All I Wanted

After school I met Normal at her car. She blew a kiss to her crowd and did her runway walk over to me. My pack was over my shoulder and I shifted awkwardly as she approached.

"Hop in, Sunny," she unlocked the car and we both slid in.

She turned on the heat and smiled at me. I knew she was about to ask me for a favor.

"What is it, Nor?" I asked, putting my pack at my feet and digging my freezing fingers into my coat.

"Mikey wants us to go see him," her bright smile never faded; and I hated when she used 'us'.

"Where?" I asked as she started the car.

"Back in Champagne," I frowned at her.

"Nor, it's 3, mom wants me home by 6 so we can go out," Normal wasn't going to take no.
"It only takes 45 minutes, then we stay what? An hour tops?" she pulled out of the thinning parking lot, "then another 45 comin' home; we'll be back by 5:30."

"You know how my mom's been since Ronnie passed," Normal twitched her lips.

"Please, Sunny! I will owe you 2!" I looked at her electric eyes and sighed.

"Okay," I answered caving.

"Thank you, Sunshine!" she cheesed more and drive down the familiar streets.


"On Rosemount?" Normal was on the phone with Mikey now.

I stayed quiet and helped look for the hotel Hilton for her. It was nearly 4:30 and we were lost. 

"Right there!" I shouted as the Hilton came into sight.

"Oh, we found it," Normal grinned.

She ended the call and drove into the hotel's parking lot. We parked in the back and I grabbed my pack. Once we were out of the car Normal snatched my hand and led me inside.

We got to the elevators and Normal pressed the buttons impatiently. I shifted my awkward legs and waited with her. 

"What floor?" I asked when we stepped in.

"5th."

I pressed the number 5 button and watched it light up. Normal bounced in her position and bit her lip. I looked down at her feet and saw she was wearing another pair of black heels; her skinny jeans even tighter, and a pink fitting top. I'm guessing she had changed during school.

I turned my head back to the door and waited patiently. The doors opened a few seconds later; we were met with the same men from last night; Frank and Mikey.

"Hey," they both said as we stepped out.

Normal jumped into Mikey's arms, he pulled her to his side.

"Hi," I said to Frank as I walked along side him.

"Sunny, right?" I nodded.

"Yeah."

We walked down a long hall and stopped a few feet later. Mikey and Normal couldn't keep their hands off each other; kissing and shoving the room card into the slot.

"So I'm stuck with you?" I asked as they disappeared into a room.

"Yep," he opened his room door and let me through first.

The room was actually very neat and clean. The smell of roasting coffee and stale cigarettes was in the air. I shifted my pack and sat on the king size bed.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, I'm suppose to keep you busy while our friends get busy," I frowned at him.

He went sat beside me and pulled out a small pack of cigarettes. He offered me one, but I shook my head.

"Coffee then?" he asked with the stick hanging loosely between his lips.

"No thank you," I refused.

"Don't indulge in caffeine or nicotine?" I shook my head, he lit his stick, "Good for you," he took a long drag and let a cloud of smoke out his nostrils.

The room fell silent, except for the sound of moans next door. Frank began to laugh while I groaned and laid on my back. I put my pack on the floor next to me.

"Planned on doing homework?" he asked pointing toward where my pack landed.

"Studying, actually," I answered looking at the ceiling.

"For what?" he asked lying beside me.

"SATs."

"Sucks," he noted blowing a cloud of smoke in the air.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked feeling bold.

"What?" he propped up on his elbows.

"How old are you guys?" he chuckled.

"Mikey is 27 and I'll be 26 in a few days."

I couldn't believe my ears, honestly. These guys were almost a decade older than us, and here we were in a hotel with them; one of us having premarital sex with one. If my mom knew she would yell until she was blue in the face.

"You guys are 18, right?" he asked snapping my thoughts.

"Yeah," I told him truthfully; Normal had turned 18 back in August.

"Oh, yea your birthday was yesterday," he took a longer drag.

"Yeah," I mumbled.

"Happy birthday, then, kid."

"Thanks," I mumbled softly.

"So, uh, what's Sunny short for?" smoke followed his sentence.

"Nothing. It's on my birth certificate; Sunny Romero," I informed him.

"That's awesome," I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

We became silent again and I looked at him; he was staring at me. He smirked at me; I noticed that Frank was really cute.

