I have been inspired by my friends to write another story. This is going to be a longer one. I have this story posted on Writer's Cafe and Fictionpress. Leave Feedback if you'd like =) Enjoy.
Two weeks, eight friends, and the entire country. Bad news leads to the need for change, and what better way to start than a road trip?
Chapter 1 ~ One Way
The small apartment was in a state of chaos. Clothes and books were strewn in every direction. Music blasted from the stereo, shaking the large fish tank next to it. A little black and white cat hid under the couch as a pair of heels were chucked it’s way. Two suitcases were packed and ready to go by the front door.
“Where is it?!” A short, red-haired woman yelled as she chucked her pillows off of her bed, one of them hitting the tall brunette behind her square in the face.
“Watch where you’re throwing your shit!”
The red-read didn’t even bother to look up at her female roommate, knowing that she wasn’t really mad at her. She continued to toss her bedding around her room as she replied.
“Sorry Dez!”
The brunette just shook her head, all to used to her roommates erratic behavior. She knew what she was getting into when she took up Magdalene’s offer to move in with her. Okay, that was a lie. At the time it just seemed like a good idea. Now, while she loves her friend dearly, sometimes she doesn’t even know what the Hell she was thinking.
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At nineteen years old, Desdemona Allen thought that her life would be perfect. She was a legal adult, she was in college; it was supposed to be the time of her life. It was a time for experimentation, partying, and some class work in between. At least that’s what all those movies she watched when she was younger told her. Sadly the reality was a lot less exciting. At nineteen years old, Desdemona Allen found herself broke, living at home with her parents, and having no idea what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.
A month into her second year at Rutgers, she found herself waiting tables at an underground coffee shop whose main clientele were snaky hipsters who looked down on everything. The pay wasn’t that great, but it was something. She mostly kept to herself on her breaks, not really having anything in common with the customers, and not much of a coffee drinker herself.
About twice a week there was a small group that came in and took over two tables in the back. They didn’t look much older than her, but from what she gathered, they weren’t students. They all worked together at some salon a couple blocks away. They were friendly and always invited her to join them when she took her break; sometimes they even brought her some snacks when it got too busy for her to get something for herself. Looking back on it, while it didn’t seem like such a big deal then, it was one of those moments that changed everything for her.
A few months after meeting the group of stylists, she was telling them that she was having a hard timefinding an apartment. She couldn’t find anything close by in her price range and she was nervous about replying to any of the ads for roommates; she didn’t know who any of those people were or what they were like.
One of the girls, Liv, chuckled. Everyone at the table turned to the tall, busty, raven. She took a sip of her coffee and looked right at Dez.
“That’s funny. I know someone who has an apartment close by and she’s looking for some roommates. It’s a nice place. It was her older brother’s place, but he got transferred. He still has the place leased for a few more years, so he let her move in. You should talk to her.”
After that Liv took it upon herself to drag her friend to the coffee house and introduce them. Within a week Dez was moving in with Magdalene and her friend. It was a nice place, and she had her own room. The kitchen was a little cramped, and they had a hard time finding a balance between all three of their decorating styles. Eventually they came to a compromise. The walls were a lavender color, band posters from all genres covered the walls. There were CD’s, DVD’s and magazines filling every shelf and covering every table. The kitchen was another matter.
It was discovered pretty quickly that Dez had absolutely no talent in the kitchen and should never be allowed to turn on a stove. Magdalene was great in the kitchen but had a hard time reaching anything on the top two shelves. Travers had some kitchen skills, but hated grocery shopping. Dez didn’t mind doing the shopping as long as the other two cooked for her. They ended up having to buy a little step stool for Magdalene to keep under the sink for when she was home alone.
There were a couple incidents of almost eating something they were allergic to. After one or two hospital visits for actually eating something they shouldn’t have, the three of them sat down and wrote out a list of foods they were allergic to. It ended up being a two page list, but it benefited all of them. No food on that list was bought, none of those shampoos/toiletries were used, and none of those pets were brought into the apartment. They had vegetarian options for Magdalene, and gluten free snacks and food for Dez. Travers used separate pans to cook the beef he loved to eat.
After awhile, all the pieces fell into place. They had all worked out systems and ways to function around each other’s schedules. Travers showered in the mornings before he left for work, Dez showered right before she went to bed and Magdalene always showered around two in the morning. They had to call ahead if they were going to bring someone over, and they were absolutely not allowed to sexile each other.
It had been about a year and a half since they all moved in together. They were pretty close, though they did have the usual disagreements that most roommates do. It wasn’t a bad arrangement. It might not be exactly what she expected, but just a couple months shy of being twenty-one, Dez had an apartment, two amazing roommates that she wouldn’t trade for anything, and the drive to open her own botanical garden. She had no qualms about where her life was at the moment, except for times like these, when Magdalene goes into one of her panic modes because she misplaced something.
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Dez shook her head as she watched her friend tear apart her room looking for who knows what. She checked the time and sighed. This is why you don’t leave things until the last minute when you’re going on a big trip. If she could have afforded to take two weeks off of work, then Dez would have been going with. As it was, the twenty year old just stood in the doorway, getting ready to help Magdalene get ready to leave, She only had a half hour until her sisters came to pick her up for the road trip.
“Do you know where you had it last?”
“If I knew that, it wouldn’t be lost!”
“Okay, fair point. Where’s the last place you remember having it?”
Magdalene stopped for a second to think. Dez waited patiently for her friend to try and remember the last place she had whatever the Hell it was that she lost.
“Um... I know I had it when I went to bed last night but I have no clue what I did with it this morning. I don’t remember taking out of the room with me.”
Dez sighed again. This was going to be one long half hour. She turned around when she heard the front door opening, hoping that Magdalene’s sisters weren’t early. She felt relieved when she saw it was just their insanely tall and built roommate coming back from work. Dez smiled and waved him over.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Oh you know, the usual. Helping Miss Magdalene Marie finish getting ready because she waits till the last minute to do everything.”
Travers and Dez laughed at the indignant squeak that came out of their friend’s mouth at the accusation. She stood up from her spot on the floor and leveled the taller two with her best mock glare, which was still intimidating in its own right; that is if you didn’t know her well enough top realize that she wasn’t being serious.
“I’ll have the both of you know that I had all my packing finished last night! I just can’t find my damn phone!”
Travers looked blankly at the tiny red-head.
“Your phone? You mean the one on the kitchen counter, being charged?”
“Oh. Whoops! Thanks Trav!”
