"How did we get here?" She asked, eyes swimming with unshed tears.
"Well," The other girl said, a frown etched on her blemished face. "Drugs I guess."
- in which this tells you the story of pain, friendship, love, family and loss falls into the li...
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'And I'm really scared,' The lobby was empty, except for a elderly man who looked far too old to be working. "Um hi. I have a room booked for the next two weeks. I was wondering if you could give me the room key. " The man looked up, a grin spread on his face. "You're ms. Lewis's daughter, am I right?" Sadie started at the man, a blank look on her normally expressive face. "I am," Janie cleared her throat, stepping forward. "Oh," the man's smile disappeared for a split second, disappointment clear on his sagging, cheeks. She wanted to shout, to yell at the man, (I know I'm not what you'd expect as a ex-model's teenage daughter, no perfect fucking body — hell but old man, do you want an autograph. Maybe my mother's signature I've forged so many times I almost know it better than my own.) But she didn't. Because that wouldn't be polite. So she with a basic, shinning smile. All teeth. "Yes, my friend here is the supermodel in the package, she's a bombshell, am I right? Anyways, we'd really like the room key now." Janie doesn't mean to be rude, but at times it comes out and all she wants to do is turn on 'dazed and confused' and just Relax. "Right," the man tapped on the keyboard, scarred fingers dancing on the keys. Janie looked at the name tag on his strikingly dark blazer jacket. Doug. What a bland name for a increasingly bland man. "You ladies are in room 134," he said, looking at Sadie. "Right," she held her palm towards Doug, waiting for the key. He dropped it in her hand, the blue numbers bright and exiting against such a mundane thing. They said their thanks and headed to the elevator. Sadie's polish coloured nail pressed the button, a LED white light illuminated the tip of her finger. The silence was comforting, a silence that was full of words. "I can't believe we're here. I can't believe we're actually here, in New York." The elevator rose, it's form lifting them up. Sadie didn't say anything, but reached over to Janie and squeezed her hand. It was dim in the hallway, no one lingering outside of room doors, no kids with towels draped on their shoulders, itching to go splash in the pool. It smelt vaguely of bleach, the smell biting and burning their noses, eyes filling up with tears. They walked a while, their footsteps echoing in the empty hall and their tires on their suitcases squeaking against the stained carpet. Sadie fumbled for a moment at their door, the key bouncing around in her palm. "Want me to do it?" Janie asked. "No." She got the key in the slot, a green buzzer lit up the door handle and they heard a faint click. Sadie pushed the door open, her many bracelets dangling. They room smelt musty and had hints of ivory soap. "Well, this isn't what the picture looked like online — it'll do," Sadie opened a window, her eyes fixated on something outside. "It's nice," Janie sat down on the bed. She wasn't entirely lying, the room was clean, although it looked like it was designed in 1965, dark, thick curtains, roses sat on every surface, their sweet perfume floating in the air. "If you were a great grandmother, this would be perfect," Sadie belly flopped on the bed. "What do you want to do tomorrow?" Janie asked, flipping through a room service menu. "Mhm," Sadie grumbled into the floral comforter. "What?" "Sleep. We should sleep all day tomorrow. Get shitty takeout and sleep some more." She had closed her bright eyes. "You don't want to explore?" Janie moved to the bathroom, looking thorough cabinets. No answer. "Sades?" Janie turned out if the bathroom and looked at her friend. "Oh," was passed through her lips, as she looked at a very-asleep-Sadie. She crept over and flicked the bright bathroom light off, making sure that the main door was locked. She slid under the silky comforter, the sheets a welcoming warmth to the chilly weather outside. ——————————— It was far too bright for Janie's liking, far too early in the morning. There was a quick tap at their hotel door, and a clatter then silence. "Did you order room service?" Janie looked at her friend, drool slipping down her chin. Janie grimaced. She turned to the door, her knees giving a quick snap. Janie promised her mom she'd call when she got to the hotel, but Janie forgot. Fuck. Janie tripped over her bundle of clothes on the floor, her toes dragging harshly across the rough carpet. She spotted a bright blue phone laying on the wall, its' cord hanging down. Her fingertips ran over the keypad, her house number memorized by heart. Don't be busy, don't be busy, don't be busy— "Hello?" Her mothers soft, raspy voice made Janie smile and clutch the phone tighter. "Hey mom, it's me. We're in New York!" She exclaimed quietly, careful not to wake Sadie. "That's wonderful, you drive safe, you have enough money?" "Yep." "Wonderful," There was a pregnant phase, the only sound was their breathing. "We miss you, you know." Her mom said, sounding sad. "I miss you too, mom," Janie's eyes misted. "More then you know." She heard her mother tsk and shush her. "Go be with Sadie. I'll be here when you want to call." With one final goodbye, they hung up and Janie opened the hotel door. Two trays of steaming food lay at the foot of the door. She picked the trays up and closed the door. One tray at a time, Janie put them on each beside table, and walked over to Sadie's sleeping body. "Hey," Janie tried, her palm