The next morning, Jamal stirred awake, the events of the night before rushing back to him.
He blinked as he is eyes landed first on Abigail, who was still fast asleep beside him, snoring softly.
Her face was serene; her features softened in sleep. The way her dark lashes fanned against her cheeks and her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm made his breath hitch.
There was something so peaceful, almost fragile, about her at this moment, and for some reason, Jamal couldn't look away.
Why did she feel so familiar? Why did he keep seeing Dawn's face when he looked at her? The thought was unsettling, yet he couldn't deny the connection he felt.
It was as though the universe was mocking him for his loss. Or was it a reward? Was he being rewarded for his faithfulness and steadfast love by being offered someone who resembled the version of Dawn he remembered so much?
He sighed deeply, running a hand over his face as he remembered all that had happened between them the night before.
Last night had been... different. It wasn't just because it was his first time. It was the way everything had unfolded— the laughter, the vulnerability, the way she had looked at him as if he were the only person in the world.
He smiled when he remembered all their conversations and how she had smiled shyly when he told her she was special.
[You don't even know me. What if I'm not as great as you think I am?] she had asked him.
"I don't need to know everything about you to know you're special. Some things you just feel, you know?" He had told her.
Looking into her sleeping face right now, he admitted to himself that she was indeed very special, and she deserved more than a careless one-night stand.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," he muttered under his breath, a part of him feeling bad that he was replacing Dawn in his heart too quickly and way too easily.
Careful not to disturb her, Jamal slipped out of bed. He crouched by his backpack and pulled out the stuffed panda he had brought with him to return to Dawn. He placed it gently on his spot on the bed beside Abigail, a silent gesture of thoughtfulness so that she wouldn't feel alone if she woke up in his absence.
Although he knew it was pretty early in the morning, he needed to step out. He was hoping that the hotel had a gift shop where he could find some flowers for her. He'd also pick up clothes for both of them so he could take her on a proper date.
He wanted to enjoy her company some more before leaving. Hopefully, they will keep in touch even after he returns to Sogal.
As he freshened up and got dressed, he cast one last glance at her sleeping form. He hesitated at the door, his hand resting on the knob.
Fishing inside his backpack, he took out his pen and then looked around the room for something he could jot on. He needed to leave a message in case she woke up while he was gone.
Reaching for the box of tissues, he took out a piece and carefully scribbled on it, [Be right back].
Satisfied, he placed the tissue by the nightstand on her side of the bed and held it down with the box before stepping out of the room.
He hoped to get back before she woke up. He wished to serve her breakfast in bed with flowers, then get her to change into something nice and take her on a date.
Shortly after he left, at exactly 7 a.m., the scheduled timer on Abigail's phone came up, and her phone came to life with a soft buzz.
The alarm blared, breaking the quiet serenity of the room. She groaned, reaching out sleepily to silence it, but her hand knocked over the tissue box, and the tissue piece Jamal had scribbled on slid to the floor and under the bed.
When her other hand brushed against empty sheets, she opened her eyes with a frown. For a moment, confusion clouded her mind. This wasn't her room. Then, like a wave, the memories of the previous night washed over her, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
She sat up and looked around the room. Jamal was nowhere to be seen. Her smile faltered slightly as she noticed his bag was gone, too.
Her eyes landed on the stuffed panda sitting on the bed. Her heart melted at the sight. He had left it for her. The gesture was simple but sweet, and she couldn't help but smile again as she picked it up, ignoring her phone, which was still buzzing loudly.
As she gazed at the stuffed panda, she couldn't help but feel a sort of familiarity. Something about the panda tugged at a part of her.
Dismissing the feeling and assuming it to be a natural reaction to receiving a gift from her first lover, she sat up, still holding the panda closely.
Her phone buzzed with several notifications, pulling her attention away from the panda. She reached for her purse and took out the phone from it to turn off her alarm and see what the notifications were about.
Abigail froze as she saw a string of angry texts from Genevieve.
[Why is your phone off?]
[A few hours away from home, and you're already acting irresponsibly?]
[Abigail!!! Where the heck are you? I hope you're not doing something stupid!]
A gasp escaped from Abigail's lips, and panic surged through her as she read the last text.
[I'm about to board my flight. I hope everything is ready. It better be perfect, Abigail.]
By checking the text's time and calculating the distance from Westend to Blue York, Abigail could tell that Genevieve would arrive within the next hour.
Immediately, she scrambled out of bed, her heart pounding. Genevieve was on her way, and she had less than an hour to get home.
She needed to get out of there and be home before Genevieve arrived. She couldn't risk Genevieve finding out she had left the house without her disguise. Or that she had slept out.
She quickly changed into her clothes from the night before without bothering to freshen up. As much as she wished she could have some more time to herself to reminisce over last night, now wasn't the time.
Clutching the stuffed panda in one hand, Abigail glanced one last time at the room before slipping out. Her steps hurried as she made her way out of the hotel.
Jamal returned to the room twenty minutes later, a bouquet of tulips and red roses in one hand and a shopping bag of clothes in the other, while the takeout breakfast he had gotten for them was nicely packed in his backpack.
He had a happy smile on his face, glad that he had been able to get all he needed in such a short time within the hotel's premise without going out.
His smile faded the moment he stepped inside and saw the empty bed.
"Abigail?" He called out, hoping she was in the bathroom.
When there was no response, he looked around the room, taking note of the fact that all her stuff was gone and so was Dawn's panda.
Still not wanting to believe that she had left just like that, he went into the bathroom to see if she was there, but there was no sign of her.
Jamal's shoulders sagged as disappointment washed over him. "I thought we had more time," he murmured, setting the flowers and shopping bag down on the nightstand.
For a moment, he stood there, staring at the empty space where Abigail had been. The night they had shared felt like a dream now, slipping through his fingers like sand.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I should've stayed."
And yet, a part of him refused to believe this was the end. The universe couldn't be that cruel to him. Somehow, someway, he believed their paths would cross again.