Magdalene quickly weaved between her roommates and went to the kitchen. Her phone was exactly where Travers said it was. She picked up her phone and took it off the charger before putting it in her pocket. When she turned around, Travers and Desdemona were looking at her.
“What?”
The other two looked at each other, having a silent conversation before looking back at Magdalene. The red head tapped her fingers against the counter, waiting for one of them to speak. After a few moments, Travers spoke up.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
This time Dez answered.
“You left your phone on the counter an hour ago. It was only an hour and you forgot.”
Magdalene looked at Dez for a second before answering her.
“If you knew it was there, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know what you were looking for! I didn’t know it was your phone you couldn’t find.”
Travers sighed before looking at the shorter girl.
“Do you really think taking this trip is a good idea right now?”
“I’m not backing out of it now. My sisters are almost here and it wouldn’t be fair to the others either. I planned the road trip; I need to do this, okay? It’s important to me.”
“I know. It’s just that we’re worried about you. We aren’t gonna be able to see you for two weeks, hun.”
“Trav is right. I mean it’s not like you’re telling anyone on the trip about it. We just wanna know that you’re going to be okay.”
“Thanks for the concern, but I’ll be fine. I’m not going to tell any of them and y’all better not tell them either. It’s going to be okay.”
Magdalene walked around the counter to head into the living room. She sat down on the couch and motioned for her roommates to follow her. The cat crawled out from under the sofa and started rubbing up against her legs. Magdalene picked her up as her friends sat down on each side of her. The cat purred on the red-head’s lap as she pet the animal’s head.
None of them said anything for a couple of minutes. It wasn’t an awkward silence. It was tense, neither of them having any idea on how to go about having this conversation. The only sound coming from the stereo that was still pouring out a steady beat. As the songs changed, Dez broke the silence.
“Do you have everything together?”
Magdalene looked at the brunette. Before nodding her head.
“Yea, everything is ready.”
“Do you mind if we just go through the check list?” Travers asked.
Magdalene smiled at him. She put the cat back on the couch and walked over towards her bags.
“If it will make you feel better.”
Dez walked over and hopped on the counter while Travers picked up the check list and a pen.
“Road trip appropriate clothes and shoes?”
“Check!”
“Some club clothes and shoes, just in case?”
“Yep.”
“Shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, and deodorant?”
“Got it.”
“Make-up? Do you really need that?”
“Got it and of course!”
“Money, ID, and phone charger?”
“Have it.”
“Your pills?”
“They are in my bag.”
“Okay, you have everything. Just know that we are going to call you everyday to make sure that you’re taking your meds.”
“I’ll take them. Don’t worry so much. It’ll make you get wrinkles.”
Dez shook her head as she watched the two of them interact. If she didn’t know them so well, she would swear they were together. Being that she lived with them, she knew all too well that, that would never happen. She made the mistake of mentioning it when they first started living together. That led to a very awkward few days and a conversation that she never wants to repeat. A knocking on the door stopped their conversation.
“Come in!”
The door opened to reveal a very excited Lenora and Gwin. Magdalene ran over to them and gave them both a big hug. Dez and Travers waved at the two of them in greeting. Lenora grabbed one of Magdalene’s suitcases while the latter grabbed the other one herself.
“Hey, don’t forget to say bye to us!”
Magdalene laughed and hugged her roommates goodbye.
“Don’t forget to call us if you need anything!”
“Don’t worry, I will!”
With that said, Magdalene and her sisters walked out of the apartment, shutting the door behind them.
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Lenora was waiting outside of Gwin’s house, waiting for the younger girl to get outside. She knew better than to go inside the house at the moment. When drama unfolded in that house, it was explosive. No amount calmness or reasoning could calm the storm brewing inside. Instead, she busied herself with walking around in the large camper. Her sister, Magdalene had paid for it, but she had to be the one to pick it up. Lenora didn’t really mind.
She was distracted from her exploration by a beeping. She walked back towards the driver’s seat to check her phone. She hoped it was Gwin saying that she would be out soon, though from the sounds of the yelling going on inside, it would be awhile. When she picked up her phone, her heart skipped a beat when she realized that it was a text from Clayton.
She met Clayton last September during one of her classes. He was athletic, he was smart, good-looking, he could play the guitar, and he was nice. For awhile she thought he was absolutely perfect. They got along very well, and she soon found herself developing a crush on her friend. There was a minor problem though; Clayton did not want to get into another relationship. He had, had a few bad break-ups and had decided that dating wasn’t worth the stress and heartache that it would bring. It figured that when she finally found the perfect man, he didn’t want a relationship. It was just her luck.
She would have been a lot more put out over the whole ordeal if it wasn’t for the fact that she had finally found a flaw with him. She discovered it while they were having a discussion on super heroes. They were talking about their favorite ones when he said that Spiderman was better than Batman. No wonder he didn’t like her. He had no taste whatsoever. That didn’t stop her feelings for him from growing though. That conversation had started a never ending debate on which hero was better. Every time he texted her, she could feel herself falling for him more and more.
She was startled from her thoughts by the sound of the house’s front door slamming. Gwin was storming down the walk, bags in tow. The strawberry blonde opened the door to the camper and climbed in. She slid her bags under the fold down table before sitting in the passenger seat. She turned on the radio, and Lenora pulled out of the driveway. It was time to pick up Magdalene, then they had to get the others.
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It was in seventh grade that Magdalene and Lenora met each other. They weren’t that close at first, but they soon became fast friends. At the time, neither of them had known that they were sisters. The two of them looked nothing alike and they didn’t even know each other. It wasn’t until Magdalene’s thirteenth birthday party that they had found out what their parents didn’t want them to know.
Before they were born, Magdalene’s father had a one night stand with some woman that he worked with. Afterwards he confessed to his girl friend. She forgave him and they soon found out she was pregnant. A couple months later they found out that the other woman was pregnant as well.
At first neither of the mothers wanted their daughters to be friends with each other, but the two girls didn’t care. They found out that they had a sister they didn’t know about. The two soon became inseparable. Their mothers still didn’t speak to one another, but that was fine by everyone who knew the situation. None of them wanted to deal with the fight that would break out between the two headstrong women if they were forced to have a conversation.
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Lenora looked over at Gwin. The seventeen year old hadn’t spoken since they left her house. It’s not like Len could blame the girl. The past week had been hard on her. Even though Gwin was never that close with her dad growing up, he was still her dad and he helped to raise her. For her to find out that he wasn’t really her dad was a shock.
