Friday came and the six of us could hardly sit still, we were so excited. At Chemistry, Caleb noticed my excitement.
"Is this about the road trip?" Caleb asked, smiling.
"Yea, it's been ages since we all went out like this," I said.
"Where are you going?"
"Wherever the road takes us," I said, grinning. We should probably make that our motto or something. Adrian was sitting in front of Caleb and he'd been tense ever since I stepped into the class. In front of me, Shannon was trying to talk to him, but he wasn't listening. I felt smug. But then the optimist in me wondered why I was hurting him like that. Because he'd hurt me? Didn't that mean I was stooping to his level?
"Hey Adrian," I said. His head snapped up and turned so fast he got a whiplash.
"Chloe?" he croaked, rubbing his neck, wincing. Must be painful. Next to me Caleb rolled his eyes. The teacher started class so he turned back to the front but he wasn't so tensed anymore.
After class I was on my way to my locker when both Caleb and Adrian ran up to me. I looked at them in confusion. They glared at each other.
"You go first," Caleb said.
"I need to talk to her alone," Adrian said curtly.
"So do I," Caleb snapped. They both glared at each other again. Finally Caleb rolled his eyes and walked away.
"Hey," Adrian said.
"Hey, what did you want to tell me?"
"I'm sor-"
I sighed. "It's fine, Adrian. Let's just be friends, okay?"
He nodded. "Yes, okay. Yes."
"If you don't mind, I gotta get to class," I said and walked to my next class.
After school, I walked to my locker. Vivi let out a squeal when she saw me. I laughed.
"I know!"
We hugged. "See you at George and Alexa's in an hour!" she said. I nodded and walked to Cedric's car. We'd come together because he didn't have practice today. We went home, took a shower and packed our stuff. Then we hauled all the stuff to Cedric's car and drove to the twins' home. Dylan was already there, loading the jeep with his stuff. He waved when he saw us. I hopped out before Cedric could park the car and hugged him.
"Hey! Where's George and Alexa?" I asked.
"They've already put their stuff in the jeep. Alexa said George might be a bit late to step out, something about a prank..."
I rolled my eyes. "Those two..."
Alexa waltzed out of the open front door, grinning ear to ear, as Cedric and I put our stuff into the back of the jeep. There was hardly any space now.
"Friends, romans, countrymen!" she proclaimed while we booed at her. Vivi's red SUV pulled up and I cheered. She parked in the spacious garage, took her stuff and walked to the jeep. As usual she looked like a model, wearing a sleeveless maroon jumpsuit with lacework at the neck. Her sunglasses rested on top of her shoulder length platinum blond curls. She was wearing maroon Vans and no make up except lip gloss.
Cedric hadn't taken his eyes off her so I nudged him.
"Stop staring," I smirked. He glared at me and helped her cram her stuff into the little space that remained in the jeep. I wondered if she had the same effect on Dylan, but he didn't seem fazed.
"We've been friends for what, ten years? I see her only as a friend," Cedric said, standing beside me again.
"Hmm, you'd think that after ten years you'd get used to it. I mean, Dylan wasn't drooling like you," I said quietly so Vivi wouldn't hear. She walked over to us.
"You guys filled the jeep!" she said, laughing. Cedric blinked, muttered something and went to find George while I tried not to laugh.
"T-shirt and jeans, ever heard of it?" I asked, giving her a once over. She rolled her eyes.
"Oh please, I do wear jeans and shirt."
"Yea, at home."
"Not all of us aim for the hobo look."
"Yea, some of us just aim for the supermodel look,"
She smirked. "Are you saying I look like a supermodel?"
"Keep dreaming, Vivian."
"Chloe, you could pull it off better than me, if only you'd give me a chance..."
"Never," I said, rolling my eyes. Vivi was always trying to give me a make-over, always trying to get me to wear better clothes. I didn't give a shit if the dress was designer or not, I just needed it to be comfortable and presentable. Vivi, meanwhile, made sure her wardrobe consisted of only the best designer clothes.
