Finding You

Chapter 40 - So Maybe I've Had Better Ideas

So in what could quite possibly be the worst or best decision of my life, here we are, driving down the highway on our way to the beach house.

Fingers crossed, right?

"Are we there yet?" Zack whines from the back-seat.

"For the sixth time, no," Rose replies from the driver's seat, clearly irritated. "And would you cut it out? We've only been driving for an hour."

"But we're hungry," Dejay complains, joining in.

"We'll stop for food in a little while, just go to sleep or something," Alex says from next to Rose.

"It's the middle of the day," Zack groans.

"That never bothered you in school," I laugh.

"Hey, don't mention that place to me for the next two and a half months, it's summer," Zack replies. "Time to forget everything I learned," he says, leaning back with a contented sigh.

"You are an inspiration to us all," his girlfriend, Kimberly says from next to him.

"You love me," he replies.

"You wish," she says.

"No way, this is not happening already. I am not okay with being a seventh wheel on this trip, guys," Dejay complains as Zack leans his head on Kimberly's shoulder.

Next to me, Hunter awkwardly raises a hand to rub the back of his neck, and I blush at the thought that Dejay must have included the two of us in that count.

"Aw come on, man. You've still got me," Jay says from my other side. "Besides, you'd only be a fifth wheel. It would be seventh, except someone screwed that up."

Well, talk about subtle.

"Jay, come on, seriously?" I say.

"No, Mia, it's okay. He's right," Hunter says. "I'm guessing a lot of you guys probably have a problem with me, huh?"

No one in the car speaks, but their silence is answer enough.

"Yeah, I figured," he continues before taking a deep breath. "Alright guys, look," he says. "I know I apologized to Mia, but I never apologized to all of you. I'm sorry that I lied to you, and I know it couldn't have been easy for any of you to watch someone hurt your friend like that. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to forgive myself for what I did to her. So I'll understand if you can't forgive me either."

The car remains silent as Hunter's words linger in the air, until finally, gratefully, Dejay speaks up.

"It's alright man, we're cool," he says patting Hunter on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I mean, if Mia's okay with you, then I'm okay with you," Rose says. "Just know that if you hurt her again, I'm going to hurt you."

"Got it," Hunter says with a nervous laugh.

Everyone else gives their consent and agreement, even Jay.

"Alright, fine," Jay says reluctantly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, so everyone good?" I ask aloud to the car. "No impending fist fights brewing, right?"

"Not if I can help it," Hunter replies, giving me a knowing look. "Jay beat the crap out of me last time."

A smirk instantly makes its way onto Jay's face. "Yeah, well.. Sorry about that, man," he says. "I might've gone a little overboard."

"No, I get it. I guess you just didn't know your own strength," Hunter says, clearly stroking Jay's ego.