Five People Traveled With Four Seats, Then They Panicked When I Left Chapter 03

Five People Traveled With Four Seats, Then They Panicked When I Left Chapter 03

The owner of the inn helped me find a rideshare.

Three hours later, I reached the scenic area.

They were all eating lunch. There were four place settings on the table.

Pearl spotted me first. “Rae, you finally made it!”

Sawyer glanced at his watch.

“You’re so slow. Any later and we’d have lost the whole afternoon.”

I stood beside the table.

“Nothing for me?”

They all went quiet.

Alden said, “I thought you’d eat on the way.”

Pearl quickly pushed her plate toward me.

“Here, have mine. I barely touched it.”

Felix reached out to stop her.

“Your stomach’s still fragile. You eat.”

Then he looked at me.

“There’s a convenience store next door. Grab a sandwich or something.”

“I’ll take you somewhere decent tonight.”

Every time he said he’d make it up to me later, I’d usually let it go.

I nodded. “Okay.”

The convenience store only had two cold sandwiches left.

I sat by the window and ate one.

When I got back, they were already rushing me.

That afternoon, Pearl wanted pictures on the road.

She complained about the sun, so Sawyer went to get an umbrella.

She said the wind was too strong, so Felix draped his jacket over her shoulders.

Alden crouched down to fix her skirt.

The photographer called out, “Let’s get one with all five of you.”

The four of them huddled together first.

I walked over and stood at the end.

After the shot, Pearl dragged them over to see the pictures.

Felix turned around and called me.

“Rae, which one’s good?”

I was texting about work.

“They’re all fine.”

“You seem kind of off today.”

“Just tired from the ride.”

He said, “Oh.”

Then Pearl called his name, and he walked over to her.

The message was from the company that had offered me the job two weeks ago.

The recruiter asked: [If you change your mind, let me know.]

I stared at it for a long time. Just kept the chat open.

That night, the place only had two twin rooms and one king.

Felix spoke first.

“Pearl should take the king. Her stomach’s still messed up.”

Both Sawyer and Alden nodded.

Sawyer turned to me.

“Rae, just room with us. We’ll set up a bed in the living room.”

I froze. “With two guys?”

He laughed. “We’ve known each other forever. What’s the big deal?”

Felix frowned. “It’s one night. Don’t overthink it.”

The receptionist looked awkward.

“There’s a hostel ten minutes away.”

“I’ll stay at the hostel.”

Felix didn’t try to stop me.

“Okay. Text me when you get there.”

I dragged my suitcase outside.

Halfway there, it started raining.

Before, I would’ve texted the group for an umbrella.

I unlocked my phone.

Pearl had just posted a picture of the room.

Felix was adjusting the AC for her.

Sawyer asked if she needed another blanket.

Alden was looking for the electric kettle.

I locked my phone again.

When the rain eased up, I kept walking.

The hostel had a few steps out front.

Some girl I’d just met saw me struggling with my suitcase and helped me lift it up.

“Traveling alone?”

“I’m with friends.”

“Oh.”

“So they’re staying somewhere else?”

“Yeah.”

She didn’t push. Just handed me a bottle of water.

It wasn’t until I was in bed at eleven that I remembered—I hadn’t told the group I’d gotten in okay.

I picked up my phone. Then I put it back down.

The next morning, the group chat was still just last night.

Nobody’d asked if I’d made it.