"I will, Chloe. There will come a time, like prom or homecoming."
I stuck my tongue out at her and we both jumped when a loud laughter erupted from inside the house. Cedric's laughter.
Vivi, Dylan and I stared at the front door while Alexa doubled over in laughter. A second later, Cedric dragged a grumbling George out of the house. All of us stared in shock before bursting into laughter.
His hair was bright purple.
"Alright shut up," he mumbled and we laughed harder.
"Oh my god! What happened?!" Vivi asked.
"Alexa's revenge," he muttered, glaring.
"Now think twice before you mess with me," Alexa said smugly.
"You just wait, I'll get you back," George said.
"No way, we're even now. Now listen up guys, let's get this trip started!" Alexa said and we cheered, piling into the jeep. Dylan sat behind the wheel and George yelled shotgun. The rest of us crammed into the back. I couldn't even get the window seat. Cedric sat at one and Alexa sat at the other. I sat beside Cedric and Vivi sat between me and Alexa. The twins' parents waved as we pulled out of the driveway, music blasting from the radio. Keith followed the jeep in his car.
"Yeaaa I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road, I'm gonna riiiide till I can't no more," we sang loudly. My heart swelled in happiness as I sat there, jammed between two of the people I loved the most. At that moment I forgot all about my parents, Adrian, my troubles and worries. At that moment, I was free.
Cedric was already eating. He passed me some cookies and I passed it on to everyone else. The song changed and Vivi, Alexa and I looked at each other in excitement.
"You've been dressin up the truth, I've been dressin up for you," we sang. Whenever we had a sleepover, one of the main things we did was karaoke. Singing our heart out had a wonderful healing effect.
"Say my name! Say my name! If you love me let me hear you, say my name, say my name, I am dying to buh-leeve you. I feel alone in your arms, I feel you breaking my heart!"
We were definitely on a high.
When we stopped for gas, all of us got out to stretch our legs and get some fresh air, which wasn't much since we were at a petrol station. Cedric eyed the grocery store and I glared at him.
"No, Ced," I warned.
"Just some drinks," he pleaded.
"Have you seen the back of the jeep?" I asked incredulously. Vivi joined me and was looking at Cedric like he'd grown another head.
"Dude where does all this go?" she asked and Cedric flexed, smirking. Vivi turned pink. I saw George slip into the grocery store, a determined look on his face and I knew it was probably to take revenge on Alexa. Keith had stopped too and I walked over to him.
"You could've just come with us in the jeep," I said.
"In case you haven't noticed, the jeep is completely crammed. Where do you intend for me to sit?"
I shrugged. "In the back?"
He rolled his eyes and got into his car.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" I shouted.
"Come back when you've got common sense!" Keith replied. I rolled my eyes and walked to Dylan, who was talking to some boy in an Audi. He saw me watching and waved me over.
"Levi, this is my friend Chloe. Chloe, Levi."
I smiled and shook the cute guy's hand. His black hair was in a man bun and I noticed he had a dimple. For some reason, he looked familiar.
"I feel like I've seen you around..." I said.
"What's your full name?" Levi asked.
"Chloe Everett."
"Yes, our parents know each other."
"Do you go to Stafford High?"
"No I'm at André Academy, the private school."
I nodded. "I must've seen you at one of those stupid balls and banquets."
"You hate them too?"
Dylan chuckled. "Chloe's not your typical rich girl. That would be Vivian."
"Anyways, pleasure to meet you. I gotta go," Levi said. I waved and walked back to the jeep. Cedric got behind the wheel and George called shotgun again. Dylan sat beside me where Cedric had previously been and I noticed he had a smile on his face.
"What?" I asked him.
"What?" he asked.
"Why are you grinning like a girl?"
"Do I need a reason to be happy?"
"Um, yes?"
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Ye-"
"Shut up!" Vivi and Alexa said.
Dylan and I laughed.
We were on a highway when George suddenly announced "I need to pee."
I looked up the nearest gas station.
"Half an hour away. Just hold it for half an hour," I said.
