Levi could barely stifle his grin as he reached for the door handle. All four boys in the Uber waited exuberantly for the minivan to come to a stop. Levi eagerly peered out of the tinted window, gazing at the white marble pillars sealed with golden trim. A tall bellhop dressed elegantly in red approached the door, striding confidently towards them. Reaching the vehicle in a few graceful steps, he finally opened the door. The cold Montreal air immediately surged into the vehicle. Levi’s nose tickled unpleasantly, displacing his anticipation for a brief moment. “Gentlemen, welcome to the Grand Hotel” said the bellhop, with an easy drawl and faint Quebecois accent. The man’s aura seemed inherently trustworthy to Levi, for no particular reason. Levi launched himself from the carseat, bending backward with a groan as his journey finally came to an end. A hefty pat on his shoulder sent him whirling backward, turning to face his cheering friend. As he handed his luggage to the bellhop, he watched the man work with awe. Each movement of his body was deliberate, as if he had rehearsed each one.

As he studied the bellhop, Levi awkwardly stumbled on the lip of the first marble stair. Righting himself quickly, he cursed under his breath. He stole a glance behind, sighing with relief when he noticed the boys had paid no mind. The large glass windows parted for the entourage, revealing a large ostentatious gold chandelier and red carpet, extending to the elevator bank. A sudden melancholy drifted into his mind, along with the warm lavender scented air. Work had been exhausting him lately, thought Levi. Did the people in his life really respect him? Levi soured at the thought, distancing himself slightly from the others right behind him. “Floor 5, first left sir. Enjoy your stay at the Grand Hotel. It is our pleasure to serve you and your guests sir”.  It was an ordinary statement, businesslike even. Nonetheless, Levi’s shoulders fell back and he raised his chin ever so slightly higher, inspired by the comment.

He turned around as the doors opened in front and stepped inside backwards with a newfound, fleeting confidence. “Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to invite you to the Levi Hotel” he said, mimicking the smoothness of the bellhop. “And since no vacation is complete without beautiful women, my girl friends are gonna join us too” said Rob, arrogantly. Levi’s mouth opened to speak, then quickly shut. His demeanor from a few heartbeats prior dissolved. Then he lost his grip on his suitcase and it tumbled to the ground loudly. “Awesome man” said Levi, chuckling flatly, reaching down to recover his items. He was glad his friends fell into gossip about the mysterious guests. Rob’s comment brought to the forefront of his mind the very person he needed a distraction from. The girl he left back home for the trip. The girl he loved. Curiosity creeped into his mind with an eerie inevitability. He couldn’t help but wonder who these girls were and how Rob knew them. Trying to shake the thought, he swiped his card and opened the door.

Inside he saw four queen beds separated by a thin wall. Black and gold embroidered tapestry hung from the windows, drawn open to reveal the nighttime city skyline. An expensive looking bottle of champagne sat atop an elegant mahogany table in the center. Levi’s mind cleared instantly, distracted by the beauty of the room. Just as he stepped inside, Rob interrupted his gawking. “Because I love you guys so much – Levi, would you do the honors?” Rob gestured toward the sleek smart fridge directly to his right. Levi swung open the door, revealing to his guests a wide swathe of Canadian beers, liquors, and amenities. Speechless, he automatically felt a strange guilt wash over him, feeling undeserving of the gifts. Rob strode past him to the countertop, depositing a small crumpled plastic bag atop it, and broke the silence. “Let the festivities begin! He said to Levi and the boys. Forcing a smile, Levi reached for a lager and cracked it open. He tasted the crisp cool liquid and his uneasiness instantly dissipated.

The drinking seemed to accelerate time. What felt like mere moments stretched for hours. The night raged on like a drumbeat. Levi rose upright from the bed, recovering from a fit of laughter as he revealed his hand. Rob threw his cards at Levi complaining loudly, then stood up to grab another drink. Levi recovered from his hysteria, and was about to utter something debaucherous when the hotel line rang. For the second time that night, silence descended over the room. Levi’s hands imperceptibly trembled as he put the phone to his ear. “Levi, you have three visitors in the lobby. Shall I send them up?” Levi hesitated, then gulped, glancing at Rob. “Of course, thank you!” he said with enthusiasm. Rob tossed a can towards him and he clumsily caught it. “Levi, you’re gonna love Alessandra, she’s just your type”. Levi turned away blushing while hanging up the phone. “Rob, you know I have a girlfriend, you can’t say stuff like that”. “Why, does it bother you?” said Rob, taunting him. He hated when Rob noticed something he was trying to hide. Why did it bother him? Levi shrugged, recovering with an easy swagger. He bluffed. “The day a beautiful woman bothers me, you bring me right to a doctor Rob”. Despite the mediocre jest, Rob tilted his head back and roared. Levi looked down at his freshly cracked beer, foaming over slightly onto the bedsheets. He had lost count long ago.

