★ＨＡＵＮＴＥＤ ＭＡＮＳＩＯＮ★

★03

Tayla leaned against the counter, rubbing her temples, trying to process what just happened.

Kai clapped his hands together, breaking the awkward silence. "Alright! So... Plan B. Who's up for booking a hotel?"

"A hotel?" Amber's voice dripped with disbelief. "With what money?"

Kai grinned, pulling out his phone. "I got it covered—for tonight, at least. I've got some savings." He started tapping furiously at the screen. "Okay, there's a couple of places nearby. Cheap ones."

Jaxon leaned over Kai's shoulder, frowning. "Yeah, those places look like the kind where you wake up with a rat as your roommate."

"I don't hear you coming up with better ideas," Kai shot back. "This is just temporary. We can figure out the rest tomorrow."

Tayla let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Okay, fine. Let's just get out of here before my mom changes her mind and throws us out literally."

Amber sighed, shoving her phone into her hoodie pocket. "I can't believe this is happening. On your birthday of all days."

Jaxon shrugged. "If we don't go now, there won't be any rooms left."

Kai triumphantly held up his phone. "Done. Booked a room for the night."

Tayla grabbed her backpack from the corner of the kitchen, stuffing random clothes inside. "We'll leave now, grab some food on the way, and figure the rest out later."

Kai swung his arm around her shoulder as they headed toward the door. "Don't worry, birthday girl. This is just a plot twist—a little setback before the real fun begins."

Amber rolled her eyes, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Sure. Nothing says 'fun' like sleeping in a hotel that smells like old socks."

Jaxon quietly grabbed his things and followed the group out of the house, locking the door behind them for what felt like the last time.

As they piled into Kai's beat-up old car, Tayla couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of fear and excitement bubbling in her chest. This wasn't the birthday she'd imagined, but maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something better. Something entirely their own.

Kai started the engine, and they drove off into the night, the city lights flickering like promises in the distance. The hotel was waiting—and after that, who knew?