Where We Began

chapter fifteen

An hour and a half later we pulled up to one of the hotels in Branson that will rent rooms to 18 year olds. Surprisingly there wasn't many that didn't require you to be atleast 21. Everyone stayed in the car after voting Zane would go in and get us the room since the girl behind the counter looked like she could be easily pursuaded to do anything Zane asked.

"Five bucks says he gets her number," Eli said holding up a five dollar bill.

"Ten says she's coming out with him tonight," I replied laughing as I held up a ten I found in the sunglasses holder.

"You're on!" Eli said shaking my hand, "I don't think he would bring someone he just met out. Would he?"

"You have no idea," I laughed recalling some of the random girls that had appeared one night with us and were gone never to be heard from by the next morning.

"I have to side with Brooke on this one babe," Rebecca laughed taking Eli's money as Zane came back to the car carrying three sets of room keys.

"Oh she's definitely going out with us if he got his own room," Coke laughed at the sight of his best friend jingling keys outside my window.

"What time is she meeting us?" I asked Zane as he slid back into his seat.

"She gets off in an hour," he smirked, "and her name is Penny."

"Pay up," I said holding my hand out to Eli, "Unless you want to keep it and we can make another bet later."

"I'll bet you I can go buy us alcohol," he bet with a mischievous smile on his face.

"I'll take that bet," I knew of a few stores that didn't ID in this town and gave Cole directions as he drove.

"We should probably stop by Walmart on the way back and grab snacks," Rebecca suggested. For such a skinny girl she ate almost as much as the guys combined.

"I second that!" Zane exclaimed, "and water too. Can't forget the water!"

"You didn't," Cole said catching Zane's eye in the rear view mirror.

"I," he emphasized, "didn't. Eli might have."

"Of course he didn't," Cole sighed running his hand through his messy curls.

"I don't think I want to know," I said confused at the silent part of their conversation, "but we're here and you're up Eli!"

"What's the drink of choice my friends?" Eli asked as he was getting out of the car.

"Jack Daniels," Cole and Zane simultaneously.

"All right then," Eli laughed and headed inside. Moments later he reappeared with a rather large brown paper sack he put behind the seat. "Pay up!"

"Here," I laughed handing him my ten,"unless you want another bet."

"You know I'm always living for the next bet!" Eli laugh earning an eye roll from Rebecca, "I'll have to think on the next bet tho."

"Do your worst," I laughed as we headed to Walmart for snacks, water an whatever else we thought we needed.

When we got to Walmart the guys headed off to find snack while Rebecca and I went to find the essentials which included razors because it was just getting warm and neither of us had shaved since we only wore pants.

"Men have it so easy," Rebecca laughed grabbing razors while I grabbed two mini bottles of shaving cream for each of us.

"I know" I groaned, "they don't have to shave anything but they're faces if they chose to even do that."