The door rang. This time the room resounded with cheers. Levi forced himself to get up. This is my trip and my guests will feel welcomed, he told himself. He set his apprehension aside and approached the door handle. Three women simultaneously greeted him as he opened the door and waved at Rob, who had moved directly behind Levi. As he greeted them, his eyes lingered on the last woman. A scent wafted past her as she entered, oddly nostalgic. Golden blond hair tumbled over her exposed shoulders like the tapestry behind him. Her iridescent emerald dress snugly held her figure, a hint of two supple breasts peeking out from under it. He locked eyes with her for far too long. “Hi Levi, I’ve heard a lot about you” said the woman, breaking the tension. “Alessandra, nice to meet you” he blurted. How did he know her name? To avoid processing his own reply, he quickly stuck out his arms to embrace her. She returned the hug briefly and walked past him toward her friend.

Levi could not peel his eyes off of her as she turned her back toward him. He forced his eyes upward from where he had caught himself looking. Her warm laughter reverberated throughout the room, filling it with life. Her demeanor was all too familiar to him. He grimaced at the thought, whereas once it would have warmed his heart. He walked to the large L-shaped couch by the side of the bed, taking a position across from the girls with relief. Alessandra excused herself politely to use the bathroom, across from where he was seated. He forced himself to ignore her.

Levi’s mind wandered to the bellhop who greeted them earlier. He once longed for the structure and rigidity of that man’s life. What had once been reliable and reassuring now was just plain boring. He wanted disruption and adventure and excitement – the door opened and Alessandra smiled warmly towards him, instantly losing his train of thought. He met her gaze, noting a hint of something beyond friendliness behind her lips. He relaxed as she made a motion to walk past where he was seated, when suddenly she doubled back. “I can’t find my phone, I think I left it on the couch here” said Alessandra. Levi hesitated then rose, turning to the left to check the seams. Confused, he turned to her. “It’s not here, do you -“ She suddenly sat down next to him. She presented her phone to him proudly and smirked. “Found it!” She proclaimed triumphantly.

Their conversation quickly fell into lockstep, flowing effortlessly. Levi’s hand accidentally grazed her thigh, then retracted it. Pure euphoria overcame his body, yet he shuffled away leaving an infinitesimal gap between them. He stared at his lap, searching for answers. The cold beer between his thighs seemed to respond. He raised it to his lips, drinking deep. He glanced at the others, who were blissfully unaware of the war waging on the right side of the couch. Laughter and vibes filled the room, but they were nowhere near the level of distraction he required. His fist curled slightly as he crushed the empty can. He had planned this trip, and everyone was enjoying themselves. 

He turned to face her, opening his mouth. Her leg slammed into his, shattering his brief resolve. “What’s wrong?” she said. “Nothing, I -“ he stammered in reply. “Levi, I like you the most out of all the guys here.” “I like you too” blurted Levi, regretting the words the instant they left his mouth. He recovered with “Why is that?”. “You seem to have everything figured out. You move with purpose and you aren’t afraid to say how you feel” she said with a genuine tone. He stared at her speechless, eyes studying her gorgeous face. That couldn’t be further from the truth, thought Levi. Recently he had been unsure of everything. He had been upfront and honest with his boss about his contributions, and had been rewarded for doing so. Would he be rewarded if he was honest with his girlfriend? Now he desperately craved the stability of that bellhop’s life.

“Come with me” commanded Alessandra, standing and extending a smooth hand, tattooed with a wispy butterfly. His body disobeyed him without question as he stood to take it, following her into the bathroom. She revealed the small bag from her other palm. She must have swiped it from Rob earlier that evening, he thought. His lips and shoulders tensed as she emptied its contents on the bathroom counter. He knew that magical powder would destroy his final layer of inhibitions. Yet he was powerless to stop it. She bent down in front of him, her backside nudging his legs as she inhaled sharply. Mind racing, he did the same without hesitation, not wanting to leave this moment that he had fantasized about for ages.

They both uprighted simultaneously. The lights became magnitudes brighter, her eyes shined like stars. They moved towards each other, her full lips approaching his. He pressed his forehead against hers, stammering a futile reply. “I- I can’t, I shouldn’t”. She backed away, controlled and thoughtfully, and looked up at him with begging eyes. Something in him shattered. In an instant his lips were on hers. Tasting her. Consuming her. He thrust forward, pressing her to the bathroom wall. He traced his mouth on her neck as she moaned, head tilting back. The tightness in his chest disappeared, replaced by primal instinct. He grinned and returned to her soft lips once again, arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

She let out a soft, high pitched laugh. Levi froze, pushing her away. “What?” said Levi, shocked. That was my girlfriend’s laugh! He thought. With horror he backed away from Alessandra, staring deeply at her with wide pupils. He fell to his knees, a tear falling from his cheek. He wanted more than anything to hear that laugh again. He would never hear it again. At least not from the woman he once loved. He regained his composure and stood up from the bathroom floor. Trembling gave way to a steady hand, as he felt his muscles ripple with power. He turned to a confused Alessandra with a straight back and upright shoulders, pausing briefly. With newfound resolve, he learned forward and pressed his body against hers, devouring her once more.