**All photos and images are not mind nor do I claim to own them. They are simply to give the reader a visual idea of characters and locations.
Cody
Okay.
I just need to convince them to go on this trip. I mean, none of them are busy this summer. Shit, if I have to, I'll even blackmail them.
I start to chuckle at the idea of blackmailing them. They're all my best friends so I know each and every one of them better then they know themselves. But I wouldn't. In fact, I would die for those bitches and bastards.
I'm holding the old crumpled paper that I found in my grandparent's basement.The story goes that my great-grandpa Frank worked at the mines years ago and drew a map on this paper, claiming it's a map to some gold nuggets he hid.
That's the story I'm telling the others to convince them to go on this trip together. My story is quite different, but I'm not dwelling on it right now.
"Cody! Why the fuck are we here!" I heard Chantel screaming out to me as soon as I saw them.
That girl needs to learn to shut the fuck up. I've known her since we were 10 years old and she hasn't shut up since... but I love her. I really love her. Having a crush on someone who doesn't like you the same way sucks. She comes in the name of Chantel.
As I get closer to my friends I see that all four of them are there.
" Hey Cody," Rico greets me using our usual hand gestures. We chest pump.
"Hey Rico." I greeted.
"Yo Code-man, what shit did you get into now," Christopher said, jumping out from behind Rico. The jackass jumps on me and we fall to the ground, "Really Chris, you want this now." I said as we wrestle on the ground.
"Okay you immature children." Ahh, I heard Chantel's voice. She thinks she's mature and posh ever since she got a million views on her YouTube page. She's a social media influencer. She makes videos and posts about makeup, fashion and hair. I think it's all stupid, Personally.
"Hello beautiful." I say smiling at her. Teasing Chantel is my specialty. Her dark brown skin and hazel eyes makes my knees weak. That's why I'm still her friend. As much as she gets under my skin I get to stare at her beauty in close proximity any time I want.
"Shut up Cody," Chantel yells in disgust," Why are we here? I have stuff to do, you know."
"Like picking lipstick shades at the store." Chris pipes up sarcastically, hitting me on the arm.
"Shut up Chris!" Chantel snaps at Chris. Chris blows her a kiss.
"Guys, maybe if you all stop talking Cody can talk." I look at Nicole. She's the savior in this group.
Always was. She's not Miss Perfect, but her life is planned out... but not by her doing. Her parents are moving her to a private school in the fall. They told her it's to better her chances of getting into an Ivy school. We think the move is to separate her from us. We don't fit their model plan for their daughters' life anymore. And her stuck-up asshole, controlling boyfriend is the perfect addition for their baby's planned life. Honestly it makes me sick. Especially since I know that Chris is so head over heels for Nicole. Maybe this trip is what Chris needs to man up and tell her how he feels.
"Okay, check this out." I took the old paper out of my pocket and tossed it on the grass in front of me.
The others come closer and look at it.
"Ah Cody. What is it?" Chris asks.
"A fucken map you idiot." I say.
"For what?" Nicole asks, looking at me.
"It's a map that my Great-grandfather, Frank drew. He worked in some mines years ago. He hid some gold nuggets that he found and drew the map so he could go back later to retrieve it."
No one is talking. I look at each of them, "guys! Let's go on a treasure hunt this summer!"
They all move back, moaning.
"Cody man," Rico says, "I can see your excitement on this. It's you're kinda shit, but how do you know he didn't already get the gold? I mean your dad's well off and.."
"No Rico. This is my mom's side and no one is well off there, so no gold came home. It's out there." I said pointing at the X on the map.
"Cody. It's risky to just go and follow a map that someone drew." Nicole says, "I mean what if we get hurt, what if we need food or run out of money. We need somewhere to sleep at night..."
"What if we find it?" I interrupt Nicole, looking straight into her eyes, smiling in awe, "Come on guys. This would be a perfect story in our lives. Especially since, this fall, we won't all be together."
"Oh God, here we go." Chantel mutters.
"No, I'm not kidding. Listen, we are getting to the end of our teen years." I start.
"No, you are. I'm only 16." Chantel blurbs out.
