Playing with the Player

Chapter sixteen: Are you calling me fat?

After the coffeebreak, it took us at least three hours to get to our motel. The sky had already turned pitch black and mostly everyone around me was asleep. I couldn't sleep at all, but I liked looking out the window at night. In a strange, lonely way it felt peaceful just gazing at the stars with no other purpose than just to stare at them. 

The coach roared to a final stop. People started opening their eyes and stretching out their limbs as they realized we reached our destination. George, a guy with glasses, I didn't really know him, yawned like a hyena two rows in front of me. Some people chuckled softly as he slammed his hand on his mouth to stop himself. 

Dave rubbed his eyes forcefully as if that was going to wake him up. "Carry me inside bridal style, please?" he asked looking down at me hopefully. 

"And break my back?" I retorted rhetorically.

"Are you calling me fat?"

I tapped my chin to look like I was thinking. "Uhm... Yes."

He gasped. "You really hurt my feelings. I don't know why I hang out with you."

I inched closer to his face. "Because I'm awesome," I stated and smiled broadly. He looked down at my lips and into my eyes and smiled. A weird tension was building up between us and I quickly moved away from him.  "Come on, pig! Let's move it!" I pushed Dave lightly to force him to stand up from his seat. It didn't work, he just slouched down more. He closed his eyes and made himself comfortable to sleep again. I looked around and saw that everyone had already left the bus, whilst I was still stuck with a child.

"Oh my god, Plucker! Some movement would be very appreciated!" I whined. He was way too heavy to drag out of the bus, but I was highkey considering it more and more. I heard a muffled sound of a teacher instructing the group outside.

I tried to shove myself between Dave and the seat in front of him to get out, but he locked his arms around my stomach and held me against his chest. "Dave, we're missing the introduction, come on!" I was getting a little irritated.

"Alright," he let go of me and finally stood up. He still looked sleepy, but he was awake enough to move. The teacher was done with her introduction and I walked over to Kristen to ask what the teached had told them.

"She said that we all had to pair up and that boys and girls have to be seperated," Kristen mumbled looking disappointedlly at Liam. "Damn it, I thought Madison and I were gonna have a great time, but I guess I'll have to settle with Justin," Dave said as Justin walked towards us. I punched him hard in his stomach and he bended over. Dave laughed and Justin tuned in awkwardly.

Apparently, Justin was already paired up with Rustin so Liam and Dave decided to share a room together. We started looking for our bags in the big pile of stuff that the chauffeur dragged out of the storage compartments under the seats. Everyone found their bag quickly, but I was still struggling to find it.

"Got it!" Dave yelled from the other side of the bus. He came walking towards us with my bag on his arm. 

"Yes, let's go guys!" I took the bag from his arm and thanked him.

Kristen and I were the last ones to sign our names together on the list. The teachers showed us around the motel. It was nice, it even had a pool and disco. Unfortunately, those were off-limits because the owner was still suffering from PTSD because what students did to his motel last year. Not even students from our school, but I guess it really affected him.

We walked past an empty vendingmachine. "No food?" Justin asked, "No Twix?"

I shook my head and sighed dramatically, "I guess you'll have to starve now, goodbye!" I sighed dramatically. "Or maybe there's a grocery store at the other side of the street," I pointed at the store that was covered only half by our bus. "Oh, wait..."

Justin stuck out his tounge. "Smartass."

Mrs. Bagley stopped at the register and after some talking with the lady behind the desk, recieved a box filled with keys. "Everyone pick a number!" she yelled and sat the box on the ground. She quickly hurried away as every student rushed towards it. Kristen was one of them and pulled two keys out of the box.

"We're neighbors!" She said and winked at me as she handed one to Liam. I looked at the number on our keys, fifty-nine and sixty.

I turned around to argue with Dave about the fact that I'm also his neighbor at home and that I need a little personal breathing space from existing so close together, when I noticed he had strode off. 

I curiously watched him talk to Mrs Bagley, who nodded at what he said in understanding. I wish I could've heard what they were talking about.

"Maybe if you stare longer, you'll hear what they're saying," Liam said in my ear. I slapped his chin away and stopped looking at Dave.

"Let's go inspect the room for bugs," I murmered, hooking my arm through Kristen's.

"The more, the merrier!" Liam said and I shot him a dry look as he chuckled at his own joke.

I looked at Dave again, who was now waiting at the register. He seemed focused or nervous, I couldn't tell. The lady from the motel handed him a key. I scrunched my brows. Mrs Bagley laid a hand on his back to guide him, probably to his room, and he quickly shrugged it off. I grinned. Typical.

"I thought you and Dave were sharing a room," I said to Liam, who looked surprised.

"He didn't tell you? He is allergic to dust, so he only sleeps in thoroughly cleaned rooms," Liam explained. "I offered, but he says those rooms are usually small and he was fine with sleeping alone."

I couldn't help but wander about what one of those cleaner rooms would look like. 

Bug-free, I supposed.

We entered our room. It was dusty and dark. 

No wonder Dave got a special one for his allergies. 

Everything was plaid. The bed, the curtains and the tablecloths over the bedsidetables (who puts tablecloths over their bedsidetables?). In the corner of the room was a TV, but it looked abandonned and ancient. 

It wasn't much, but it was enough. No bugs, so far.

"Have you seen the sink?!" Kristen shrieked from the bathroom.

 I just hoped she was overreacting. I reassured myself- no bugs- and flopped down on one of the beds and dozed off.