The Little Things

Duncan Rogers and Donald Anderson have been best friends since high school. Often, they were called Double D. Obviously, because their first names shared a peculiar starting letter 'D' and also because they were almost inseperable, having a likeness for the same things, but not everything. Duncan is hard-headed, strong-willed, unreluctant, a diehard party goer due to certain unfavourable situations in his life. He was raised by his single dad, who served in the military until his unfortunate death during a war, leaving Duncan all alone because he never got to know the whereabouts of his mom. Duncan had to struggle to survive and become tougher, sharing his problems with nobody. Unlike Duncan, Donald is feeble, calm and intolerant of violence of any sort. He practically pukes his guts out on the mere sight of blood.

It's been almost three years since their separation after graduating from high school. Duncan works a delivery job, driving around cities, bringing goods to those who order them. Donald is in Hampton University, a university far from his high school and hometown, studying to become a geographer. He lives in a lodge, off campus and has to trek over two kilometers to get to school every weekday morning by eight in the morning.

On his way back from lectures, by 6 o'clock, Friday evening, February 14th, 2020; Donald is accompanied by his fellow geography students who invite him for a party which would be held in a hotel, downtown, quite far from his lodge. The party is popular one. Everyone is invited. It would be held on the following day, being Saturday, from 7:30pm till the dawn of Sunday.

The entire geography department is going, so Donald meekly accepts the invitation.

Saturday morning comes. Donald is awaited by his fellow colleagues. They would be leaving in a bus and have to leave early as the journey would be a long one with a lot of hours on the road. Donald rushes out of his lodge, greeting everyone as he makes his way to the back of the bus. He joins Priscilla Jenkins, a pretty girl with dark eyelids who apparently has a crush on him. She loves to sit beside him in almost every class, so she must've intentionally made her way to the back, knowing he would be picked up last and stay at the back since he lives off campus unlike most of them.

"Hey", whispers Priscilla. She is a shy type and doesn't do much talking, especially with people she isn't fond of.

"Hey", Donald replies and asks, " Have you ever been to our supposed destination?"

"Well, yes", said Priscilla, preparing for a satisfying conversation. " I have been there with my family on various occasions. We love to try their dishes and play in the pools on holiday weekends".

"Are you local?", asks Donald.

"I am", Priscilla answers. "Never gone across the borders of Hampton. What about you?"

Donald informatively responds " Oh, I am not a local of Hampton. I come from Dovan. It's quite a small state. Not so popular. We do not have big universities like the ones in other states. Can you give me some details on what the hotel looks like?"

" I almost forgot to tell you about that", Priscilla quickly replies. "It's called 'Shalom Hotels'. It doesn't really look so modern. They've have got a lot of land for a golf course, pools, huge buildings with a lot of rooms, and a wide field for occasions, which I suppose would be used for the party. It looks more like a camp because it's surrounded by a vast forest. That's why the party is till dawn and all the rooms have been booked by invitees, to prevent late night car accidents."

Priscilla brings out her phone from her rucksack, plugs in her headphones, plays a song and hands Donald a headphone so he could listen too.

" You listen to Hanni?" Donald asks surprisingly.

" Why, yes" she happily replies. " Hanni's songs are nice and smooth to my ears".

Priscilla leans on Donald's shoulders, listening to sweet music and enjoying the cool forest breeze for the rest of the journey.

The journey ends as they arrive at the hotel, evidently as they were greeted with a sign that says 'SHALOM HOTELS'. They have about one hour before the party begins. The hotel is crowded with a lot of people, teens mostly. The geography students were dropped off at the parking lot of the hotel, left to find their rooms before the commencement of the party in the evening. The students are sixty-eight in number, consisting of forty-one girls and twenty-seven boys. They would be staying four per room, having seventeen rooms booked in their name.

They go to the lobby and meet the receptionist for their keys and are then guided to their rooms by a porter. The students choose roommates, regardless of sex because most of them would not stay long in the rooms, being outside all night for the party.

Donald finds himself in Room 109, pairing with Priscilla and two other girls, Rebecca Winston and Sophie Ingle.

"Hey guys, let's go for a walk around the hotel", screams David, the department course representative, to the hearing of his colleagues. They all agree, walking behind David and taking pictures at every turn of the fabulous hotel.

They visit the restaurant, the golf course, the swimming pools, mix up with other students of their university and wait for the party which would start in no more than twenty minutes.

"Let's go get drinks" Donald says to Priscilla. She quickly follows him to the restaurant. They order some can drinks and try to make their way back to meet their colleagues, when Donald spots a familiar face.

It's Duncan. He would never forget his face. Duncan is speaking to one of the chefs when Donald taps him on the shoulder.

"Donald!" screams Duncan. "How the hell did you get here?. I've been trying to reach you for years. Where have you been?"

"I've been in the university", says Donald. "I lost my old number so I haven't been able to contact a lot of guys from Dovan".

The chef interrupts "Mr. Rogers, you do have to unpack the drinks from the van."

"Oh, sorry sir. I'll do that right away", replies Duncan to the chef.

The chef leaves the guys to be.

"Um, Donald. Who's the beauty waving at us?"

