Angie rang the bell on the counter of the run down motel’s front desk. She made a face as her hand hit something sticky. An overweight, balding, man came up to her.
“Hey, babe, how can I help you?” He said, in a disgusting nasal voice. Angie groaned inwardly. This was nauseating.
“I’d like a room,” She said.
“We can do that.” The man rummaged in a drawer behind him.
Angie tapped her fingers along the dirty counter top. She didn’t even want to think about how gross the rooms would be. It was the cheapest place in town, though, and that’s what mattered.
“Here you go, room thirty-four, that will be nineteen dollars,” The man said, holding out a key. Angie gave him the money and took the key. She walked down the broken sidewalk, stepping over glass, and found her room. As she opened the door, a foul smell hit her. She coughed and stepped in. There was a puke-ish green colored carpet, with a few spots worn bare. The bed had a stained brown bedspread and a flat pillow. Angie threw her bag on the bed, and made her way to the bathroom. There were odd colored stains in the tub and sink, and Angie didn’t want to consider their origin. She walked back into the bedroom area, and lay back on the bed. It creaked and she could feel springs in her back.
“Hell, the apartment in New York was better than this dump!” Angie said to herself. She pulled Taylor’s number out of her pocket. She wondered if he was home yet. She figured if his mother answered, she would just hang up. The phone rung three times, before someone picked it up.
“Hello?” A small voice answered. Angie paused.
“Hello, is Taylor there?”
“Yes.”
“May I speak to him?”
“Hold on.” Angie heard footsteps and then the voice call for Taylor. A minute later, he picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Taylor, this is Angie.”
“Hey! Did you find somewhere to stay all right?”
“Yeah.”
“Great…”
“Yeah.”
“I want to see you.”
“I want to see you too, but I don’t know where or how.”
“How about at your room?”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“We can’t really meet in public.”
“Yeah.”
“Just tell me where you are, and I’ll come by, okay?”
“Where will you tell your parents you are going?”
“To a friend’s house.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“I’m at the fledgling motel. Do you know where that is?”
“Oh, Angie. Yes. That’s gross. You could have stayed somewhere better.”
“I don’t have much money.”
“I’ll give you some.”
“I cannot take your money, Taylor.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not right.” Angie paused for a moment. “Well, neither is going half way across country to be with a sixteen year old boy.” Taylor laughed softly.
“I’m glad you came. I worried about you up there.”
“Don’t you find this strange?”
“What? You and me?”
“Is there a you and me?”
“I’m not sure what there is.”
“Neither am I.”
“I’m going to come by, okay? What room are you in?”
“Thirty-four.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a little while.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Taylor knocked on the door to motel room number thirty-four. Angie opened the door, and looked around cautiously, and let Taylor in. She wrapped her arms around him tightly.
“I’ve been so lonely,” She said, trying not to break down crying. Taylor ran his hands on her back.
“I know. I’m sorry about Katie.”
“Yeah.” They drew apart. Angie walked across the room.
“This is just insane,” she said. Taylor sighed.
“Yeah, I guess so. But I’m glad you came. I get lonely too.”
“But, you have that big family of yours…”
“It’s different then having a girlfriend.” Angie laughed.
“Me? You’re girlfriend? That’s slightly illegal.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“You don’t even know how old I am!”
“Tell me.”
“Twenty-seven.”
“You don’t look a day over twenty-three,” Taylor grinned.
“The fact I’m almost thirty doesn’t scare you?”
“Why should it?”
“I don’t know,” Angie laughed, “If I was sixteen, and a twenty-seven year old wanted me, I’d go running.”
“You want me?” Taylor stepped closer to Angie.
“Did I say that?” She said, backing against the wall. He nodded.
“Yes, you did.” Taylor placed his hands on the wall on either side of Angie. He looked at her. He kissed her nose, and she giggled. He began to place a trail of light kisses from her nose down to her neck. Angie took in a deep breath. She loved the way he smelled. He smelled inviting, and he looked inviting. That voice in the back of her head was screaming at her, telling her how wrong this was. She wished she could turn it off.
“Taylor,” Angie said, pulling away. Taylor looked her in the eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Do you have a voice telling you this is wrong?”
“I did. I got rid of it,” He smiled wickedly. Angie laughed.
“I wish I could.”
“Try harder.” He began to kiss her again. Angie placed her hands on Taylor’s muscular back. She ran them along the waistband of his pants. She enjoyed the taste of his tongue on hers. Everything seemed so unreal. Taylor stood out like an angel in the hellhole motel. He seemed to glow, with his golden hair and crystal blue eyes. Angie felt like she was corrupting him. He was just a child. Taylor’s hand began to creep up Angie’s shirt. She could feel her muscles tighten. She wanted to be touched. For the first time in a long time she craved sex. She craved Taylor. But, she just couldn’t do it. She pushed him away.
“No, we can’t do this; not here, not now. What am I saying, not ever.” Angie paced across the room, muttering to herself.
“Okay,” Taylor said, watching her. Angie stopped and looked at him.
“What do we do now?”
“Get to know each other?”
“That sounds just right.”