Breaking the Rules

“Then it’s official! You’re part of our crew! Charlie can show you where you will be staying and we will talk more tomorrow!” my mom cheers before leaving. The boys wait until the door has closed to scream and shout.

“Oh my God!”

“We did it!”

“Breaking America!”

“This is awesome!”

“Yes! Finally!”

“I gotta Tweet this!”

“I have to Tweet also!”

“Tweeting!”

And so on. I’m just standing laughing my head off because a group of adult males are so excited, they’re close to crying. I’m happy for them though, they did just complete a goal of many people.

“Congrats guys! Now I’m guessing you have stuff that you would want to get from your hotel, so I’ll get someone to drive you there and when you come back your room will be ready,” I say when they quiet down enough to hear me. I put my hand in the middle of the circle we’ve made, and motion them to do the same. “Go team, go!”

They laugh at me then gather in a group hug. I could like them. A lot friendlier than Drake.

I lead them down stairs and get a man named Peter to drive them to their hotel. Then I call five maids to help with their rooms. I figure they would like it if they had different rooms
but next to each other. Unfortunately the only place they could stay is in the same section as me. But that could be a good thing because I’m the only one in my section - seeing I wanted a room on the fifth level and the rest of staff has to be on the ground floor – and I get lonely. My mom likes me. I’m in room 5a1. The rest of level five is storage, dance studios, a room full of instruments, and practice stages. Just for the hell of it.

“Clarissa, if you could take room 2, Jenny room 3, Margret room 4, Shelly room 5, and Beth room 6. When you’re done just move to a different room. I’m working backwards from twenty. We have thirty minutes. Let’s go!” I cheer do the clap for let’s go.

“Okay!” Beth cheers. She is my age and one of my friends, really this whole group is.

All the rooms are the same, just a different color. None of them have really been lived in, just mine. So all we need to do is dust everything and make stuff look newer, which is easily done by fluffing the pillows. We all work fast and manage to get all the rooms done with spare time.

“Thanks guys. Now shoo, my mom is going to want you soon,” I say backing into my room. Clean up time.

I make sure all the dirty clothes are in the hamper, shoes in the closet or lined up against the wall, bed made, and trash in the trash bin. I have to rush downstairs and they still get there before me.

“There she is!” Suzy says noticing me.

“Hiya there pretty lady!” Tom says making me blush.

“Hey Tom,” I say laughing. I look and see that they have stacked their suitcases on a cart.

"You guys ready? I figured you’d want rooms next to each other and unluckily the only place that that would be possible is in the same section as me, sorry,” I say pulling the “I don’t why but okay” face.

“What? No!”

“I don’t wanna!”

“But why!”

“You never gave me my hat back.”

“Oh yeah,” I say looking at Nathan.

“Yeah,” he says crossings his arms across his chest.

Well it’s just in my room so why don’t we go upstairs and I give it back.”

“Okay let’s go.”

I didn’t want it to be awkward in the elevator, so I start a conversation. “20 questions, go!”

Nathan picks up what I’m doing and goes first. “Charlie, favorite TV show.”

“I don’t watch TV. Favorite holiday, Jay.”

“Halloween. Tom, how’d you get so short?”

“I don’t know. How’d you get so emotional?”

"Tom, that’s a little harsh,” Max teases pushing him with his arm.

“Yeah Tom,” Nathan following the suit.

I look toward Siva, who seems to be the only normal one. He rolls his eyes and shrugs.

“We did not make it to 20,” Siva says.

“We didn’t make it to 5,” I laugh. The doors open and I slide my arm to the side of it. Max and Tom push/pull the cart. Jay and Siva follow them and I trail behind with Nathan.

“Pick whatever room, except room one. That’s mine,” I inform them.

“Yours, hey?” Tom says raising an eye brow. He leans against the door and turns the handle. I guess I should’ve locked it. Too late now.

“My hat!” Nathan says running to my room, my wrist in his hand. “Where is it?”

“Chill mate. What’s so great about it anyway?” Siva asks for me.

“I had it signed when I met Michael Jackson,” he explains.

“Really? That’s cool,” I say exiting my room with his hat on display on top of my head. “It’s
a nice hat.”

“Yeah, I know,” he says snatching it off my head.

“I want this room!” Tom says standing in front of Room 5a2, the room across from mine.

“M’kay,” I say righting down his room on my notebook.

“Why do you have to do this?” Jay asks grabbing then spinning the notebook in his hands.

“I dunno. Just have to, I guess,” I shrug.

“Mhm. Okay,” he says giving it back.

“This one is mine,” Siva says walking out of 5a4, the one next to Tom’s.

“Got it,” I tell him.

“I want that one,” Jay says pointing to 5a6, next to Siva’s.

“I want 5a3,” Nathan says reading the tag on the room next to mine.

“Then I’ll take 5a5,” Max says.

“Thank ya,” I say writing it down. “I suggest you go to bed now. Y’all need to be up by 8:30.
The meeting’s at 9:15.”

“What? That’s to early!” Tom complains.

“No, not really. I mean, there’s been meetings that started 5:30. You’re lucky,” I state. Tom grumbles to himself while taking his suitcases into his room.

“Goodnight guys,” Siva says grabbing his stuff and retreating into his room.

“Yeah, goodnight,” Max says taking his bags.

Jay just waves and walks into his room. Guess he already put his bags away.

“Well, goodnight Nathan,” I say walking backwards to my room.

“Night Charlie,” he says as my door closes.

I quickly change into my favorite pair of pajama pants that have penguins on a green
spotted background, and they’re fuzzy, then throw on a simple t-shirt. Jumping into bed, I let out long sigh. Tomorrow is going to be a good day.