Room Service

by Maren Stoffels

  “Room service,” says a muffled voice.

  Did Lucas order some food? He eats all day long but never puts on an ounce.

  I rub my cheeks and walk to the door. When I open it, I’m surprised to see no one there.

  Then I spot the stainless-steel dome at my feet. It’s a cloche, one of those things that hotels use to cover food.

  I can’t imagine Lucas would have gone ahead and ordered a meal. Not here. The prices at this place are insane. Even a simple salad costs a fortune.

  It was probably just delivered to the wrong room.

  For a moment, I consider ignoring it and shutting the door, but my rumbling stomach stops me.

  A bite to eat—that’s probably not a bad idea. I barely had anything for breakfast, and lunch was just a slice of toast.

  So what’s under the dome? I’m hoping for a burger and fries.

  Just the thought of it makes my mouth water.

  I lift the cloche, but there’s no food under it. Just an envelope grinning up at me from the plate.

  A gold envelope.

  Like the one in my pocket.

  With my name on it.

  Blood buzzes through my head like a swarm of bees.

  Is it a coincidence?

  I look left and right down the hallway, but there’s no one around.

  I stoop and take the envelope from the plate. My fingers shaking, I tear it open.

  There’s a newspaper clipping inside, with today’s date on it.

  Suddenly the sky turned black,

  and we sailed in stormy weather.

  Our sun went out, but her glorious light

  will warm our hearts forever.

  Isolde Lieve Veerman

  Daughter of Tom and Jeannette

  Sister of Marius

  I stare at the date of her death in the newspaper.

  She’s been gone a few days now.

  It’s real.

  I pull the plate and silver dome into the room and close the door behind me. My heart pounds as I read the words over and over again.

  I stare at the names of her family.

  Tom, Jeannette, and Marius.

  I spent so much time at their place that they felt a bit like my own family.

  In the mornings, I was often alone with her dad. Tom was the only early bird in the family, until I started sleeping over on the weekends.

  He liked me.

  And now his daughter is dead.

  Because of me.

  I reach for the letter in my inside pocket. Her family must never read these words.

  They’d kill us.

  But wait a second…

  I didn’t receive the letter until yesterday.

  By which time she had already been dead a few days.

  So when did she send the letter?

  But then I see the small letters on the back of the newspaper clipping. They’re written in blue ink, in overly neat handwriting.

  Now she really is dead.

  But you guys killed her already,

  364 days ago.

  Too bad I had to run away so quickly.

  I’d have loved to see your reaction.

  She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Linnea sees things that aren’t there.

  How can Fender say things like that? Why didn’t I stand up to him?

  He made me out to be some kind of fantasist.

  I walk to the hot tub, which is all the way at the back of the room. Kate and Lucas jumped right into the pool, but I want to be alone for a while. The hot tub is the perfect place, hidden behind tropical plants.

  I go down the steps into the hot tub and lower myself into the water. The bubbles aren’t on, but I enjoy the warm water.

  Why do I let that guy get to me? I know what I saw. Fender really does have a tic.

  Behind me, I hear a scraping sound, like someone just bumped into a lounger.

  “Lucas?” When I turn around, I don’t see anyone. “Kate?”

  No reaction.

  Then the bubbles start and my voice disappears into the noise.

  I lie back and close my eyes, breathing in deep the scent of lavender.

  I’m not going to let Fender ruin my weekend. The Riverside is a place I’ve always wanted to go, and I’d like to enjoy it one hundred percent. I’ll just ignore him for the rest of the weekend if I have to. After all, that’s what he does to me.

  The bubbles are soothing. Briefly, the thought of Fender fades into the background. This is such a luxury. I’d love to stay in here all weekend.

  But then I get this weird tingling sensation on the back of my head. It’s exactly the same feeling I had in the park and at the stoplight. The feeling that I’m being watched…

  “Lucas? Kate?”

  I stand up and climb out of the hot tub. The wet tiles feel cold under my bare feet. My braid drips down my back.

  “Guys,” I shout, much louder now. I feel vulnerable in my wet bikini.

  I see a shadow dart away by the lounge chairs.

  “Very funny, Lucas,” I call. “But I saw you. The joke’s over.”

  Then there’s a clattering sound. What was that? The door to the changing rooms is swinging back and forth, like someone just ran through them.

  “What are you shouting about?”

  I spin around and find myself looking into the faces of Kate and Lucas.

  “Something wrong?”

  It wasn’t Lucas. Can’t have been. He’s coming from a completely different direction.

  The image of the bike with the big headlight flashes into my mind. What if I was right about what I saw at the stoplight?

  Linnea sees things that aren’t there.

  I look at the door again. There was a shadow. I’m sure there was. And whoever it was ran away, like they were afraid I’d see them.

  “No, it’s nothing,” I say quickly, with a forced smile. “Let’s go have a drink.”

  It’s about time for me to introduce myself to her.

  But you guys killed her already, 364 days ago.

  The words make me feel like my throat’s squeezing shut.

