Maddie sat quietly in the passenger seat of her moms Hyundai, Santa Fe as they entered the city of Belmont, Oklahoma. Her mom had gotten a job promotion as the new manager of The Saint, a relatively small hotel chain in the United States. The nicest of which, being the one in Belmont, that’s the reason they had moved so quickly. Maddie was not too thrilled about the move but how did her mom expect her to react? She had to leave her entire life in New York City, not to mention the best friend she’d had since kindergarten. She ‘ see how she could not possibly just pick up and leave all that behind just as she was entering her senior year of high school. She was used to the fast paced city but Belmont was anything but fast paced. On the contrary it was laid back and small. It was almost overwhelming to adjust to such a large change so quickly. “Well, we’re here!” her mom announced as they pulled into the parking lot of The Saint.
    “Great,” Maddie sighed sarcastically as they parked and got out of the car to stretch their legs.
    “Well i guess we should check in and get a bellhop to take the stuff to our room,” her mom said stretching. Maddie said nothing but followed her mother into the lobby of the hotel. They walked up to the receptionist and introduced themselves. “I’m Noreen Lawrence, the new manager.”
    “Yes, Mrs. Lawrence we’ve been expecting you,” the receptionist said. “Wait here one second and I will get the Assistant Manager who’s been filling in.” With that the woman left and returned a few moments later with a plump red faced man.
    “Mrs. Lawrence, welcome, I’m Mr. Wilford,” he said shaking her hand. “Let me send a bellhop to get your things and show you to your room. Then you can get settled and come find me so I can brief you on what goes on here.” He reached down and punched a number into his pager. A moment later a bellhop appeared a little out of breath but nonetheless ready for his orders. After Mrs. Lawrence and Maddie walked the bellhop to the car and followed him to the fourteenth floor.
    “Ah here is your suite,” the bellhop said as he held open the door for them. Mrs. Lawrence tipped him and he left them to unpack.
    “Can you believe this place Maddie?!” said her mom enthusiastically as she began to unpack some of the boxes labeled kitchen.
    “Ugh, its way to small,” Maddie said trying to find what she could to complain about.
    “I know you’re not thrilled about leaving your friends behind but this is a great opportunity for us,” Maddies mother tried to convince her it was a good thing for them before but it hadn’t worked then and Maddie did not believe it now.
    “Sure, whatever,” she sighed as she hauled her suitcases to the bedroom of her choice. Her mom always let her have the biggest room of the suite to humor her. It had  worked when she was five and they moved into The Saint in New York City but the effect had worn off somehow after the years.
    “This could be a great adventure for you, Maddie,” Her mom replied. “Just give the place a chance.”
    “Sure and if i wanted to jump off a bridge i bet you’d tell me to give that a chance too,” Maddie said sarcastically from her room. Of course being a mother, Mrs. Lawrence was used to this sort of sarcasm from Maddie and just shook her head and didn’t think on it much. “After you unpack you should go explore the hotel a bit..”
    “I’d rather eat dirt,” Maddie snapped back.
    “If that’s the kind of food you like then go ahead,” mom retorted, “if you go out maybe you’ll meet somebody else that would eat dirt with you.”
    “Ha ha,” Maddie answered, still laying on the sarcasm as thick as she could. She looked at her room; it appeared the same as her other room in New York except that it lacked those few personal touches that every room needs. Instead of immediately unpacking Maddie decided to go find the jacuzzi and relax a little.
    The hotel was very laid back compared to the one Maddie had resided in before and she wasn’t quite sure whether or not that was a good thing or a bad thing. It didn’t take long to find the pool and jacuzzi. “Apparently the guy that designed these hotels didn’t want to go through the trouble of making any of them different. That lazy bum,” Maddie thought as she entered the indoor pool area and made her way to the hot tub, which conveniently was empty and that’s how Maddie liked it. She slipped off her t shirt and lowered herself slowly into the jacuzzi. “Ahhh” she sighed as she leaned back to relax in the hot water. “At least I can always count on the hot tubs.”
    Sadly, her relaxation moment was interrupted as two teenagers about her age entered. They were talking wildly about some people that Maddie had never heard of and laughing as they approached the hot tub. They paused their conversation as they noticed Maddie. “Hello,” the girl smiled at her. “I’m Lucy and this is Toby” Lucy was a slender, bubbly girl with short dark hair and Toby was a tall muscular guy with sandy blond hair and blue eyes.
    “Maddie,” Maddie replied giving the two a half smile.
    “You must be new here,” Toby said just being nice and making conversation.
    “Yeah I am,” answered Maddie. “My mom is the new manager of the Hotel.” she explained.
    “Oh, I suppose that means you’re gonna be living here then?” Lucy asked.
    “Yes we’re on the fourteenth floor,” Maddie answered. Although she  was still highly opposed to this move she wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity of making friends. The last thing she needed was to be the dork that no one talked to. “Do you live here too?” she asked.
    “No, we work here though,” Toby answered, “As lifeguards.”
    “When we’re not on duty we hang out here sometimes,” Lucy explained.
    “Oh, that’s cool I guess,” Maddie sighed.
    “So where did you move here from?” Toby asked, a little shyly because he wasnt sure if it was a tender subject to ask about.
    “New York,” Maddie answered. ” It’s alot different from this. I’m used to the city life.”
    “We’ve lived here all our lives,” Toby replied.
    “I would be ticked if my parents decided to move me my senior year of high school,” retorted Lucy. She clearly sympathized with Maddie but still had no idea how alone Maddie felt during all of this.
    “I’m trying to adjust but it’s really hard for me,” Maddie was finally relieved that someone sympathized with her. “My whole life was back there. Speaking of my life, I better head back upstairs and finish unpacking before it gets too late.”
    “I guess we’ll see you around?” Toby asked as Maddie got out of the jacuzzi and dried herself off.
    “Yeah, it looks like it,” Maddie grinned.
    “See you!” Lucy waved as Maddie left to return to the tedious job of unpacking and trying to settle into this whole new place.
    As she returned to the room she noticed her mom wasnt there. “She must be settling into her new job.” Maddie thought to herself as she changed back into her clothes. She hung her wet swim suit and towel in the bathroom and proceeded to unpack her room. The first thing she did was set up her laptop and web cam so she could talk to her best friend from New York. “Hey Alex,” she said.
    “Hey how’s things goin for you over there?”
    “Ugh, I wish I werent here right now,” Maddie sighed. “What am I gonna do with out you?”
    “Oh same here, girl. Just make sure you dont get another bff and forget all about me.”
    “Haha like thats possible.” Maddie laughed as she threw a box on her bed to unpack.
    “It’s never gonna be the same around here without you.” Alex frowned.
    “You have to keep me posted on the goings on down there though,” Maddie said.
    “Oh of course and you gotta give me all the news of the wherever it is you are.”replied Alex
    “Speaking of news, I met two kids our age today at the spa,” Maddie explained all about Lucy and Toby.
    “That Toby guy sounds pretty cute!” Alex squealed. This sort of reaction was normal for her as far as Maddie was concerned.
    “Yeah i guess he is,” agreed Maddie.
    “Are they gonna be at your new school?” Alex asked.
    “That I dont know. I didnt ask,” Maddie answered. “But I hope so. I am dreading starting a new school and not knowing any body.”
    “Oh I would be too.” The girls talked for hours while Maddie unpacked and vented all her frustrations to Alex. Both of them eventually fell asleep talking to each other. When Maddie’s mom came back in for the night she roused Maddie long enough to get her into bed.