Fool to Fool

Chaos is a friend of mine.

A man smashes his fist on the desk in front of me knocking the pens down onto the floor, "I need to see the manager NOW!"

A woman yanks the computer screen off the front desk smashing it underneath her feet. Screaming child tugs onto a man, "Mom fainted!"

"Ron!", howling I scan for the red-golden uniform. There he is landing his muscular arm right in the face of some guy trying to manhandle him. Footsteps are scampering down the staircase others are marching out of the elevator. Some are mad, some are scared, some are calm but more importantly, all are angry. Soon there will be police hollering down the entire hotel taking statements from the witnesses. People will get to know our real faces - the dark face. The mask is falling off bit by bit. I can picture myself in the orange jumpsuit behind the bars enjoying a book over a cup of cold tasteless tea.

Uh-oh! What have I done! My cheeks burn as glance at the manager fighting his way out of the crowd circling him. This all would have been avoided if that fat cat had not walked in. The fat cat that was never fat.

*An hour ago*

My fingers drum against the desk silently as I mumble some song lyrics. Behind me, the hotel's name shines in all its glory against the black ceramic tiles. The shimmering wall fountain diffracts the lights. I spin my chair around. My eyes settle on Sasha's mobile screen. It's five in the morning. The halls are empty. Sasha beside me yawns placing her coffee on the desk.

Through the glass doors, I can see the silence on the road. The calm wind brushing against the palm trees at the entrance. The screech of a car startles me. A few people lazily step out of the car.

"Sweet! Did I spot some FAT CATS here?", we both jump out of our chairs straightening ourselves.

"Guess you did!", I whisper my eye locked at the entrance.

"Play this off well!", she taps my shoulder. 

I wink, "Of course! After all, I am the mastermind!", I laugh sending strands of my hair dancing in the air.

She smirks and leaves the front desk.

"Stay in there! Guys! I said. Stay. In. There.", a man screams as he walks through the glass gates. He turns around to shoot his eyes at his friends or whoever they are but they have already wandered off to somewhere.

He rolls his eyes cursing as he approached the front desk. Lackadaisical, he places his hand on the desk. I stiffen a small smile. Sasha is right as always. Fat cat. Crispy navy blue suit, spotless white shirt, and a leather brown belt with Gucci's double GG glistening.

"Good morning, sir.", I fight the urge not to glare down his suit. What is he? Apollo?

"Cole.", he passes an eerie smile.

"Sorry? I didn't quite catch that.", I bite my smirk. 

"You can call me Cole."

"Mr. Cole... How can I help you? You have any reservations?"

"No... Ummm... I heard there is an offer today?"

Now we are speaking!

"Uh.", he passes me a coy smile running his fingers through his pitch-black hair.

"Yes, of course.", I bat my eyelashes at him, "A free night stay for today if you book for at least two nights."

"With you?", he places his hand on the desk and leans closer.

I want to roll my eyes so hard that they pop out of the sockets and bounce right into his face knocking him down - HOWEVER - I must refrain from unleashing my inner dog and be professional, "Sorry Cole but we don't lend people. Just rooms and a few other services."

"Few other services...", he wriggles his eyes at me, "What services are we talking about?"

"Spa, jacuzzi, poolside bar, and few other things.", this guy is getting on my last nerves.

"Shisha service?", he raises an eye at me. I nod.

"Are you ready to book?", I clasp my hands together putting on my best poker face. But God knows on inside, the soul is itching to spank him for eating my time.

"Honey! What's the rush?!", he straightens and presses his finger against the earpiece and mutters under his breath, "Here goes nothing."

"Sorry?"

"Nothing.", he passes a fake smile and yawns, "Just my partners - er- friends. Where are they?", he turns around narrowing his eyes, and speaks softly in the earpiece, "Then I shall see you around."

"I guess you will see the room service around more often."

He slams his ID and credit card. I look at the cards on the desk then at him, "Three suites for three nights.", he states firmly. The ring of his mobile startles him. He rushes out of the lobby, "Book my rooms, I'll be back! There's an emergency."

"Wow! That was worth it! Ass!", I glare as he leaves. A smirk crawls its way on my face as my gaze shift to the cash register, "Skimmer, skimmer, skimmer!", I dance my way to it, "Happy April Fools' Day, Cole!"

But wait... No, it can't be! This account is frozen. I dash to the front desk. Grasping the ID with shaky hands I turn it to see the name HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY. The blue marker smeared across it. My eyes rush to the glass walls and the door Cole had left open. In the distance my eyes catch an SUV making its way away. 

"Hey!", I hurtle outside. The sun peaks out of the white cotton clouds splashing the colors across the sky. The flock of birds circling the trees within the thermal. A few pigeons snuggling in the depression of the building's architect coo. Spat! A green-white fluid roll down my black padded shoulder. I am still mourning for my lost deal and pooped coat when the fire alarm unnerves whatever courage was left in me.

Sasha strides down towards me, "Security alert! We have been attacked!", she trips over her foot.

"Shh! What happened? Are you serious! What if people hear you.", pressing my finger against my lips I walk towards her to lend her a hand but she gags staring at my coat.

"They know! They all know! The people used the jammers to sneak in and master to key to get into the rooms! They robbed our customers!", clutching my arm firmly she hisses. 

"Who... who were they?", a small voice escapes my mouth.

"They ran away in SUV. I saw them with these sinful eyes", she points at her eyes getting up, and walks down to the front desk.

"Cole!", I slam my hand on the desk, "That scumbag!"

"What are we gonna do?!"

"Well...", I bat my eyes at her, "Feels like they all have been fooled twice!", I wink.

She rolls her eyes at me opening the cash register. Pulling all the dollar bills from each slot she stuffed them in her butt pocket.

"What the F are you doing?", I hiss hurling a coffee cup in her direction. It hit the tiles midway between us. She glances at me her fingers still busy stuffing all the cash. I charge at her but my feet slip over the spilled coffee sending me skidding across the floor. My confidence drowns into the flood of adrenalin and cortisol surging out of the adrenal glands.

"Fool you twice, shame on you!", she walks out of the hotel with no one there to stop her.