  The pattern on the wallpaper ripples, like the road surface on a hot day.

  I run to the window, which I can hardly manage to get open. As the breeze hits my face, I suck in the fresh air.

  Who wrote that?

  And why?

  Do they want to punish us for what happened last year?

  The questions jostle around inside my head like a crowd at a concert.

  It has to be someone who knew her. Whoever it was, they sent the letter to my address.

  And that someone is in this hotel.

  Marius?

  I try to picture her brother, but he was always a bit slow. Her complete opposite.

  Her parents, then?

  No. Tom would turn up on my doorstep and tell me how disgusted he was with me.

  But I can’t see him sneaking about like this.

  I take another look at the neat handwriting. What kind of person writes like that? Could it be a friend from where she lives now? Maybe a new boyfriend?

  The idea that there might have been another guy after me makes me nauseous.

  I should never have let her go.

  I hear voices out in the hallway—and they’re coming closer. It takes a second, but then I recognize them. It’s Kate and Lucas. They’re back!

  I slam the window and stuff the newspaper clipping into my jeans pocket. I hear the sound of the key in the door as I run to the bed and drop onto the mattress. Just in time.

  Kate and Lucas come in, closely followed by Linnea.

  “What happened here?” Lucas gapes as he looks around the room.

  I sudd
enly see the room through his eyes. The curtain is bundled up on the windowsill, the champagne glasses have fallen over, and the silver dome is lying on the floor, upside down, with the empty plate beside it.

  “Did you order room service?” Kate asks, surprised.

  I shake my head, barely able to speak. “Delivered to the wrong room.”

  “But you ate it anyway?”

  I nod. My throat is locked. The gold envelope is just sticking out under the heater. I try with all my might not to look at it.

  “We came to fetch you to go to the bar. We want a drink.” Lucas looks at me. “Can you handle a drink with that toe of yours?”

  I know he’s mad at me for leaving him alone with the girls. Lucas often grumbles when I cycle away after school on Fridays. I say it’s for the band, but of course I’m off to the harbor.

  “I’ll cope,” I say in a strained voice.

  “Great.” Kate turns around to Lucas and Linnea. “You two go ahead. I just want to ask Fender something. Oh, and put it on the Zuidervanck tab—my dad’s paying.”

  “Cool!” Without asking any more questions, Lucas drags Linnea away. For the second time, I’m left behind with Kate, who sits on the edge of the bed.

  I feel my armpits sweating when she looks at me again.

  “Okay, I’m done with this. You’re acting weird.”

  I was right: she’s on to me. It’s not all advantages, knowing each other for so long.

  “I know this weekend is tough, but we have to get through it.”

  Kate has no idea how far she is from the truth. Of course, it was exactly a year ago, but that’s not the problem anymore.

  The problem is in my jeans pocket.

  “Listen.” Kate puts her hand on my arm. I look at the ring with the four-leaf clover on her pinky finger. It was their friendship ring. They both had the same one. They won them at the carnival. It was a kids’ prize, so it won’t fit around any other finger.

  “I miss her too, Fender.”

  She has no idea….What would she do if I told her?

  I try to picture Kate as she was before Linnea came along. Broken. Do I want that Kate to come back?

  “We have to move on, Fender. She’s not here anymore.”

  Kate doesn’t know just how very true those words are. You’re right! I want to scream. She’s not here. She’s dead!

  But instead I pull my arm away. I have to find out who sent us this message. Maybe I can solve it without involving Kate and Lucas. I need to figure out what this person wants from us.

  “We have to keep moving on.” It’s a struggle to speak each of the words. “And that’s why we’re going to the bar now.”

  Making a huge effort, I haul myself to my feet and hold out my hand.

  As Kate stands up, the image of the hospital shoots into my mind. Exactly a year ago tomorrow night.

  We faced each other by the coffee machine then, just as we’re doing now.

  So many moments have vanished from my memory, but that one is crystal clear. Kate didn’t say anything. She did exactly what I needed.

  She held me tight.

  I didn’t know where my body stopped and hers began.

  She was my life preserver. Without her, I would have drowned.

  “I’m so glad you’re here this weekend.” Kate’s eyes glisten as she looks at me. “I can imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

  Before I can answer, she puts her arms around me again. This hug feels very different from then, because now I know something Kate doesn’t.

  Before, it felt like she was dead, but now that she really is, I can feel the difference. The empty place inside my chest has hollowed out even more, as if I’m just a thin shell.

  “Of course I’m here,” I mumble, freeing myself from her embrace.

  A couple of lovebirds by the window, an elderly man right beside us, the barman himself…

  Could one of them be my stalker? Would I recognize them if they were standing right in front of me?

  “What’s up with you?” asks Lucas.

  I look at him. “What do you mean?”

  “You keep peering around, like you’re looking for someone.”

  Linnea sees things that aren’t there.

  If I tell him about my stalker now, Lucas might not take me seriously. When I think about it, it sounds kind of like a childish fantasy.

