Forced Staycation
You didn't think I would've given up on this story, right? Well, I first had to convince myself on that. Heh!
First off, one thing; he might've called it as a joke, but I do think I owe Nstepneski some credit as well. He was the first one who gave me some feedback for this rewrite, back in the day, so thank you and sorry for forgetting what's due to you earlier!
The chapter as I initially planned to publish it got too long for my liking, so I cut off this part and choose to publish it as a separate chapter to make the next one more readable. It may've ended up making this chapter look like filler, but that's something I had to accept.
I bet you waited a while, so I'll let you read in peace now!
The weeks flew by and summer soon reared its head in Royal Woods. Unusually, it treated the town to an early couple of hot days. Students in schools smoldered as the temperatures made the aging classrooms even mustier. Even with the air conditioning in the building the heat couldn't be denied.
Luna was admittedly impressed with her resilience. There were multiple moments where she expected to faint from the temperatures, and several times others students have. The past week, time seemed to go even slower than usual, but she had made it; it was the last day of school. She didn't need to wait longer after classes were finished for the year, the family aimed to go on her beloved vacation tomorrow. It gave Luna the jitters from excitement.
As recess started, Luna slid a coin into a vending machine and after a few whirs, it dispensed a bottle of water. With a cool drink her grasp, she headed out to the school's courtyard with the same giddy skip in her step that she woke up with. It was crowded outside; other students weren't going to waste the chance to relax outdoors when the reasonable temperatures allowed them to, unlike the past week where scorching temperatures forced everyone to stay indoors. Luna looked out over the courtyard, searching for her friends. She hadn't seen them all day yet, while she was supposed to be in class with one of them earlier.
''Luna, over here!''
Luna recognized the voice of her 'lady', Sam Sharp. Sitting against a tree in the corner of the school's courtyard sat two out of three of her friends and fellow bandmates Samantha 'Sam' Sharp and Yannis, or 'Sully' as he much preferred, Sullivan.
''Hey dudes!'' Luna greeted as she sat down at the base of the tree with them, sitting next to Sam. Luna twisted the cap off of the bottle and presented it like a trophy. ''Here, the drink's on me!''
''Thanks!'' Sully replied, accepting the bottle.
''Two more classes and then it's finally summer vacation.'' Luna said.
''Yeah.'' Sully nodded his head agreeably as he took a gulp of refreshing water.
''It took long enough.'' Sam agreed.
''Come tomorrow, I'm out of here!'' Luna declared. She tried to remain cool and collected, but thinking about it made her voice rattle from excitement and the thrilled shake returned in her hands.
''Still excited for your vacay, bird?'' Sam asked with a knowing smirk shortly before she received the water bottle from Sully.
''Duh! Going to Graceland will be an eye-opener!'' Luna took her smartphone and browsed a photo of the mansion she often viewed the past weeks and showed her friends before she watched it herself longingly. Whether it was because the evening sun coated the mansion in its glow or something else Luna alone saw, it enchanted her. ''People say Elvis' aura lingers there and compels people to make great music!''
Sam, as she drank some of the water, shook her head, both exasperated and charmed seeing Luna gush. Then, she got a cheeky glimmer in her eye and nudged Sully for his attention.
''It's only a big mansion you're going to. You really need to chill, Luna!'' Sam pulled at the back of Luna's top and before Luna noticed what was going on poured a big swig's worth of water down her neck. The chilly water startled the zoned out girl, and as she yelped in surprise, scurrying off of her place as her friends laughed goodhearted at their little prank. Luna could see the humor in it too and giggle along while secretly plotting on a way to get them back.
She sat back down with Sam and Sully, plopping down in-between them this time as Sam handed her the water. A quick sip later, she put the bottle down in the grass and the three friends relaxed under the shade; she was finally feeling able to relax, though Luna flinched lightly as Sam folded her legs over Luna's lap. Looking up to Sam, she flashed a quick wink that left Luna feeling a tingle of joyful nervousness under her skin.