It had all started innocently enough. Gwin and her mother were going through the attic when they had come across a few boxes that they had gotten from her grandmother’s house after she had passed away. The two of them had brought the boxes down, deciding to go through them and see what they would find.
At the bottom of the second box was a letter written from Gwin and Magdalene’s mother to her own mother. It was the letter she wrote when she found out that she was pregnant with Gwin. She never wanted to have another child. She didn’t want to be pregnant again, and she had no idea what she was going to do. She wasn’t even sure if her husband was the father of her unborn child. She had had a brief affair with one of her friends, and now she wasn’t sure of what she should do.
Predictably, Gwin had been upset. Everything she thought about her parents had changed. Her mother never wanted her in the first place, the man she called her father may not even be her father. She could have gone her entire life without knowing about this. If her mother had, had her way then she actually would have. It was a lot for her to take in. The only thing Gwin knew for sure was that her mother had lied to her, her entire life. How could she trust the woman who had raised her again? What else could she have lied about?
Gwinnette was glad that he sister had planned this road trip. It couldn’t have come at a better time for her. She needed to get out of the house for awhile. She needed time to think and figure out what she wanted to do. A change in scenery is just what the doctor ordered.
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Liv was waiting outside when the sisters came to pick her up. She was sitting on the curb with her bags next to her. She stood up when she saw the camper driving up the street. It looked like Magdalene had gone all out for this trip. It was a good thing too. She needed this break. Prom season had just ended and she was exhausted. The salon was always at it’s busiest when the big school dances came around. And pair that up with all the graduations, Liv was amazed that she made it out alive. Those girls could be really nuts when they wanted to be.
A part of had missed being on the road. She was never really one to settle down in any one town. Her family had always been nomadic. They hadn’t stayed in one place for more than a year. Growing up, Liv never really bothered with making any friends. She knew that by the end of the year, they’d be all packed up and heading to a new town once more. Up until fourth grade, she thought that it was normal. She didn’t know that other people usually spend their entire childhood in the same school district.
For awhile, she liked that her family was different. She had stories to tell. She had lived a life that was more exciting than most of her classmates parents. Her life was filled with adventure, and the unknown. That’s what everyone wants. And at that time, it was what she wanted as well. Why bother to make friends when you could have fun.
Sometimes Liv took a chance and hung out with her classmates. It was odd to see that not everyone lived out of boxes. They had a spot for everything. There rooms could be decorated however they wanted and they didn’t have to worry about packing it all up at the end of the school year. It was around her Freshman year that she started wishing that her family could stay in one place. For the first time in her life, Liv wanted something that was more than temporary.
It was during her Senior year that her parents had settled into an apartment in New Jersey. Liv had sent in college applications to schools all over the country. She didn’t know what was going to happen when the year ended. She knew that her parents weren’t going to wait four years in one place for her to go to college. She wasn’t even sure if they were going to be able to help her pay for college at this point.
She was hanging out with a few classmates after school one day, when she passed by a hair salon. She was amazed at the way they could transform people in such a short time. They had the power to make people more confident. It was such a small way to help other people become the best versions of themselves. When she had gotten back to where her family was staying for the year, she got on her laptop and researched beauty schools. She decided that she was going to apply to one that was close by. For once, she found something in one of the many places she lived that was worth staying for.
Like she predicted, after she had graduated, her parents had packed up and left. She was eighteen years old, she was on her own in a place where she barely knew anyone and she had no place to go. She was lucky enough that she was close enough with Pierce Dixon to stay with his family for a couple weeks until she could find something more permanent. She ended up getting a job at some rundown, hole in the wall coffee shop near the college. The only money that her parents had left her, she was saving to pay for her beauty school.
The Dixons were a nice family and had offered to let her stay as long as she needed to, but she had felt like she was imposing on them. Pierce was starting to feel suffocated by his family. Halfway through the summer, the two of them had rented an apartment that wasn’t too far away. It was close enough to her job and her school. It didn’t hurt that it was close to Rutgers as well, since Pierce was attending there.
Plans changed quickly for them. A semester in, Pierce had dropped out of school. He had decided that he wanted to be a chef and was attending a culinary school. By the time they were twenty, Pierce was working in the kitchen of this up and coming high brow restaurant in New York, and Liv was making good money at the salon she worked at. Turned out that she had quite the knack for hairstyling.
A couple months after she turned twenty, Pierce was moving to New York so he wouldn’t have a long commute to work and Liv had gotten her own little apartment down the street from her job. It was perfect timing too. Magdalene was looking to move out, and Pierce still had the place leased for a couple more years. She couldn’t afford the place by herself so her giant-like friend was moving in with her.
She kept in touch with Magdalene well enough to know that she had to find another roommate because the landlord had raised their rent. She didn’t want to place an ad anywhere; she was afraid of crazy people knowing where she lived. She didn’t anyone showing up at any random time. It was pure dumb luck that the new waitress at the coffee shop that she used to work at was also looking to find a roommate. With just a little meddling on her part, everything worked out just fine.
Currently, Magdalene was the make-up artist at the same salon that she worked at. Dez was still working in the coffee shop, and Pierce was having the time of his life being the second in command of the kitchen he works in. It’s been a few months since she last talked to her parents. The last she heard from them, they were living in Colorado, and were thinking about settling down there and running their own marijuana farm. She hoped that they had finally found a place to call home.
As much as Liv loved having a place to call home, and having a stable job, there was something that she missed about being on the road. Maybe it was because she had grown so accustomed to it, had grown up with it, that the open road was a part of her? It was something about the limitless possibilities and never knowing exactly where you’ll end up that excited her. It lit a fire in her belly and made her yearn to be anywhere and everywhere at once.
The twenty-one year old looked out of the window from her seat at the table, and couldn’t help but smile. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and everything felt right with the world. She couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia and familiarity with not knowing where you were going. It was everything she didn’t know that she missed. She couldn’t wait.
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Laying down on his large front yard, basking in the sun with his best friend was Elathan Rael; Baxter Roe lying down right beside him. The two had been close for a long time; they had pretty much grown up with each other. They had about twenty something minutes before Magdalene would show up in the camper, already having some of the gang with her.
Elathan turned to look at Baxter. His breath caught in his throat. There lying next to him, the sun reflecting golden rays in brown hair, was his best friend. Baxter had his eyes closed, headphones in his ears, humming some foreign tune that Elathan couldn’t recognize. He could see the defined muscles of his friend’s arms, the fabric of his t-shirt stretched tight over them. It was times like these when Elathan realizes just how beauty his best friend was.
