Glaring city lights and the sound of people all over the place brought chaos to the streets, at least for Anna, who would have much rather been at home tonight than exploring the downtown area, a scribbled address clutched tightly in her hand, the paper worn and crumpled from a full day's folding and crushing. He had slipped her the note in first period so casually, she had half expected a party invitiation, or something to say "Pass it On"; when she had unfolded and read the note, the content had bleached the colour from her usually rosy cheeks, her blue eyes dark with shock and horror. A week previous to the date, Anna had been caught snooping in the teacher's desk, and while she was sure that her classmate would not have been able to have guessed what she was looking for (a copy of the test that was due at the end of the week), being caught after hours in a locked classroom rifling through his desk was enough to warrant humiliating punishment from the school, something she had never experienced being the class rep and top student. The boy hadn't said anything about it for a couple of days and so she had assumed that he had decided to drop it, not wanting to be a snitch. The note, however, was entirely too clear. She had screwed up, and now she was 10 minutes late meeting him at a hotel to discuss what he wanted from her in exchange for silence.
She hadn't given the location (a small hotel she had never heard of) any real thought; she had had to sneak out of her own house to keep her parents from noticing her absence, so she had assumed that this guy would not want to have his parents around either. The situation was delicate on both sides, so privacy really wasn't that strange of a concept. Her main concern now was being late and what the would do to her bargaining position. She had no idea what this guy wanted, but given the sadistic smirk he had worn around her for the rest of the day, she had gathered that he was probably enjoying the power of his position just a little too much already.
Finally, the neon sign came into view from around the corner, and with a sigh of relief Anna picked up the pace while tightening her jacket around her. He had given her a room number, so she was thankfully spared the embarrassment of having to approach the front desk; alone and at this hour, she was sure it would not have looked good, and she was already mortified beyond belief. Ducking into the lobby, Anna nearly ran to the elevator, quickly mashing the button to hurry the closing of the doors, trying to limit the opportunity for her to be seen as much as possible. The elevator chugged shakily to the third floor and with an ominous ding, allowed the doors to slide open. She passed a few adults in the hallway and felt a bit of colour rush to her cheeks as she hurried down the corridor, feeling their curious stares following her. A teenaged girl, still dressed in her school uniform, would be a curious and sight at this hour, in this place. She had been dreading this meeting all day, but now she all too eager to get into the room and close the door, her knocking giving away her impatience.
She hadn't given the location (a small hotel she had never heard of) any real thought; she had had to sneak out of her own house to keep her parents from noticing her absence, so she had assumed that this guy would not want to have his parents around either. The situation was delicate on both sides, so privacy really wasn't that strange of a concept. Her main concern now was being late and what the would do to her bargaining position. She had no idea what this guy wanted, but given the sadistic smirk he had worn around her for the rest of the day, she had gathered that he was probably enjoying the power of his position just a little too much already.
Finally, the neon sign came into view from around the corner, and with a sigh of relief Anna picked up the pace while tightening her jacket around her. He had given her a room number, so she was thankfully spared the embarrassment of having to approach the front desk; alone and at this hour, she was sure it would not have looked good, and she was already mortified beyond belief. Ducking into the lobby, Anna nearly ran to the elevator, quickly mashing the button to hurry the closing of the doors, trying to limit the opportunity for her to be seen as much as possible. The elevator chugged shakily to the third floor and with an ominous ding, allowed the doors to slide open. She passed a few adults in the hallway and felt a bit of colour rush to her cheeks as she hurried down the corridor, feeling their curious stares following her. A teenaged girl, still dressed in her school uniform, would be a curious and sight at this hour, in this place. She had been dreading this meeting all day, but now she all too eager to get into the room and close the door, her knocking giving away her impatience.