Backseat Drivers

Blueman Motel

A steady buzz hummed from the pink neon light above their heads, the words 'MOTEL' illuminating the dark street as they pushed through the door. The interior had a wooden theme running, and was dimly illuminated by a lamp on the counter, next to a richly green potted plant. It looked admittedly and unintentionally artistic - though dingy. 

"Two rooms please, one double, one triple," Sean said, strolling up to the bespectacled man at the counter, who simply flashed him a discerning look. Whether it was his scowl or simply nature that had aged him, several lines were crinkled along his forehead.

"We're full," he said brashly, pressing down an inky stamp on the paper in front of him, and continued with his admin. Sean glanced at Roy, before back at the man.

"It says rooms available," he replied, his eyebrows raised as he pointed towards the flip sign on the desk, earning narrowed eyes. Behind him, Calum grinned slightly in amusement. Maintaining his cool expression, the man slowly flipped a page backwards, so that it now read in clear, red writing: 'NO ROOMS AVAILABLE'. Sean raised his hands, and then dropped them in exasperation, as the four behind him expressed their irritation through noiseless expressions.

"Come on, man, there's nowhere else for like fifteen miles."

"I know your kind - you don't think your sex and drinking and laughing will keep me and everyone else awake the whole night! You're all loud. Loud teenagers!"

"Sir, please -" Calum had now stepped forwards, a deadpan sincerity resting on his face. "I can assure you there will be absolutely nothing of the sort going on with us. My mother was a humble Christian, you see." 

Luckily, before too much damage had been done, Roy had subtly wormed his way in front, so that Calum was pushed backwards a little. 

"Please, man. Just for a night - we have money. We're all tired anyway, we just want to sleep."

This persuasion seemed to have effect on the grouch. He turned around, unhooked a key from the wall behind him and then put it down on the counter, his left eye squinting as if sizing them up. 

"Only one room available."

Perhaps they should have considered looking at the room beforehand - for now, six minutes later, Aika and Sean were stood at the door, staring inside. Faded, peeling wallpaper was adorned with a crusted rose pattern, and ashtrays were littered along the window sill and nightstands. This would be been okay were they not brimming over with stubbed out cigarettes of the past, and perfuming the room with a stale, smokey scent. Roy finished pulling his oversized hiking rucksack up the stairs, coming to a stop of despair as he reached his destination, followed shortly by Calum and Cindy. The five of them glanced around, unable to hide their lack of impressment. It was really a twin-room, with just two musty beds that mirrored the wallpaper's pattern; the other beds were composed of three old mattresses on the floor draped with rug-like blankets.

"Sean, you know - you really didn't have to spoil us," Roy finally spoke up. 

Aika slung her bag onto one of the mattresses, subconsciously disguising her dislike of the moth-eaten duvets as a selfless act, and Sean followed. 

"Hey Roy, if you want a bed, me and Cindy will happily share," Calum said - Cindy simply flashed him a sarcastic smile before walking past him towards one of the single beds and dropping her bag on it. 

"I'm good with a mattress," Roy responded, eyeing up his options before choosing the mattress on Sean's left. Now Aika regretted not choosing that one, for she realised if anyone wanted to come in or out of the room during the night, they'd be dangerously close to her head. Calum shrugged, and swung his bag over to the other twin bed. Despite the humble abode, Sean's declaration that he'd brought a deck of cards and a bottle of vodka with him instantly revved up  the mood, especially with Aika's portable speaker now vibrating with the electric twang of 'Doginabag'.