He could feel the butterflies filling his stomach and he tried to quell the feeling. It happened sometimes, but he always ignored it. You don’t get butterflies from looking at your very male, very straight best friend. Hell, he was pretty sure that he wasn’t into guys himself. It was just a stupid thought. It was probably caused from sitting out in the sun for far too long. Nodding to himself in agreement, Elathan closed his own eyes and waited for the camper to get here and whisk him away to find girls across the country that he could hook up with.
A few minutes later, Baxter opened his own eyes and turned towards Elathan. He paused his I-pod for a minute and could hear the soft snores coming from his friend. He smiled at the sight Elathan made; eyes closed, hands behind his head, mouth slightly open. Honestly, his friend didn’t even realize just how adorable he actually was. As quietly as he could, Baxter took out his phone and snapped a quick picture of Elathan while he was sleeping.
After he put his phone away, Baxter laid back down and unpaused his music. They still had some time before Magdalene showed up to take them on the summer road trip. He might as well lay back and relax until the girls get there. Besides, he might not get another quiet moment with Elathan for the next two weeks; he might as well make the most of what he has now.
The two boys were woken up a short time later by the sound of a car honking. When they looked up, they saw the camper parked in the driveway, Magdalene standing in the doorway, smirking at them. Baxter quickly jumped up and got his bag. He turned around to see Elathan still sitting on the ground, trying to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. He reached out his hand when the older of the two looked up. Elathan grabbed Baxter’s hand and the younger helped him up.
Elathan leaned down and picked up his own bag before walking over to the camper. He didn’t notice the way that Baxter’s hand stayed on the small of his back the entire time. He was still sleep hazy and warm.
Baxter looked over at his friend and couldn’t help but smile again. Elathan was barely aware of where he was going, sleep clearly still keeping it’s hold on his senses. Baxter steered him towards the camper. He couldn’t help but think of how cute his friend could be without trying.
The two boys got into the camper and walked towards the back so they could put their bags down, Magdalene closing the door behind them. They sat down across from Liv and got settled for the long ride ahead of them. Baxter felt a rush of warmth spread through him as Elathan fell asleep on his shoulder and snuggled in closer to him. It was going to be an interesting trip or sure.
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Lenora slowed down as she reached Mira’s house. The yelling could be heard down the street. Everyone in the camper groaned when they heard it. They knew it meant one thing and one thing only; Evie was not happy.
Evie and Mira Cartland are sisters. They are pretty close and share a large group of friends. At least they did until recently. The older sister had taken it upon herself to burn bridges with almost everyone in the group. She had insulted them and thrown tantrums until they couldn’t take her erratic behavior any longer. If it wasn’t for the fact that they all loved hanging out with Mira so much, they would have told Evie off sooner. As it was, Evie had crossed a line and Magdalene had told her that she was not going on this trip, and that they were no longer friends. After that, the rest of the group followed her example, and were no longer friends with the elder Cartland sister.
As they got closer to the house, the yelling got louder and they could start to make out what was being said. It figured that Evie wouldn’t be happy about not being invited to join them, but her sister was. The profanity that was spilling out of her mouth was unbecoming of someone such as herself, who had the habit of telling everyone how devote she was to her religion; a religion that heavily frowned on half the words coming out of her mouth at that moment.
When the came to a stop in front of the house, Mira ran out of the house, her bags swinging on her arms as she dodged the pan her sister threw after her. It was very well known to all of them that Evie was an extremely dangerous person to be around was she was angry, and at this point, she was considered lethal. As soon as Mira was inside the camper, Lenora put into drive and took off down the street before anyone else in the camper could feel the woman’s wrath. There was no need for someone to die before the trip even started.
Mira was going to try and annoy Baxter but when she saws Elathan sleeping on him, she couldn’t bring herself to wake him up. She may not seem like it, but she was a romantic at heart and to her, she could tell that those two belonged together. It was only a matter of getting them to see it; unfortunately, she knew those boys were too dense to figure it out on their own. Maybe she could help them see the light during this trip. And if she got to see some extremely hot boy on boy loving, well who was she to complain?
She took out her phone and as inconspicuously as she could, she took a picture of the two boys before sending it to Magdalene.
“Time to hook them up.”
“Yes! Operation UST to RST is a go!”
“It’s a good thing they have us.”
“Oh definitely! If not then they would take years to get it, that’s if they ever did get it,”
“Ha-ha We got this!”
Even if her sister tried to kill her when she gets back, Mira knew it was going to be a great trip. If it was the last thing she did, and if Evie ever got her way than it will be, she would get Baxter and Elathan into each other’s pants. It was her duty as their friend to make sure they were happy. And why would she waste the opportunity to get to see free live gay porn?
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The last one to get picked up was Brice Augustine. He was Magdalene’s partner in crime during high school. They had been the prank rulers of the school for Three years before Magdalene graduated. No one except for their friends knew it was them until after Brice graduated. It was one of the most memorable graduations that any of them had ever been to.
Through every prank they pulled, the two of them had, had a signature. Each and every prank had glitter involved in it somehow, and if it didn’t glitter would be present anyways. No one knew who was doing it, but the entire student body couldn’t wait to see what would be next. Whether it was putting a glitter bomb in the principal’s office, or letting a couple of horses with fake horns on them loose in the gym, it was sure to get everyone talking and sometimes cancel a class or two. For example, there was the time they swapped the video for school assembly with a porno. The teachers had no idea what to do, and the students were too frazzled to learn anything.
They would have never been found out if they hadn’t decided to announce it at Brice’s graduation. Somehow the two of them had managed to rig up the sprinkler system to shoot out glitter. Even that wasn’t what got them caught. No, that honor went to the giant banner of the two of them flipping the bird that dropped down from the score board on the field. The rest of the ceremony was a mess of teachers and parents yelling, while the graduating class ran around in the glitter.
They pulled up to Brice’s apartment. Magdalene texted him that they were there. It wasn’t long before he came bounding down the steps, carrying a couple bags. One bag just contained glitter. It was to be expected. For some reason that no one really understood, Brice and Magdalene were addicted to glitter. It was slightly bordering on an unhealthy obsession. It wasn’t like the rest of them really minded all that much, as long as they didn’t look like a giant unicorn orgy for the entire road trip.
Chapter 2 ~ Keep Right
The road seemed endless as it whirred by. Baxter just kept staring out of the Passenger window. They had passed into Ohio not that long ago. They had been on the road for about six hours and he was starting to feel the hum of the roads settle in his bones. He could hear Brice and the girls laughing in the back, but he refused to go over and join them. He would much rather stay up here and keep Elathan company while he took his turn driving the camper.
