Hotel Antics

Jenny, Matt, Sam, and I walk down the stairs towards the two parked cars waiting for them. Well, Sam has a fistful of Matt’s jacket, trying to steady him. In the setting sun, I can see that I’m barely supporting most of Jenny’s weight. Luckily for me, she took her heels off her heels so that it was easy for me to keep her upright without us both meeting the floor.
“What the hell was in that whiskey?” Sam grunted, steadying Reeds enough so that she could open his car door and coax him into it. I lead Jenny to the next car and slide her in the best I could, encouraging her to scoot herself into the car further. Sam runs over to our car as I slide in after Jenny. “Actually,” she says, tugging on my arm. “I ordered us an Uber to our hotel.”
“But, she’s barely-”
“She actually has someone staying with her,” She waves me off. “Todd and Manda can help get her inside, honestly.” Sam slaps the trunk of the car once she explains to Todd, Jenny’s driver. “How did you make that whiskey?”
“It’s honestly one of the first things I learned to do,” I laugh, remembering the first time I changed water into Sprite. “My poor abuela almost died when I refilled her favorite Gin bottle. She called me a demon for weeks.”
“What made her stop?”
“I cured her best friend’s glaucoma.” We sat in silence, contemplating this. I notice that Sam wants to say something, but keeps thinking better of it. “Just spit it out, Sam.”
“What’s it like?” Sam blurted out. “How do you even go to school? So, like, can you not touch anyone? What if someone brushes up-”
“Well, I was home schooled,” I cut in. “And I have these gloves, so I’m pretty much good.”
“How do they work?” Before I can give her the play by play, a car pulls up that I assume is our Uber. I take off my gloves and drop them into her lap. Sam looks at me curiously as we stand up. “Put ‘em on.” We walk over to the car as she slips the gloves on. Clambering into the car, Sam gives the address to the hotel while she still attempted to wiggle her fingers into my gloves.
“Your finger are small.”
“Not really.” I reach over and help her fit the gloves on. “First, you gotta unbutton the bottom.” The gloves hiss a little bit and slide them both over her hands with ease. “What do you feel?” I ask after I button the gloves.
“Are they vibrating?” Sam turns her hands around in awe. “It’s almost constricting. What do the do, exactly?”
“It kind of contains the power.” I figured she didn’t want to hear the gritty details of how Dr. Sparrow and Mr. Sparrow figured out the logistics of a counter-active pair of gauntlets. She hands them back to me. “It’s kinda like a diaphragm binder. The power tries to expand in the gloves, and it’s kinda pushed back in,” I explain, putting the gloves on again. “It isn’t an exact science, and sometimes they don’t work, but, for the most part, they are effective.” Sam nods in understanding. We arrive at our hotel, or at least I assume we do. The front is almost entirely white brick, with a window every few feet. The door covering was tattered and broken over a tinted glass door. “Is this place safe?” I ask Sam, who laughs as she walks past. Cautiously, I follow her, my jaw hitting the floor once we get inside.
The lobby is a mostly off-white with cherry wood accents and accessories, two chandeliers mutely lighting the lobby. Cream chairs face the center of the lobby where a table held lady slipper orchids. I follow Sam to the front desk, through the doubles stairs, under the balcony, through the glass doors and right up to the front desk. A brunette with a wide nose and big blue eyes scowls at us as Sam beams up to her.
“Griphook,” Sam said dramatically. “I would like to enter my vault.” The woman looks at her impassively. I gape, looking between Sam and the desk clerk as Sam holds her pose for a little while longer before she just sighs. “My friend here-”
“You need your room key?” the woman asked me.
“Yes, please.” She walks into the office behind her and came back with a solid black card. I catch a glimpse at her name tag when she hands the card to me. Sam walks away as I examine the solid black card that has my whole government name as well as on microchip on it.
“Your luggage was taken up to your room earlier,” She tells me, her eyes not leaving the computer screen at all. I take the opportunity to lean over the desk so that only she could hear me.
“I’m really sorry about-”
“You friend is a teenager and stupid,” she quips. “Plus, she thinks I haven’t read Harry Potter.”
“Well, sorry anyway.” She cracks a small smile, continuing to type. I head over to where Sam is now twirling absently in front of what appears to be the elevator. We step into the empty compartment and Sam pushes the button to the 10th floor.
“So tonight-”
“The hell is your problem?” I turn to her. “Griphook? Why would you call another  person a goblin?”
“Oh, it’s not like she knows-” She brushes me off.
“She knows who Griphook is,” I grip her shoulder so and even if she didn’t, why is that still okay?”
“It’s not that big-”
“What if someone called you Kreacher?” Sam’s eyes tighten. “Even in a jovial manner?”  I know that if looks could kill, Sam would have liquefied me at my innocent tone. “So, I can gather you won’t do that again.” Before she could respond the doors open and we are on our floor. I take off, intent on finding my room without-
“Our rooms are this way.” I turn around slowly, holding my head high, intent on forgetting my own embarrassment and not talking to Sam. Not until I knew she actually understood what I told her. Without another word, I follow Sam around the corner of the elevator and down the hall.
“This is your room,” Sam points out quietly. I look over at her to see her shoulders doubled over, her chin resting on her chest looking uncomfortable. She shoved the key card into the door and disappears into her room. I shrug, entering my own room.
The slate colored carpet was completely unblemished, which makes me think that maybe this hotel isn’t known for partying. Come to think of it, I doubt that anyone but D.C. residents even knew this place exist: it’s a literal hole in the wall! I flop down onto the couch, plug in my computer and power it on. Giving it a few minutes to come to life, I moved my suitcase from the designated living area near the bed, where I notice that there’s a dresser holding up the T.V. I walk back to the computer and open up the Skype app. While it loads, I unpack my clothes quickly and send a quick text to everyone letting them know that I made it and went to take a shower.