Back To You | complete

Chapter 01| Crabby and Jet Lagged

Chapter one: Crabby and Jet Lagged

O L I V I A

"You're here!" I heard Sam say in a sing-song voice as felt the vehicle come to a stop. My fingers stopped rubbing my throbbing temples and I reluctantly opened my eyes looking up.

Yes, they had roped me into joining them on this morbid trip. I already knew this plan was set to go south. I felt it in my gut. I had made like a thousand excuses, from money to leave problems. And each excuse was thwarted either with answers like 'We will play for your ticket and you don't even have to pay us back' or talking to my colleagues at the office who betrayed me by revealing that I had a whole year's worth of leaves stacked up for me to use.

So please, forgive me if I looked like I didn't want to be there. Because I truly did not.

"I noticed," I said dryly, climbing out. I was stiff and my head hurt. The flying part of the trip had sucked. Contrary to my mood, Griffin was excited and actually happy to be there. He grinned as he climbed out as well.

"Where's your enthusiasm?" Sam demanded of me, hugging Griff who, out of the two of us, looked more approachable without a doubt.

"It went to take a dive in the Pacific," I spoke, unloading our trunks with the driver. Griff caught my elbow and pulled me away, doing it himself. I crossed my arms across my chest as I watched vacantly. When he was done, the pre-paid driver drove away unceremoniously.

"Well, bring it back," she whined, hugging me like a koala.

"Can't." I stood still. "It's in the Marina Trench and it's liking it there better than here."

Griffin snorted.

She scrunched up her nose, finally releasing me from the one-sided hug. "And to think you led the cheer squad for a year in High School."

"Boo-hoo." I rolled my eyes.

"Is everyone here?" Griffin asked her, eyeing me cautiously. Who could blame him? I was pretty sure I looked dead.

"Most of 'em," Sam declared. "It's going to be so much fun!" She squealed, looking at me with twinkling eyes.

Suffice to say, her mood was not infectious to me.

"Yeah. Convivial," I deadpanned.

"What crawled up your ass and died?" She scowled, finally absorbing the extent of my grumpiness.

"My will to cope," I replied flatly.

She let out a breath, muttering a curse before shaking her head. It reflected her acceptance that asking me any question would only lead to a dead end. I decided to let myself be a tiny bit pleased by that fact.

"What did you do to her?" She demanded, turning to Griffin.

Ah, a change of tactics.

"Nothing!" He denied.

And another dead end.

"Well, you did something!" She accused. "She was fine when we talked last night!"

"Samantha, I swear I'm blameless," he protested.

"Then why are there dark circles under her eyes?" She grabbed my face, examining me like a mother hen. I stepped back in irritation.

"I'm fine, Sam. I just want to sleep," I told her, trying not to be as crabby as I felt.

"Why didn't you sleep last night?" She questioned and I gave her a pointed look.