If he was being completely honest with himself, he’d admit that he was a little scared of Mira. Out of the entire group, she was the one he was the least close to. The few times that they had hung out, she was always jumping on him and trying to steal his leg hair. That girl had the warped desire to somehow clone him. If it wasn’t for the oddly attached friendship between Mira and Magdalene, then he’s pretty sure the woman wouldn’t have it out for him.
It was only a year ago, but it felt like so much longer. The group had been hanging out when Mira had called up asking to join them. They didn’t have enough room in the car, but decided it would be fine if one of them sat in someone’s lap. Magdalene, being the smallest of them was the one who was going to have to sit on someone. Being the way that they were, Magdalene was going to sit on him, but when Mira got to the car, she didn’t like that idea very much. Instead, she had wanted Magdalene to sit on her lap. That led to Mira’s obsession with trying to pull out his leg hair. At first it was just in retaliation for not letting Magdalene sit on her, but eventually it became about cloning him.
However, the thing that was worrying Baxter now was not Mira’s obsession with the cloning, or even her jumping on him. Since they had started the trip, she had been extremely nice and polite to him. It
Had been six hours. He was sure that she would have pulled something by now, but there was nothing. She would just look at him and smile before taking out her phone to text someone. A few times she just started giggling and went to get Magdalene to whisper something to her and the both of them would get really excited. It was unnerving to say the least. It was like he was a part of some big secret that everyone but him knew about.
Baxter was snapped out of his worries when Elathan started talking to him. He looked up from the window and turned to face his friend.
“There’s a rest stop coming up soon. Wanna see if the others want to stop at it?”
“Yeah. That sounds good. Might distract them from plotting against me.”
Elathan laughed.
“They are not plotting against you. They’re just being girls and gossiping.”
“They keep looking at me.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re hot?”
Baxter smirked and waggled his brows.
“You think I’m hot?”
Elathan froze for a second before a pale pink started creeping it’s way up his neck and dusting over his features. He sputtered incoherently for a few minutes before Baxter laughed again.
“I’m just teasing. I’ll go see if they want to stop.”
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Turns out the rest stop was a good idea. The girls wanted to stretch their legs, and Brice said he needed more glitter. Elathan didn’t even want to know why; the man had an entire suitcase full of glitter already. All he was told was that there was a plan for Colorado and he didn’t have nearly enough glitter to complete it, and that he had to get a purple feather boa. After that, he dropped the subject. He was afraid to find out what the answer would be.
Magdalene had gone to make a private phone call. All she said when asked about it was that it was a secret, and she didn’t want to get everyone excited over something that might not happen. She said when she got definite news about it then she would tell everyone.
Elathan had gone to the bathroom. While they had one in the camper, there were a lot of people and he had spent the last couple of hours driving them. As he was washing his hands, the door opened to the nearly empty men’s room. He didn’t think anything of it until he heard the distinct click of the lock. He looked over his shoulder and saw Baxter standing by the door, looking at him.
Suddenly the room felt hotter under the scorching look his friend was giving him. Elathan stood frozen as Baxter made his way over. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. The effect his friend had over him was surprising.
When Baxter reached Elathan, he backed his friend against the white tiled wall. He could see the blush rising up Elathan’s neck, and it only served to spur him on. He raised one hand to Elathan’s shoulder, effectively pinning him to the wall, while the other hand went to gently cup his friend’s cheek. Baxter slowly leaned his head in, giving Elathan time to dodge if he wanted to.
Elathan’s heart sped up as he felt his friend gently caress his face. He couldn’t believe that this was happening; it had to be a dream, but why would he dream this? He was straight, so why would he be dreaming about his best friend kissing him in a locked men’s room at some rest stop in Ohio? He tried to focus on Baxter slowly moving closer. Subconsciously he licked his lips. He couldn’t breathe.
Baxter saw Elathan staring at him, emotions whirring in his head. He was sure that Elathan was going to turn his head away, but instead the shorter teen licked his lips, eyes zeroing in on Baxter’s own mouth. At that, all thoughts of Baxter moving slow went out the window, He crushed his mouth to Elathan’s, using the gasp of surprise to his advantage.
Elathan whimpered. He could feel Baxter’s tongue moving against his own. He didn’t know what to do. He’d kissed a few girls before, but never another guy. To him though, this wasn’t just any guy; it was Baxter, his best friend. It made his heart beat loud enough to thrum in his ears, it made his head hazy, and then he was returning the kiss. He couldn’t bare to tear himself away.
The taller teen’s hand slid from Elathan’s shoulder to settle firmly on his waist. He couldn’t get close enough. Elathan’s hands came up to grab at Baxter’s shoulders. It was intense and neither wanted to let go.
The moment was broken by a banging on the door.
“Bax, El! You two in there?”
Baxter growled, and pulled away from Elathan, straightening out his rumpled shirt.
“Yeah, Brice! We’re in here!”
“Well hurry up! We need to go! The girls got us kicked out and we need to leave fast!”
“Shit!”
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When they pulled into the rest stop, Magdalene excused herself to make a phone call. She told them it was nothing serious and walked away from the group. When she was sure that they couldn’t hear her, she took out her phone and called Dez. She only had to wait a few rings before her roommate picked up.
“Yo! What’s up? What state are you in? And did you take your pills yet?”
Magdalene rolled her eyes at Dez’s rapid fire of questions. She never was one to beat around the bush.
“Hey, we’re at a rest stop in Ohio. The other’s are inside, and I will take them right now.”
As she was speaking, she started to walk back to the camper. She walked inside of it and went to one of her bags. She pulled out a bottle of water and her pills. Looking out the window to make sure no one was coming, she quickly swallowed them and put everything back in her bag.
“Just took them.”
“Okay, good. So how’s everything going so far?”
“It’s good. Evie is pissed that she wasn’t allowed to go and has been calling Mira incessantly just to yell and bitch.”
“Oh Lord. Doesn’t that chick ever give it a rest?”
“No. I don’t think she even knows how to. On the bright side, Brice and I have a plan for Colorado.”
“Does it involve glitter?”
“Of course!”
“Okay, I really don’t want to know, but take pics and get a video. I’m gonna want to see this when y’all get back. That is if I don’t see it on the news first.”
