One: Road Trip Anyone?

"Road trip, anyone?" I asked, looking at my table of friends. The last day before our last Spring Break as high schoolers and all of us finally together eating lunch in the senior quad. So, I had chosen right then was the time to suggest it.

Everyone stared at me, all thinking what Terri said out loud, "Are you crazy?"

I stared at them a little taken aback, and said, "Wow, not what I expected." I lowered my eyes almost convinced to forget about my "crazy" idea, but then I lifted them up to meet everyone's quiet stares. "Let my try this again," I said with a little more confidence, "Three day trip to the coast, cheep if we split the cost. Fun, cool, ocean, beach? Now, who wants to come?"

Terri looked at me, shrugging innocently, and as always, the first to answer, "Sorry, Sarah. Family plans." Kili nodded in agreement saying,"Same here, I'm going to visit family on the mainland." I rolled my eyes at her, I should've known that her "we are all native to Hawaii" family would whisk her away to the island, like they do every time we had time off.

I looked over at Carson and Tristan, who couldn't come up with a better excuse other than that they were preparing for college.

So, I looked over at the one person I really wanted to go. "Peter?" I asked expectantly, pouting like a little kid who was promised a trip to Disneyland. I was practically begging him. He started to shrug his shoulders when I switched tactics and put on a sweet smile, but only he could see the underlying death glare. He changed his mind mid-shrug. "Um, I'd love to go," he said, trying to keep the fear out of his voice, and running into difficulty, "Where on the coast?"

Before I could answer, I heard the voice that had annoyed every girl in this group for the past couple of weeks. "Hey, Peter! Where are we going?" I rolled my eyes internally, and I felt Terri and Kili do the same. But apparently, it wasn't as internal as I thought, because I felt someone whisper in my ear, "Her voice annoy you too?"

My best friend Justin, squeezed into the seat next to me, and I smirked. I leaned closer and murmured quietly, "And the fact that you can smell her toxic perfume from a mile away, before her voice even gets to annoy you."

We snickered quietly, high-fiving as inconspicuously as possible.

Justin and I had been friends before we could talk, which is why when we started to learn words, I gave him the embarrassing nickname my family came to know him by: Jussininin.

Before I had the chance to invite Justin along on the road trip, Jessica, the loud mouth, toxic perfume factory smelling, cheerleader that had suddenly taken interest in our group because of Peter, sweetly interrupted me, "Oh, Sarah, be a dear and let me tag along on this little road trip of yours?"

I tried not to make a sour face, and did what my parents raised me to do. As nicely as I could manage, I said, "Of-of course Jessica." I tried to smile.

She turned and smiled at Peter, laughing too much at whatever he had just said, her distasteful flirting laid on too thick like too much frosting on a cake.

I turned to Justin, pretending to stab myself in despair and he laughed. I got up, not wanting to wallow in her toxic cloud of sappy flirting and perfume, and the pain of seeing Peter enjoy it.

Justin grabbed my hand, "Wait, I'll come with." He grabbed his stuff, sticking an apple in his mouth, which I stole from him as he slipped on his jacket.

"Hey!" He smiled mischievously, determined to take back what was rightfully his. I took a bite of it dramatically before he could snatch it back. We pushed each other around playfully before finally walking away from our table.

Peter called after me, "I'll call you later! Okay?" I nodded, a little surprised and found myself blushing happily, before calling back, "Yeah, okay! See ya!"

As Justin and I walked away, Justin mockingly batted his eyelashes, clasped his hands to his chest, and with a high girly voice, said, "Oh, Peter! I'd love for you to call me! Even better, could I have a kiss?" He puckered his lips and I punched his shoulder, fed up with the teasing. He laughed. "Whatever," I said, barely containing a smile because it was funny.

He laughed, and took another bite of his apple as we continued on our way. "Anyways, Sarah, mind if I come on this Spring Break road trip of yours? I could help keep at bay the poisonous Jenna and her high-pitched voice?" he offered jokingly.

I laughed, "Sure, I guess so. I do need someone responsible enough to plan out this whole thing anyways. Stop by my house later tonight?"

"Sure thing," he smiled, "Haven't been at your old house since the good 'ole days when we used to have tickle fights in the tree house. That still there?" I nodded my head, thinking back fondly to our carefree years of childhood. With that, he tickled my side and took off to dodge any attacks.

I squealed and rolled my eyes at his cowardice, thinking to myself, I'll get him back later. 

"Hey, Sarah!" Someone called out. I turned and smiled at my friend Terri, rushing up to me. The only friend I truly relied on through thick and thin for the last eight years. 

She stopped when she caught up, breathing heavily, saying, "Hey! I know I can't go on the road trip, but I could help you pack? Besides, I need a little gossip time with my gal." She winked at me and I smiled, saying, "Absolutely, right after school then?"

"Yeah, okay. See ya then!" She said, quickly waving, then jogging off. I smiled to myself as I headed to class alone. I was glad she was coming over, I had been meaning to talk to Terri for awhile.