My boyfriend Jake and I were taking our first vacation together, and one night we had drunk an insane amount of wine at a cheap and cosy little bar in the city. When midnight rolled around we were pretty hammered and decided to take a taxi back to our hotel. I started to feel a little nauseous during the car ride but held it together by opening the window and steadily inhaling a fresh stream of air. The feeling seemed to pass when we got out of the taxi and then made our way up to the hotel room.
On the way into the room I tottered unsteadily on my heels, swaying. Jake held me steady and gently backed me up against the door, kissing me fervently. But I had to break away from kissing as a fresh wave of nausea washed over me.
"Are you okay?" he said, looking concerned.
I could feel the color draining from my face as my stomach flipped. "I think... I think I just need a glass of water," I said, trying to smile.
He fetched me a glass of water and I sipped it slowly, trying to calm the churning in my stomach. But it was just getting worse.
"You really don't look so good," he said. "Are you going to puke?"
"No, I hate puking, I haven't puked for years. I'll be fine," I managed to say, but the unease in my stomach was growing and I could feel a sense of growing urgency to get to the bathroom, and fast. Suddenly my stomach lurched and I pressed my hand against my mouth with a groan.
"Come on, let's get you to the bathroom," Jake said, and I put up little resistance as he guided me quickly to the bathroom and opened the toilet. He helped me to kneel down, took off my high heels and gathered up my hair behind my head.
"I don't want to throw up in front of you. It's so embarrassing," I moaned. But my mouth was filling up with salty saliva and I felt like I was about to start heaving uncontrollably.