Listen to the music above while reading this chapter, Tonight by Secret Nation.
***
"Oh no, seriously?" Amelia exclaimed, holding her phone to her ear as she juggled packing my clothes, munching on a snack, and talking to someone on the line. "Alright, it's fine... Okay, bye." She ended the call and tossed her phone onto my bed.
I raised an eyebrow, curious about what had just unfolded. "What was that?" I asked, grabbing a bag of chips from the side and popping one into my mouth.
"What was what?" Amelia replied, pausing her packing to give me an inquisitive look. I shot her an annoyed glance while chewing, waiting for an explanation.
"Oh! It was Bridget and Alison," she finally said, returning to her task. "They can't come because they're going on a trip with their parents."
"Oh, I didn't know they were sisters," I remarked, still focused on the chips.
"They're not," Amelia corrected, shaking her head. "Their parents are business partners, so they're pretty much like sisters."
I nodded, still processing the information. "What about Jeff and David?" I asked, wondering who else would be joining us.
Amelia let out a sigh, her expression shifting to something serious. I couldn't quite tell if she was annoyed or just feeling down. "Jeff's not coming. His mom wants him to spend spring break at his grandparents' house," she explained, which left us with David. "So it's just going to be David, you, me, and Ethan."
"So, who's picking us up at 4 AM?" I inquired, half-expecting her to say it would be a parent or someone else.
"Probably Ethan," she replied, closing the suitcase and pushing it aside. She grabbed her phone again and sat down next to me. "I'll call him later."
I took another handful of chips, watching her as she stared at my snack bag. "You ate them all?!" she exclaimed, feigning shock, though it was clear she was annoyed. "Seriously, Felicity?!"
"Sorry!" I said, grinning innocently as I held up the empty bag. Amelia couldn't help but roll her eyes, and then she lunged for me, fingers wiggling as she aimed for my sides.
"Come here, you little shit!" she laughed, and I burst into giggles, attempting to escape her grasp.
***
Amelia had decided to sleep over at my house, convinced it was a better idea than driving back to her place late at night. I couldn't argueâour journey the next day was going to be five or six hours long, and I knew we'd need all the sleep we could get.
Morning came too quickly. I was jolted awake by Amelia shaking me and lightly kicking my leg. "Wake up, sleepyhead!" she chirped.
I groaned, pulling the covers over my head, hoping to steal a few more minutes of sleep. Just as I was about to drift off again, Amelia screamed my name, and I shot up, squinting against the light. "What the hell's wrong with you?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes and trying to focus on her smiling face.
"Get up! You have thirty minutes until Ethan arrives to pick us up," she said, shoving a towel in my direction. I reluctantly grabbed it and trudged toward the bathroom. Just as I was about to close the door, she stopped me.
"Oh no, you're not wearing that!" she said, snatching the clothes I had chosenâa pair of skinny jeans and my favorite Rolling Stones band shirt. "Try this instead." She handed me the floral romper we had bought the day before.
"Really? A romper?" I protested, eyeing it with skepticism.
"Yes, really! Now hurry up!" she urged, pushing me into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.
After a quick shower and brushing my teeth, I stepped out, feeling slightly more human. Amelia was sprawled on my bed, scrolling through her phone. When she noticed me, her eyes widened in delight. "Oh wow! You look cute! Pair it with some black boots," she said, handing me my favorite ankle boots.
I slipped on the boots and glanced at myself in the mirror, feeling a mix of self-consciousness and surprise. I wasn't used to wearing something so revealing. "Are you sure about this?" I asked, fidgeting with the hem of the romper.
"You look great! Now, let's go," she insisted, grabbing our suitcases and dragging them toward the stairs.
We carefully carried our bags down, trying not to make too much noise. I opened the front door and stepped outside to see Ethan leaning against his car, engrossed in a game on his phone.
When he noticed us, he looked up with a smile. "Good morning, beautiful," he said, and warmth flushed through me. I couldn't help but blush. "Let me help you with that," he offered, grabbing the suitcase I had dragged down.
He opened the trunk and placed our luggage inside. "So, are we picking up David?" I asked, watching him close the trunk.
"Yep, let's go!" he replied cheerfully, and I hopped into the passenger seat while Amelia slid into the back.
Ethan started the engine, and we drove off along the highway. I pulled my phone out and plugged it into the aux cord. As I scrolled through my music, I selected "Tonight" by Secret Nation.
Days run, nights fall away.
