Scarred Hearts [A Hearts of Gold Novel] ✔

Chapter Nine

Author's Note: Theme song for this chapter is Stay - tyDi ft. Dia Frampton. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

It was very late in the evening when we arrived in Green Lake, Wisconsin. It felt so strange to be this far away from home. I had never been anywhere out of state before. Matt had gone to visit our grandparents in Florida, but not me. Leyda was asleep next to me, under my arm. Dylan and Matt had not seen us kiss, but I did remember what Leyda had asked. Does that mean we will be kissing by the end of the day?

Dylan drove into the Lakeside Motel parking lot and turned off the car.

"Leyda," I whispered, shaking her gently. "Leyda, wake up."

She slowly began to open her eyes, scrunching her face as the car lights went on.

"Turn the lights off," Leyda complained, rolling over and covering her face.

"LG," I went on, chuckling. "Come on. If you don't wake up, I'll have to carry you."

She rolled back over and looked at me. Leyda moved her lips, but I did not understand what she was saying. I shook my head and she rolled her eyes, but smiled as she reached up and pulled me to her.

"Now we can go," she said after we pulled apart.

"Smarty-pants," I whispered, taking her hand as we got out of the car.

"Mr. Minus."

I chuckled as we followed Dylan and Matt to the administration desk. The girl behind the desk was, clearly, not interested in her job. However, when she saw Dylan and Matt walk in, she sat up straighter and checked her teeth in the reflection of her computer screen.

"Hello," she said, smiling. "Welcome to the Lakeside Motel. I am Kari, how can I help you?"

"We have a reservation," Dylan replied, "The name is Kelly."

"Let me see here," Kari looked at her computer and tapped at the keyboard. "Okay, I have reservations for Leyda Kelly, and another for Dylan Kelly. Two rooms, each with two beds and a bathroom."

"That's us," Leyda said, resting her elbows on the desk.

"Okay . . . I am going to assume that you are Leyda Kelly, but which one of you is Dylan?"

Dylan raised his hand and grinned. Kari nodded and tapped at her computer. She had her eye on Matt for a while, but then she looked at me. I pretended not to notice and slipped my arm around Leyda. That threw her off, because she did not look at me the rest of the time we were at the desk.

"Rooms 500 and 501," Kari said, handing Leyda and Dylan each a key. "Enjoy your stay, and if you need anything, just dial 5 on the phone."

"Thank you," Leyda said, leading the way outside.

 "That girl was totally checking you out," Matt said, shaking my shoulders. "That is, until you decided to show her your interest in Gabbi."

"Which reminds me," Dylan said, turning to his sister. "Why did you put 'Leyda' on the reservation? You usually put 'Gabbi'."

Leyda looked at me. "Let's just say I am enjoying the change of names," she said with a smile. "'Gabbi' was something Brandon called me, and everyone picked up on it. That's not who I am."

I smiled and hugged her close as we kept walking. Dylan handed me the key he had, and motioned for Matt and I to take room 501. I kissed Leyda on the cheek before going to the next room.

"Good night, Lava girl," I said.

"Night Eddie," she said, smiling before following Dylan into their room.