Hello everyone :) Nixy Angel again Sorry about how long it has taken to update, I've been having trouble about what to write in this chapter, but silver helped me through it. I hope everyone loves the chapter! Thanks so much to people who reviewed for the story before!

I pressed my soaked hands against the slick glass revolving door of the hotel, and pushed my way in hurriedly. Once inside the luxurious room, I stood and waited for Griffin and Carly.

They tramped in together, tracking mud behind them onto the clean carpets. I scanned the lobby for Moseby…he would be horrified.

I was a sight I'm sure…having been splattered with mud from a passing car on the way into the Tipton. No doubt they were.

Griffin's dark brown hair was pasted around his face, and glistening with rain. His clothes were splattered with mud, and his shoes covered in it. Not too bad…what was really funny was Carly. Her long straight black hair had scrunched into messy wet curls, the part lost in a sea of black locks slicked back with rain. Dark streaks ran down her cheeks from her black mascara; she had been wearing too much anyway. Mud was caked around her leggings, and splattered around her t-shirt. Its knot had come untied, and it hung close to her knees.

I tried to stiffen the laugh forming in my throat, but it exploded into an embarrassing snort. I instantly thrust my hands onto my face, but my body was still shaking from laughter.

Carly reached a hand out and smacked me on the arm (and it really hurt!), but I could tell by the lift in the side of her mouth she was trying to hide that she wanted to laugh herself.

Griffin was laughing openly, his eyes twinkling with delight and amusement. Carly turned to him, and punched him hard in the arm.

"It's not funny! These things are ruined now!" She pointed to her strangely patterned leggings, her mouth fixed into an angry pout.

I had forgotten how much fun it was to have friends

But then…I had only known these people a few hours. But it didn't matter what kind of people they were. They noticed me…I wasn't going to go and make any judgments that may cause me to loose the first friends I've had since the beginning of high school. Just because they were a little weird…

"Man, nice place here" Griffin whistled, attempting to run his fingers through the part of his hair. His hand got stuck in a clump of wet tangles, and he removed his fingers, shaking his dark mop out like a dog as he did.

"You actually live here?" Carly inquired, eyeing the hotel's extravagant interior with her wide black eyes.

"Yeah" I replied…not quite sure what else to say. I didn't want to sound braggy, so I tried to change the subject about my luxurious life. Still a bit dazed, I started towards the elevator. "Come to my suite to dry off" I invited, trying to sound polite and thoughtfully. Which I was…partially. Another part of me wanted to sort off show off too my family that I had been out…. with friends (sort of Especially Zack…who had constantly bugged me about embarrassing him by acting like a reject.

As we passed the candy counter, Maddie (who was starting college at Yale a year late, and working extra hours for college tuition money) called out to me.

"Cody! Your mom is-what happened to you?"

"Car splatted us" Griffin answered for me; illustrating by smacking his hands together.

"Cody…who is he? And her?" She pointed at Carly, who had joined us next to the counter.

"Um…Blondie I got a mouth. I can talk." Carly raised an eyebrow. I was amazed at her pride, despite her hilarious appearance.

"Oh, sorry." Maddie squinted an eye; I could tell she didn't really like the appearance of my new friends too much. "What's your name?" she pronounced slowly, in a sort of mocking tone. I shot a warning stare at her, trying to communicate not to say anything rude to offend my…friends.

Carly just rolled her eyes, and looked at me. "So are we going to your suite, or are we going to stay here chatting with Blondie?"

"Cody…your mom is freaking out. She has practically murdered Zack with questions about where you are." Maddie glared at me, and I was instantly stung with guilt. I should have called her. But why did it matter? Zack came home late without an explanation all the time. Mom had quit nagging on him months ago.

"Let's just go" I motioned for Griffin and Carly to follow me. Maddie's eyes followed our parade, and she sort of wrinkled her nose a bit before returning to putting candy on the shelf. I ignored her obvious disproval, and stepped into the elevator without a word.

I wasn't nervous at all to show my new friends to Mom and Zack. What I was nervous about was Mom's reaction when I walked through the door, soaking wet, with two friends she had never seen before, at 10:26 PM.

I was right to be worried

"Cody! Where the heck have you been?" She screamed, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Mom!" I pushed her away. "I'm fine. These are my friends." I emphasized the word friends, trying to throw across that I wanted her to shut up and stop embarrassing me.

"Friends?" Mom asked, her eyebrow slightly arching. A frown formed on her lips, and she opened her mouth to continue, but no words came out.

Griffin smiled widely, showing white crooked teeth, and Carly nodded with a half smile.

"The bathroom's over there" I pointed to the door in my suite, trying to get them away from the lecture I knew Mom was about to give me. "Use as many towels as you want…we can always get new ones."

They nodded, and proceeded to the little room to dry off. I heard Carly muttering something to herself that I couldn't make out. I probably didn't want to know.

"What the heck were you doing? Out with strangers!"

What did she mean by strangers?