"What? No! I can't...!" he whined like a girl, in a high pitched voice. I rolled my eyes.
"This is a highway, we can't pull over," Cedric said.
"Guys! GUYS! I need to pee! NOW!"
"Dude, we can't stop, just hold it!" Vivi said.
"No! SHIT I'M GOING TO PEE NOW!"
"Someone get him a bottle!" Cedric shouted.
"What?!" Vivi and I said, disgusted.
"A BOTTLE! NOW!" George yelled. Dylan and Alexa stirred in their sleep. I cursed under my breath as I climbed to the back and rummaged frantically for a plastic bottle. I found a couple of empty coke bottles and threw them to Vivian, who gave them to George. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth when the sound of pee filling a bottle reached my ears. Beside me, Vivian gagged.
George filled a bottle and a half.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked. Silence.
"Tell me," he insisted.
"How the fuck are we supposed to know, dumbass?" I snapped. George glared at me.
"You hold these then."
"Excuse me?! You're the one who couldn't hold it in for thirty minutes!" I exclaimed. This guy was ridiculous.
"Fine," he said and threw the bottles out of the window. George fucking Spencer threw two fucking bottles of pee out of a fucking moving car on a fucking highway. What the fuck.
The car swerved wildly and Cedric fought to keep control.
"The fuck, dude?! Did you just throw it out of the window?!" Cedric said incredulously.
"What else was I supposed to do!" George said defensively. Vivian looked nauseated as she rested her head on her knees in defeat.
"What's going on?" Alexa grumbled, rubbing her eyes. Dylan yawned and stretched. With all the commotion that was going on, I was surprised they didn't wake up earlier.
"Your dysfunctional brother threw his pee out of the window," I informed Alexa.
Dylan choked. "He what?!"
"You heard it right, curly boy," Vivi said.
"Ugh. That's low, even for you, George," Alexa said, disgusted.
"Love you too, sweet sis," George said chirpily. I sometimes wondered how he stayed so positive. I lose my mind when it comes to my parents and Adrian and Chace and-
I froze. Chace. Why did I have to think about him? Why?
Eight years old, with a heavy heart, I was walking back upstairs. Sure, Mommy and Daddy had punished him for being so mean to me, but it didn't take the pain away. Why did he hate me so much? Why? Standing by the stairs, I could hear my parents talk in hushed tones.
"Yes, I understand, but military school is not an option-"
"He tried to smother her when she was three, Kendra! He tried to suffocate her to death!"
A wary sigh. "You're right. I just don't understand why he hates her,"
The maid found me curled up on the floor near the stairs with a tear stained face and clenched fists. She carried me up...
"Chloe? Chloe!" Vivi was waving a hand in front of my face. I blinked.
"Huh? Yes- what?"
Dylan looked at me in concern. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, you kinda blanked out and looked like you'd seen a ghost."
"No, it's, I was just-" I sighed. "Never mind."
"You were just?" Cedric pressed. I sighed, knowing they wouldn't drop it. And they were my best friends after all, so I blurted out,
"Thinking about Chace."
There was a collective sigh.
"Oh no."
"Why, Chloe?"
I sighed, pulling up my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
"He just... popped into my mind. Ugh, I hate feeling so down. I hate how the mere thought of him makes me feel like shit," I mumbled. Vivi put an arm around my shoulder and Dylan put an arm around my waist.
"You'll stop hurting one day, Chloe. You won't always be sad," Vivi whispered.
"And one day, you'll have the courage to be who you truly are in front of your friends, foes and family with the truth bared confidently. And just like that, you won't be so scared anymore," Dylan said softly. There was something deeply emotional about the way he was telling that, like he was trying to convince himself and not me.
"Something tells me you're talking about something else..." I trailed, looking sideways at Dylan. He laughed nervously and retracted his arm, looking outside the window.
"Maybe, but that's a story for another day," he said with finality, so I didn't push it.
Suddenly, the music turned loud and we jumped, startled.
"Alright guys, enough with the moping. Let's rock!" George screamed enthusiastically and we laughed, cheering.