Roseanne's Summer Vacation- Chapter 18

Roseanne woke up at 7 a.m. sharp. In the past, she had trouble getting up on time during school trips, but the remedy was setting a very loud custom tune through Google Clock.

Ghostbusters!

If there’s something strange

In your neighborhood

Who you gonna call?

Ghostbusters!

“What in the living hell?! Turn that damn thing off!” Natasha screamed through the tune, her eyes still glued together.

“Get up, you lazy ass!” Roseanne screamed back, throwing a pillow at her friend.

***

Mr Orville set up his own alarm, but he was awakened by the battle between Roseanne and Natasha behind the wall. At least there was no need to check on these two. He got up with difficulty. The teacher had no idea when he passed out. For a large chunk of the evening, he was reading Roseanne’s manuscript. He dug out the tightly bound folder from between the sheets. Thankfully, the paper wasn’t bent anywhere.

The story was interesting. Although Mr Orville didn’t know the details of Roseanne’s personal life, it seemed clear that the girl was writing from her experience. He wanted to continue reading. It has been a long time since he felt the rush to read a novel. Daily responsibilities take away even such little pleasures from our lives, he thought. If he could, he would have stayed in bed the whole day and finished the novel, but it was impossible. He had to get up and carry on with the trip.

***

He knocked time and time again, but there was no response from the room occupied by Thally, Milena, and Nika. With a sigh of resignation, Mr Orville pressed the code on the lock and went inside.

The three students were fast asleep. All three of them were in the same bed. Thally was clutching the necks of the other two as if she had just finished strangling them.

“Get up. It’s time to get washed and ready. In an hour, we go for breakfast,” Mr Orville said.

There was zero reaction to his words, only snoring.

“ON YOUR FEET! I AM A PATIENT MAN BUT THIS ISN’T A SCOUT CAMP THAT I NEED TO SHOUT AT YOU!”

“Gimme a break, will ya?” Thally mumbled.

Mr Orville stormed out of the room and came back a few moments later with a glass of water. He poured it on the heads of the three unruly sleepers.

“Shitballs,” Milena cursed, jumping out of the bed.

“No! My cigarettes will get wet!” Nika lamented.

Thally didn’t open her eyes. “Is there a hole in the roof? How come it’s raining from the ceiling?”

***

The group crossed the street an hour later and entered a café. They were supposed to get breakfast, which was included in the price of the hostel. The interior was typical of a joint as such by the seaside. Mr Orville checked with the woman behind the counter if she knew they were expected, but she just nodded with a bitter face and seated them at a large table. It was already laden with plates full of bread rolls, butter, sliced cheese, and cucumbers. In short, these were minimum ingredients required for any sleepaway breakfast in the Land of Po.

“Milena, why aren’t you eating?”

The girl made a painful facial expression, but said nothing.

“Come on, you need to eat something.”

Like a parent of a fussy toddler, Mr Orville began slicing the rolls to make sandwiches for Milena. Thally joined as well out of boredom. Soon after, Milena had three big sandwiches in front of her.

The woman approached the table and asked a question: “Is everything in order?” It was more out of professional obligation than kindness.

Mr Orville was about to say, “Yes, thank you”, but the moment he opened his mouth, Milena did it too and—instead of words—a brownish rainbow of vomit covered the bartender’s apron.

A long, awkward pause filled the room. Mr Orville had no idea what to say. Nobody else dared to utter a word. Roseanne and Natasha froze at the sight of what had just happened. Nika didn’t care, eating joyfully.

Suddenly, Thally exclaimed, “Whoa, baby. Do it again!”

***

Milena didn’t do it again because her upset stomach was empty. The girl cried and pleaded with her teacher, saying she always has problems eating in the morning and is unable to force down any food. The teacher remained calm and understanding. He didn’t shout at her student, but unfortunately, he had to engage in a screaming match with the bartender. The owner joined as well. A few minutes of the tirade passed. Mr Orville had to pay out of his own pocket for the damaged apron and the crushed dignity of the bartender.

“I guess we won’t be welcome for breakfast tomorrow,” Natasha commented when they left the café.

“Milena, are you alright?” Mr Orville leaned to examine her face and throat.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.”

“It’s okay. Don’t apologise. If anything I’m sorry I made you these sandwiches. But you need to eat something later.”

“Yes, I will.”

Just to be on the safe side, Mr Orville walked the girl to the pharmacy on the opposite side of the street and bought over-the-counter medications for the student’s upset stomach. “If you’re fine, then let’s go to the harbour,” he said.

Back to Section Break The Second Day <----> Move to Chapter 19