Fire and Rain [🗸]

4. vintage shops and pink lemonade

THE MOTEL IS SKETCHY AS FUCK.

That might be an exaggeration. After all, it's not the worst thing I've ever laid my eyes on— I just can't shake the image of those medieval taverns from coming to mind as I take the place in. It's not necessarily a bad thing, though.

The six of us walk in, shoulders brushing and eyes flicking over the space. As we walk toward the reception, Josiah turns around, walking backwards with his hands held in the air in slight defense. 

"Look, before y'all start being judgy as fuck, I'll have you know that I blew all the money on the van. So, you know, our accommodations took a little hit." He spins, calling over his shoulder, "But I don't regret it!"

Sadie takes his retreating figure in with a sturdy glance as we trail after him. "I feel like he regrets it."

"Okay, but the van was worth it,"  Elliot says. He pauses before hurrying to catch up with Josiah. "T'was a good investment!"

"T'was," Azul echoes as we catch up with them. 

Zahra's lips curve upwards. "He's getting into the spirit of the place."

When we reach the front,  we manage to get our keys for three different rooms. The lady at the front seems done with just about everything, and she seems fairly robotic as she checks us in. However, she does offer us a slight grin as we leave. "Enjoy your stay."

"Thanks," Sadie says, and the lady nods as we head up the stairs to head to our floor. The elevator's out of order, so that's virtually our only option. 

In simple words, it's a struggle for everyone except Josiah who walks like an angry gay 24/7 which means he has some good-ass stamina, and Zahra who does kickboxing and would likely also be involved street-fighting if this was The Godfather.

Anyway, the rest of us suffer as we make our way up the five flights of stairs.

By the time I reach the top, I'm trying to steady my breathing and Josiah is exhaling a snort. We eventually all circle up in front of the three rooms and Josiah places his hands on his hips. "Alright, so. Two by three?"

Two by three is our signature split-up. If we were going camping, or going on a ride or splitting up in a carnival to cover more ground—it was always a two by three grouping. Elliot and 'Siah, Azul and Sadie, and Zahra and I.

It's funny, because even within our last three years of high school when everyone could see that something was wrong—we still stayed in our groupings. Although, sometimes Josiah would toss out the idea if he noticed Zahra and I getting uncomfortable.

He's eerily perceptive like that. Like now. His eyes are on mine, and they flick to Zahra's briefly. "Well," he says, "I could—"

"—it's fine," Zahra says. She offers him a tilted grin.