"So the lake?" Paisley exclaimed as she looked between our group of friends. Matt, Lucas, Gemma, Hunter, and Dierks all looked around at each other.
"It sounds good?" Hunter said and everyone just mumbles in agreement.
"Perfect!" Paisley went on, "I'll get the keys to the lake house from my parents and we'll leave in the morning! Make sure it's cleared with your parents by tonight, I don't want to be the only one getting up early tomorrow."
"Early?" I asked.
Matt chuckled, tilting his head to look at me. "Try it, it's not so bad." He gave me a little smile, and then Lucas interrupted.
"Maggie I'll come over to wake you up."
"I could too," Matt said.
"I'll just wake her up." Hunter said sternly. "I'll already be here." He finished as he eyed the boys who nodded in agreement, muttering out that it makes sense.
"Oh, great! Then we'll all just meet here in the morning if everyone's so eager to get to Magnolia!" Paisley said, glaring at her brother.
We all dispersed by about ten, everyone saying they had to go home and back for the weekend.
My brothers and I told my parents about the lake trip, and I think they mostly let us go because I would be there. I know they don't really trust my brothers by themselves.
Late that night I went into my room, pulling out a Victoria Secret duffle bag from my closet and played some music so I could get in a packing mood.
I threw in the essentials: bras, underwear. I put in a few swimsuits: my cute pink two piece, my cute blue and white triangle two piece, my striped one piece. I also put in mostly high waisted shorts, two pairs of jeans, and assorted tank tops and t-shirts. I made sure to put in athletic shorts and some of my brothers shirts I stole to wear to bed. I put my Uggs in the bag, and I hesitated before putting in some sweatpants. I was prepared for the whole weekend.
I took a shower late, braided my hair back, threw on a t-shirt, and climbed in to bed.
It wasn't that hard to fall asleep. But it was hard to wake up.
"Maggie G," Dierks said as he swung open my door, jumping down on the end of my bed. "Let's go, let's go, let's go."
Hunter runs in, jumping down next to me. "Time to get up, we're heading down to the lake house."
I rub my eyes, laying on my back and let out a groan. "I don't wanna go. I'm too tired."
"Shut up, Mags," Hunter said, tugging on my braid. "Get up, everyone's downstairs."
I rolled my eyes and threw my blankets off, forcing them to cover Dierks. I pulled on a pair of candy cane pajama pants, my brothers old sophomore varsity football sweatshirt, and I grabbed my Uggs from my duffle bag and put them on. I followed my brothers downstairs with my bag in my hand, a sleepy look on my face as I pull my hair out of the braid.
"Morning Magnolia!" Paisley and Gemma both exclaimed.
I groaned, handing my bag to Lucas who was putting them in the cars.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, huh?" Lucas asked with a grin.
"Shut up," I mumbled, elbowing him as I joined everyone else in the kitchen.
I grabbed one of those Starbucks drinks from the fridge, popping the top and swallowing down large gulps of it.
"So who's driving?" I ask.
"Hunter and I are taking his truck, I think Paisley's taking her car." Dierks said.
"Paisley's car? Why Paisley's car?" I ask irritated.
"I wanted to drive!" Paisley exclaims. "In the drop top, it'll be so nice."
"In your two seater?" I ask, bothered.
"Oh, yeah, we didn't think about that." Gemma said looking at me. "But I already called riding with her so, just have fun with you brothers! Love you!" Gemma and Paisley jumped up, running out to her car.
I groan again, but louder as I followed my brothers outside. "Maggie's in the back!" Dierks shouts as he jumps on the front.
"Maggie's in the middle!" Lucas says as he jumps in on one side.
Matt lets me slide in the middle. "You were too slow." He grins and climbs in next to me. He hits the side of the truck, pointing at Hunter through the rear view mirror. "Let's go."
Hunter lets Paisley get in front of us, and she speeds down the street with her music playing which causes my brothers to laugh.
We were about an hour into the drive, and I was getting really tired. My eyes kept fluttering shut and my head was leaned back. Dierks had passed out awhile ago, and I knew I was next. I allowed my eyes to close, and I leaned forward to rest my forehead on Matt's shoulder. Matt didn't say anything, and if he did I was too drowsy to process.
"Pit stop!" My brother yelled as he opened his door and stepped out, slamming it shut.
I jumped up, looking up and widening my eyes as I came face to face with Lucas. I laughed a bit, leaning back quickly. "Sorry, bud." I mumbled, scrambling to get back to my own seat in a straight up position. Lucas was leaning against his door, and I had moved and fallen asleep against his chest. It was embarrassing. I clicked to unbuckle my seatbelt and look at Matt. I ruffled his hair and elbowed him. "Wake up, sleepy head," I grinned. "We're at the gas station."
