. I’d gone ahead and gotten a spray tan, because why not? It was free and the more services I used at the hotel the better.
As I applied my makeup I thought of the irony of this feeling like the prom I never got to attend here all those years ago. I was just a more chic version of younger me, with the same insecurities plus more no matter how coiffed I was currently—much like the hotel it was being held in. Only the night would tell if this was a case of better late than never or better never than ever.
My feet complained bitterly as I put yet another pair of uncomfortable heels on over my still raw, red and blistered feet. I sucked in my breath and told myself it was worth it as I looked in the mirror and beheld what appeared to be a polished and attractive woman. If only my insides would match the cool serenity in the reflection.
I breathed deeply and put my essentials in the jeweled clutch I’d brought for the occasion. My mind was whirling, my stomach churning, but I took it in stride and walked out of the room, intent on getting downstairs and getting past the inevitable ice breaking of such an occasion.
I timed my arrival a little later than the starting time to avoid just awkwardly standing around, and was glad for it. As I left the elevator in the lobby I could already hear the auditory evidence of the reunion which was being held in the Hawthorne ballroom across the expanse of the hotel.
I clicked along the polished floor quickly, until the room was in sight. People mulled outside of it, laughing and hugging and I was gratified to see Kayla standing there, next to a stunning blonde in sleeveless black gown.
Kayla was predictably polished and graceful in her chic, one-sleeved white dress. Her braids smoothed back into chignon, her gorgeous cocoa skin lustrous against a bright red lip. She turns and sees me and smiles, emphatically motioning me over.
I go to registration and pause when I see one of the girls who tormented me after that fateful night. She sits behind the makeshift desk, checking off names and handing out name tags. I recall her name being Robyn as I stare down at her unapologetically. I recall how she’d yelled names at me mercilessly in the
