I Want To Be Free

45. Preparations

CHAPTER | FORTY-FIVE

"I hope you enjoy your stay here." A hotel worker smiled and walked back down the hallway, his hands neatly folded in front of him.

I closed the door and went over to the glass coffee table where everyone stood. Hunter sighed and took off his neon green beanie.

"All right, so we went over this in the car, but just in case—" Hunter started to say when Joselyn waved her hand in front of her face, cutting him off.

"We stay at the hotel until January the second." Joselyn yawned.

Hunter nodded and looked over at Mandy, who blinked at the attention. "A-And we don't leave this hotel alone and without a cellphone."

"Stay low and..." I trailed off.

"Have fun!" Danny finished off, waving his hands excitedly.

Hunter beamed at us and nodded. "Good. All our numbers are in Mandy's phone, but don't call us unless it's an emergency. I'll come back to get you on the second, so try to have as much fun as you can, y'know. Drink, eat, sleep, party, the whole nine miles."

We all nodded and Hunter left with one last warning and reminder. Mandy sat down on the black leather coach and Joselyn excused herself to check the cabinets. Danny stood up on the couch and checked my forehead for fever. He nodded happily when all he felt was a cold forehead and sat down.

I stood there, staring at the coffee table with my hands buried in my pockets. Joselyn came back, munching a bag of chips when she noticed there were only two beds. She licked her fingers and swallowed.

"So who gets the beds?" She asked, sitting on one of the beds.

"I can sleep on the couch." I offered, not tearing my eyes away from the coffee table.

"I can sleep with Kelly." Danny signed.

I shook my head. "Sleep with Joselyn. I'm still not feeling well."

Danny pouted and Joselyn sighed. "Alright, buddy. You sleep with me tonight."

He got off the couch and went with Joselyn to the bathroom. I glanced at the calendar on the side of the door.

December thirty.

I took off my coat and gloves and grabbed some extra pillows that were lying around in the closet. Mandy got up and took off her jacket, hanging it neatly over the coat hanger. She got dressed in her pajamas and got in bed. I turned everything off, but the lamp and laid down on the couch. Joselyn and Danny dumped everything on the floor and climbed in bed.

After lying still for a few hours, I slowly got up and checked if they were asleep before I tugged on my coat and shoes. I grabbed the hotel key and went out the door. I took the stairs and got out of the hotel.

Everything was quiet. The snow was shoved aside, allowing people to walk safely on the sidewalk. People were sleeping in their warm beds and only a couple wondered outside, laughing and stumbling over their own two feet. A biker parked his motorcycle in the parking lot of a bar.

I went around the corner and finally spotted the payphone I saw earlier when Hunter drove by. I rubbed my cold hands together and dialed the number I had memorized before we left. I put the coins in and waited for him to pick up.

He picked up on the second ring and yawned into the phone.

"Are you alone?" I asked before he could greet me.