Chapter 8

After eating we walk back to my car. I check my phone before starting my car as my brothers buckle in. A part of me wants to see thousands of missed calls from my parent's worried sick about their kids, while another part of me knows they'd never even notice us gone. Either way I flip open my phone only to see two texts. One from Gustavo with directions to the hotel. The second from Sonya.

It read:

Heard you finally ran from the rents. Congrats is in order. Swing by mi casa I'm throwin' a partay!

Typical Sonya. She's lived on her own for almost two years now. 'How can she manage to own a house when she hasn't worked a day in her life?' you ask. Well that's easy, her mother left her a huge inheritance when she died from Cancer two and a half years ago.

Her father had givin' her the money in an attempt to get rid of her after she started to go to late night parties, sneak guys in around three in the morning, and get arrested on a daily basis.

So she bought her own house and always threw the biggest bashes the towns ever seen. Guess that's how she got a rep for making a party. Sonya had a lot of emotional problems from the lack of family structure she had been missing ever since her mother was diagnosed. Not that she ever let anyone know anything was wrong. She was strong that way. Maybe even smart for that.

She believed if you never let anyone in they could never hurt you. She also believed that if you never talk about it it's not real. She had her weird ways of doing things, but at the end of the day she still had a family who cared about her. One she made herself.

Even though that family wasn't perfect mostly made up of people with lots of problems they all still stuck together. I really admired her for that. We use to be super close before her mom was diagnosed. She use to be kinda nerdy but I still loved her as a friend.

I still remember the day she found out. She was so broken inside and out. I talked to her every day and she became my best friend. Even when she began to get cool she never forgot about me. She was there for me when I lost my sister. Even if she did it her way. Drinking so much you go numb.

Anyways I started the car and re-read the directions to the hotel putting Sonya's invite on hold. No matter what has happened to me I still think about everyone who was there for me when I needed them. Everyone who was like my family during my party days, my fighting days, my gang days, my racing days.

I meet so many people. Real people. I mean everyone's real but no one could compare a school girl friend to a friend you went to jail with or a friend who got you out. They're my family even if they got ain't the best role models.

We arrived in less than an ten minutes. The hotel was not the best, but what kind of hotel would that allowed under age kids to rent rooms. The hotel was in need of a paint job but other than that it looked almost perfect.

"Wait in the car while I go check in" I announce to Iggy and Gazzy.

I park the car and walk over to the front entrance to check in. The counters empty. I wait a while for someone to notice me or to come out. Finally after ten minutes I get impatient enough to ring the bell. A slim lady in her mid-thirties wearing a formal black skirt and semi-formal ruffle white blouse appears.

"Welcome to Dawn hotel. My name is Jane Riley, how may I help you?" She greets totally surprising me by her nice tone of voice.

"Um, I have a reservation under Maximum Ride" I say making my voice sound louder.

"Of course I just need to see some ID?" She asked.

Shit. This better be a good hotel Gustavo. I reach into my wallet behind my driver's license to the fake ID Sonya had gotten me so we could go clubbing and buy beer. Thank god for Sonya.

"Perfect, here's your key the two rooms are connected by the bathroom" She says handing me back the fake ID and then adds "If you need anything don't be afraid to ask"

I mumble a 'thanks' but my minds on greater thing. I walk outside to my car to help my brothers get the backpacks into our room. The first room is painted plain white. It holds a desk, a small closet, an old TV and a twin size bed. It must be my room.

"My room guys. Your room in through that door" I say pointing to the bathroom we both shared where I could vaguely see a king size bed.

After an hour of mindlessly flipping through channels and pretending to watching the TV I check my phone. Nothing. Damn it! Why can't they ever be normal and give a shit for once!

I clutch my phone filled with anger. I raise my hand pulling it back ready to throw my phone powerfully across the room, therefor making it crash into the wall, when Iggy walks in. He gives me a questioning look glancing at my phone and then back at me. I slowly put my hand down.

"Can we go to the pool?" Iggy asks.

"Where?" I ask.

"There's a pool at the hotel by the lobby" Iggy answers.

"I don't know guys" I say.

"Please Max, Iggy will take care of me" Gazzy begs.

"Fine" I say giving off a small smile.

They yep happily run back to their room to get ready. The boys are happy here. Happier than I've ever seen them on a Sunday afternoon. Maybe we should stay here. I could afford it with my job and I do have money saved up. Maybe we could go stay here while I find a more permanent home for the boys. Maybe it's time I stop depending on my parent's money. I could really be their parent all the way. Bills, love and support included.