Change of Plans

I always wanted to book a vacation to a tropical island. However, I never thought that I would land up in such a twisted situation. A situation that would land me with a complete stranger. And one who annoyed me to bits.

(Two days ago) I booked a vacation to stay at a hotel in the tropical island of Mauritius. This hotel was a very expensive and elegant hotel which was only available to the rich and famous. I was neither, but I wanted to stay at luxurious hotel and hence experience the Mauritian culture and cuisine. I couldn’t afford the cost and so I was advised to book it through a travel agency. “So you want to stay at L’hotel du Mauritius? Is that correct?” I wasn’t sure of the name but I knew that it was an up-class hotel. “Yes, I do. How can I go about booking it?” She typed away and I just sat in my seat as I patiently waited for her to respond. The clicking of her nails on the keyboard irritated me, but I tried to ignore that. “I can help you book it. But they do have a strict dress code. This means that whatever clothes you pack would need to be clothes that you wear to a formal function. Not your…exercise or lazy day clothing.” Although, this was new advice to me, I felt a little ticked off at her way of explaining my clothing sense. I could only manage to nod at her advice, because the words I was about to utter would have made me not travel to any country.

After I booked at the hotel, I proceeded to pack my clothes. Since the travel agent told me I needed to wear formal and fancy clothes, I, frantically, looked for whatever items I had in my cupboard that were, perhaps, close to that description. I was in such a state, that it took me the whole day to pack the clothes. I didn’t know it would be this hard to pack clothes but that I didn’t know until I found out the rules of the hotel. Why would they need  a specific dress code to stay at their hotel? So I packed my bags and headed for the airport. This was going to be a long flight but I was too excited to think of the time and journey. After I checked in my luggage and my ticket, I sat in the waiting room. My flight was only arriving in five minutes, so I had some time to wait. “Hi, mind if I sit here?” This rude stranger came to the seat next to me. Before I could even answer him, he just roughly put my bag on the floor and sat down. “Do you mind?! That is my bag. Besides I didn’t even tell you that you could or couldn’t sit there!” He just looked at me, and with a smile on his face. The nerve this man had to just smile at my fuming anger. “I’m Sean. Nice to meet you.” I just ignored him. How dare he be so rude then just smile and introduce himself?

Finally we climbed into the plane. I sat in my seat and tried to relax. It wasn’t possible, since the rude person from earlier came to sit next to me again. I could have sworn he did that on purpose. “Why are you sitting here? Couldn’t find your seat…which somewhere else?!” He turned to me with that same stupid smile. “Love, my seat is here. So you would just have to deal with it. By the way, I didn’t catch your name.” I ignored him once again. Hopefully I don’t have to talk to him again. The flight was comfy, and I couldn’t help but try to stretch in my seat. I felt so comfortable that even getting up to ask the flight attendant something, felt like a bother. “Ma’am, can I get you anything?” I looked up to see just the flight attendant. So the idiot left then, finally? “Can I get a cup of chamomile tea, please?” She smiled and proceeded to fill my drink. However, she filled another drink and left it at the table next to mine. I looked strangely at the cup and then realized that the drink she poured, was for him. I sat in my seat and peacefully drank my tea. Once I felt a jerk next to me, almost the whole plane felt it too, I seen that he hadn’t disappeared completely.

“You won’t talk to me. Why?” I turned so fast that I thought my neck would snap. “Because you are nothing but a rude and inconsiderate jerk who has no respect for other people’s property. And then you just think by being all friendly and trying to make small talk would make me actually want to converse with you?! You are such an idiot.” He smiled at my irritation. “Ok, I apologize for that. Maybe, I just seen that you would get irritated and I felt like irritating you. Did you maybe think that I did it…because I like you?” I looked at him with confusion on my face. “Why? How did you know I would get irritated?” He smiled again. “I saw you at the travel agency. When you booked at the fancy hotel in Mauritius, you were irritated with the agent. So I thought that I would do something to push you. You’re beautiful and have this mysterious look about you, two things I like in a woman.” As much as this guy irritated me, his words made my face hot. And I think there was a bit of blush in my cheeks. “Oh. Um…well.” He burst out laughing at my shyness. At first I gave him a glare, but somehow I managed to laugh along with him. “My name is Jame. Nice to meet you too.” He smiled at that. But I still prayed that I wouldn’t want to see him after this flight.

We arrived at the hotel. It was more beautiful than I heard. The lights surrounded the building as if to protect the beauty it guarded within. The sleek design gave the hotel the elegant look I imagined. I walked forward, luggage in hand, to check into my room. I wanted nothing more than to get to my room and have a good night’s rest. “Evening. Bonsoir, how may I make your stay an enjoyable one?” I smiled at the receptionist’s friendly attitude to me. I never expected to feel like a famous or royalty. Just her voice made me feel like that. “I’d like to check into my room. Here are my documents for you.” I handed her my papers that proved I would be staying at this hotel. She looked at them and then at the reservation on the computer. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but according to our system you would need to share a room with someone else.” This made me angry. I booked a single room, not a double. Why did I have to share with someone? “Why? There must be some sort of mistake.” Hearing the anger in my voice, the manager came to inquire about my fury. “Is there an issue, ma’am?” “Yes, there is. According to your system I have to share with someone else. But I know that I booked a room for one person, not two.” He checked the system and then spoke with the receptionist. They then turned back to me. “I’m sorry, but this is the case because all our rooms are booked. Even the single ones. According to our system, you can share with someone. Which would be with Mr. S. Farnham.” I became angrier at this. Why would I need to share a room and let alone with him?

I was forced to accept the shared room. Once I had my key in hand, I walked straight to the room. I was so mad at the reservation. Luckily, when I entered the room there were two rooms and two separate beds. I didn’t care where to throw my bags, I just left them on the bed and collapsed on the bed. “Why did this have to happen? I wanted to have a room to myself. Instead I have to be stuck here in this room with you!” Sean just shrugged and continued to explore the room. I saw a balcony in the room. This was something I hoped to have in my private room. I walked out and stood there. The breeze was cool on the skin. “It’s beautiful, even at night.” I agreed, the view was definitely a sight for sore eyes. “Look, Jame. I know I may have made you a bit mad at me, but can we make the best of it during our stay? I would really like to know more about you. If you let me, that is.” I thought about it for a while. “Fine, you have a deal. Just don’t irritate me further.” He smiled. “I can’t promise you, anything.” I just shook my head and smiled.