Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(63)
Author: Cambria Hebert

I gasped. “I’m sorry.”

He laughed. “Don’t be. I actually like seeing your excitement more than anything out the window.”

I laced my fingers with his and tugged him closer. “Look.”

We came upon a vineyard and we all cheered when the bus turned in. Of course, the teachers were quick to tell us sternly that we would not be sampling any of the wine. But we did get a tour of the rooms where they made and stored the wine, and we got to see the miles and miles of open land where rows and rows of grape vines grew, sun-kissed with the leaves swaying slowly in the warm summer breeze.

Too soon, it seemed we were back on the bus, heading once more for Florence and the hotel that we would be spending our first two nights in. It was like a whole other world existed outside of mine. You’d think that the events of the past year would lessen the shock I felt when presented with new and exciting places and people, but I guess it hadn’t. It relaxed me. Beginning the trip this way gave me hope that maybe we would have more fun than we thought.

*   *   *

My original good nature faded when we arrived at the hotel. Because we were a school group, traveling with teachers, we did not have to check in at the front desk. Instead, we were to go directly to our assigned rooms. The keycards were passed out on the bus—one for each student—and no more. Sam and Cole were roommates and were staying on the first floor. My room was on the second floor with Kimber. I managed to avoid her on the plane, in the vineyard and on the bus, but I knew our moment was coming, and I knew it probably wouldn’t be very pretty.

I dawdled on the bus, allowing everyone to go before me, trying to stall for time before Sam and I would have to part ways. Eventually, we were the last ones to file from the bus. Ms. Merriweather stood at the bottom of the steps with a checklist in hand, making sure all the students were accounted for. She smiled at us as we disembarked and I had to force myself to smile back.

Inside the hotel was nice. It looked a lot like the chain hotels back home with a large lobby, a reception area, and a mini kitchen to the right where they served coffee and tea all day long. A small sign by the coffee service advertised free cookies every evening at seven o’clock. At the bank of elevators, Sam and I were finally forced to say good-bye.

“I’ll see you at dinner,” Sam said, giving my fingers a light squeeze.

“Okay.” The elevator doors chimed open and students began filing in. I noticed they were all girls. Girls must be bunking on the second floor while the boys were on the first.

Unable to kiss me under the watchful eye of our chaperones, Sam settled for tapping my forehead with his fingers, reminding me that we could always talk. Then he turned on his heel and met up with Cole, who was waiting just yards away. I gave them a little wave and got on the elevator; no doubt my roomie was waiting.

She took over the room and decided on the rules before I even got there. From the minute I opened the door, she made it clear she thought she was in charge. She chose the bed closest to the windows and a small wingback chair and table (which all her stuff was draped across), her stuff took up more than half of the closet and her shower bag cluttered the only available space on the counter in the bathroom. Kimber even went as far as to turn the TV in her direction and put the remote on her bed.

I would have laughed at her incredible childishness, but if I had, she would have found ways to make me even more miserable.

I chose not to comment on her actions and, instead, placed my suitcase on the floor between the wall and my bed, leaving it unzipped (I could live out of a suitcase, I didn’t need a closet) and left my shower bag beside it. I took more care with my bag containing the scroll, placing it on the shelf underneath my bedside table. When Kimber went into the bathroom, I hurried to stuff the Treasure Map between the mattresses on my bed. When Kimber came back in the room, I made myself look busy by digging out a Seventeen magazine from my suitcase and pretending to read.

How’s your room? I asked Sam.

Not bad. How about yours?

So far so good. I wasn’t about to outline all of the little ways that Kimber planned on making me uncomfortable. Besides, it didn’t matter anyway. We wouldn’t be spending that much time in here.

“I hope you don’t plan on leaving your stuff all over the place,” Kimber sniffed, sitting down on her bed.

“No,” I said, not glancing up from the magazine. “If I do anything to bother you, please let me know. I wouldn’t want to annoy you.” I resisted the urge to laugh.

I was saved from her smart comeback because Mrs. Britt knocked on the door. “Attendance, ladies!”

I tossed the magazine down and got up. “I’ll tell her you’re here.”

I went out into the hall, pulling the door behind me. “We’re both here, Mrs. Britt.”

“Good, Heven. Did you enjoy the flight?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful. Now, we are meeting downstairs in the conference room in an hour for a meal; then we will do some light sightseeing on the bus before calling it an early night.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“See you girls downstairs,” she called, but stopped and turned back around. “Oh, Heven, I don’t think I need to remind you that this is the girl’s floor only. There are to be no boys in your room.”

“Yes, ma’am. I understand.”

“Good. See you at dinner.”

I sighed and pushed the door open. It hadn’t latched all the way, so I didn’t have to use my keycard to get back in. When I walked in, I saw Kimber scurry away from my side of the room. Saying nothing, I glanced at my suitcase, the clothes were askew and the lid was open. I gaped.

Kimber had been going through my things.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, putting my hands on my hips.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You were going through my stuff!”

“Why would I want to do that?” she asked, sounding bored and trying to play it off.

But I could see her aura. She was lying through her teeth.

I sighed. “Look, I don’t like this situation any more than you do, but we are stuck with each other until this trip is over. Do us both a favor and you stay on your side of the room and I’ll stay on mine.”

“Whatever.”

I went to my suitcase and began straightening the clothes. What had she been looking for anyway? I couldn’t possibly have anything that she would want. My stomach sank when I thought of the scroll. Since I was already on the floor beside the bed, I carefully slid my hand between the mattresses in search of the bronze tube. It was there. I breathed a sigh of relief. Kimber didn’t even know about the scroll, so I wasn’t sure why I was even worrying.