ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴ
'ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴛʀɪᴘ'
𝑅𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛'𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑣:
"ɪ'ᴍ ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ, ɪ'ᴍ ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ!" I yelled out, as Noah's car horn honked from outside, running down the stairs.
Today was the day that the England team came together and arrived at the Team hotel. And unfortunately, I had slept in; just like I usually did.
I cursed a profanity under my breath, giggling at the irony, I didn't even need to check who it was when my phone blew up with notifications, immediately knowing it was from one or both of my two best friends, most likely telling me to 'hurry the fuck up'.
I slipped on my trainers not bothering to do the laces, while I slung my bag over my shoulder. Stealthily, I yanked the door open, pulling out my suitcase, as Brooke jumped out the car, opening the boot.
"Finally!" She shreiked, as I hopped down the steps after locking the door and sliding the keys into my pocket.
The brunnette slid back into the car straight after, clearly claiming the front seat and trying to hide from the biting cold winds.
Jogging down the steps, I threw my suitcase in the back and my bag in the backseats with me, slamming the boot and the door shut.
"Took you fucking ages," Brooke complained, throwing her hand to turn down the radio, ready to hear my explanation.
Noah started the car so that we were on the road, "Yeah, what were you doing?"
"I slept in," I stated blankly and silence roamed around the car for a long second, each of us sensing exactly what was going to happen next.
The girl ahead let out a small chuckle, "Called it!"
The car vibrated with fits of laughter, each of us giggling our lungs out. I sighed, once our fits of chuckle𝗌 stopped and kicked my feet up onto the seat, quickly doing my laces, so I didn't end up tripping over them.
"We're gonna be so so late!" I complained, throwing my hands over my face and putting my keys into my backpack before I had lost them.
"Yeah," Noah snorted, Brooke laughing along, "And who's fault is that?"
I groaned loudly, leaning backwards and resting my head against the car door, "The thing is that my alarm actually rang this time, And I heard it."
The two gave me a weird look, each of them obviously thinking the exact same thing, "How the fuck did you not wake up then?"
"I thought I was waking up at half seven, not half six," I exhaled a long breath, my friends letting out a long and loud giggle.
"Fuck," Brooke muttered under her breath, checking her phone, "Coach leaves in like five minutes."
"No," I said in disbelief, annoyed that I couldn't wake up on time on what might be one of the most important days of my life, "How long will it take to get there?" I asked Noah, him being the driver.
"At least seven, assuming there's no traffic," he answered tapping the wheel, as he drove down a hill.
"Shit," I cursed under my breath, running my hands over my face in worry and then turning to the brunette, "Okay, Brooke, can we get Beth to stall the driver for a couple minutes?"
Her eyes lit up at the idea, snatching her phone from her lap and immediately scrolling through her contacts, "We can try."
And she did; calling Beth and frantically freaking so much that I had to snatch the phone from her, to get it straight to the point, giving the blonde one key task, "Stall."
And somehow, she still failed at that too.
-----
"Fuck," Brooke cursed as we watched the coach drive off, "We've missed it."
Our eyes all dulled down, Brooke letting out a loud sigh, questions flooding our thoughts before my eyes lit up, an idea clearly in store as I turned to the driver friend, "Noah?"
"What?" He groaned, resting his head on the steering wheel.
"How do you feel about a road trip?"
A smile skimmed Brooke's features as she got what I was getting at, hope glimmering in her eyes, as she shifted her body so she was looking at Noah.
"You want me to drive all the way down to fucking Teddington?"
"Yes?" Brooke gave a sheepish smile.
"We'll pay for your petrol!" I tried to make light of the situation.
"I won't," Brooke snorted, as I gave her a glare, "Need I remind you that you're the reason we missed the coach?"
Noah laughed, as I shook my head in defeat, "I guess that's fair."
"And on the way back?" Noah asked, which got us all silent for a few seconds, before I finally came up with a solution.
"Stay with us."
"What?"
"Come with us," I repeated, "I'll book you a room. There's bound to be spare ones."
"Ray, I haven't even packed."
Brooke rolled her eyes, running a hand through her hair, "So go pack!"
"What about work?"
"Linsay loves us, mate," Brooke reminded our friend of ours and his boss' friendship, "Call her and we'll tell her everything."
Noah sighed, tilting his head- It was true, she did love us, "Fuck it."
He finally gave in, turning the car around and driving the whole way back to his own home, which was conveniently right beside a store.
He ran into his house, me and Brooke also getting out, but hurrying into the store, grabbing a load of snacks, which would help us survive the next six hour drive.
We even called Noah's boss to tell her he couldn't be in for the next month or so, but promising that he would 100% put in the work when he gets back; until finally, we were on the road.
------
The whole six hour trip, mostly consisted of the three of us singing songs, watching tiktoks, making tiktoks, sleeping, snacking, calling some friends, and making fun of eachother.
"Finally!" Brooke groaned, as soon as we all arrived at the hotel. She was quite clearly half asleep and anyone could tell.
The team were quite clearly already there, since there were about three coaches parked and they had arrived like an hour or two before us (which we knew from Mary's stories).
"I'm so tired," Noah yawned, which was understandable since he had drove the full way here; the only breaks being for petrol and for the toilet, "And hungry."
I got out to car, stretching as soon as I stood up, "Me and Brooke will go book you a room," I told him, a secret intention to my words, as he rested his head against the steering wheel.
"We will?" Brooke got out, squinting, before I shoved her in the side, giving her a look before she finally realised, "Oh yeah, that's right, we will."
Noah mumbled a reply, as we both ran off into the hotel, instantly being greeted with Beth, Jess and Lucy who were sat on the reception couches, chatting about God knows what.
"Hey!" Beth quickly chirped up, "Took you fucking ages." She giggled making us roll our eyes.
"Yeah, I heard you missed the coach," Lucy joked, making the other two giggle.
"It was Ray's fault," Brooke stated blankly, wandering to sit on the couch next to Beth and telling them all about how I had slept in and completely abandoned what we had came in to do.
"Shoulda stalled better," I blamed Beth, running a hand over my face, while the others laughed.
"Yous weren't the only ones that missed it, dont worry. Alessia, Ella and Hannah did too," Carter assured us, making me smile.
"Good to know," Brooke said, still tired. I excused myself from the group soon after, my feet finding their way to the front desk.
Quickly checking in and getting mine and Brooke's keycards for our rooms, I also booked a room for Noah, feeling sympathy on him, since we had abandoned him and forced him to bring in the luggage himself, after a six hour drive...
"Assholes," He muttered as soon as he walked in, snatching his keycard from my hand and leaving mine and Brooke's suitcases on the floor.
I let out a cackle, picking up Brooke's suitcase and popping it down on the floor in front of her, not even bothering to try to say anything and chucking her her keycard.
"Someone's fiesty!" She called after me, making me giggle and mutter a 'fuck you' back.
I was way too tired for this and needed a nap as soon as possible. I met Noah at the lift, both hopping into it as I made a small joke, him barely even able to process it, as he was practically nodding off.
I rolled my eyes, leading him to his room, as soon as we got out the elevator, so he wouldn't stumble and fall, swiping the card for the room in the door, which instantly opened.
"Night," I whispered as I shut the door behind me, my feet now dragging me to my room, hoping whoever I was roomed with was either out, asleep or just generally quiet.
I swiped the key in the door, swinging it open, as I pulled my suitcase up by the handle instead.
I entered the room, shutting the door behind me, as I slipped off my shoes beside the trainers that were at the side.
"You?" My eyes instantly widened as I heard the familiar voice, my head perking up to see if it was actually who I thought it was.
Williamson.