Conflicted

As Eleanor rounded up her shift at the hotel , she felt a sense of relief wash over her. It had been a long day, filled with the usual flurry of check-ins, check-outs, and guest inquiries. But now, as the clock struck the end of her shift, she was ready to unwind and relax. Just as she was gathering her belongings and preparing to leave, she noticed Emily approaching the front desk, she looked like she was checking out, bags and all.

 A surge of excitement coursed through Eleanor's veins as she recalled the intimate encounter they had shared earlier in the day.

"Hey there," Eleanor greeted with a warm smile, trying to conceal her excitement. "How was your stay?"

Emily returned the smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "It was wonderful, thanks," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of flirtation. "And I have to say, you made it even more enjoyable."

Eleanor blushed at the compliment, feeling a flutter of anticipation in her chest. "I'm glad to hear that," she replied.

She reached into her purse and pulled out a sleek business card, handing it to Eleanor with a knowing smile. "Here," she said, her voice low and inviting. "In case you ever want to... connect again."

Eleanor's breath caught in her throat as she accepted the card, her fingers trembling slightly with excitement. She glanced down at the card, noting the elegant design and the subtle embossed lettering. It was a small gesture, but it filled her with a sense of hope and possibility.

"Thank you," Eleanor replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll... definitely reach out."

As Emily turned to leave, she paused for a moment, her gaze lingering on Eleanor's face. "Oh, and one more thing," she added, reaching into her purse once again. "For you." With a mischievous grin, Emily withdrew a stack of bills from her purse and pressed them into her hand. 

Eleanor's eyes widened in surprise as she counted the bills, realizing with astonishment that Emily had tipped her with a lot of cash.

"I... I can't accept this," Eleanor stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

But Emily waved off her protests with a dismissive gesture. "Consider it a token of my appreciation," she said, her voice soft but firm. "You more than earned it."

Eleanor hesitated for a moment, her mind reeling with conflicting emotions. On one hand, she felt a surge of gratitude for Emily's generosity. On the other hand, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of her mind.

"Thank you", she said as she watched Emily's retreating figure towards the exit. With one last glance at the empty lobby, she picked her bags and was on her way home.

On getting to her apartment, She found herself lost in thoughts of the unexpected escapade with Emily, and the really generous tip she had given her. Despite her best efforts to focus on the present, her mind kept drifting back to the kind gesture, leaving her wondering what her true intentions were. 

However, as she reached for her phone to check for any messages from Whitney, her heart sank at the sight of the empty inbox. No missed calls, no texts – nothing. It was unlike her to be so unresponsive, and a knot of worry began to form in Eleanor's stomach. She tried calling her number several times, each attempt met with the same result: silence. Panic started to gnaw at the edges of Eleanor's mind as she imagined all sorts of worst-case scenarios. What if something had happened to her? What if she was in trouble?

With no other option but to wait for a response, Eleanor decided to distract herself by heading to the bar. Perhaps a change of scenery would help ease her troubled mind, even if just for a little while. As she stepped through the familiar doors of the bar, she was greeted by the low hum of chatter and the clinking of glasses. The scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air, enveloping her in a familiar haze. Taking a seat at the bar, Eleanor ordered a drink and tried to push aside her worries, her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any familiar face amidst the throng of patrons. And there, nestled in a corner booth, she spotted him.

Alex.

Her pulse quickened at the sight of him, memories of their previous encounter flooding her mind. She watched him from afar, his profile illuminated by the soft glow of candlelight, a half-empty glass of whiskey clutched in his hand. Their eyes met across the room, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Eleanor felt a rush of conflicting emotions wash over her – uncertain ty, longing, and a hint of trepidation. She hadn't expected to see him there, and part of her wished she hadn't. But there he was, looking as handsome as ever.

Should she approach him? Or would it be better to keep her distance?

Before she could make up her mind, he walked up to her.

"Hey, Eleanor," Alex said, breaking the silence with a tentative smile. "Fancy seeing you here."

Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice, her pulse quickening with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. She wasn't sure how to respond, torn between the urge to run away and the desire to stay and talk to him.

"Hi," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "What are you doing here?"

Alex shrugged, a sheepish grin playing on his lips. "Just thought I'd stop by for a drink," he said casually, though Eleanor could sense a hint of nervousness beneath his confident facade. "And maybe catch up with an old friend...and I guess I've seen her."

Eleanor felt a surge of frustration rise within her at his casual demeanor. "Oh that's nice," she began, her voice tense with emotion. "But I'm not sure we have much to talk about."

His expression softened, his eyes searching hers for a moment before he spoke. "I don't really know why you are avoiding me," he said quietly. "But I was hoping we could forget whatever happened and move on."

Her mind began racing with conflicting thoughts and emotions.

"Yeah that's better" she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "I guess I'm just having fun, you should too."

Alex nodded, his expression a mixture of disappointment and understanding. "Yeah cool, anything you want," he said quietly. "But there's something I want to ask you."

Eleanor felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach as she waited for him to speak. She wasn't sure what he was going to say.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go see a movie with me," Alex said, his voice hesitant but sincere. "Just as friends, if that's what you want."

Eleanor's heart skipped a beat at the invitation .After a moment of contemplation, she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'd like that," she said softly. "It's been a while since I've been to the movies."

While they sat at the bar sipping their drinks silently, her mind wandered to thoughts of Whitney. She couldn't shake the nagging feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of her stomach ever since their last encounter. Whitney's silence weighed heavily on her mind, casting a shadow over the evening. Despite her attempts to push the worries aside and enjoy the moment, she found herself unable to relax. She glanced at her phone repeatedly, hoping to see a message from Whitney, but the screen remained stubbornly blank.

"Everything okay?" Alex asked, breaking through Eleanor's thoughts with a concerned expression.

Eleanor forced a smile, trying to mask her growing unease. "Yeah, everything's fine," she replied, her voice betraying a hint of tension. "Just tired, I guess."

As the evening wore on, Eleanor found herself sinking deeper into her worries, the alcohol doing little to ease the anxiety that churned in her stomach. She drank to numb the pain, to drown out the doubts and fears that threatened to overwhelm her. But no matter how much she drank, she couldn't escape the nagging feeling of unease that lingered in the back of her mind. Whitney's absence weighed heavily on her heart, casting a shadow over the evening and leaving Eleanor feeling more alone than ever.