**Part 1 of a triple update**
"It's vacation time, people!"
Groaning, I roll over in bed and hit the wall. "Shut up, Gentry!"
My bedroom door flies open and he runs in, half dressed with a snow cap on his head. "Get your ass up, Jovie Grace!"
"It's–" Grabbing my phone, I squint to read the time. "8:30 in the morning?"
Oh hell no. It's our first day of winter break, my ass is sleeping in until it's noon.
"We're leaving in two hours." He yanks my covers off. "Move it."
He leaves to pester our younger brother and I hit my pillow. So much for sleep. Getting up before I can be bombarded by two annoying brothers, I run to the shower.
Locking the bathroom door, I start the water as there's a knock.
"Who said you get to shower first?" Gentry demands.
"You woke me up." I laugh, taking in my wild hair and drool stained face.
"Don't use all the hot water." Garner pouts.
"What was that?" I ask, starting my music. "Use all the hot water."
"Jo!"
"Take my time?" I step into the water snickering. "Don't mind if I do, suckers."
*****
Two hours later, we're sitting at the table eating breakfast. Garner and Gentry still shivering from their ice-cold showers in the middle of winter.
"Do you have your EpiPen?" Mom asks, throwing her hair in a bun for work.
"Yes." I shake the container.
"And I have the spare." Gentry adds.
"Allergy medication?"
"Yup." I hold the container up.
"Benadryl?"
"Never leave home without it." I pop that stuff like it's candy.
"Your rash cream?"
Holing up a zip block bag with the container inside, I sigh. "I'm all prepared if death comes knocking."
Mom slightly pales. "Don't joke about those things."
She hugs me tightly and I feel bad for messing with her. It really isn't funny. Maybe she's right, one day I will give her a heart attack.
"It's time to get this show on the road!" Houston appears through our back door, clapping his hands together.
Grabbing my bag and kissing mom goodbye, I head outside. All of our friends are waiting, AJ handing out cups of coffee.
"Jo, my girl." He hands me a cup. "The only person I know who wants iced coffee in the middle of December."
Taking a sip, I sigh. "Ice cold, just like my soul." Jay snorts, leanings against the monstrous green van with flowers painted on it. Smirking, I wink. "What's new, Scooby-do?"
"It's too early for this." He groans.
"Zoinks, Shag." I rest a hand on his arm. "What's wrong?"
"I hate you." He mutters.
"Oh, you love me." Ruffling his hair, I peck his cheek. "I'm your Daphne."
"I'm getting in the car now." He leaves and I die laughing. It's just too fun. Enjoying my coffee, I watch as the idiots try to dictate what bags go in which cars.
"Yo, Jo, where's your man?" AJ asks, tapping his watch after 30 minutes of waiting. "It's time to go."
"For real." Seth zips his coat up. "Let's leave before my parents change their mind."
Houston and Garner mock him, and I text Beau. Ten minutes and three unanswered calls later, I'm knocking on his front door.
The door swings open to reveal Mrs. Ellington, already dressed for the day. "Jovie, how can we help you?"
"Is Buea ready to go?" I smile politely.
"Oh, he took some medicine last night." She lets me in. "It knocked him out cold."
"Medicine." I wonder. "Is he okay?"
"He had a fever and sore throat. You can go check on him" She offers and after realizing I don't know the way; she leads me upstairs.
Opening up his door, she sends me a look that screams don't screw my son before walking away. Peaking my head in, I find him asleep in bed. My eyes scan his room, intrigued to know what his personal space is like to find it very... bland.
There's nothing personal in it. I'd go insane trying to sleep in here.
Resting on the edge of his bed, I touch his forehead. Holy shit, he's burning up.
He peaks a bleary eye at me, "Jo, what are you doing here?"
"It's Saturday. We're all packed and ready to go." I smile softly.
"Crap. I thought I set an alarm." He tries to get up and I force him down.
"No, you need to sleep. You sound horrible and you sorta look it too." I brush his hair out of his eyes. "Get some sleep, Boo."
Collapsing, he blinks deliriously. "Please don't tell Aspen he was right about me getting sick."
Laughing for his sake, I peck his forehead. "Deal, I'll see you when I get back."
"Wait." He motions to the bag on his dresser. "That's for you."
Grabbing it, I take a look inside. "It's s'more stuff."
"They have none of the things you're allergic to in them." He coughs. "Take it."
As my boyfriend lies in bed, I skip outside to find everyone gone except for one truck.
"Where is he?" Aspen asks, propped up against the passenger door.