Magdalene rolled her eyes at her roommate’s response. She couldn’t really argue, considering that her and Brice had made it onto the news before. They had never been mentioned by name, and the police still had no idea who exactly had set up the stunt that had closed down 4 miles of Route 34.
“You won’t see us on the news. It’s not like we’re gonna end up losing control of a highly explosive, glitter filled firework that will end up taking out the entire power grid in a four mile radius. Again.”
“See, that would be reassuring if it weren’t for the, again. The fact that you two have already done that makes me fear for peoples’ lives.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll call you or Trav when we stop for the night. We’re going to make a pit stop in Dayton, go to a club or two, then sleep. Tomorrow we’ll go to Colorado. The day after, we’ll be in California. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Alright. Bye Madge. Talk to you later.”
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The gift shops that littered every corner of the rest stop, did nothing but give Lenora a headache. She had just gone in with Gwin to get some snacks for the ride in to Dayton. Magdalene had gotten them a motel room for the night, but Len wasn’t going to go on a late night food run when they all settled in. It was just going to be a simple run in; grab a few bags of chips, several liters of soda, a couple boxes of tasty cakes, and some bags of candy. She had forgotten about Gwin’s shopping addiction.
Once they had gotten inside, Len was led around to each gift shop, waiting for her sister to go through every item before deciding that she didn’t want anything. It was to same scene in each store, and it was wearing thin.
She had lost sight of the boys when they had ran into the building. She knew that Brice was trying to find a feather boa for some reason or another, and Magdalene was outside making a phone call. Mira was on line getting fast food for everyone. She had no idea where Elathan and Baxter went; if she had to guess, then she’d say they were back in the camper making out, but she knew that it would take a miracle for those two to get their acts together. It was clear to everyone around them that they had feelings for one another, but they were too dense to realize it for themselves.
As Gwin dragged her into yet another gift store, Len decided it was time to put a stop to the madness.
“Gwin, we need to get snacks for everyone.”
“But I might need something in here!”
The elder looked around the shop, eyeing stuffed bears, flowers and tacky souvenirs. When they got home she may just have to look up a shopping rehab for her younger sister. She was about to argue when something caught her eye. She picked up and smiled before handing it to Gwin.
“I really doubt that you’ll need a self help book about erectile dysfunction. Or how about the one that’s about the mating rituals of cicadas. Why do they even have these?”
Gwin just looked at the books as if they were going to attack her if she made any sudden movements.
“Okay! So how about we get those snacks!”
Gwin shoved to book back onto the shelf and ran out of the very odd store. Lenora just followed behind while shaking her head. Sometimes Gwin was just too much to handle. At least it was never all that boring when the blonde was around. Now if they could get out of this entire situation without any major incidents, then they would be set.
Len shook her head as she caught sight of Brice running by with a bag filled with something feathery. The chances of them getting out of here with out police escorts was very slim. At least there wasn’t any explosives this time. She made sure to check everyone’s bags for anything that might get them arrested. As much fun as Brice and Magdalene would find that, it wasn’t something any of them needed to deal with on vacation.
Walking into the convenience store, she picked up a basket and followed Gwin as she started to pick up any random snack that piqued her interest. It wasn’t until they were getting ready to check out before they realized that they had to put half of the items back because of everyone’s allergies. No strawberries, pineapples, mustard, onions and a few other things.
Gwin walked around putting things back, while Len dealt with the tedious task of reading through all of the ingredients to make sure that no one would have to go to the hospital. She did put a bottle of Benedryl into the basket just in case. Magdalene and herself tended to not care so much about things they couldn’t eat; it wasn’t disastrous so they didn’t worry too much. The worst they ever got was hives and red patches of skin.
Sometimes she wondered how she ended up where she is. It was like she was the mother of an over-active, and insane group of young adults. It wasn’t exactly a bad thing; it just felt odd at times. There was a severe lack in personal boundaries that never seemed to bother any of them, and sometimes it felt like they could read one another’s minds. It was as scary as it was comforting for her. It wasn’t often that you find a friend that you feel that connection with and she was lucky enough to end up with a group of them.
As it was, she felt like she knew some of her friends better than they knew themselves. It was that gut feeling that led her to believe that Magdalene was hiding something from her. She had known that something was off for the last couple of months, but she could never put her finger on it. Her sister just seemed to get spaced out easier, and seemed jumpy. She was sneaking off to make secret phone calls to God knows who, but kept saying it wasn’t anything important.
She placed a bag of cookies back on a shelf, deciding against getting them. She moved to the next isle, getting lost back into her own thoughts and theories of what her sister was hiding from everyone. No, not everyone. Lenora had a hunch that Dez and Travers knew exactly what was going on with Magdalene, but were keeping it hush-hush. A part of her felt a little hurt that her sister wouldn’t trust her with something that was apparently taking a toll on her. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions or worry over something that could be nothing, but if it really was nothing, then why wouldn’t Magdalene tell her?
The thought of Madge being afraid to tell her what was going was fleeting. There couldn’t be anything that that her sister would have to fear telling her. Even if it was something that was potentially bad, then why would she tell only her roommates? She knew that over thinking it wouldn’t get her any answers. Something was going on, but she didn’t know what it was. They have two weeks on this road trip, and sooner or later her sister would tell her what was going on. They weren’t really ones to keep secrets from each other.
Lenora put a few more items in her basket, before getting Gwin. The two of them walked up to the register and paid. They were going to text the others that they were done and ready to go, but Mira yelling and the sound something falling over caught their attention. They just looked at each other before running over to where they could still hear Mira flipping out. The closer the got, they could make out other voices as well, including Magdalene’s. Apparently she finished her phone call and ended up joining forces with Mira in a fight. Heaven help the poor soul that had pissed them off.
It didn’t take them long to push themselves in front of the crowd that was forming in the food court. Gwin and Len were preparing to get the other two out side and apologize to whoever they had picked a fight with, but when they realized what the fight was started over, it was game over for the woman and her boyfriend. Lenora was furious at the audacity that some people have.
It was only a matter of minutes before security was called on all of them. Normally she would pretend that she wasn’t with the group when that happened, but this time she was proud to be a part of this. That couple deserved a lot more than what they got. It was a good thing they had finished their shopping, because it looked like this was going to end up being another place that they weren’t allowed back into.
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When they parked at the rest stop, Mira pulled Baxter back. She saw the looks he was sending Elathan through the entire drive so far. She could also tell that he was getting nervous around her and Magdalene. It was time to set things in motion. Baxter would be easier to get through to than Elathan.
“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you are anything.”
