Page 77 of Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling

Reggie opens the door for me, and we both walk inside the lobby. The AC is cranked up so high that goose bumps appear on my arms instantly, and there are crackling flames going in the massive stone fireplace in the corner, bookended on each side by cushy leather sofas. I don’t know who this energy-wasting display is for, though, because the lobby is empty except for a blond guy standing behind the front desk wearing a jacket that looks like it belongs to Kristoff fromFrozen,and a name tag that reads “Todd.” A tinkly bell over the door jingled when we came in, so he must know we’re here, but he stays hunched over his cell phone, an intense look on his face.

“Excuse me,” Reggie says, waving his hand.

“Are you eighteen?” Todd asks. His eyes don’t leave his phone.

“Um, no?” I didn’t even think about that. I’m sixteen, seventeen later this month. And even though Reggie is a senior now, he’s a young senior. He just turned seventeen this summer. I don’t think we evencanrent a hotel room for the night.

“Then I can’t help you,” Todd says, confirming my fears.

So now what? We call our parents, tell them what’s going on? I’ll still be hearing about it when I’m fifty if my mom has to drive hours away on a Sunday night and pick me up from a hotelwith a boy.

I look at Reggie to see if he’s panicking too, but he’s already walking toward the desk. Todd is staring at his phone with his eyebrows pinched together tight, rubbing his right hand over his cheek repeatedly.

Reggie leans toward the phone and squints. “Hearthstone?”

That makes Todd look up. But he just rolls his eyes, and mumbles, “Mm-hmm.” His eyes are back on his screen a second later.

Reggie squints at the screen again, though. “Play Puzzle Box of Yogg-Saron.”

Todd’s head jerks up, and he looks at Reggie longer this time, narrowing his eyes in discernment. “But that’s random. I could lose.”

Reggie shrugs. “It’s the best you got. And that timer is running out.”

Todd exhales sharply, and I realize his whole body is moving like his leg is bouncing under the counter. He looks at the phone, looks at Reggie, and then looks at the phone again. Finally, he nods and taps something on the screen. A whirring, sparkly noise explodes from the phone, followed by a loud boom.

“Yeah! Let’s go!” Todd shouts, jumping up. His stool clatters tothe ground. “I had a hundred bucks on that game! My jerk cousin beats me every time, and he thinks he’s the shit.” He claps his hands and points at Reggie. “Good looking out, man!”

“Hey, no problem,” Reggie says with a sly smile. “But now maybe... you could helpusout?”

Todd laughs, shaking his head. He whips his head around, probably checking for his boss, and then grabs a plastic card from under the desk. “Deluxe king, second floor. The couple that was supposed to stay there just canceled like an hour ago, and it’s too late for them to get their money back.” He pushes the key card across the counter toward us. “But youdon’tget the continental breakfast. And if anyone asks if you talked to me, no, you didn’t.”

“But we—but we need, uh, two beds,” Reggie stutters, but Todd’s attention is already back to this Hearthstone game. “Take it or leave it, man. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to go double or nothing.”

One bed. Reggie and I aren’t just staying in the same hotel room. We’re staying in the same hotel roomwith one bed. And I don’t hate that idea... but I’m also completely freaking out.

“Did I really just save us with my nerd shit?” Reggie asks as we walk up the stairs. His eyes are focused on his feet, so I can’t tell if he’s freaking out too.

“You really did. That was impressive. Even if I don’t totally get what happened.”

Reggie lets out a low, hissy laugh. “It’s this card game that you can play online. Kinda like Magic: The Gathering, but also kinda not? I used to be really into it before I, like... had friends?”

“Well, it came in handy, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, take that, Mom and Dad!” he shouts with another laugh.

“Do your mom and dad give you a hard time about the... nerdy stuff?”

But Reggie doesn’t answer, because we’re standing in front of a door. The door to the hotel room with only one bed.

“Uh, here it is,” he mumbles, sliding the key in the reader. It flashes green, and he pushes the door open, revealing a bed with a padded navy headboard, fluffy white comforter, and a sea of pillows.

My whole body gets tingly, and Reggie starts talking fast.

“I—uh, yeah, I’m totally going to sleep on the floor. Like, you don’t even have to worry. I’m not going to, like, you know—yeah. I can even sleep in the hallway if that makes you more comfortable. And, like, guard the door! I’ll totally guard the door!”

“Reggie...” I say, giggling. “You don’t have to guard the door.”

“Well, I will. I will guard the door.” He’s nodding so much, I worry his head is going to bob right off, and I can feel the waves of anxiety rolling off him.

---