Oh boy, this next small arc is fun. We all need it after the last one.

Year Two: Besties' Road Trip!

Outside of Edison Residence - 15:03 PM

Time went by too fast. It felt like it was only yesterday they were coming to the Academy for the first time, starting their second year, and now it's over. Another year in the books. So much happened this year and now they're packing to go home for the summer again. It was weird to believe they're half done their academic journey at the Academy, but it was even harder to fathom there only being half left.

"I'll have you boys know that I'm staying in town this summer," Angela says excitedly, helping Daniel pack his car. James is nearby, shrinking his things and his car so he could tag along with Daniel. "My work-study is online and I have to take a science course which is also online."

"Which one?" Daniel asks.

"Intro to gemology," Angela responds. "Some girls on my floor say that it was simple and interesting, and gemstones are pretty."

"I'm taking that too," Daniel says, "for the same reasons as you."

"Really?" Angela exclaims before noticing his sarcasm. She narrows her eyes at him before changing her expression to look at James. "What are your plans?"

James hesitates. "Get drunk with Stark and watch you two bond over mineral properties of sapphires."

"That's so specific."

"That's our birthstone, babe."

Angela drops the box she was holding, ignoring Daniel's scream. Whoops. She didn't know what was in there. She gives her boyfriend an adoring look because she wasn't prepared for that birthstone statement as he winks at her.

"Sign up for the course," Angela tells him.

"But I want to get drunk with Stark!" James yells.

"Get drunk with her over gemstones," Daniel suggests, finishing his packing alone since Angela got distracted.

James nods, realizing they have a point. His and Emily's drunk conversations are the high points of pure intelligence. He quickly takes his phone out and signs up for the course.

-o-

Hudson Residence - 16:10 PM

Group Chat - Xavier's Besties
Members: Merida, Brody, Ashton, Orchid

Orchid: Who's up for a little fun before we head home?

Brody: My flight's in the middle of next week and most of my stuff's already been sent home. So, I'm in.

Merida: What'd you have in mind?

[Orchid sends a tourist website for The Devils Tower]

Merida: I'm in without even clicking that link. The name sold me. What is that? A three-day drive? Do you think we can borrow a quinjet? We can fly them now.

Ashton: Yes three days and I'm out.

Brody: Why?

Ashton: BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I LIVE!

Brody: You live in The Devils Tower? That's epic.

Ashton: No, I live in the state.

Orchid: Come on, it's like a free ride home.

Ashton: Do you think I want to be home early? Besides, I'll have to get my car and all my stuff.

Merida: We'll use your car and figure out a way for the rest of us to get home. Brody could just change his flight to leave from whatever airport you have there.

Brody: And Merida and Orchid will figure themselves out.

Merida: Exactly.

Ashton: Also, we're not going to my house.

Orchid: Fine, whatever, Ashton will just come back to campus like the sickly chicken he is. So, are we going or what?

Merida: Wait, so if we're not going to use his car, mine's probably going to break down on the way there, and Orchid and Brody don't have cars here, whose are we taking?

Ashton looks up from his phone for a moment. He isn't sure how his friends came up with a road trip so fast but he might as well go. It's the end of the year and they'll get to do something without the overarching shadow of tests. Besides, he's always wanted to stop by the Tower with people who aren't his annoying siblings he has to keep an eye on at all times. He'll be with his friends he has to keep his eye on because Orchid, Brody, and Merida will attempt to climb The Devils Tower, despite all the signs and park officials saying no. Besides, he would totally watch that and join in.

Ashton turns around in his desk chair and sees Xavier on the phone with Angela. Overhearing only Xavier's words, it sounds like the twins are discussing when they're leaving campus. He goes back to the group chat as they continue talking.

Ashton: Angela's in the dorm, right?

Merida: On the phone with Xavier. Why?

Ashton: When does she want to leave campus?

Merida: Next week because she has to stay for her work study's debriefing but Xavier wants to leave tomorrow - oH I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!

Orchid: BEST. ROAD TRIP. EVER.

Orchid: BESTIES!

Brody: Nice! Xavier even has the nicest car! He can do all the driving since there'd be no way he'd put us behind the wheel.

Ashton looks up from his phone again when he hears Xavier end the call. He watches his roommate throw his phone on the bed and groans agonizingly. From what he got out of Merida, Ashton guesses that Xavier is stuck on campus for another week - what a shame - since he can't leave campus or else his parents would make him drive back here to pick her up. If only there was something he could do to pass the time?

