"You said you booked us a place to stay, where?" Jason asked once we saw the exit for Gainesville. "We're going to stay at the Marissa." I said while fiddling with my phone. "That place is like hella expensive." Cassidy said from the center seat in the back. "Yeah I know." I shrugged. "Where'd you get the money?" Matthew asked. "I'm a doctor." I reminded him. "You were just certified, no way you could have enough for that place already." Cassidy pointed out. "Why the Marissa?" Matthew asked. "Because of it's security. It's also across town from the bar that they're supposedly keeping Emily at. At a simple motel they'd be able to easily break in. At the Marissa, tgey have high tech security cameras, constant sweeps of the grounds, and people that don't exactly fit in would easily show up on their radar." I listed off. "But we don't fit in." Matthew said. "Exactly. We'll use it to our advantage and they'll keep a close eye on our rooms, meaning no one would be stupid enough to try and kill us there." I told him.
We sat in silence the rest of the way to the hotel. When we walked in the criticising looks of the others who were in the lobby instantly settled on us. I went up to the receptionist and smiled, "Hi I reserved two rooms under Nicole Greene." She studied me then my companions, before she began typing in her computer. "I think you have the wrong place. I think you're looking for the Motel 6 on the other side of town." She stated. "Don't give me that crap." I said as I pulled out my ID and debit card. "Book us for a week." I told her. She raised a well groomed eyebrow before looking at my ID and debit card to verify it belongs to me before charging it. Her eyes widened in shock when it was approved. I took the key cards she handed me and we went to the elevator. "I got two rooms, both are those multi-rooms so you boys should fit comfortably." I told them while handing Jason the other card once we were on the elevator.
"I hated how they were looking at us." Cassidy muttered. "We can't fit in every where we go." I shrugged. "If you have money to stay in places like this then why don't you live like this?" Matthew asked. "Because I don't fit in here either." I told him.
These questions were becoming uncomfortable and I was hoping to switch the topic from me. Luckily Jason noticed, "I think after we get settled someone should go get food." "I saw a fast food place on the way here." Cassidy recalls. "Garrett, Cassidy, and I could go get something to eat." Matthew offered. Garrett scoffed, "Why do I always get volunteered to do things?" "Because you never talk." Cassidy joked. Garrett crossed his arms and sighed, "Whatever, I'll make sure you two idiots don't get lost."
Listening to them bicker gave me a sense of normalcy and I couldn't help a small smile. When we got to our rooms I unpacked my things. Cassidy knocked on the door before poking her head in, "Hey we're heading out now what do you want?" She handed me a note pad and I wrote my order then handed her my debit card and wrote the pin number, "Don't worry about what you spend." "Um, ok." She said hesitantly before taking them.
After they left I changed into a black sports bra and a pair of purple pajama bottoms before going to the living room part of the suite. Before I could plop my butt down on the couch there was a knock on the door. Jason was on the other side, shirtless for some unknown reason. I opened the door and let him in. He was shirtless and in a pair of black sweats and barefoot.
"I'm not the only one who wanted to get comfortable." He pointed out gesturing to what I was wearing. "I guess not." I smiled smally. We went and sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Jason flipped thru the channels, not really finding anything good. "Don't let their questions bother you." He said out of the blue. "They just made me feel slightly uncomfortable, but it's no big deal." I waved.
"So how come you have chains around your coffin?" He asked changing topics. I looked down at it, "It's because the chain keeps it together. I try to keep whatever I hold dear to me as safe as possible, lately though I haven't done much of a good job with that." I looked down at my lap feeling ashamed of myself. "You're doing the best you can Nicole. Don't beat yourself up over what isn't your fault." He said softly. "But it is my fault. If I had just let Garrett shoot me....." I trailed off, knowing I would just be repeating myself what I told him the other night. I sighed, running a hand thru my hair, "I should've at least told her up front what happened instead of keeping it from her, maybe she would've been better prepared." "Quit thinking about what you should have done and think about the things you should do to get her back." He told me. I nodded, "You're right, I can't change what happened, but I can save her and prevent anything happening in the future."
We lapsed into silence for a minute or so before he opened his mouth, "If you want, when this is war is all over, you can leave the gang and we will never bother you again." I didn't know what to say to that luckily I didn't have to come up with anything to say because I was saved by the others coming back with food.
"One bacon swiss burger with a large curly fry and oreo shake for the beautiful doctor." Matthew said while handing me my bag. "Thanks." I said. I took the wrapper off of my straw and stuck it into my shake.
Once everyone had their food we sat around the living room. "So how are we going to do this?" Garrett asked. "I say we watch the place and get her when they go to move her." Matthew offered. "I think we wait till they drive her away from the bar. There will be less men in the vehicle meaning less guns." I suggested. Garrett nodded in agreement, "They won't drive in groups because they won't want to draw suspicion." "But we can't cause a massive scene in the city." Cassidy pointed out. "So we puncture a huge hole in their radiator. When they stop to see what the problem is, is when we'll take them out." Jason added. I nodded, "There is always the possibility that they could move up the time they move her due to the fact that you trashed their safe house." "I say we leave at eight to go scope out the area and watch the bar." Matthew said. "Across from the bar is a little shopping area that Cassidy and I will use as cover. It won't look weird if we hang out for coffee at the shop right across the street." I said. "I love an excuse to go shopping." Cassidy cheered.
We all rolled our eyes at her and continued talking for another hour before the guys left our suite for the night.
"We heard what you said about if had let Garrett shoot you that night." Cassidy said softly. I sighed and looked down, "Oh." "Is that true?" She asked. "Yeah. If I did let him shoot me Emily would be home and safe." I replied. "But if he did then Jason would be dead." She pointed out. I nodded, "I know." "Do you regret joining the gang?" She asked. I thought for a moment before speaking, "To be honest, I don't know. My whole life it's just been me and Emily. We did have a small group of friends but during high school we split, but not me and Emily. I guess I'm not used to having so many I can depend on."
"Are you going to leave us?" She asked. "I don't know." I replied honestly. "Do you have feelings for Jason?" She said out of the blue. Heat flooded my cheeks, "What made you ask that?" "You guys seem to be having this inner battle, as if your scared to cross that line." She explained. "I wouldn't know, I've never really had feelings for someone. Growing up I was so busy trying to graduate early I never paid attention to guys. Besides if he used to want to be with me I probably changed his mind." I confessed. "What do you mean by that?" She questioned. "The night Emily was taken I said something I regret." I told her. "What was it?" She asked. "I told him that I regret saving his life." I answered softly. "But do you?" She asked. I shook my head, "No. I was mad and scared and because he was there I took that out on him. I regret what I said and I don't know how to apologise." She patted my hand, "When the time comes you'll know what to say and do."
She got off the couch then headed to her room. I sighed before getting up to go to mine. How did my life become so complicated?
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