Streetlights guiding me,
They show me the way.
Ethan sped along at a good pace, probably around 80 or 90 kilometers per hour. The drive to David's house was longer than I remembered, which only heightened my excitement for our spring break getaway.
About ten minutes later, we pulled up in front of David's house. He was standing outside, waiting for us, a backpack slung over his shoulder. He hopped in the backseat, and we resumed our journey.
***
After the three-hour ride, Ethan pulled into a nearby gas station to fill up his car. Amelia and I hopped out to use the restroom and grab some snacks for the next couple of hours. David was slouched in the backseat, sound asleep, his earbuds in, oblivious to the world outside.
Once we returned to the car with a handful of chips and a couple of sodas, I handed Ethan a cold bottle of water. He gulped it down and announced he needed to hit the restroom himself, wanting to avoid an inconvenient stop on the highway.
"Take your time," I said, settling back into my seat.
Amelia and I waited, chatting softly as the sun began to rise, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. When Ethan returned, he slid into the driver's seat, and we were off again, speeding down the highway at about 100 kilometers per hour. I couldn't help but glance up at the changing sky, the colors almost mesmerizing.
The cool air conditioning made me feel drowsy, and I blinked a few times before deciding to close my eyes, hoping to catch up on some much-needed sleep.
An hour and a half later, the sudden jolt of the car halting woke me with a start. I opened my eyes to see Ethan's annoyed expression as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out.
"What's going on?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes as I followed him outside.
He popped open the hood, and a cloud of gray smoke billowed out, mixing with the cool morning air. I sighed, my stomach sinking.
"Shit," Ethan cursed under his breath. I walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What are we going to do now?" he asked, his frustration evident. I shrugged, feeling just as lost.
Amelia and David emerged from the car, clearly having woken up to the abrupt stop. Amelia shot Ethan an incredulous look. "Oh no, don't tell me your car broke down," she said.
"As much as I want to deny it, it actually did," Ethan replied, running a hand through his tousled brown hair. His expression was a mix of annoyance and resignation.
"For fuck's sake, what are we supposed to do now?" Amelia paced back and forth, her agitation growing. An idea began to form in my mind.
"I'm going to try and flag someone down," I said, stepping away from the car and waving my arms at the passing vehicles. The highway was still relatively empty, but I hoped to catch someone's attention.
"Are you okay? Do you need some medical attention?" Amelia called out, concern flickering across her face. I rolled my eyes, hoping she was joking.
"I'm fine," I replied, continuing to wave. Most cars zoomed by without a second glance.
"And is this your brilliant idea of helping?" Amelia asked, crossing her arms. I turned to her, my annoyance bubbling to the surface.
"At least I'm trying to do something," I snapped, but the cars continued to whiz past, ignoring my efforts.
Amelia chuckled under her breath, "You've got to stop. Cars keep ignoring you; it's not like there's going to be a nice person who will stop and drive us all to our destination."
"Just give me a second," I said, determined to keep trying. Just as I turned back around, a sleek black Range Rover pulled over. I couldn't contain my grin, feeling a surge of hope.
The passenger window rolled down, and my smile faded as I recognized the driver. "What the actual frick," I said slowly. Amelia turned around and gasped.
"Cayden!" she exclaimed, and I felt a mix of frustration and disbelief. I had hoped to enjoy my spring break without running into him.
"What seems to be the problem?" Cayden asked, looking genuinely curious. Before I could respond, Amelia jumped in.
"Ethan, David, Hailey, and I need to get to our destination, but Ethan's car broke down in the middle of the road," she explained quickly.
"Care to give us a ride?" she asked, elbowing my shoulder. I shot her an annoyed look but held my tongue.
"Sure, hop in," Cayden said, his expression neutral. Amelia opened the back door, but I stopped her before she could climb in.
"What are you doing?" she asked, puzzled.
"I think I should sit in the front," I said, giving her an irritated look.
"Duh. I'm sitting in the back," she winked at me and hopped inside, leaving me with no choice but to follow suit.
"So where are they?" Cayden asked, glancing at me. I realized he meant Ethan and David.
"Oh, they're back there," I said, pointing to the white Land Cruiser parked a few meters away. Cayden drove a little closer, stopping next to Ethan, who was still trying to figure out what had gone wrong with the car.
Amelia rolled down her window and leaned out, calling to the guys. "Get in, losers! We've got a ride!"
I facepalmed internally. This was not how I wanted my spring break to start.
***
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