“Sure. And Brice is going to declare that he hates glitter and wants to become a football player.”
The dark-skinned teen rolled her eyes. This wasn’t going to be easy, but it’d be worth it when they made her the Best Woman at their wedding years down the road. They’ll be so thankful to her for getting them together that they’ll pay for her to go on some lavish vacation somewhere in the Caribbean.
“Oh just shut up. I’m really not plotting against you or anything. Well not for hurting you at least.”
“So you are plotting against me!”
“I’m not trying to hurt you!”
“Then what are you plotting?”
“To get you and Elathan to admit that you want to jump each other’s bones!”
Baxter stopped and looked at Mira like she had a second head. He couldn’t believe that she had just told him that he wanted to jump his best friend’s bones. It wasn’t true. It didn’t matter that he had, had dreams starring Elathan in less than innocent situations. The waking up with sticky sheets, and heart beating in his ears didn’t mean a thing. Even in his head he knew that it sounded like he was lying to himself.
“It doesn’t mean that he feels the same.”
“A-ha! So you admit to wanting to get into El’s unbelievably tight pants!”
“Does that really matter? A few wet dreams doesn’t mean that I’ll suddenly declare my undying love for him. It’s just a little lust that I won’t risk my friendship over.”
“Oh please. You look at him like he’s God’s gift to earth. If he’s in the room, your eyes don’t leave him once. It would be cute if it wasn’t for the suffocating amount of UST between you two.”
“UST?”
“Unresolved sexual tension. And believe me, your’s is so thick you could cut it with a knife.”
Baxter colored slightly at Mira’s words. He didn’t realize that anyone else had picked up on his feelings towards Elathan. According to his sort-of friend, everyone, but Elathan knew. On top of that, some of them were now plotting to get them together. It was going to be a long two weeks if the girls have their way.
“He doesn’t want me like that. It’s not going to happen so you might as well save the effort for something more likely to happen.”
“Oh Baxter. You don’t get it; this is the most likely thing to happen on this trip.”
“What makes you so positive that this plan of yours is going to work out?”
Mira looked at Baxter, all traces of teasing gone. She took a deep breath and answered him.
“Because. I see the way he looks at you, Bax. When you aren’t around, it’s like he has no clue what to do with himself, but the second you walk into the room, it’s like everything in his world makes sense again, You don’t notice it because he’s always happiest when you’re around, but everyone else can see it. You mean everything to him,”
The sincerity of her words struck Baxter silent. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, but something in her voice made him believe her. Maybe there was something more to his friendship with Elathan, and he just wasn’t seeing it. He just wasn’t sure, If he really meant that much to Elathan, then wouldn’t he have said something?
“But then why hasn’t he said anything to me?”
“Why haven’t you said anything to him?”
It was a fair point, but that didn’t mean that Baxter was going to let this go.
“It isn’t like he’s showed any interest in me, or anyone else for that matter.”
“Okay, really? Elathan is so awkward that he probably has no idea what to make of his feelings, let alone act on them. He probably doesn’t even know what to do when he gets a hard on.”
Baxter chuckled at that. Elathan was the most awkward one in the group. It wasn’t his fault. There was just something about social or sexual situations that turned the teen into a bumbling, and awkward mess. It was a quality that Baxter found more adorable and endearing than anything else.
“I like that he’s awkward.”
Mira smirked at Baxter like she had just won the lottery.
“You’re really just making this easier for me. You are so totally in love with him,” Baxter looked like he was about to protest, “Don’t deny it, don’t try to hide it.”
The dark-skinned girl paused and thought over her words before continuing.
“I swear! Do I need to get my cousins out here and do a Hercules reprise with you as Meg? Because that’s where this is heading.”
“Depends. Will you be one of the muses?”
“Of course! It’s way to good of a chance to pass up! Why?”
“Because sometimes you are just too white to be one of the muses,” Mira stuck her tongue out at Baxter, “You are without a doubt, the whitest black girl I have ever met.”
The older girl laughed. Even she admitted to that on more than one occasion. At least Baxter was finally starting to relax. He just needed a little push in the right direction.
“Just go get your man. He loves you back; he just doesn’t know what to do with his feelings. You’ll have to spell it for him or show him. He won’t get it any other way. And I don’t want to hear any negativity from you. You two are best friends, and care about each other a lot. If it doesn’t work out, and by some slim chance of fate, he doesn’t return your feelings, it won’t end your friendship. It might get awkward for a bit, but you’ll work through it. The only thing you’ll regret is not trying and wondering if I was right, years down the road.”
With that said, Mira walked into the rest stop. She had to pick up fast food for everyone; the group can get testy when they haven’t eaten all day.
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The lines at the fast food stalls were insane. Mira couldn’t remember why she had agreed to be the one to go on them. She should have traded with Lenora and gone to get snacks. Thankfully she was nearing the front of the line. She just hoped that she wouldn’t have to wait too long for the food to be made after she places the order.
Behind her, there was a couple that looked so cozy and happy, but there PDA and pet names were bordering on nauseating. There was no need to get that affectionate in public. Holding hands and a quick peck was one thing, but you don’t have to go all out at some rest stop in Ohio. If they got anymore tangled up in each other, Mira was positive that they would morph into one person. Before she could say anything, Magdalene had walked over to her.
“Hope you didn’t have to wait too long on this line.”
“It’s crazy in here. Why did you have to leave me?”
“I had to make a call. I was barely gone 5 minutes.”
“It was forever! You know I don’t do well with people.”
Magdalene laughed at her friend’s antics. Mira always got a little antsy if she was left alone in large crowds. It made her nervous, and she felt slightly awkward when she was by herself. They were joking around for what felt like a few seconds, but they had made it to the front of the line and placed their orders.
The two moved over to the pick up area and waited for their food to be ready. It didn’t take long for Mira to start pointing out every hot guy that she saw. It soon turned into a game on who could spot the hottest guy in the rest stop. It was immature and probably sexist, but it was a fun way to pass the time. They spotted Brice walking by them and Mira cat-called at him. Brice turned around and winked at them before walking toward one of the gift shops. Magdalene giggled at Brice’s flourish as he turned away.
Their number was called and they were going to pick up their food when the couple behind them scoffed and pointed at another couple walking by holding hands. Mira followed the couple’s line of sight and saw they were looking at a sweet lesbian couple buying a couple sodas.
“Disgusting.” The male said, his girlfriend quickly agreeing.
Mira turned on them.
“What’s disgusting?”
“The two holding hands over there.”
