“Let's get you some food,” she said, Ignoring my statement and repeating hers, as she picked up the phone. “Yes, hi, I would like to order some room service.” She looked at me and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear and then speaking into the phone again. “I would like to order some pizza, please. Cheese?” She looked at me, with eyebrows raised, I nodded. She confirmed the order and hung up. I stared at her vaguely, wondering if she was going to tell me that her contract was going to be extended when someone knocked on the door and Kattie jumped up to answer it. She made a brief conversation with the room-service guy and then sat down again, pizza in hand. She looked at me like she was holding something back and then handed me a slice.

“So?” I pressed, waiting for an answer.

“I'll tell you after you have had a few pieces. You need to eat.”

I scoffed down three slices and looked at her again, mouth full. “So?”

She laughed, “You are so cute. It's going to be hard for me to not come home to you anymore.”

Wait, what? She was saying exactly what I thought she would say, wasn't she? She was extending her contract... I stared at her blankly. She reached for my hand but I pulled away.

“Lizzy...”

“Don't!” I shouted, standing up. “I knew you would do this! You said it would only be a few months!” My eyes filled with tears, and as she looked at me, hers did too.

“It's not my fault... Do you think I asked for this?” Her voice was tired.

“How long this time, Huh? Another three months?”

“Another six.” She almost whispered.

“Six?” I gasped. My breath left my body and I thought I was going to faint again, until one last gasp of air allowed me to shout at the top of my lungs, “I’m leaving!”

She looked at me, tears streaming down her face. I opened the hotel room door and let it shut behind me. I ran as far as I could down its empty hallways before falling to the floor. I sat there crying until it seemed as though I had cried myself out of tears, and I fell asleep.

THE NEXT DAY WHEN I AWOKE, the memories of the night before came rushing back. I stood and went to get my luggage to leave. I knocked on Kattie’s door. No answer. I remembered I had a key, which I had attained to surprise her. I used it and entered. Kattie wasn’t there, so I packed up my things and headed back out.

Walking down the corridor, I passed a few of Kattie’s people. I smiled and nodded ever so slightly. Reaching the door with her name on it, I went to turn the handle. Just as one of Kattie's assistants ran over to me. “I wouldn't do that. She’s busy at the moment.” He looked me in the eye, his tone warning.

“Oh, I don't think she would mind me. I just want to say bye.”

“I really don’t think you should.” Again, he looked at me as if to warn me of something.

I opened it anyway, and as the door creaked open, Kattie came into view. Her expression showed that she clearly was not expecting to see me. I opened the door wider, only to see a guy...the guy from the background of the Skype video when we had our last call. His expression, just like hers, was not one that was expecting to see me. To add to all the information that my mind was already processing, Kattie and this guy were in a compromising position. Shirtless. My heart instantly sank. No, I take that back. My heart exploded. It shattered. It shattered into a million pieces. I backed away, closing the door slowly behind me.

I started to walk, which soon turned into running, and my running turned into sprinting. I ran back to my room as fast as my legs would take me, and collapsed on the floor. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, I couldn't even cry. I sat there not being able to process. I felt my chest heating up. My chest was on fire, aching. An unimaginable pain that I could never even imagine one could experience.

I forced myself to stand up and grab my bag from its place on the floor, where it had fallen from my shoulder when I collapsed. I ran to the lobby exit, half expecting to see Kattie. There was no Kattie and the halls were silent. I started running again. I ran to the elevator, frantically pressing the buttons until it opened. A family was inside. They stood there silently, as did I. Though suddenly, my tear ducts caught up with the rest of my emotions. Tears poured and I tried to hold in any sounds of sobbing. The second it opened, I ran out and kept running until I came to an exit door. Though, as all automatic glass doors do, they opened slowly, the opposite to the pace my head was racing at.

As I waited, a hotel worker called out to me. “Have a nice day, Miss.”

To that, my crying to intensify, turning into loud sobs as I frantically made my way out of the hotel lobby. As I searched for a taxi, it dawned on me that just like that, I, the player, had just been played. I noticed a taxi bay and ran for the nearest car to jump into. I was running like Kattie was chasing me, though it appeared she wasn't. I looked out the window, not bothering to buckle up, because in my mind if I crashed and died, I wouldn't care. She wasn't there, she wasn't chasing me. She didn't care.

“Where to miss?” The taxi driver peered at me through the mirror.

“Please just take me to the nearest airport,” I begged between sobs. To my relief, the driver didn't ask the reason for my tears and started to drive. I cried the entire way to the airport, not even trying to hide them. The driver looked at me once we had parked.

“It's on the house.” He had sympathy in his voice. I wanted to say thank you, but I just continued crying, that's all I could do as I got out and shut the door behind me.

I walked through the busy airport doors and looked for the service desk that would sell me a ticket home. I wanted to get out of this place as soon as I could. I ran to the nearest line and put down my bag. As I did, I realized Kattie probably wasn't coming for me. I caught her cheating and doesn't even follow me? She should be begging me for forgiveness! I thought the realization made me cry even more.

When it was my turn to get a ticket, I explained that there was a death in the family and I needed to get home urgently, needing a ticket for today to replace my current one. There wasn't technically a death. I felt like I was dead. That was close enough.

When they explained that my previously booked ticket couldn't be moved, I cried again. So much so that a man pulled me aside, “Hey, I couldn't help but overhear your situation. I can't imagine what you must be going through. Let me help you.”

I stopped crying for what seemed like the first time in hours. “Help me? How?”

“Well, I can buy you a ticket.” He said graciously.

“Are you serious? Wow. I don't know how to thank you!” I blabbered. A mix of happy and sad tears filling my eyes.

He interrupted me. “I just have one condition.”

“Anything.” I breathed, desperate to get out of my deathly situation.

“How about you and I have a quicky in the bathroom. I haven't had much luck with the ladies over here.” He remarked, tugging at his belt loop.

I glared at him in pure shock and disgust. “Fuck you, you pig!” I screamed at him and started crying again.

“Bitch,” he murmured and walked away.

I felt like I was going to pass out from being so overwhelmed when a guard came over. I assumed he was going to kick me out of the airport for causing a scene... “Miss, do you have any money at all? A death can be very hard, and you are clearly upset. I can let you on the plane.”

“I have nothing.” I looked at my feet, more tears falling from my face.

“Come this way, Miss.” The guard started walking and I followed. I watched as he spoke with the people at the desk. I was then called over. “Miss, step this way, please.” I was handed a ticket and an itinerary. Not knowing what the reason was for this kindness, I hugged him with gratitude and got into the plane.