Tutoring for Eternity

Chapter 11: Welcome to Florida

Danni

 My brother decided he wanted to come with Zak, my mom, and I to visit my sister for Thanksgiving.

 So there's another persons suitcase I gotta fit in my car.

 "Why didn't you tell me he was coming?" Mom asks me as we put our bags into the car.

 "I did tell you, just now," I tell her.

 "I meant in advance." She sighs.

 "Why'd you invite him anyway?" Lucas, my brother says.

 "He would've been alone for Thanksgiving since his parents are never home. They kind of neglected him."

 "Oh..." My mom says quietly. 

 "I felt bad, I didn't want him to be alone. He was crying. He doesn't have any siblings or pets. His house is always so quiet."

 "Alright, I guess it's not a big deal. It's your car and you're driving. I hope Rachael is okay with it though."

 "I texted her already and she said it was fine."

 "Alrighty then, looks like you've got it covered."

 When I pull up to his house my brother and I get out to go see if he needs help.

 I knock on the door. He opens it and just looks at me with tired eyes.

 "Hey, it's too early." He says.

 "It's only seven in the morning. I wanted to leave like five hours ago but nobody knows how to wake up that early." I look at Lucas.

 "Don't look at me, it was Mom who wouldn't wake up."

 "I told you to wake her up like five times. But you didn't listen."

 "I have other things going on in my life."

 "At two in the morning?"

 "Yeah..."

 "Just go put his bag in the car," I tell him.

 "Seating arrangements is you and I in the front and Lucas and my mom in the back," I tell him starting to walk to the car.

 "You're driving? The whole 18 hours?"

 "Yeah, my mom doesn't want to and Lucas isn't old enough."

 "I'll drive too. Every time we stop for gas we switch and whoever stops has to pay for the gas."

 "I'm not making you pay for my car's gas."

 "Too bad. You invited me and this is me repaying you."

 "You're not paying for gas."

 "Watch me."

 "Zak, I c-"

 "Danni, I have thousands of dollars in my bank account from allowance that I have yet to use. Just let me pay. Besides, it's not like I'm paying the whole time only when I'm driving."

 "Okay," I sigh.

***

 The sixteen-hour drive went by quickly since we were switching. 

 We spent majority of the time going back and forth between my playlist and his.

 It's safe to say he has terrible taste in music.

 Right now we're pulling into Rachael's driveway. I missed her, I haven't seen her in years.

 "Are you excited?" Zak asks.