~~Chapter Three~~
At the sight of Rosalie, Bella practically dove out of the car and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "Rose!"
"Bells!" Rose greeted back with a pleasant surprise. "I didn't think you were going to come."
Looking up at her friend Bella's smile fell just a tad. "I didn't want to, but Garrett basically cheated and called in all his favours."
"She lies!" Garrett yelled from the passenger window. "I gave her no choice!"
Laughing Rose picked up her bags and pulled Bella back into a side hug as she walked to the car, giving her cousin a smile as he opened the boot. "Now, I promise we'll have fun, I went over the itinerary and trust me there are some activities even you'll enjoy. Maria! I thought you were in Jacksonville still."
"Ah, my business there concluded quicker than I expected prima, I mentioned to Jasper that I will fly back but within five minutes of hanging up Peter called and said there was space," Maria explained as she spun in her seat to grin at her cousin-in-law. "I thought why not, it has been a long time since I was on a road trip."
"Excellent! Now tell me who's driving?" Rose asked once she put her bag in the boot.
Peter tossed his cousin the keys with a laugh while Paul climbed next to Maria and allowing Peter to take his place. He'd rather be cramped in the boot than be cramped next to the love birds, especially since Garrett claimed the middle seat. Rose climbed into the car with ease and pulled out of her motel parking lot in the direction the GPS was telling her to go.
"So, tell us, how did your job interview go?" Bella asked.
An exasperated sigh escaped Rose's lips. "It was good, the owner Felix is very down to earth and was the first of my job interviewers who didn't picture me naked or was a sexist pig. Yet, there was one or two under his employment who thought I didn't belong under a car, old sexist pigs. Felix wasn't happy considering his sister was a mechanic as well, but I got the job!"
Cheers went up and everyone gave their congratulations and though there was some sadness over the fact that Rosalie would be moving states and that would be another one of their group breaking off to start their own life. First, it was Jasper who moved to Tennessee and got married, Bella was still sorry she never got to attend his wedding as Edward…
Shaking her head sharply of the memories and brushing the pain away she focused on the group once more. "So, can someone tell me exactly what we will be doing at this place?"
"Well the first night there we'll be going to the bar for celebratory drinks, the next day we have a free day to recover unless one of you want to do activities." Rose started, after all, it was, she and Peter who suggested this trip. "But the second day we're going Whitewater rafting, that is mandatory Bella, you'll enjoy it."
"Seriously?" the word was drawled out in a whine.
"Yes, seriously Bells, you'll enjoy it," Rose replied with a sharp look and Bella crossed her arms with a huff. "Trust me."
It was the trust me that got Bella to relent. Rose and she had been friends since grade school when her mom moved to Texas, they'd surprisingly got along even though they were a year apart and never had Rose lead Bella astray or proved those words wrong. Everything that Rose suggested they do with an utterance of trust me Bella did end up enjoying it, sometimes almost reluctantly but really… she always enjoyed their trips.
If it was Jasper or Peter on the other hand that said it then she would be a bit more leery, there were a lot of times they said trust me and have landed her up in a mud puddle or running from a mob or one particular case that nearly sent her and them into an early grave when they got arrested and her father was called.
"Fine, but you're buying all my drinks!" She replied after a moment that caused Rose to let out a loud bright laugh.
"Deal."
From that moment on it was like the old days that Bella could remember before she and Edward got serious before they all went to different colleges and it reminded Bella of all the road trips, they took on their breaks, the singalongs, the games, bickering and road trip food. Soon enough, though the sun was now setting, they finally reached their destination.
Bella's fingers itched to catch the view before her, the shadows of the forest and the light that filtered through the thick canopy. She could just imagine all the ideas of photoshoots she could do in this lighting, with this forest when her eyes caught a glimpse of the sign 'TENNESSEE ADVENTURES'.
"Alright, Jasper said that he booked out the Glamping Tents down by the small creek," Rose said over her shoulder to Peter who was pulling out the map of the park.
"Take a left, follow the road then take the right intersection, thankfully it's slightly more isolated from other campers but still within walking distance of everything else," Peter explained his finger following the road lines to the spot.
"Wow, faaaaaaaancy." Paul drawled out as he got a view of the camping spot, the tents were half cabin and up on a platform that sat slightly over the river.
Familiar laughter was heard as they came to a stop signalling Jasper's appearance. "Tha' they are Hot Shot, this was built and usually reserved for big wig company retreats. But I snagged it for ya'll before anyone else could, it's good t'see ya all."
"How'd you know we were here?" Kate asked as she got out to let out Maria and Paul.
Laughing Jasper shot them all a smile. "Came down to make sure ya'll had everything ya needed and saw the lights. You and Gare get the tent behind me, Paul and Pete get the one next ta ya and Bell and Rose have the two at the end.
Peter groaned and shot his brother a look. "Why do I have to share with the smelly beast?"
"Cause you drew the short straw, and neither of ya's decided to bring ya girls along." Jasper replied without missing a beat.
"Charlotte's classes don't finish till next week," Peter cursed as he grabbed his bag from the boot. "Plus, her mama is sick so she's headin' back to Texas for a bit to help out, which you very well know."
"Mi amore, do not taunt your brother so." Maria laughed as she made her way to her husbands' side, pulling him in for a quick kiss.
Jasper grinned down at his wife and pulled her into a close embrace. "I've missed you Darlin', but yes you're right. Pete, you get your own tent too though it doesn't overlook the river."
Muttering under his breath Peter walked towards the tent hidden by some shrubs, he didn't care that he wasn't overlooking the water but he had shared a dorm room with Paul before and he couldn't do that again, the man snored like a slumbering wolf and just no… he didn't know how Becca did it.
"Alright, I'm giving you all twenty minutes to shower and get ready before I leave your ass here and go to the bar by myself!" Rose shouted as she grabbed her bags and began to make her way towards the tent cabin Jasper said was hers, pausing long enough to link her arms through Bella's as she was distracted by the surroundings. "Come along shutterbug."
"But Roooooose," Bella whined as she itched to capture the darkened trees lit by fairy lights.
"No buts missy, we're going drinkin' so get going!" The blonde replied with a laughing shove, "hurry up now!"
Bella groaned and quickened her pace, "Okay, okay, yeesh."
Later, she'll have time later to capture the wilds of Tennessee.
Author Note: What. Am. I. doing… Mama4 what am I doinggggggg *headdesk* lol