Everyone knows about that poem by Robert Frost. You know, the one about taking "the road less traveled," and how "it made all the difference."
If you don't, it's about how we should all be ourselves and not just do what everyone is doing. About not being afraid of change and of being an individual. About how we should jump up on a table top and give a long, inspirational speech about being yourself. Ok maybe that's going too far, but it gets the point across right?
Well last summer my friends did exactly what this poem asked us to do. We took the road less traveled all over the country. And I gotta tell you, Robert Frost didn't research that road very well because I've read that poem like fifty times and it in no way, shape, or form does it mention the "fun" of RV camps, clogged facilities, rabid raccoons, crazy locals, or possessed GPS systems.
But it did have one thing right, it makes all the difference. That was summer that we all came together. That we forged the bonds that would keep us strong through the worst experience of our life; losing the one that brought us all together. And it all started with a bet...
"No!" the guys shouted.
"Come on, that totally should have gone in!"
"Does that really surprise you? You've seen this game like five times already, and I don't think it's changed. Can we please do something else?" Gabriella complained.
"Yeah. Let's go see a movie. I mean, don't you guys ever get sick of basketball?" The room fell silent and the guys stared at Taylor in awe. "That was a stupid question wasn't it?" she asked Gabriella.
"Yeah, it kind of was. Alright, since you guys don't want to move, and we don't want to stay, we're just gonna split," Gabriella said.
"Yeah. We'll hang out another time," Taylor added.
"What? Oh come on Tay," Chad said blocking her exit. "You said we'd hang out today. We never see each other any more." They'd been dating for about eight months now and, until a few weeks ago, everything had been going smoothly.
"Yeah well, this is hardly hanging out. I'm so sick of watching you watch basketball. It's like the stupid sport is more important than me!" Chad opened his mouth, most likely to say something stupid which would result in a huge fight, but his best friend clamped a hand over his mouth to stop him.
"Of course he doesn't think that," Troy said in his usual velvety voice, his hand still clamped over Chad's mouth. "You are the MOST important thing to him right now. And don't you dare say that that's bull because I had to listen to him complain about how much he misses you for twelve hours straight last night."
"Really?" Taylor said teary eyed. Chad glared up at Troy who pointedly nodded towards Taylor. He met her gaze and hesitantly nodded. "Aww Chad," she gushed latching onto his neck and kissing his deeply. Chad flashed Troy and thumbs up and pulled Taylor back towards the couch while feeding her a ton of mushy lines.
Troy smiled to himself. Those two were always so easy to fix. If only it was that easy with...
"Troy!"
Gabriella...
"Don't you hey babe me you sick, unfeeling, arrogant, masochistic playboy."
"Aww come on Baby. Whutz duh matter?" he said in a baby voice.
"What's the matter? What's the matter? The "matter" is that you're an asshole and you're lying to my best friend so your best friend can have a warm body. That's not right Bolton!"
"Jealous that it's not us?"
Gabriella scoffed. "Jealous that I wouldn't be here if Taylor wasn't?" Troy's eyes darkened and Gabriella shivered as she held his gaze.
"Can you two knock it off? Just for today?" Taylor begged.
"Shut up, this doesn't concern you," Troy growled, his midnight eyes still boring deep into Gabriella's chocolate brown ones.
"Hey, don't snap at my girl just because you're having problems with her."
"Her has a name; do you know what it is?" The question caught Chad off guard and he stared like a deer in headlights. Troy knew that had been wrong, Chad never did well under pressure. And of course he knew his girlfriend's best friends name, but he wouldn't be able to answer now. And that would really make the girls mad.
"It's Gabriella, my name is Gabriella! Taylor! He doesn't even know my name."
"How could you forget that? I remember everything you say about you and your friends. You know how? Because I listen to you. Which obviously you don't do because the only thing you and your stupid friends care about is flinging around a big orange ball."
Soon the room was filled with yelling and screaming. Everyone was yelling at each other which would cause someone else to join in defending another person until someone else said something and everyone changed sides.
"HEY!" a voice screamed breaking through the noise. Everyone turned to see Zeke standing on the coffee table holding a makeshift megaphone from a Home and Garden magazine. "EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND SHUT-UP!" Surprised by his outburst, everyone quickly found a seat and waited for him to continue.
"We're a team, figuratively and literally, each and every one of us is a part of a team. And teams shouldn't fight like that; I thought someone was going to draw blood!" he paused and waited for the chuckling to cease. "So here's my idea. We all need to remember how to be a team, and we need to get out of this town, it's making us crazy." Everyone nodded in agreement and Zeke continued: "So let's go on vacation together, six weeks of wildcat bonding and killer partying!" This was met with a round of uproarious cheers and celebrations.
" So, where we going?"
"Well I thought we'd all decide that..." Suddenly everyone was arguing about where to go and the fighting recommenced.
"Hey. Hey? HEY!" Zeke yelled. "I was going to say together but obviously that's not possible so let's try a little bet. Whoever can tell me who makes the next shot gets to decide where we go."
"Dude, we all know it's Turner. He shoots and three pointer and wins the game," Troy said.
"Yeah, we've seen this game like five times!" Chad added.
"And you still don't know what you're talking about," Scott, another member on the team said. "Turner wins the game with a hook shot."
"Sorry Scott, they're right," Taylor says apologetically.
"Yeah, as much as it pains me to say this, Troy and Chad are right," Gabriella cringes.
"No way, it was a two pointer," another person protested.
"Ok no arguing," Zeke urged. "How about this, which ever side is right, chooses amongst themselves where to go, and we meet up next Monday to make the final arrangements before leaving on Friday? Deal?"
"Deal." everyone agreed.
"Alright so you said Turner with a two pointer, this group said Turner with a hook shot, you guys, and girls, say Turner with a three pointer, and I say it was Maddox not Turner."
"What?" the gang said.
"Dude, Maddox never makes a shot. He can't even make the foul shots."
"Yeah he's the worst player on the team."
"He's the worst player in the league!"
"Just let me worry about that. Everyone agree with the bet?" Zeke checked. Everyone nodded and Zeke pressed play on the paused game.
Turner had the ball and was racing down the court when he suddenly tripped. He managed to pass the ball before he hit the ground to no other than Misses-it-Maddox. The crowd screamed in horror as the clock wore down and Maddox shoots it towards the hoop. It goes in right as the buzzer sounds and the crowd goes crazy.
Maddox, the worst player in the league, had just won the game for his team after the star player tripped. And Zeke had just won the bet. Everyone was shocked.
"That's not what happened last time." someone said finally, "What happened?"
"I switched to another game when you guys started fighting. This one is actually a spoof that aired on the internet and VH1 showed it on a show last night. I saw it on the list of recorded shows a figured it would throw you guys."
"You tricked us," a disbelieving Gabriella questioned.
"I never took you for the sneaky type," Taylor gawked.
"Way to go man, so where we going?" Troy said calmly.
Zeke smiled, "You'll see on Monday!" and left without another word leaving the gang speechless.
It was going to be a very interesting summer.
A/N- Alright, last trailer/ prologue thing for a while. Check them all out and tell me which one you want me to continue. Or tell me if you want me to continue on another story. I'll update the one with the most reviews on Friday or Saturday. Thnx for reading!