Fandango [Josh Kiszka] Book One

Bliss

Luanne walked toward him with that determined look she carried making him grin. When she wanted something it always seemed to be done. The SUV pulled up beside them at the other pump with Mickey hopping out to stretch and an extremely pale Jake followed. Danny nearly fell out of the car when Luanne caught him. 

Watching Sam come out of the gas station walking straight past Emmie, Luanne had enough. Emmie's arms stayed folded over her chest while Josh furrowed his brow at the two of them. Seeing Mickey awkwardly standing in the distance the idea came to her. 

"Girls in Penny, boys in the SUV. Sorry darlin." Luanne spoke the second part to Josh nodded in compliance. "It's alright, figured it would come to this. Thanks boys." Josh turned his aggression toward Jake and Sam who wouldn't look up from the ground. 

The car ride with the girls was going much better than expected. They decided to ignore the problems that were occurring and instead focus on the music at hand. 'I Always Knew' by The Vaccines blared through Penny as the girls screamed along. Luanne couldn't help but think that this would be a regular thing now. The three of them forever. No matter what came and went that they would always have each other. 

Mickey's hand gripped her Diet Dr. Pepper while the other waved out the window to the boys car passing by. Her hair flew behind her with the gusts of wind and the laugh that escaped her lips was genuine and real. Emmie matched her enthusiasm playing air guitar while belting the words. 

"This is how you should always feel girls! Free!" Luanne shouted over the music before singing along once again. 

Josh watched the girls from the passenger seat while Daniel drove. He would much rather be in that car than with the sulking men in the backseat. Jake and Sam both smoked out the open window not uttering a word to each other or the group. Luanne made it look so easy to get people to cheer up. How the hell was he supposed to?

"Well Jakey. What happened that you look stuck in terror?" Josh questioned his twin in the backseat. "I slept with Mickey." Jake muttered not looking up as Danny swerved the car nearly into the next lane. 

"You what?" Sam practically shouted staring open mouthed at his brother. 

"She asked why I didn't make a move, so I kissed her. Then I slept with her. Does that paint the picture Samuel?" Jake didn't hold back his attitude as Sam cringed tossing his hair in a bun.

"So, you're depressed after that? Maybe she is acting weird because you haven't tried to talk about it either. So there is your agenda when we get to Fort Stockton. Sam will apologize for stressing Emmeline out. Jake will quit acting like a 17 year old boy. Now can we enjoy our time together?" Josh folded his arms over his chest as the rest of the boys stared at him. 

"Luanne has rubbed off on you man. You sound wise for once." Danny spoke, laughing as they continued down the road. 

They pulled into the hotel right as the rain started coming down. Mickey and Emmie ran ahead inside to get rooms and the boys tried to keep all the bags from getting wet. Josh waited on Luanne who carefully got the trash out of her car. The many Diet Coke cans filled her arms as she dropped them into the trash bin outside. Josh watched her in amusement as she threw her backpack over her shoulders lifting her crop top even higher. 

The feeling of her backpack only seemed to grow heavier as time passed. Josh always offered to carry it but she never gave in. Now he had that same goofy grin that he gave her when she was doing nothing important. It sat deep on her consciousness that he perhaps may be the only guy that will ever look at her like that. Like she was someone important and worth admiring. 

"Well, I think my plan worked." Luanne was grinning as Sam pulled Emmeline into him and Jake rubbed the back of his neck while Mickey smiled toward him. 

"How come we haven't been all confused like them?" Josh asked throwing his arm around her shoulder walking her inside. 

"Well you're obsessed with me. I am obsessed with you. The two of us also practice ignorance is bliss when it comes to the future so that makes it easier." The cool air conditioning blasted in their faces as they walked in, before Luanne pressed her lips firmly to Josh's before reaching the counter to get a room. 

The group resumed what they normally had done in hotel rooms. They gathered in Josh and Luanne's room with take out and picked a movie. Tonight they had decided on a Harry Potter marathon as they all were able to agree on it. The girls all loved it and used their beer cans as wands laughing as they spoke the spells. The boys watched in confusion except for Josh and Wagner who were all in shouting the spells with them. Normally everyone would clear out when they began to grow tired only this night was not the case. 

Josh and Luanne laid on the floor passed out in each other's arms. Sam and Emmie were asleep in an arm chair both of their hair in little braids they had done. Danny was unconscious on the foot of the bed with his held above his head. Jake and Mickey were the only ones left awake staring at the tv screen. 

"Does the ginger know that you bought and not rented the movies for her?" Mickey asked taking another sip of her drink. 

"No, it'll be a surprise that she notices once we are gone. A gift from me to Luanne." Jake replied looking down at the red head and Josh out cold. 

"You are a good guy Jake Kiszka. I am sorry I didn't tell you that earlier. Beginning to quite enjoy our forced time together." Mickey leaned her head on his chest as they laid there continuing to watch the movies. 

"You care more than you let on Marino. I am sorry for my part in what your friends will be like when we leave." Jake ran his fingers through her hair sending a chill up her spine. 

"Me too."