Madison v.s The Travelling Exchange Students

Chapter Sixteen: Deal's Off

"Not exactly."

"God you are awful," Bishop jokes.

We laugh together, continuing to brush down the horses.

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Bishop leads the way to his motel room, which is unhelpfully on the top floor of a lodge. Update: I'm still painfully unfit.  

It is late in the afternoon and a slight breeze is in the air. Bishop jangles the key to the green door in his hand as he tries to unlock the door. Apparently, he has to lock Alex and Elias in there while he is gone so they don't leave.

"Just stay away!"

Bishop and I look at each other, very concerned. 

"Please! You don't own her!" a second voice calls. 

Bishop immediately opens the door. 

"No I don't but stop being a creep around her!" 

We step inside and Elias and Alex both turn to look at us, their faces red and angry. Elias is lying on one of the beds, only half-dressed. Alex is standing, his arms crossed. Their room is far cleaner this time than it was in Port Macquarie.

"What are you guys arguing about?" I ask, walking further into the room.

"This time," Bishop buts in, closing the door behind him. "The key phrase is this time."

Folding my arms, I watch Alex and Elias look at each other then back at me. Alex frowns. Elias grins.

"We were actually talking about-"

"-Nothing," Alex growls, cutting Elias off. 

Elias rolls his eyes and sits up. I try and ignore that he has no shirt on.

"Sure," Bishop scoffs.

"Why are you here?" Alex asks, approaching me.

I smile and pull him into a hug. I haven't seen Alex in two days and I've missed him.

"To see you, silly. I've missed you," I mumble into Alex's shoulder.

He squeezes me tighter around the middle, planting light kissing on top of my head.

"Aww, you didn't come to see me?" Elias suddenly groans.

Wow, way to ruin a moment, Elias.

Alex shifts his arm off me and I watch him give Elias the bird. I giggle. Elias flops onto the bed with another groan.

"You aren't meant to be here, I'm not meant to be seeing anyone," Alex points out, looking down at me. 

I shrug. "I know but I thought maybe we could sneak out and hang."

Alex rolls his head back on his neck. "Madison..."

"I know, I know! But we won't get caught I swear. It is my fault you are in here."

"She has a point," Elias chimes in.

He grunts but Alex eventually pulls a smile. "Alright, alright, fine. But if my dad catches us, you're in deep shit."

I reach up and kiss Alex. "Thank you."

He slowly pulls away. "I just am going to sneak out to the coach and grab something, okay?"

I nod and Alex lets go of me, jogging to the motel door. 

"Bishop?"

"Yeah," he replies.