Out of her pack, Luna retrieved a notepad and scrolled through the intended page, which were a few sentences written down by her earlier. Though, due to the amount of eraser stains and sloppy corrections the words had become difficult to read. Around it were loose, rhyming words messily scribbled all over the page. As Luna reflected on her script and the calm around them, did she notice how sad it was their friend group wasn't complete.
''Too bad Mazzy's sick. She wasn't in math class with me.''
''Mazzy isn't sick.'' Sully remarked. The girls shot him puzzled looks. ''She skipped school so she and her parents could catch an earlier flight to Jamaica for their holiday.'' He brought out his phone and showed them a picture on the app Swiftypic. Luna watched the photo of the missing member of their band, Madeline, or 'Mazzy', Osmond summerly dressed and a small case in hand, standing at a large window with the airport gate and an airliner docked to it at the other side of the glass slab.
''On the way to a family vacay! #dreadlockholiday.'' Luna read the caption going with the image out loud.
''She kept silent about it in case the school would pick up word about it.''
Sully shook his head with a humored grin, comparing his situation Mazzy's. ''She gets to go on holiday. Even Chunk's going to England in a few days.''
''I hope he takes Tabby back with him for the summer again. She's a cool kid; it's not hard to see Chunk's her uncle!'' Luna said.
''Everyone flies out while I'll probably work the entire summer in the family restaurant to get by.'' Sully murmured.
''Lucky you.'' Sam shook her head, mumbled a groan and her usually wide eyes narrowed. ''Before I get to go camping in Washington state, first I got a 40-hour drive ahead being stuffed in a musty car. Luna, how do you not lose your mind when you're on the road with your family? I've got no leg room, mom and dad either argue or wish each other dead in silence, Simon plays his video games with the sounds way up and Keno, a dog the size of an ox, sitting in the trunk heaving down my neck; it's an attack on all of my senses!'' Her voice was raised and stiffly waved her arms as if an attempt to keep those bad stimuli off of her.
Luna looked idly at her notepad in thought. ''I don't know. I guess I'm just used to it! It forms a bond to be on the road stuck in a car together.''
Sam pouted her lips and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. ''I'd go stir-crazy from the idea alone.''
''But it's rad!'' Luna said, wide-eyed with glee. ''We're gonna hop from place to place and see something of the world and have plenty of fun while we're at it! We stay at campgrounds, motels…''
''Motels freak me out.'' Sam said.
Sully agreed with a nod. ''Yeah, horror movies spoiled them for me.''
''So you just fit all thirteen of you in a single room?'' Sam continued asking.
''We could do that, but we usually rent two or three rooms if we can. We can always stuff Lily in a drawer if we're short on space and believe me we have!''
''So you share a bed with one of your sisters?'' Sam's eyes went blank as if the idea itself was alien to her.
Luna gave the same an odd, puzzled look back. ''S'yeah. What's wrong with that?''
''I think it's hard to imagine for Sam because she's used to the upper-class lifestyle of having your own bed and not having to share ever.'' Sully answered in Sam's stead.
''It's not that!'' Sam was quick and sharp to point out. ''But isn't that, like, super gross?''
Sully was not impressed. ''Well Sammy, some people have to put up with stuff like that because not all of us are born with a silver spoon up our snizz.''
''Here you go again Sully…'' Sam moaned in annoyance, rolling her eyes. ''assuming I'm a spoiled brat just because I come from a well-to-do family.''
''I'm not assuming anything, I know it; better than you do even. You're so naive on how other people live their lives.'' Sully remarked.
''Not even!'' Sam started to get offended.
Luna's brows arched upward, she didn't like where the conversation and the mood was going.
''Dudes?''
Luna's silent plea was not heard while literally sitting in the middle of the budding quarrel. Their attitudes were very contrary to how they acted: both Sam and Sully remained relaxed in how they laid in the grass, the latter still had her legs draped over Luna's lap, which provided a strange contrast to their voices that grew more irritated.
''You won't have to worry about ever becoming a spoiled brat like you think I am because with that attitude you won't get anywhere in life beyond slaving over a stove making souvlakis and baklavas!''