rocking against her friend's solid shoulder. "Wake up," Nothing. "I'll pour ice water on you, don't think I won't," Still nothing. "I've got food," Janie sighed. That seemed to work. "Hey, what are you doing up?" Sadie yawned, her arms reaching up over her head and cracking. "I've been waiting for you for the past few minutes, sleepyhead." Janie teases, brushing Sadie's hair from her forehead with Her fingers. She swatted the hand away. "Pass me that, would you? And go back to your bed, you have terrible morning breath." Sadie grumbled, her eyes tired but her arms out for the tray. "Coming right up, your fucking highness" Janie sat down with her tray as soon as she gave her friend hers, already digging into the small stack of pancakes at the edge of the tray. "Is it good?" She asked Sadie. "Fuck Yeah," she moaned, head tilted back. "Good," Janie looked at her tray, looking at all the different types of food, from toast with a jam Janie didn't even recognize, and coffee which wasn't too cold nor hot. "Try the sausage," Sadie mumbled, holding her fork in the air, gesturing to the meat. "Okay," Janie sawed a piece of perfectly cooked breakfast sausage, the smell making her mouth water. When Janie bit into the stuff, all else floated away. The taste left Janie stuffing another one in he mouth, the taste of maple syrup and grease making her groan. "Easy there, tiger. You'll make yourself sick," Janie ignored her, and continued chewing. They are in silence, the smell of coffee and butter, and other sweet, sweet goodness stuck in the air, perfuming the room with an aroma of warmth. "You still want to sit around all day?" Janie asked, pushing her now emery tray beside her. "Basically, Yeah." Janie couldn't argue. They spent a whole day driving, they slept for a while, they just ate a whole feast. I think they can afford a lazy day. "You're turning seventeen in two days, my baby's growing up," Sadie pretended to weep, false tissues brushing against her smooth cheeks. "Fuck you," Janie said with no real bite and threw one of the hotel pillows at her. "Oh it's on like donkey Kong!" Sadie stood up on the bed and threw one back, hitting the bed. Laughter emerged from both girls as they lay on Sadie's bed, legs dangling over the edge. "I wonder what it would be like to kill someone," Sadie whispered, after the laughter soon died down and their bodies demanded rest. Jaime froze. What. "What did you just say?" Janie tried to keep the tremor out of her voice, but her friend's monotonous voice made her shiver. What the hell. Sadie's eyes snapped over to Janie, a concerned look on her face. "What he hell J! I was just thinking out loud, you look like you've seen a mother fucking poltergeist or some other shit!" Sadie growled, sitting up on her elbows. Janie sighed, and made no move to sit up too. "You scare me sometimes, Sades. You really do," Janie has said. Sadie stood up, her feet booming on the carpet. "You really think I'm wondering that to go kill someone?" Janie isn't afraid of Sadie. No matter how much she might yell, or get up in your face, or promise things that no normal person would promise, she's not scary. She's too chickenshit to follow through on her actions. That's what my Janie's not afraid. So when Sadie stomped over to the hotel closet and snatched her coat, and slid on her docs — without a word, and slid out the door. Janie wasn't one too panic without reason, she has a normally calm and collected mindset, she wouldn't freak out and send the cops after her friend. Janie would go. Where would Sadie go anyway, up and down the street? Janie sat heavily on her bed, and thought and thought, and thought.
Time seemed to S P I N And S P I N
Until it stopped. Janie didn't know how long she was laying there for, until she heard the lock catch and a oh-so-familiar sigh travel across the room. "Where did you go?" Janie's voice seemed weird to herself, unused and hard. "I went for a walk," she toed off her boots and went to her bed, a plastic bag in hand. Sadie lay the bag underneath her bed in a suitcase. There was a uncomfortable silence for minutes, time ticking by as Janie counted the time. 11:35, 11:36, 11:37, 11:38, 11:39, 11:40. "C'mere." Janie's head whipped up to look at the other girl, her long hair stuck to her damp cheeks. Janie didn't have to be asked twice, she crawled to Sadie's bed, and lay down. "Gimme some lovin'" Sadie teased, but her voice seemed sad, different. Janie wrapped her arms around her, and held tight. Sadie didn't smell like Sadie anymore, she had the smell of pollution and city stench wrapped around her. "I'm sorry," Janie mumbled in her shoulder, her fingers clutching Sadie's jacket. "For what?" Janie shrugged. She didn't really know what started the fight, nor what made Sadie storm out of the stale, empty hotel room. "I'm sorry if I made you upset, that wasn't what I was trying to do," Sadie rested her head on top of Janie's head. Sadie has started to hum a tune that Janie wasn't familiar with, an off key song that held no particular beat or range. "I know," Sadie had said, and ran her long fingers through the hair at the nape of Janie's neck. It was strange. It's all strange. Sadie's question was strange, the running away was strange, the plastic bag full of god-knows-what. It's weird. Janie's eyes closed as Sadie stood up, gently laying Janie down on the bed. "I'm gonna go for a shower. Need the bathroom?" Sadie had asked, tapping the side of Janie's head three times. No she didn't need the fucking bathroom, but she couldn't make her mouth move to form the words. So she settled for a head shake and Sadie left the room with one final sigh.