“Why? They’re just holding hands. You two looked like you were about to have sex in the line before.”
The man’s girlfriend spoke up.
“So? We aren’t doing anything unnatural. We’re a normal couple.”
“They aren’t being unnatural either. They are just like any other couple.”
The man scoffed again.
“Please. They’re just a couple of dykes who want to pretend that they deserve what us normal people have.”
Magdalene had heard enough of the couple’s stupidity and rounded on them.
“What the Hell is your problem? They do deserve the same rights as anyone else! All people are created equal, you jack ass!”
The girlfriend stepped up to Magdalene and shoved her.
“Don’t talk to my boyfriend like that you bitch!”
“Oh, you did not just do that!” Mira slapped the woman, and it soon turned into an all out brawl.
The boyfriend went to shove Mira off of his girlfriend, but Magdalene knocked him away. While Mira was holding her own against the woman, Magdalene and the boyfriend got into a screaming match.
“What? Are you a dyke to?”
“No, I’m just a decent human being!”
“What decent human would defend that abomination?”
“They’re just holding hands and going about their day! There’s nothing wrong with that!”
“They’re going to rot in Hell where they belong! It’s man and woman, that’s it!”
“You’re a complete idiot! Love is love! Get over yourself!”
The fight was starting to gather a lot of attention. And a crowd had formed around the quartet. There was cheering for both sides. Some people were filing the fight, holding their phones up to get a better view. It took a bit of force before Lenora and Gwin had made their may through the crowd.
When Magdalene saw her sisters, she thought they were going to break up the fight and try to make peace. It was to her surprise that they jumped into the fray and started to help her and Mira. The fighting only lasted a few more minutes before security was called in to break up the commotion.
It would have been over if the man hadn’t clocked one of the security guards. His girlfriend and Mira were struggling to break out of the hold the guards had on them in order to attach one another. Lenora and Gwin were taken outside and asked what happened. They didn’t have much to say since they weren’t there for the start of the fight. Magdalene was still yelling at the man as he was restrained by three guards.
When things finally calmed down and the crowd dispersed, Mira and Magdalene were handed their food and the group was asked to leave. They were escorted out to their camper, and were told not to come back to this rest stop. It wasn’t the first time they’d been kicked out of somewhere and it wouldn’t be the last.
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Going into the rest stop like a man on a mission, Brice headed to find glitter. While he wasn’t using dangerous explosives this time, he still wanted to cover his bases. He needed to be prepared for the explosion of glitter. It would fountain over them all.
The feather boa was going to be for something else entirely. He wasn’t sure if he was going to need it or not yet, but when the time came, it would be amazing. He was pretty sure that Baxter would love to walk into his hotel room in California and see Elathan dressed in nothing, tied to the headboard by the boa. Maybe he’d light some candles and leave some toys spread about on the bed.
Sitting between Magdalene and Mira for the better part of six hours, helped to clue Brice in on wht the two girls were planning. It was genius, and a great mission for the two week trip. He was going to have to make sure to keep extra batteries around to get it all on film. Baxter and Elathan would thank them all eventually. If it wasn’t for them being so stubborn, then the group wouldn’t have to interfere in the first place.
He was proud of Magdalene, though. He knew about her feelings for Baxter.. She had been in love with him for awhile, but she knew that it was a fruitless endeavor for her to attempt a relationship with him. He was in love with his best friend. She knew this and she was going to help him get his guy. Not many people would help the one they were in love with, get with someone else, Baxter meant a lot to her, and she wanted to make sure he would be happy, even if it wasn’t with her. Brice didn’t think that he would be able to do the same in her place.
It didn’t take him long to get what he needed. The cashier was looking at him like he was high, but that couldn’t be helped. How many times do you see someone buying about four pounds of glitter at a rest stop. The boa probably didn’t help either. It was funny that the cashiers back at home didn’t even bat an eye when Brice came in anymore. The more you deal with him and his friend, the more you learn not to question them.
After leaving the shop, Brice walked around the rest stop, trying to find the rest of the group. He almost passed by Magdalene and Mira, but Mira’s whistle caught his attention. Deciding to be playful, he winked at the girls and turned around with flare before walking away to find out where the others were. He didn’t feel like standing in line with the girls.
He knew where Baxter and Elathan were, and he wasn’t going to disturb them. It was about time that something happened with them. Even if they were just talking, at least it was something. He couldn’t find Lenora or Gwin, which was odd. Usually they’d have been loud and arguing over Gwin’s insane shopping addiction. This time, he hadn’t heard them at all.
He was about to check another gift store when he heard yelling behind him. He knew it was going to be one of his friends. Even in another state, they’d find a way to cause trouble, not like he was one to talk. At least he wouldn’t be the one to get them kicked out this time.
He walked back to where he heard the yelling, He managed to get there in time to see the security team breaking up the fight. He couldn’t figure out what had happened, but he knew that he needed to get the guys when he saw Lenora and Gwin being escorted outside.
Walking towards the restrooms, Brice banged on the door. He called out for them, and when Baxter answered, he sounded annoyed. Brice would have felt worse about interrupting whatever was going on in there, but they needed to leave.
A few seconds later, the door clicked open and the two walked out. They looked rumpled and had kiss swollen lips, but Brice held his tongue. Teasing them now would just set back any progress they had made. The three of them quickly slipped out of the rest stop and went to the camper. They managed to make it there right after the security team had walked the girls over to it.
‘Oh, yeah,’ Brice thought, ‘We’re definitely not going to be allowed back here again.’
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Lenora took the wheel as they pulled out of the rest stop parking lot. Elathan sat in the passenger seat, staring out of the window. He wasn’t saying much, but would add in a comment or two as Mira and Magdalene were recounting the tale of how the fight started.
“I swear, if they didn’t break up that fight…….I woulda knocked that bitch out!”
“Seriously! What kinda prehistoric imbeciles say that?!”
“They were the ones that were being obscene! I thought I was gonna puke all over them when we were in line!”
“They couldn’t keep their hands off each other! And the et names. Jeez, it was horrible!”
Baxter opened his mouth to add his two-cents about the fight.
“If I was there, I would have knocked that guy on his ass! The security guards should have beat him to a pulp!”
At the sound of Baxter’s voice, Elathan started, a blush spreading over his face. He refused to turn his head away from the window, instead choosing to have a staring contest with his reflection. His reaction failed to go unnoticed by Lenora. She was going to have to tell the girls that it looked like the plan was moving forward. Step One: Complete. Dayton, here they come.
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