"You're pretty cute," he said putting the stick, near it's end, to his lips.

"Thank you?" I mustered.

"Your friend is a hottie, though," I rolled my eyes and looked back at the ceiling, "I was joking," he said lying beside me again.

"It doesn't matter to me," I spat quickly, "after today, I'll probably never see you again."
He sat up and leaned over to his side.

"Ouch, ice princess," he turned back, "stab me with a knife why don't ya," I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Whatever," I managed between giggles.

"So, uh why do you call her Normal?" Frank asked after I stopped my giggles.

"She's normal; thus Normal," he didn't say a word, just a small chuckle.

"What does she call you?"

"Sunshine," he chuckled again.

"Yeah, you guys are too sweet for me," he sat up.

I ignored him and looked at my watch; it was 5:45. Just as I was going to reach in my pocket for my phone, it rang.

"Hey Ma," I said sitting up, Frank looked at me.

"Hey, where are you? I thought we were going out," her voice was full of surprise, I felt bad.

"I'm sorry, me and Nor are studying, and we have like one more English essay to go then we'll be home," Frank smirked at me.

"Okay, well we'll go out at that Mexican diner at 8."

"Yeah, that's fine."

"I love you, Sunny."

"Love ya, ma," I hung up with her and shoved my phone in my coat pocket.

Frank looked at me with that same smirk. I raised my brow at him.

"What?" I asked.

"Lying to your mom for a friend?" he sucked his teeth as I rolled my eyes.

"Believe me, I hate lying to my mom, but she would have a fit if she even knew that we were in Champagne, let alone with two men in a hotel room."

"What does daddy think of you staying out with a girl like Normal," he asked like I was some spoiled brat.

I felt a little mad that he said that. I never talked about my dad; not even to Normal.

"It's none of you business," I snapped.

"Struck a nerve?" he asked smugly.

"Fuck off," I turned away from him and crossed my legs.

I was starting to fume, and I wanted out. Just as I was ready to go drag Normal from the room myself, there was a knock at the door.

Frank got up and walked to it, I followed behind. There, with messy hair and half clothed was Normal.

"Can we go?" I asked putting my pack on.

"Mikey wants me to stay the night," he snaked up behind her.

"No, no way, my mom will kill me, Nor!" she bit her lip as Mikey kissed on her.

"Come on, Sun, you and Frank are getting along right?" Frank turned to me with a grin.

"Oh hell yeah, we're going get married!" I yelped sarcastically.

"Don't be like that Sunny," she smiled some more.

"I don't want to stay here, and my mom is waiting, so get your shit and let's go," I walked out of the room and crossed my arms.

"I wanna stay," she sulked like a child.

"No, now let's go," I waved her to come on, but she stood there.

"Please Sunshine," she begged.

"Give me your keys then," demanded angrily.

"Just stay," she begged, pulling at my arm through my clothes.

"No!" I ripped my arm away and stepped back.

"I need a ride, so you might as well stay," she grinned some more.

"Fuck this," I waved off and headed down the hall.

"Sunny wait!" she called, her bare feet rushing to catch me.

I ignore her touch when I got to the elevators. I pressed the down button, then she whipped me around.

"Sunny, just stay," I looked up at her and crossed my arms.

"I'm not going to blow my mom off for you, again," she furrowed her brows.

"Oh, come on, just stay with me."

"No," I muttered again.

"It's not like your mother isn't already lonely enough...dragging you down with her," I buried my eye brows and stared at her in disbelief.

"I can't believe you!" I shouted, "How dare you? You of all people know how bad it was when she lost Ronnie!" Normal's face fell back to a soft glare.

"I didn't--"

"Is that what you think of my mom? Really...I wanna know Normal!" her mouth opened and closed a few times, "You do!" I stepped away from her.

"You're my friend, you should be with me!" she excused.

"I'm your friend? What about those stupid girls you're always trying to impress with these dumb ass stories about that shitty bassist over there?" I pointed over her shoulder, "Was I your friend when you always blew me off to hang out with Toby, Dave or Josh? No!" Word vomit was getting the best of me, "You always have to have it your way, and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being around you, you're so damn shallow and pathetic!" her jaw dropped, "I'm not your friend anymore, so don't call, don't look at me in the hall, let's just pretend that the last 5 years never happen," I turned back to the elevators; thank God they open just then.