"Sicker than a dog." I shrug. "Where is everyone else?"
"They left." He states, moving for his door. "We have to catch up."
He gets in and starts the engine and I come to a horrifying realization. I'm going to be stuck in a small space with Aspen for over two hours. Alone.
I suddenly feel like I have a scratchy throat.
"Come on." He honks the horn and I fling his door open.
"Shut up." I huff. "I'm coming."
*****
It's been an hour and a half, and we've been silent. No music or faked conversation. Just the occasional throat clearing or sigh.
There's a reason they say tension is suffocating.
Getting gas in the middle of nowhere because someone, Aspen, forgot to fill up this morning, I decide to get a snack. Picking out some food, I head to the counter and hand the creepy old man a wadded up five-dollar bill.
He flashes a gummy smile as he offers my bag, not so subtly dropped his eyes to my chest and I run from the store. Gross.
"Took you long enough. " Aspen pouts.
Tossing a bag of chips at his face, I slam the door. "I got you a snack."
"I don't want a snack."
"Then what the hell do you want?" I demand, tearing into my salt and vinegar chips.
He offers me a side eye. "Do you really want me to answer that question?"
No. "Enlighten me."
"I want you to stop being so fucking stubborn." He admits, merging back onto the interstate. "All of our issues could be resolved if you got your head out of your ass."
"My head is up my ass?" I scoff. "You're the one not talking to me."
"Because you're an idiot."
"You molested me at the dinner table!" I shout. "That makes you the fucking idiot!"
"I didn't molest you." He rolls his eyes.
"I sure as hell didn't ask for it."
"You could've stopped me."
He's right. I could've. "You're acting desperate."
"And you're acting stupid." He slaps the steering wheel. "Look at that, we've come full circle."
"Why are you doing this?" I demand. This has never been an issue and now, suddenly, he decides to fuck things up?
"I could ask you the same thing."
"What does that mean?" I ask. I'm not the one who suddenly needs to be emitted to an insane asylum.
"You suddenly get a boyfriend?" He changes lanes.
"I've had one before."
"Jay doesn't count." He shuts me down and I can't argue.
"Then what do you want from me?" I ask weakly.
"I want you to admit it." He stares ahead. "Stop fighting me."
"But we fight so well." I try to joke. "I'm in a relationship, Penny."
"For now." He sighs and the silence takes over again.
*****
The relief I feel when we come to a stop behind the mystery machine is like nothing I've ever felt before. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I unlock the door and prepare to make a run for it when he grabs my arm.
"Good thing Beau isn't here this weekend." He kisses my cheek before getting out.
Sitting in the passenger seat, I ignore my burning face as I glare at his retreating figure. Damn him. And damn myself for being so flustered by him.
Getting out and following him inside, the sound of a loud pop has me falling to the ground. The room fills with laughter as I stand up.
AJ kicks blue confetti around as it falls to the ground, laughing like a hyena. "Relax, Jo, we're just messing around."
"You suck." I charge him with a raised fist. He gulps and tries to run but I manage to catch him.
"Help me." He begs, trying to shield his face.
"Nah." Garner relaxes on the couch. "You're sorta annoying."
"I drove you up here." AJ whines and I roll my eyes.
"Well, I was supposed to ride with you." I snip, leaving him alone as he flinches.
"You took too long." He crawls away.
Everyone looks around and Jay coughs. "Where is he anyways?"
"Sick and in bed." I plop down in a chair and hug the pillow. "I don't want to talk about it."
Shaking off his hurt, AJ slides up to me. "Why talk about it when you can drink about it?"
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Gentry claps, grabbing the cooler and dragging it to the middle of the TV room.
"Guys, it's only 4:30." Peyton says. "Are we really going to drink?"
"Is everything unpacked?" AJ asks.
"Yes."
"We plan on being sober enough to eat in like, an hour?"
"Yup." All the guys say.
"Then we're good to go." Rummaging around, he offers Peyton a spiked pink lemonade. "PeyPey, you're the reason we're here so you get to take first sip."
Scrunching her face, she meekly accepts it. It's difficult to fight a smirk as she takes a tentative sip.
"Chug!" AJ shouts and the guys copy him.
Cupping my hands over my mouth, as she tries to drink it at an embarrassingly slow rate, I laugh. "Corruption of the good girl."
Gagging, she reaches into the cooler and hands me one. "If I have to, then so do you."'
"I can't."
"It's vodka not beer." Aspen says. "You aren't allergic."
