Johnny and Rhea

It took another hour to got to the the hotel, which was a Motel Six.
Just to be nice, let's skip a bunch of the boring stuff, like unloading the bus and getting in, okay?

The time was 8:30, and Lene and l had already changed into our nightclothes. I had gotten mine as my last Christmas gift from my mother. The top was a turquoise blue tank-top with a skull and crossbones on the front with a pink ribbon perched on the skull's head. (How weird did that sound?) The bottoms were long white pants that I had to roll up three times before l could walk in them without tripping. There were various designs on them, all looking like the things l have doodled in the margins of my notebooks.

My pajamas don't look like they came from Victoria's Secret, though they were as my Christmas gift from last year from my mother, but Lene's definitely does.
All it was, was (can l do that?) a red slip. It was uber short and red and satiny, held up by spaghetti straps. Such a sexy thing for little Lene. Needless to say, l was kinda jealous.

It was exactly like a sleepover and l had a blast.

Lene had brought cornballs, facial masks, a Mani/Pedi kit, and all sorts of stuff to mess with our hair. Or should l say my hair, because Lene always said she wanted to play with mine because she claimed to have never seen hair so light before. Naturally, at least.

We were sitting on the bed in front of the T.V., both our faces green with the masks and hair pulled up. Cotton balls were wedged between our drying toenails, mine Black Cherry and hers Arctic Blue. Our eyes were glued to the T.V., watching Captain Jack Sparrow whisper, "Hide the rum," as Elizabeth Swan boarded the Black Pearl.

A timer dinged from the bathroom, telling us it was time to scrape off the green gunk.

"I'm gonna mess up my toes!" Lene wailed. I laughed.

"Just walk on your heels, Lene!" I had to help her get to the bathroom without messing up her toes.

"You know what, Lene?" l said, towel drying my face.

"Hm?" She splashed water on her face.

"I am actually having fun."

She held he hand out for the towel, eyes scrunched closed, and I gave it to her. I pulled myself up and sat on the sink counter. Lene laughed; a soft, whimsical sound. "You make it sound like a bad thing!" She sat down next to me. I smiled weakly and she put her arm around me.

"I just haven't been doing much since Mom left."

"Aye, I understand."

Lene and Ichey's mom died the year the moved here. They told people she died of cancer, but they told me the truth: that she had committed suicide.

BOOM!
Lene and I screamed and toppled off the counter.

"What was that?!" I screamed.

"I don't know!"

BOO--CRAAACK!

The lights flickered and we screamed again. I went back to the main room and started packing my bag. Lene followed me closely behind.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm packing."

"Why?"

"Pack your bag."

She obeyed. "Why?" she asked again.

"Because your brother and his friend are some where down the hall."

"Huh?" She stopped packing to stare at me. I zipped my bag up and sighed, then started packing hers.

"It's not good to be spread out when the power goes out. So we're going to be with Ichey." As I said it, I felt butterflies in my stomach.

"Um, okay... But the power hasn't gone out yet... And I can't see why we have to go with Ichey..."

I quickly turned away before she could see me blush.

Lene squealed.

Too late. My pale complexion made it easier to see the blush, and for once l was mad at my skin.

"You like him, don't you?" she said in a sing-song voice.

"No," I lied, a note of hysteria in my voice. Damn it! Whenever I lied my voice got higher and higher.

Lene grinned. "You looooooove him, dontcha?"

I shook my head vigorously. "Nuh-uh," I squeaked.

Lene giggled and poked me."You wanna kiiiiiiiss him."

"No I don't," said Minnie Mouse.

Lene laughed then said,"Alright, alright, I'll stop."

I sighed in relief and felt my face calming down.

"I'll wait until we're around him."

"No you don't!" I screamed, and tackled her to the ground. My hands were around her neck, playfully choking her.

I got up. "There. I hope I got my point across."

We picked up our bags and started for the door.

"You got the card key?" I said over my shoulder. I heard a grumbling, which I took as a yes.
Ohhhhhhh, how wrong I was.

We slipped out the door, automatically locking behind us.

Oh, wait. I turned slowly to Lene."Do you, uh, remember Ichey's room number?"

Lene's blue eyes widened. She covered her mouth. "Do you mean we're stuck out here?!"

Now it was my turn to stare.

"Noooooo," I said slowly. "Because you have the key card, right?"

Lene's eyes didn't quite meet mine. Then she looked up at me.
"I thought you had it."

I tried not to get angry. "That's okay."

I looked at her lingerie clad figure and grinned. She looked at me blankly.

"What?"