"They're in my grade"

"It doesn't matter!"

So this is why Zack is always fighting with Mom. She just doesn't get it. I was making FRIENDS. And she was going to scare them away with her yelling.

Why did I invite them to my suite again?

"Yo Code, can you grab me those chips over there?" A voice called from the couch. I shot a yeah-right-you-wish kind of look, and then began walking towards me room to get a towel and clean clothes. So now Zack chooses to notice me. His little slave- I mean brother…could have been kidnapped or killed for all he knew-but of course it didn't matter. Watching wrestling was way more important. Way more important then worrying about your nerdy brother. Slave.

"Cody, get me the chips" he repeated, sounding the words out as if I hadn't understood him. But I was through following him. Doing what he said, and hiding away from him and his friends as if they were superior to me in some way. But they weren't. I had friends now.

Touché

"Get them yourself" I replied curtly, and continued onto my room.

Zack stood up to get the chips, grumbling to himself but realizing I wasn't going to. As he was standing next to the couch, Griffin came out of the bathroom, combing his hair with his fingers, his glasses sitting on the tip of his nose.

Zack's eyes widened, as they followed Griffin's figure. He mouthed something I couldn't' understand, then looked at me with horror.

"Why is he here?" Zack said. I could detect pure disgust in his voice. Why didn't anyone like my friends?

"Zack, these are my friends." I was once again emphasizing the new word in my vocabulary, friends, and giving him a shut-up-or-you'll-be-sorry look.

He took it all too lightly…I guess because he knew there wasn't much I could do to him. At least he thought.

"You mean there are more freaks here?" Zack looked around the room, as if watching for murderers. So fake. So…Zack.

"Shut up Zack" I growled, narrowing my glance. I had been giving a lot of looks that night. I communicate through my eyes.

"Oh my God. There are more." Zack reached out a finger to point at Carly, who had also emerged from the bathroom. "Cody…remember that little talk we had about embarrassing me? Well, if you start hanging out with these…" he looked around the room, searching for a 'polite' term. "Losers" he settled on. "Then-"

"Ahem" Carly cleared her throat, giving Zack a murderous look. She opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted.

"Zack, SHUT UP" I said loudly. Griffin and Carly stood awkwardly watching our brewing argument. It was strange how suddenly brave I felt.

"Cody man, I think we should leave" Griffin said softly.

"I'm serious Cody!" Zack said loudly. "You know, I have a reputation I need to preserve."

"And I don't?" I asked, even louder, ignoring Griffin's comment.

"Uh, not really" Zack said quickly. Ok, so maybe it was true. I had no reputation…but I did have my dignity.

"Cool meeting you Cody. Catch you later." Griffin smacked me on the back, and then turned to Mom. "Pleasure meeting you Mrs. Martin," he extended a hand. Mom took it lightly, not really paying attention. I think that she was debating what to yell at me about next.

"Later" Carly said loudly, directing her voice towards me. She sort of growled at Zack, I think it really freaked him out. Then they both left out the door, followed by an awkward silence in the room.

"Thanks a lot guys" I yelled at Mom and Zack. "Thanks so much" I hope they understood the sarcasm in my voice.

"So welcome" said Zack, smirking lightly before finally retrieving the bag of chips from the kitchen.

I ran to my room and shut the door hard, upset. These were the first friends I'd even come close to making in high school, and my family had to scare them away. My STUPID family had to go and ruin everything.

I was about to result to finishing my night in the usual fashion, with lots of tears, but I changed my mind. I was not going to let this chance go.

I ran out of my room, and then out of the suite, towards where Griffin and Carly were heading to the elevator.

"Hey!" I called out. The turned around, Carly staring at me with a hard look. I cringed at her eyes, hoping my words would soften them.

"I'm sorry about everyone. Seriously. They're just…like that."

"Naw man its ok" Griffin nodded his head. "Used to it"

"It is not ok!" Carly looked at Griffin. "You don't know how to defend yourself! You let anyone run over you without saying a word."

So now it was their fight I wanted to leave from.

Griffin didn't answer, so Carly continued.

"Why do you think that you're such a perfect target for-"

"I just wanted to apologize" I interrupted. "I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

"Yeah" Griffin hummed. "Catch you then" he was ignoring Carly, who continued to loudly preach at him.

"Bye" I uttered sharply, trying to cut into the argument. I hated to be the root of any type of disagreement. I would rather just disappear. Into a book. That's always fun.

But I needed friends

And my chance seemed to seemed to be drifting away…

"What lunch do you have?" I asked cautiously.

"Fourth" Griffin clucked.

"Second" Carly stopped arguing for a while.

"I have fourth…"

Maybe this lunch I wouldn't be sitting alone. I had fourth. But I had never seen Griffin before. Where did he sit?

"Oh, sweet. I'll meet you there then?"

"Yeah" I smiled. Maybe it wasn't a lost case…

So how was that? I hope you liked it...reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks to everone again, hope you liked it!