No, but drunk Jovie is allergic to making rational decisions. "I don't want it."
"Scared, Jojo?" He tilts his head, danger dancing in his eyes.
Holding his stare, my fist curls into a ball. Against my better judgement, I stand and take the bottle from Peyton. "Let me show you how it's done."
"Now that's what I'm talking about." AJ claps as I press the water bottle to my lips.
The mixture of powdered pink lemonade and watered down vodka is horrible, but I empty the bottle. Feeling more than a little full of life, I throw the bottle at Aspen and giggle when it bounces off his head.
"Jo." Jay warns warily and I grab a beer from the cooler.
Jumping onto the couch next to him, I press a finger to his lips. "Relax, JayJay."
"Every time you've told me that, something bad happens." He sighs, taking the beer from me.
"I am something bad." I remind him.
"AJ, how strong did you make those?" He asks, trying to take my second drink away.
"Enough to feel it after one." He admits and when half the room glares at him, he adds. "I didn't know she'd chug the entire thing."
Noticing that the younger boys aren't drinking, I grab three more drinks and skip over to them. "Help yourself."
My little brother looks at me in mild horror. "Gen, should I be worried?"
"Nah." My twin offers. "This is nothing compared to how she'll end up getting."
That's enough for him and Houston to start drinking but Seth clears his throat. "So you won't monitor how much we drink?"
Laughing, I ruffle his hair. "Drink as much as you want, Kid." Kissing his head, I add. "Or until you start feeling a little funny."
"Can we play flip cup?" Gentry asks.
"The plan for tonight is to not get plastered." Jay warns.
"That's what the last night is for." AJ grins.
"Blah, blah, blah." I mock. "You guys are boring."
"We can always play UNO." Peyton holds up the box of cards and I run for the table.
"Let's do it!"
Aspen sits down beside me as the cards are dealt, a grin on his face. Taking another sip of my drink, I try to keep some distance between us.
*****
Long after our game of UNO ended, the party is still going. Peyton started throwing up and I know if I was sober, I would've helped but right now I feel great. AJ is responsible for the alcohol; he can help her.
Making my way to the couch, I wrap my arms around Aspen. "Hello."
"Hey, Jojo." He rests his arm on my back. "How are you?"
Grinning, I rest my chin on his chest. "Great now that I'm here with you."
"Are you sure about that?" He kisses my forehead.
Nodding my head, I poke his chest. "I miss this."
"What about Beau?" His fingers run up and down my spine, causing goosebumps to spread across my skin. A giggle escapes.
"Who?" I ask, taking another sip of my drink.
"Alright, Sunshine, I think it's time for bed." He tries to take my drink away.
"No." I squeeze him tighter. "I like this."
"Let's not do this in front of everyone." He whispers and I study the group of teenage boys on the ground.
"Ok." I let him get up, grabbing his hand. Walking to the stairs, I wave to the only person doing good. "Jay, you're fabulous."
"This is all your fault, Jo." He says as Seth hiccups.
Turning my head to stick my tongue out, I fall on the stairs. "Owe."
"Shit, are you okay?" Aspen pulls me back to my feet.
Giggling, I throw my arms around him. "My leg hurts."
Eyeing me skeptically, he picks me up. "I forgot all about Drunk Jovie."
"Hey!" I poke his cheek. "Drunk Jovie and Drunk Aspen were friends."
Sending me a heated look as he opens a door, he smirks. "They were more than friends."
I grow quiet as he sets me down. Crawling into bed, my heart flutters as he joins me.
"I don't like it when we fight, Penny."
"Then why are we fighting?" He asks, throwing an arm around me.
Rolling over so we're face to face, I gulp. "I-I don't know, but I'm sorry."
"I know." He whispers, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Goodnight, Jojo, I love you."
Those words send a jolt through my body. Studying his face, it's hard to ignore the seriousness the shines in his eyes. Maybe that's why I make the decision I do.
In the dark of night, with the faint glow of the moon illuminating the room, I kiss him. It was only supposed to be a peck, but I don't stop as his hand cups the back of my head. The other moving across my waist.
His lips burn my skin but all too soon he pulls away. The weight of what just happened settles over us and I could really use another drink.
"I-I'm sorry." I whisper, waiting for him to leave.
Instead, Aspen offers a tight smile as he pulls the blanket over us. "Don't apologize."
My heart pounds in my head as I lay there. His soft breathing offers a distraction as he falls asleep.
Studying my best friend, I gulp. "Night, night, Penny. I love you too."
*****
Continue scrolling for parts two and three!