That morning, Rome had only eaten two slices of mango, a piece of cheese bread, and a glass of orange juice.
That was all she could stomach.
Even though she was sitting at the breakfast table with Cayson, her appetite was absent. She didn’t see the point in forcing herself to eat when every part of her body resisted it. The smell of food didn’t tempt her, and not even his presence stirred a desire to act normal.
After breakfast, she returned to bed. She curled up beneath the sheets and stared blankly through the open veranda doors. The day outside was bright, the sky a perfect blue canvas without a single cloud. But inside, it felt muted. Still. Unmoving.
She and Cayson had planned to do so much today. They’d talked about it the night before, and she had even looked forward to it. But something inside her had shifted overnight. Her body felt
“Good morning, Cayson.”Cayson’s eyes instinctively found the small table by the window. It was now covered with an extravagant spread of Continental breakfast, a pitcher of fresh orange juice resting in Rome’s hands as she stood beside it.She had been waiting for him to wake up. The very moment his eyes fluttered open, she greeted him with a soft voice. She had risen early, long before him, careful not to disturb his sleep. She had showered, dressed quietly, and even walked down to the hotel restaurant herself to place the order—just to avoid waking him.But the truth was, she hadn’t slept well.The night had stretched endlessly. She kept waking, tossing and turning, tangled in sheets that felt too cold and a mattress that felt too e
“What the hell is going on? Why won’t you talk to me?”Cayson’s voice, though calm and level, carried a dangerous weight. There was a restraint to it, the kind that hinted he was holding back a growing frustration. He followed closely behind her, every step echoing his attempt to stay patient.Rome said nothing.She hadn’t spoken a word since they left the beach.Back in the taxi, he tried to speak, but his voice had faded into white noise. She had tuned everything out. Her mind wasn’t in that car. It had drifted to another plane, consumed by questions that clawed at her sanity. Why had she reacted that way on the beach? Why did it feel like someone had lodged a stone in her chest the moment she saw him surrounded by thos
After lunch, they headed to another one of Bali’s popular tourist destinations; a place called the Elephant Cave.And no, there were no elephants.The site was more of a cultural sanctuary, made for meditation. Like the other places they had visited, it had structures unique to the region. Perched on higher ground in Ubud, it overlooked mountains and temples. The area was peaceful, far less crowded than the other destinations they’d explored in the past few days.They strolled around for about an hour. When they got tired, they returned to the beachside where Cayson’s surfing instructor was waiting. He went back into the water, surfing effortlessly, while she remained seated on the shore, watching him. By six o’clock, the sun was starting to set. She finally stood and walked along the shore, her sandals in one hand, and let the waves lap at her ankles.She kept he
It was already late in the afternoon when Rome finally stirred awake.As she turned to her side, she immediately noticed that Cayson was gone. He wasn’t beside her anymore. The room was empty. Silent. He had clearly gone through with what he said, he stepped out.Oh well. She had no reason to complain.At least he said goodbye. At least he stayed when she asked him to. At least, for a while, he gave her the comfort she hadn’t known she needed.The moment he laid beside her, it felt like her entire being had been cradled in warmth. The heat from his body was strangely calming, quieting the chaos her body had been dealing with all morning. She had fallen asleep almost instantly, like her pain and nausea had been lulled into stillness by the sound of his breathing.Now, as she sat up, her body felt lighter. The dizziness and stoma
That morning, Rome had only eaten two slices of mango, a piece of cheese bread, and a glass of orange juice.That was all she could stomach.Even though she was sitting at the breakfast table with Cayson, her appetite was absent. She didn’t see the point in forcing herself to eat when every part of her body resisted it. The smell of food didn’t tempt her, and not even his presence stirred a desire to act normal.After breakfast, she returned to bed. She curled up beneath the sheets and stared blankly through the open veranda doors. The day outside was bright, the sky a perfect blue canvas without a single cloud. But inside, it felt muted. Still. Unmoving.She and Cayson had planned to do so much today. They’d talked about it the night before, and she had even looked forward to it. But something inside her had shifted overnight. Her body felt
Rome woke up feeling absolutely awful.A deep nausea twisted in her stomach like something clawing at her insides, and her throat burned with an unbearable rawness. Her eyes fluttered open, her body jerking upright before she could even process the sensation.She didn’t even try to move gently. Stumbling out of bed with urgent, wide steps, she rushed to the bathroom. She slammed the door shut behind her, flipped up the toilet lid, dropped to her knees, and surrendered to the violent sickness surging through her.She vomited. Hard.Everything she had eaten— maybe since they arrived in Bali— came out in waves of nausea and acid. Her entire body trembled from the force of it. She clutched the porcelain rim like it was her last anchor.