  Who would want to stalk me?

  Besides, I have no proof at all, just a shadow I saw darting away.

  “I was just looking at the hotel,” I quickly lie. “The Riverside is so fancy.”

  I have to let it go. This is pointless. What good will it do me to drive myself crazy?

  “I was a bit disappointed there’s no champagne coming out of the bathroom faucets.”

  I smile. “Yeah, that’s a bummer.”

  “You’re smiling again,” Lucas says with a grin. “It suits you better.”

  I clink my glass of soda against his. “To the Riverside, then?”

  “To the Riverside.” Lucas takes a drink and then lowers his glass. “You want to go swimming tonight? Just you and me.”

  I look at him in surprise. “Tonight?”

  “We have to see that starry sky, don’t we?”

  There’s no way I’d go back to that place alone, certainly not in the dark, but with Lucas around I’ll be safe. If I do have a stalker, he won’t do anything if Lucas is there.

  “It’s a good plan, isn’t it? Then you’ll be rid of Fender for a while too.”

  I almost choke on my soda.

  “Hey, I’m not blind,” Lucas says with a smile. “You don’t like Fender.”

  How does he know that? It’s obvious that Fender doesn’t like me, but the other way around? I push down the ice cube in my soda with my index finger and let it bob back up.

  “Hey, it doesn’t matter.” Lucas gives me a nudge. “I know Fender can be insensitive.”

  “Really?” I ask tentatively. This doesn’t feel safe at all. “But he’s your best friend.”

  “Yeah, and?” Lucas takes another drink. “Even best friends want to kill each other sometimes, don’t they? I’m sure it’s the same with you and Kate.”

  I think about the times when Kate acts so spoiled. When I bought a birthday gift for her, I was so nervous. What do you buy for someone who has everything? The necklace is still in my bag. I keep putting off the moment when I’m going to give it to her.

  “That’s true,” I say.

  “Fender doesn’t let many people in. It’s nothing personal. You just need to give him a bit of time.”

  “I’ve known him for nine months,” I say.

  Lucas laughs. “Okay. A bit more time, then.”

  Could Lucas be right? I can hardly imagine that he is.

  “You won’t tell Kate, will you?”

  Lucas looks at me. “Of course not. Kate thinks we’re all best friends forever.”

  “Thank you.”

  Lucas nods. “No problem. So are you coming swimming later?”

  I push the fear of my stalker into the background.

  “Okay. But right now I’m going to pee. All this soda and talk about swimming is having an effect.”

  * * *

  When I head to the bathroom, I see a boy standing at the candy machine. He’s slapping it and cursing.

  “Something stuck?” I ask.

  The boy turns around, looking sheepish.

  “Sorry, I…”

  “I’ve been there.” I walk over to him and see a candy bar stuck in one of the rings. “That’s what you’re after, right?”

  “Yes.” The boy smiles apologetically. “Sorry, I don’t normally get that mad, but when it comes to food…”

  “How about I give it a try?”

/>   Without waiting for his answer, I squeeze my arm into the opening behind the flap.

  “That won’t help. I already tried and…”

  There’s a dull thud, and I produce the bar.

  “How did you do that?” His eyes widen. “I’ve been trying without success for fifteen minutes!”

  “That’s my little secret.” I stand up. “Enjoy the candy.”

  “Thanks.” The boy unwraps the bar and breaks off half of it. “Want some?”

  “Nice.” I take the candy.

  Then the thought that he could be my stalker shoots through my head. But it disappears as quickly as it came. There’s nothing scary about him. He’s even a bit average, a real boy next door. He looks kind of casual, with his messy hair, and his eyes are friendly as he looks at me through his round glasses.

  “Hi. I’m Linnea.” I hold out my hand. He gives it a firm shake.

  “Claus.” He makes a face. “They named me after my grandpa. Terrible, isn’t it?”

  I shake my head. “No, it’s a nice name.”

  “You just feel sorry for me. I can tell.”

  I snort with laughter. “No, no, honestly!”

  “Well, here’s to you and your candy-machine skills.” Claus bumps my half of the chocolate bar with his. “Cheers.”

  We both take a bite.

  “Are you here with your mom and dad too?” Claus makes a bored face. “Mine are here for work.”

  “They don’t work for Zuidervanck, do they?”

  Claus nods. “Yeah, the law firm.”

  So his parents work with Kate’s dad. Maybe Kate knows him.

  “I’m friends with his daughter, Kate,” I say. “We’re here to celebrate her birthday.”

  “Very fancy.” Claus whistles. “How big is the party?”

  “Oh, just four of us. I think Kate’s dad got a discount,” I say, feeling the need to defend myself. “We have two rooms. Kate and I are sharing, and the boys, Lucas and Fender, are in the other room. We’re all in the same class at school.”

  Claus swallows the last bite of the candy bar. “What about that other girl?”

  “Huh? Which other girl?”

  “That…Isabel? No, that wasn’t it. Isolde?”