"Oh!", signalling Priscilla to come." This is Priscilla, my colleague and close friend. Priscilla, this is Duncan, my buddie since high school".

"Nice to meet you" , says Duncan to Priscilla, hugging her. "Can you guys help me with the drinks? I think the party's about to start. I have to get them in, fast".

They follow Duncan to his delivery van, then, begin unpacking the drinks to the kitchen whilst joking around and chatting about the party.

The party begins. People start screaming as the DJ plays a crazy jam, starting off the party on an exciting note.

The trio are done unpacking the drinks and head towards the crowd. Donald smiles because of the fun everyone is having but such fun is not for him.

"I would be upstairs, in my room", he informs Duncan and Priscilla. "Duncan, let's catch-up later".

Priscilla decides to stay for some time, not to look too clingy.

"Let's join the party", Duncan proposes to her. The party goes on for a couple of hours. 

"I see you have a thing for Donald, and I think he does too, I have practically never seem him walk with a girl for all the years I've known him, says Duncan to Priscilla as they dance. 

She blushes," I hope so, he seems like the right guy for me. He is smart, handsome and the kind of weird I like. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else".

"Can I get you something to drink?, Donald asks.

"Nothing too strong for me. I'm not a drinker and don't intend to be one", she says.

"Well, just for today, you can try something a little different. A little fun in a bottle I love to call them", says Duncan persuasively.

Duncan, after a lot of drinks and Priscilla, after a lot of persuasion and a few strong shots are both drunk, trying to stay on their feet.

Mesmerized, Duncan kisses Priscilla. He too has a thing for beautiful girls with dark eyelids. She returns the kiss, then, vomits and slumps on him.

He weakly carries her to a couch in the lobby, then, he falls asleep.

Few more hours into the night, Priscilla awakens.

" Ah, I don't think I'll drink ever again", she says to herself, wailing from a headache. She notices Duncan and remembers the incident between them, just few hours ago.

"No! What have we done?", she cries as she awakens Duncan from his sleep.

"Hey, wake up. I told you not to give me much to drink", she adds.

Oh my God. What happened?, Duncan asks wearyingly.

"I told you I want to be loyal to Donald. Why did you kiss me?", she asks angrily.

"I'm so sorry, I was aroused and intoxicated. I would never have done such in my right state of mind", he says.

"I think I have to tell Donald. I wouldn't want keep such secrets from him if we are to be together", she says. 

"I don't think that's important. It was just a tiny mistake. It wouldn't have any effect in your relationship with Donald", he replies.

"I guess so. But it makes me feel guilty inside", she says grievingly.

"Let's leave whatever happens in the party. I don't even remember what the kiss felt like and you guys aren't even dating, so there's no need to fuss about it. Let's just go to our rooms and forget about this", he says convincingly.

"What if he asks us how we hung out all this time. What will we say?", she asks.

"We'll just tell him we've been talking about the silly things he did when he was younger and dancing", he responds.

"Lies. What will become of me? I'll just try to forget everything and hope he doesn't ask, she concludes.

They leave for their separate rooms. Priscilla walks into Room 109 and finds Donald and Sophie sleeping. She joins them on the large bed. After a few minutes of overthinking about her recent problem, she falls asleep.

The early morning sun rises, waking up the visitors. Some of the invitees are already leaving for their respective homes while some intend to stay for a couple more hours.

The members of Room 109 are getting prepared to leave in few minutes. They have already been informed by their course representative that their bus driver will be ready to  take them back once they're prepared.

Donald is done preparing and excuses himself from the room.

"I'll see you guys in the bus. I have to meet someone", he says.

He runs to the parking lot, to where Duncan's van is parked. Fortunately, Duncan is there.

"Hey, Duncan. Sorry I couldn't stay for the party. You know I'm a not a party person", says Donald.

"Don't worry, man. I had fun gisting with your girl. I think she likes you", replies Duncan.

"Haha. I like her too. I think I'll keep her. I have to go. Take care", says Donald.

They hurriedly hug and exchange contacts, then, Donald goes to his departmental bus and sits himself at the back seat, saving a spot for Priscilla.

The rest of the department arrives and take their seats. The driver begins the journey.

The bus is silent during the journey. Some students are sleeping; not getting enough sleep the previous night. Some are listening to music on their headphones while others are just looking at the trees as the bus speeds past them.

Priscilla doesn't talk to Donald. She still feels guilty after the incident. She has never been in a relationship and wouldn't want to mess her first one with lies and secrets.

Donald holds her and places his head on hers.

They arrive Donald's lodge.

"Please follow me", Donald whispers into Priscilla's ears. He grabs her arm and leads her outside the bus. The bus continues unto the university.

Standing in front of Donald's room, Priscilla begins to cry and hugs Donald tightly and says "I love you".

"You know, I was there at that moment. I was watching you guys from the lobby when it happened, before I went back to our room. I just don't understand why Duncan didn't tell me when I met him this morning. You shouldn't feel guilty. You were both drunk and we aren't even dating, yet", Donald says. He chuckles and holds her chin up and asks "Will you be my girlfriend?".

Priscilla smiles and squeezes her face on his chest.