Coffee and Rings

Coffee and Rings-4

It wasn't just any car. It was a porsche. A red, shiny, new looking porsche. 

"Wow," Ash breathed out . I nodded. Yes, it was 'wow', alright. It was something we could never afford.

Kimberly motioned us to get in with her hands. Callie was the first one to slide in, carefully on the shot placing herself inside. John sat shot gun seat, Ash getting in as fast as he can, almost tripping over his own feet. I got in and settled down on the leather seat.

The interior was all a dark black, with spots of light black. The seats were made out of leather and was smooth. A small blue colored bottle of car refresher was hanging near the driver's seat, half empty. There was a lot of space for the legs and woolen mats were placed for resting our feet on top of them.

Stella slammed the door close, making the whole car shake very violently that I was afraid the door was going to fall off. Ash was still looking at the car in awe, running his hands over the smooth seats. John glared at Stella and Callie glanced at her questioningly. As soon as she saw Stella's face, understanding shone in her eyes as she smiled knowingly.

Kimberly licked her lips, looking like she was really confused. Me, sniffing the tension in the air and since my mouth just couldn't shut up, shouted. 

"Off we go to the stupid hotel, Reindeer."

Everybody visibly relaxed and Kimberly revved up the engine. The car purred to life, the air conditioning switching on and the radio blasting. Kimberly winced and shot us an apologetic smile. Her hand reached out and tuned the volume down.

"So, Callie, what is you favourite food?" Kimberly asked, trying to make conversation. Atleast, she didn't ask her favourite colour. Got to give her a pat in the back, I probably would have asked their favourite color.

"I love Tiropites."

"What, really? Me too!," Kimberly commented  excitedly.

My dear friends, and that was how Kimberly and Callie hit it off. By the end of the ride, they were chatting like they were the bestest of friends.

Kimberly parked in the parking lot of the hotel. I jumped out and stretched. Kimberly and Callie were bickering about who was going to be the model of the year as they got out of the car.

I swear my ears were going to fall off any given moment now.

The porsche looked like a horse in the middle of the donkeys as it stood out in the parking lot. Not only because it was a bright, cheery red but also because all the other cars here were beat-up, looked like second-hands, dented or stained really bad.

John walked forward and into the hotel with Kimberly right behind him. Ash was walking beside Kimberly, his player-charm on. He is not going to leave her alone until he got to taste her cake, that was for sure.

He has always been this way .Whenever questioned about his motives, he simply replies with 'This is my way of relaxing'. But I have never ever seen him having feelings for a girl before. And by feelings I mean real feelings. Not lust, even though it is a feeling.....

Stella was furiously whispering something to Callie, who had a smug smile plastered on her face.

Me being the  curious cat, decided to interfere.

"Hello, ladies. May I know what you are gosipping about so silently?," I asked maybe a little too lous as they both winced, throwing my arms around each of their shoulders and sqeezing them to me.

Callie pushed my arms away and said in a teasing voice, "Well, as you said, we are ladies and we gossip. Go become a lady and then we will consider sharing it with you,"

Stella, who surprisingly hadn't push me away, replied, "As if. He prides himself as a man too much that he would't change into a female even if it meant his death."

"But, you do know that the ladies are the best, right?," Callie asked.

I nodded,"Yeah, ladies are the best, but I still wouldn't change into a lady. I mean what would you girls do if the hotness that is me suddenly became unavailable to you?"

But since, I just couldn't let my pride slip away from my fingertips, I added, "Men are better."

Stella snorted.

"Ofcourse, he will tell that."

Callie rolled her eyes,"Whatever makes you sleep at night, boy. But common, don't get cocky there. Your face looks like it just got smashed by my fist."

"Whatever, mam."

"You know, the word 'whatever' was voted the most annoying word for three years straight," Callie mused.

I shared a look with Stella.

"Whatever," we chorused.

Sighing, she jogged the rest of the way to the hotel, leaving me behing with Stella who very, very surprisngly still haven't pushed my hand away. I looked at the hotel door, which was about 30 feet away from us, and back at Stella.

"Race you there," with yelling that, I took off, presenting myself with a head start.

"Oh, you cheater," I heard Stella call out before the door to the hotel closed behind me.

I looked around, searching for my friends, my eyes flickering all over the dirty place. I saw Kimberly sitting with Ashton on the couch near the lobby. 

"Kimberly, where are John and Stella?" I questioned, knowing Ash would never answer me, especially when a girl as beautiful as Kimberly was near.

She looked up from her lap, "Oh, they went to your rooms to pack," she smiled.

"Thank you," I jogged to the stairs, taking two at a time.

This hotel was just so small that they couldn't even pay for an elevator. Like seriously, they can afford a five story building but cannot have an elevator? The floral printed wallpaper on the sides were peeling off due to age and there was a rusty smell that cannot be avoided.

I swear I saw a rat running in the bathroom yesterday.

"What are you thinking about?," I turned and saw Stella walking a little behind me.

"About how clean this place is," I smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "Your sarcasm is not appreciated."

"Well, it's a good thing that I didn't ask for your appreciation then," with that I ran the rest of the way.

As I neared the room we were staying, I could feel a change in the energy around us. There was a pressure pressing down on the air. I fastened my pace, jogging faster. 

I burst into the room, the door slamming to the wall. The room was trashed, our clothes lying on the floor, our travel bags teared, the windows broken with glass pieces lying on the floor and there was a hole in the middle of the bathroom door. The flower vase near the bed was broken, the water inside it creating a puddle around it. The lights looked like they bursted, like someone placed a lightened cracker inside it.

Stella came in, examining the mess with round eyes.There was only one answer to this.

"The Blacks," John whispered.