I start my pitch, ignoring Miss. Chantel, " Nicole's moving to a private school and Rico graduated. He's working full time at his dad's auto shop." I look at each of them. "We're done. Our adult lives of responsibility and boredom are upon us and we only really have this summer to do some crazy shit like drink, get high and go on this road trip."
I put my arms up as I ended my case, hoping they would take the bait.
I look at each of them as they side-eye each other.
"Shit! I'm in!" Chris leans towards me and lifts his arm. I stretch out my arm and he clasps my hand into a shake.
"You're going to encourage this crap he's selling to us?" Chantel asks, looking at Chris.
"Hey. My dad's been up my ass about high school and college football. I can't get him to listen to what I want. If this trip will get me kicked off the team this senior year, fuck, then I'm in."
Chris has always got my back and we have gotten into a lot of shit together, but it's no surprise to us that Chris's dad has high expectations of him playing College football and being scouted. Chris doesn't. He wants business or some thing like that.
"At-a-boy, Chris!" I look at the others, "Come on guys. It's not the same without ALL of us."
"I'll Go." Chantel said.
"Really?" I said looking surprised at Chantel.
Chantel nods her head, "Yeah, I think it would be a great feature for my blog and YouTube page. An adventure and how to keep your style intact in the great outdoors."
Of course, that would be her deciding fracture.
"No, no, no, no!" I repeat, " You can't tell anyone we're going on this trip. Our parents can't find out. They wouldn't let us go if they knew."
"Then I'm out. I have better things to do." Chantel says looking at her acrylic nails.
Fuck, I thought, "Fine. You can record it, but only, and I fucken mean only, post it when we are back. Deal." I stretch my hand out to Chantel.
Chantel smiles her sexy smile that melts my heart, "Deal. I'm in."
I shake my head and look at Rico and Nicole.
" Mi Hombre, Rico. ( my friend, Rico) " I say in Spanish, "What do you think?"
Rico looks at me, " I don't know bro. I can't leave my dad working in the shop alone. He's old and stubborn."
"The other machanics can help him. It would be like two weeks. Come on Rico. Hermanos de pro vida. (Brothers for life)" I said, speaking the little spanish I picked up from Rico and his parents.
Rico looks around and throws a piece of grass on the ground, " Fuck you Cody. Yeah ok. I'll go. I'll drive too. My jeep's probably better than all your cars."
"Yes, bravo Rico. Coming with wheels and all." I cheered. I look at Nicole and I gain control of my enthusiasm. The hardest one to convince hasn't said anything yet. I put on my best, sweetest, puppy eyes I could mustard out.
"Nikkers, how about it? Before you start your perfectly planned fake life, give us this one time. You owe it to us."
Okay, I'll blackmail one of them.
Nicole looks at me with her poker face that she uses to win arguments with, "I can't." She looks around at us, "We all can't. How can you all convince your parents to let us go on such a trip? We would need a nearly impossible lie for our parents to feel that we're safe and leave us alone for like two weeks?"
Shit. I hate her reasoning.
"You guys can tell your parents that my dad invited you to his cottage. I'll tell my mom the same thing." I said concocting a plan on the spot.
"That could work." Chris said, " What would you tell your dad?"
I thought for a moment, "I'll tell him I'm going camping with one of you guys." I looked at Nicole, "We need this Nikkers. We owe each other this summer."
Please let this guilt trip work.
"Come Nicole. I need my best friend to help me deal with these hooligans." Chantel pleads with her hands together in prayer.
Nicole looks at down, "We have to plan this out right."
"Yes." I said agreeing with her.
Nicole looks at me, "No wild nights with crazy strangers and girls."
I look a Nicole insulted at what she's implying, "None at all."
"What I say goes. If I feel something is not right, we listen to me. Got it."
"Yes ma'am" i said as I salute her.
Nicole cracks a smile, "I guess you guys will need someone to keep you safe," Nicole shakes her head, "Fine I'll go as long as we keep it simple and safe."
We cheer.
"You guys won't regret this. I swear on my life." I said to my best friends.