Madison v.s The Travelling Exchange Students

Chapter Eight: Stay Away

When I open the motel door and step out onto the patio I feel like I can finally breathe. My sleep last night was awful. The bed creaked every time I moved, there were cars constantly driving past, and believe it or not, Sophie and Georgia are quite the pair of snorers.

The early morning is still. No cars are rumbling down the road anymore, the motel's office has a big closed sign on the door and everything else is still asleep. Birds hop around on the ashtray on the small table outside our room.

Mindlessly, I stare out into the motel's car park just wondering how Virgo is going on his first night away from home. Suddenly a door opens and closes from behind me, disturbing my peace. Turning around I expect it to be Georgia probably coming to yell at me for waking her up.

Instead, it is Lily, dressed in her panther pajama pants which pair nicely with the dark rings that have formed under her eyes. Her skin is pale and she looks groggy as she approaches me.

"You look like hell," I joke.

While yawning she replies, "Cheers. You look like a princess too."

"Good first night then?" 

Lily scoffs. "Right sure. Katy demanded to know everything about Germany so Mia told us her entire life with broken English until two in the morning."

"Oh my God, that must have been so difficult hearing about another country. So boring too," I mock.

Lily rolls her eyes. "Sure it was cool but now I am exhausted."

"Mia will grow on you," I smile.

Lily just nods, staring out into the car park.

So we aren't sucked back into more crushing silence I ask her another question. "What about the other kids. Do you like them?"

"Suppose so. Sacha seems cool, so he and Mia won't be a problem to ride with," Lily replies through another yawn. "Not sure about the Elias kid."

"Did he seem a bit strange to you?"

"No. Seemed nice. Kept looking at my boobs though which made me a bit creeped out."

I roll my eyes. "Reckon the boys are awake?"

"Probably. We are meant to be riding in two hours," Lily says, her voice still sleepy.

"I'm going to go check on Alex. To make sure he hasn't thrown Elias out of a window," I tell her.

Lily laughs. "Yeah, their rivalry runs deep."

"Wait, you know about that?"

"Will might have mentioned it. Pretty easy to tell though as they both compete in the same events internationally," Lily shrugs.

Right... makes sense.

"If you see Sienna or Will within a five-meter radius of each other, can you punch her in the mouth please?" 

I laugh. "She isn't that bad."

Lily raises an eyebrow at me.

I turn away from her and walk towards the stairwell that leads up to the other floors of the motel. The boys were staying on the second floor. I take the stairs two at a time and when I reach the top I'm puffed.

Didn't know I was that unfit.

Doors stretch down in front of me, each painted a light brown. It seems endless. I approach the door that the Junior Competition boys were staying in. Abruptly a knot starts to form inside my stomach and grows into my throat.

The tension in their room last night must have been immense. Alex, Bishop, and Elias all staying in one room? Unbearable.

I raise my hand in a fist, quickly praying that Elias doesn't open the door, then I knock. I stand like a four-year-old, fiddling with my shirt as I wait for someone to open the door. Scuffling and grunts come from inside.