Sully pursed his lips, repressing the feelings of offense he undoubtedly felt. ''Though, working sounds nice; beats a car ride with my divorcing parents. I feel sorry for who'll get custody over you.''
''Well I feel sorry for your parents because they must've accidentally thrown out the baby and raised the afterbirth instead!'' Sam shot back, her sardonic tone carrying plenty venom which contrasted sharply with how relaxed she remained seated under the tree.
''Says the Trippr-lesbian stereotype that lives off of her parents' wealth.'' Sully retorted. He too leaned against the tree and would seem completely relaxed if it wasn't for his caustic voice.
''But being a stereotype doesn't immediately make me an asshole like you, Yannis.''
''Hey pot, I'm kettle!''
''D-dudes… dudes come on.'' Luna again wasn't heard over the arguments and insults. She got rather stressed having to spectate and she felt like she couldn't go anywhere.
Sam and Sully clashed over everything and argued often which erupted in a passive-aggressive fight quickly. In particular, Sam loved to ridicule Sully's Greek roots and given name and she herself was often targeted by him for being rich and reliant on it like they did now. It was a surprise they still called each other friends regardless. Luna sat quietly at their side, it always made her nervous witnessing them bickering with each other, afraid it might spiral out of control into a legitimate fight. One time they got so aggressive that it left Luna trembling with anxiety from just being around the conflict. She wished Mazzy was here: she was the voice of reason in their group and could easily assert her dominance by being harsher than both of them combined.
The quarrel between Sam and Sully had gone on without Luna being able to keep track what words were being traded. The two glared daggers at each other, their glances going right past Luna stuck in the middle between them, and only the buzz of the recess bell was able to break their looks as they all got up and collected their things.
''If I'm not seeing you anymore Lunes, I hope you'll have a wild trip!'' Sully told her while slinging his backpack over his shoulder.
''Yeah, I'll try to call you dove!'' Sam said, sneaking a quick stroke of her finger into Luna's hand as she departed.
''Catch ya all later!'' Luna called after them, walking slowly so she could catch a final glimpse of her friends going into other directions.
Luna was disappointed the relaxed mood was spoiled by a fight between her two friends. She hoped they could help her come up with some lyrics for the melody she thought up a few weeks ago. The music she composed stuck with her. It was a very versatile beat: Luna had tried making it a ballad, a serenade among others and regardless the mood all of them worked well. The only issue was also Luna's biggest weakness; she couldn't come up with any good lyrics. It fit an eight-sentence structure, but sticked with six lines so far hoping it'd make it easier. Currently, she had no luck yet, so Luna put the block away with a sober nod of her head.
Oh well… there would be plenty of time to work on that the coming summer.
The Loud family vacations were always fun to begin with. She loved her parents, her nine sisters and sole brother more than enough to make a long ride tightly packed in a car of plus-60 years old that was a danger to itself and others, especially if there was a fun outing at the end of the road. This year especially was going to be one to remember for Luna. They were finally going to a place she had dreamed of visiting for a long time: Graceland, the estate of the great Elvis Presley.
Mick Swagger would always be her number one idol, but she had a lot of respect for the influences King Of Rock And Roll had on music: he built bridges and inspired millions; Luna dreamt of such achievements. To walk through the home of the King of Rock and Roll was like a pilgrimage Luna as a devotee of rock music had to take.
Horrible as the experience on America's Next Hitmaker turned out to be, it was a sign that her dream wasn't impossible, she just needed to practice as much as she could and then one day she absolutely would make it big. She lived in Royal Woods, a suburb of 'Rock City' Detroit after all: she and her band were definitely going to be discovered by someone who really appreciated their music for what it was!
Afijn we zijn inmiddels twee jaar verder sinds ik het originele verhaal uploadde en ik ben vrijwel geen meter verder gekomen dan toen ik ermee begon; geweldig.
Excuse me, don't mind the above text; that was some inner brooding I had to vent. I'll let you be happy that you got something to read again. If everything goes right, and mind me that rarely ever does, there may be something else up next week!
Thank for your taking your time to read my works. I hope you've enjoyed them and continue to do so! Hopefully I'll see you next update!
:D,
-Q.W.