Pointe Shoes

Chapter three

By the time we got to the hotel, I could've eaten a horse.

"Okay, can you go check us in? I'll bring in our bags, and park the van." He told me, running his fingers through his hair, trying to smooth the small sticking up part in the back. It reminded me of Alfalfa.

I walked into the hotel. To be honest, it wasn't the best hotel. There was a big suspicious stain on the tacky rug. A fairly nice chandelier hang from the ceiling, but it was dusty. I hoped the rooms were nicer.

"Hello, I'm here for the the reservation under Max Brewell?" I told the receptionist. She looked really young, not much older than me.

"You're Max Brewell?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"No, I'm his cousin's friend. He's getting our bags."

She raised another eyebrow and I realized how bad it sounded.

"It's not like that I promise we just-" I began to defend myself.

"Hey did you get our room?" Max walked up, struggling with our bags. I grabbed my duffle out of his hand and gave the receptionist a look that I meant to say 'don't you dare even mention it' but probably just looked like I was constipated.

"Here you go, and you guys have fun." She said handing him the key with a smirk.

"Thanks." Max took the key with a smile and started towards our room, not noticing the receptionist's obvious judgement.

I hurried to catch up to Max, nearly tripping and face-planting. When we got to room 235, I was gasping for breath and panting like a dog.

"Why the heck did we take five flights of stairs again?" I said between gasps and drinks of water.

"It builds character?" Max replied with a shrug, throwing his duffle on the ground and jumping onto his bed.
Max was now jumping on the bed like a little kid and laughing.I smiled at his childishness, and for a split second considered jumping on my own bed, but the thought left my head as soon as it entered.

"Clara! You have to try this! It's awesome!"

"I'd rather not do something my six year old cousin does, thank you." I replied, trying to find my hair brush.

"C'mon! This is your chance to be free! Jump on the bed! Didn't you ever do this as a kid?" Max begged.

My five year old eyes were bright and a tiny laugh escaped my lips and I bounced on the brand new bed with brand new Hello Kitty sheets.

"Clara? You wouldn't happen to be jumping on your bed, would you?" My Daddy called. Hearing this, I jumped down from the bed, but a split second too late. My Daddy burst through the door, and grabbed me, tickling me like there was no tomorrow. Our laughs echoed through the house.

"Of course I did. I wasn't a complete loser. I just... Didn't see the point." I told him.

"The point is to have fun!"

"Weren't we going to go eat?" I said, changing the subject.

"Oh yeah. But don't think I've forgotten this." He grabbed his wallet and when I reached for mine, he insisted to treat me, just this once.

We walked to the restaurant, and got seated pretty quick. Our waitress was a young woman with her hair pulled into a tight bun. She looked tired, and angry.

"Table for two?" She asked in a monotone voice.

"Yes please." Max again, didn't seem to notice as he gave a bright smile to the waitress. We were seated, and after taking our drink orders, she left us to decide.