Falling From the Sky

I can only vaguely remember Jake poking me awake as we were pulling into the parking lot of the hotel. But when I woke up, I was face down in the middle of a bed. I rolled over to look at the clock and saw it was almost 7. I heard a rumble of laughter and noticed a door slightly open across the room. Light streamed in from behind it. I figured it was one of those conjoining room kind of things. I rolled off the bed and headed over.

"Well damn girl!" Sandra practically yelled once I'd gotten into the other room. "You sleep like a fuckin rock." she said.

I shrugged a little, "If I'm tired, I'm tired."

Everyone, including their manager and the other friend they had along were sitting around the room, and I guess they'd just been talking. I spotted Andy sitting in a chair over by the window, his feet kicked up on the table in front of him. He was staring down at his phone, typing away. I thought of the message he'd sentme and a small wave of anxiousness came over me.

"Where we eating guys?" their manager asked, which automatically drew me back to reality. I hadn't realized it but with the thought of anything regarding food, it made me remember that I was starving. I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday, not including the lasagna incident and the apple I'd eaten when I woke up at home.

"There's a Ruby Tuesday down the road, which means burgers, and i want meeeat." Jake said.

"MEAT!!" Jinx smiled. no one had any objections, so Ruby Tuesday it was.

I couldn't help but laugh a little when we got to the restaurant. The workers looked slightly unnevered. But hey, we were quite the intimidating group. We sat at two booths that were across from each other. I slid into a corner and Andy quickly slid in next to me. Jake looked at me a little confused as he sat in front of me. He glanced back and forth between Andy and I. I only shrugged.

We were surprisingly quiet in that place. I had been scared that the guys would be obnoxious and I was a little freaked that they'd draw attention to us. Jinx started a sugar packet fight with me and they all wound up on the floor under the table... that was the extent of any ridiculous goings on. Some point during the war, Andy's leg slumped over against mine. I hated how crazy it drove me that he didn't move it away.

But as soon as our food came. that thought was gone. Good Lord, I can't even begin to explain to you how happy I was. This burger was like my own heaven on earth.

"Damn Jamie," Jake smiled, "you can put away."

I smiled, "You're pretty good yourself." I heard Andy laugh lightly next to me, but stopped myself from glancing over. I held up my hand up to Jake for a high five.

"What's with that?" he asked as he pulled my hand back over to him. I felt my face get hot as I realized he was checking out the plastic hospital bracelet on my wrist. Of course I forgot to cut that off - of course.

"Fall down some steps or something?" he chuckled.

"Nah, don't worry about it," I sighed. Andy was staring at me. I could feel it. It made goosebumps rise on my skin and my face got hot again.

"What the fuck's a Leiken?" Jake asked suddenly.

My eyes grew a little as I pulled my hand away from him. "Nothing," I shrugged, hoping he'd let it slide.

"Weeeeerewolf," Jinx sung.

"No, but it's-" Jake stopped abruptly, letting his mouth hang open. "What happened to Jamie?" he asked sounding shocked. I looked at each of them, including Andy. It was like he'd completley missed the Leiken thing. He'd frozen on the hospital bracelet issue. He glared at me; his eye icy cold. I let out a sigh, giving up and not wanting to fight anything.

"Jamie's my middle name."

"No?!" Jake yelled. I couldn't help but smile at him because he was so excited. "That is so sick! Why would you use that over Leiken?!"

"Because when you're 4, how much weirder could you get?" I countered.

"Touche," he nodded. The rest of the time they spent telling everyone else my real name and then deciding to stick with calling me Jamie. I tuned it out though. I could feel Andy shaking his leg under the table. He was leaning forward on his elbows, hand covering his mouth. I just wanted to leave. I wanted to talk to him and get it over with.

When we got back to the hotel, Andy b-lilned it to the room. He, the manager, Ashley and their other friend Morgan were in one room while Jake, Sandra, Jinx and I were in the other. Everyone was groggy so there were no stay up till 3am plans. I laid down in bed, letting out a "GRAAAAH!"

They all looked at me. A second passed before I threw my head back and yelled "Soo - comfortable!" They laughed as I pulled the comforter up to my chin.

Within the hour, everyone had fallen asleep. I lay awake trying to occupy my mind with anything possible. About every 5 minutes I cheked my phone, but there was never anything. I don't know how, but soon enough seven hours had passed. The alarm clocked started beeping and I jumped.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement as Jinx slammed a pillow on Jake's head, "Wake the fuck up and turn it off." he demanded.

"Ugh, boys." Sandra yawned as she pulled herself up into a sitting position next to me. "You want the shower first? Or should I get on that before the guys wake up?" she asked quietly.

"Go for it," I chuckled.