I looked behind me to make sure I couldn’t see anyone. The coast was clear. I pushed myself up and started running as fast as I could. Luckily for me, I’d been training for my mile run in gym class. If I could just figure out how to get back to the hotel, everything would be fine. And maybe if I ran fast enough, I wouldn’t get arrested for public indecency.
***
I ducked into an alley a few buildings away from the hotel. New York was nothing like Delaware. Apparently a girl running through the city in a makeshift dress made out of a soggy map in the middle of October wasn’t such a strange sight. The lack of shoes and blood didn’t phase them either. For the most part, everyone just ignored me. A few people laughed and rolled their eyes like I was the new crazy lady in town. A few men whistled at me, which made me increase my pace. But mostly, I was ignored. Or maybe they’d called the cops on me and I was just gone before they’d arrived. All I knew was that if I’d run around like this back home, I would have been arrested for sure. I’d be sitting in a jail cell…safely. Crap, was that a better plan than sneaking into the hotel? At least I’d be safe and warm in jail. But I’d be in jail…
I tightened the map around my naked body as I peered around the corner at the hotel. I just needed to think this through. I couldn’t run into anyone from the dance or they might alert Isabella. But as I tried to come up with a plan on how to get in, my mind felt as frozen as the rest of me. I shivered as I stared at the front entrance. Trying to get a cop to notice me and lock me up was looking like a pretty good choice as I stared at the ornate doors.
The doors. There were more entrances to the hotel than just the main lobby. The first time I’d been to this hotel, I’d gone around to the staff entrance. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t thought of it before. Probably because I was exhausted and cold and minutes away from just curling up to cry myself to sleep in a dumpster. Stop. I was not dumpster diving tonight. I was going to go to James’ room and demand he let me stay there for the night. Just until I knew for sure Kennedy was home safe. It was a great plan.
I tried to stand up a little straighter and the map slipped out of my hands. Oops. I pulled it back around me as I made my way out onto the sidewalk. I walked as fast as I could up to the hotel and then made a quick left down the side alley.
I almost started crying when I saw the door propped open. The last time I’d been in the kitchen it had been hot. They were probably excited to have the frigid autumn breeze coming in. I ducked inside. I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t see anyone. There’d only be a few stragglers on cleaning duty this late. I looked around for an apron or a chef jacket or something to cover myself better. But there was nothing in sight. My map dress would have to do.
I opened the door to the ballroom and immediately closed it. There were still students slow dancing. Was this the never-ending homecoming from hell? I took a deep breath and looked down the hall. This kitchen had to connect to more than just the ballroom. I made my way down the hall, checking door after door until I reached a staircase. Thank God.
As I climbed the stairs all I could think about was room 315. I kept saying it over and over again. My thighs screamed from overexertion. My body was still shaking from the cold even though the stairwell was warm. And when I reached the third floor I did everything I could to hold back my tears. I was so freaking close.
I pushed open the door but immediately pulled it shut when I saw someone I recognized. It was one of the football players that had danced with Matt. I think. I pushed the door open again, slower this time, and peered down the hall. The football player was opening up a door and the girl next to him was laughing.
Was this whole floor filled with students from Empire High? I bit the inside of my lip. If one of them saw me, it would ruin everything. Isabella couldn’t know that I was here. I couldn’t risk Kennedy’s safety. Maybe it would be better to just stay in this stairwell all night. I looked behind me to see if there was anywhere I could hide out.
Oh my God. I’d left a trail of bloody footprints behind me. Leading from the kitchen all the way to this floor. It would only be a matter of time before someone followed this mess. I got down on my hands and knees and tried to wipe up the blood, but it just smeared everywhere. And more blood got onto the pristine floors from my knee.
It took every ounce of strength I had left to push myself back up to my feet. And now that I knew how cut up the soles of my feet were, each step hurt. But I couldn’t stay here all night. I was a sitting duck. I peered into the third floor again. The football player and his date were still talking outside his hotel door.