Matt rubbed his eyes, grinning once he saw me. He unbuckled his seatbelt immediately. "Slurpee?" He asked me.
"Cherry for me, Coca Cola for Lucas please!" I said as Matt stepped out of the truck and followed my brothers inside.
"You always had a good memory," Lucas laughed as he got himself comfortable again.
I leaned back against the seat in the middle, sighing although allowing a small grin to appear on my lips. "I know."
Lucas leaned forward and put his arm around my neck, pulling me into a hug and to lay back on him. It was a little awkward, to be honest, but I went along with it since I was so tired.
"Mags, you know you're my favorite, right?" Lucas asked.
I laughed. "I'm all of your favorites."
Lucas rested his chin on my head, and I saw in the reflection of the window that his eyes were fluttering shut. I was comfortable. The more I thought about what was happening, the more I realized how nine year old me would be acting right now. I probably would have been crying because I had a semi crush on Lucas, more on Matt though.
I closed my eyes, resting them with no intention of really falling asleep. I placed my hand over Lucas's absentmindedly, then quickly pulled away. I didn't want my brothers to walk in the car and see us... cuddling? I'm not sure what this really falls under. All I know is that I'd rather not ruin this weekend.
"Lucas," I mumbled. "Wake up your drink is here."
Lucas shot up, waiting for Matt to bring his slurpee in the car. "Thanks Mags," he stopped. "Matt, I mean."
"Yeah, yeah," Matt said as he jumped back on the truck and waited for my brother to start it.
"Y'all ready?" He asked.
"Yep," we all said.
Hunter started to drive and we took off. We were maybe an hour or two away.
"Can I play my music now?" I ask. Dierks and Hunter exchange looks but ultimately give in, handing me the aux chord. "Yay!" I exclaim and look through my playlist.
I click on Countdown, a song I've become a little to familiar with.
"Oh!" I shout. "Killing me softly, and I'm still fallin!" I sing, holding the note a little longer. "Still the one I need, I will always be with you," I continue to sing, throwing my hands up.
Matt unplugged the chord from my phone, shaking his head. "Not happening," he plugged in his own. I rolled my eyes and watch him scroll over playlists before clicking on one that was a mixture of country and old school rock.
"Whatever," I groaned as I leaned against Matt's shoulder, putting my legs on Lucas's lap.
It felt like forever until we got to the lake house, which we beat the girls to. We waited in the car until they got there with the keys.
Paisley jumped out, telling Matt to grab their stuff. I turned and told my brothers to grab mine.
I grabbed Paisley's hand. "We get the master bedroom!" I shouted, holding our hands high. "Gemma gets her own room in one of the queen size beds, and the boys can figure out the rest."
Paisley and I walked straight into our room, thanking the boys for bringing in our bags and they just nodded.
"My parents left some beers and stuff in the fridge, so we're good for a while but we'll have to let Matt do his thing to get some more." Paisley said as she jumped on the bed and laid back.
"So..." I say, laying down on the bed. "Nap time?"
Paisley looks at me. "Hell yes. I drove the whole way. I'm exhausted."
Matt walks into our room and lays at the end of the bed. "I'm so tired," he mumbles. Before he had come in I had gotten under the blankets, so Matt was laying on my legs, using them as a pillow. "I'm just gonna take a little nap with you guys." His voice was sleepy, so I knew he actually meant it and that's what made Paisley and I not really care.
The three of us drifted off to sleep for a while, because when I woke up it was nine at night already. I heard music playing in the living room and Paisley was gone. It was just Matt and I, and Matt had moved to take Paisley's spot on the right side of the bed. I wasn't that tired anymore, just drowsy so I continued to lay down. I turned away from Matt, so my back was to his face.
I closed my eyes for a bit until I felt like opening them. Matt had begun to play with my hair. He did it very absentmindedly. He was twisting and twirling pieces with one of his hands, and then he would pull on a strand and I would mumble, "Matt stop," and then he would go back to twirling.
This felt casual. Like it was no big deal we were laying together. And I was right, it's not, but people would think more of it because he's... well he's Matt. So there would be a valid reason to think other things.
I laid on my back, elbowing Matt. "Ready to go out there?" I asked.
"Do we have to?"
"We should," I muttered, sitting up.
"Fine," he groaned.
That's when we walked out of the room together.