"So…" Ashton mutters, getting Xavier's attention. "I hear you'll be here for a while."

"Yup," Xavier responds. "Siblings suck."

"Amen to that, despite Angela being way too cool to exist. Anyways, I'll be around for a bit longer so do you wanna do something?"

"Like what?"

Here goes. "So, Merida, Orchid, and Brody are planning a road trip to my home state of Wyoming because they want to see The Devils Tower. We were thinking of inviting you along since you're here and our, in Orchid's words, bestie."

Xavier doesn't even bat an eye. "So you want to use my car and have me drive for three days there and back?"

It's like he knew. "It's not like you'll let us drive your car. You barely let Angela drive it and it's her car too."

"I've seen you four, and Angela, fly quinjets and it gave me nightmares."

Ashton smiles. "See, you're already on board."

"I'm not."

"Take a moment to think about your choice." Ashton looks on his phone and sees messages from the group chat on his progress for getting Xavier to join them.

Ashton: He said no.

Orchid: And you're letting him?

Brody: Xavier is so easy to convince and you failed at that? Come on, Ruiz, you're his roommate.

Ashton: That's … so rude.

Ashton looks up at Xavier. "Please."

"No," Xavier responds.

"Pretty please."

"No."

"Pretty please with an Orchid Vermillion and Brody Ocean on top."

"Dear god no."

"But Merida could die if she falls from the Tower and her parents will be coming after my brown ass! And Orchid's Southern so she has no health insurance and Brody could get deported!"

Xavier stares at him. " … they're idiots but not that dumb."

"Are you sure? We need you as our parental supervision. I mean, you've seen how we fly quinjets."

Before Xavier could respond, the door bursts open. Xavier looks over as Ashton screams. They see Merida standing at the doorframe almost having an intent to kick the door off its hinges. She slams it behind her and charges up to them, eyes burning as she looks up at Xavier.

Merida grins a little with the corner of her mouth. "You owe me, Xavier Buchanan Rogers."

"Your middle name is what?" Ashton mutters.

"Excuse me?" Xavier asks, ignoring Ashton and taking a step back. "For what?"

"Last year when you made me go on a not-date double date with the morons we're now friends with. We're now going full circle."

Xavier is about to argue back but he has nothing to support his claims. He did make a deal with Merida and she never cashed it in so, naturally, they both forgot. Or so he thought… Ashton's not even offended because that night was a beautiful adventure and he's more preoccupied with Merida full-naming Xavier. They now have a group chat dedicated to Xavier, Xavier Buchanan Rogers, the best bestie. And seeing Merida charge in here made his life flash before his eyes.

"When do we leave?" Xavier asks, with a hint of future regret in his voice.

-o-

Xavier's car wasn't only the nicest car, it was also the roomiest. He was obviously in the driver's seat and it took the others way too long to argue over who got shotgun. Xavier didn't argue since he was busy looking up directions to The Devils Tower. Orchid and Brody surrendered after five minutes, accepting the back, but Ashton and Merida were about to throw hands in the parking lot.

"Why can't I sit in the front?" Ashton asks her. "Orchid and Brody will be all touchy-feely."

"That's why I don't want to sit there," Merida argues.

"It's my hometown!"

"Which is why I should be in the front. I need to see the view and get the whole road trip experience without them ruining it for me."

Ashton narrows his eyes and balls his hands into fists as Merida does a snarky grin before sitting shotgun.

"Fine," Ashton states, accepting defeat. "I come from a big family of bratty siblings so I have a finely honed sense of familial injustice."

Before he gets in the car, Orchid steps out of the back, gesturing for him to get in. Ashton peeks inside and sees Brody still inside. Ashton groans. Sitting in the back with Orchid and Brody was bad but sitting in the middle? That's even worse. Ashton now understands why Xavier needed convincing or ordering to come.

"We're ready?" Xavier asks, turning back to see Ashton in the middle. Merida looks back as well, laughing obnoxiously.

"Just drive," Ashton grumbles.

Xavier smiles before he and Merida turn around. He starts the engine and backs out, slamming on the brakes when he hears a thumping sound. Xavier almost jumps out of his seat, looking out to see what or who he hit. He can't afford this.

"Oh, I just hit the car door to mess with ya," Brody says. He laughs, getting everyone else but Xavier on board.

Xavier glares. "We haven't even left the parking space and I'm already regretting this."

-o-

Somewhere on the Interstate - 17:20 PM

Barely an hour on the road and everyone was already complaining about the radio station, whose playlist, if they can stop for food and where, what to get and where, and about crashing at Ashton's place with his annoying siblings. It's not like they packed much. They only brought clothes and necessities for the days on the road. Everything else could get picked up along the way … if it could be agreed on.

Xavier has tuned out everything in the car. Everyone else was white noise to him. He now understands why his dad tunes out him and Angela whenever they open their mouths in the car. They're annoying. He better apologize for twenty years of annoyance when he gets home … if he gets home … and only for himself.

But there was a benefit to being the driver. He was in charge of the car. With that in mind, he takes the next exit. Nobody complains. They simply notice they're leaving the interstate.

"Get whatever we need," Xavier says, sounding like his father. "I'll fill up the car and someone can take over driving once we cross state lines."

"Yes, Dad," Orchid says, winking at him.

Merida complains about getting car sick as Orchid winks at Xavier again. Ashton looks at Orchid strangely as Xavier pretends he never heard that despite his burning face. Brody is too deep in thought about what to get at the pit stop to notice, as if he'd really care. Xavier hopes that Merida takes over the driving mostly because that means he'll sit shotgun. He should anyways since it's his car but he'll never know with them.

Xavier parks in front of a station and they all step out. They take a moment to stretch before Merida, Ashton, and Brody head inside the store. As Xavier starts filling the car, he notices Orchid crouched on the back end of the car. He peeks over and sees the back of her head.

"You're not heading inside?" Xavier asks.

Orchid doesn't turn to face him. "If you look at the spot next to us, there's a raccoon."

Xavier glances at the vacant pump and sees a raccoon staring right at him. He jumps a little, almost dropping the gas pump and Orchid laughs a little.

"You're a New Yorker, I thought those don't scare easily," Orchid says. "They don't have raccoons in Brooklyn?"

"They do but I'd rather they didn't. They're creepy." Xavier keeps his eye on it to make sure it doesn't get closer to him.

"But it looks like it's wearing a burglar's eye mask."

"Hence, creepy."

"Okay, how about one of those sleeping masks that you cover your eyes with. That make it better?"

"Makes it worse."

"How about getting caught in the rain with a smokey eye and non-waterproof mascara?"

"What does that even - why do you just have that in your pocket?"

Orchid ignores Xavier and uses her small eye shadow palette. She dips her fingers in the blacks and greys before smearing them on her eyelids and underneath. When she looks back at Xavier, she looks like she had two black eyes as opposed to watered-down eye makeup or raccoon chic. But the look does make her big brown eyes pop more.

She finished her makeover just in time for the car to be filled and the others to finish getting stuff from inside. They hold four plastic bags of junk food and energy drinks in confusion as the dynamic trio of bandit Orchid, confused Xavier, and a raccoon.

Merida snaps a photo and drops it in their group chat, even sending one to Angela and posting it on her story. She then glances at Ashton and Brody. Ashton looks horrified at the raccoon and Brody's smiling at Orchid. Merida wonders which one of them she'll sacrifice to the raccoon to keep her shotgun spot.

Merida scurries over to Xavier when the raccoon looks distracted. "I left you alone for a minute and Orchid's already got a makeover and matching bestie."

"That's the problem," Xavier responds. "You left me alone."

" … yeah I wouldn't have known what to do with that, except this."

Merida takes out her phone to continue recording this scene. Angela'll love this.

"That raccoon keeps looking at me!" Ashton exclaims, seeing two beady eyes now facing him. "I'm not a chocolate bar! Get it away from me!"

"Babe, I knew to get you makeup wipes," Brody says, searching through one of the bags for it. "You never remember when you spend the night."

Orchid smiles as she starts posing. "I'm digging this look."

Brody's still looking for the makeup wipes, checking the other bags. Orchid's posing for Merida's movie. Ashton's having a stare down with the raccoon.

"You're right," Xavier pulls out his phone to record this, "you get footage of Brody and Orchid and I got Ashton and the raccoon."

"What are you going to do about that?" Merida asks.

"Get a better angle."

Xavier climbs on top of his car before pointing the phone at Ashton and the raccoon. Merida and Orchid cheer as Brody runs over to handle the raccoon (or catch Ashton when he jumps into his arms like a damsel in distress).