Chapter 9: Adam and Fizzballs
Adam's POV By Star
I take up my seat next to Charlie, I'm still bouncing. Those Fizzballs are evil, yet fun.
"When do we stop for breakfast?" I ask eagerly. I'm glad Charlie's back, he's not as annoying as Peter, but he's worse tempered.
Charlie sighs and gives me an indulgent look. "Adam," he says slowly as if speaking to a small child. "We've not even got everyone in the van yet. We are still at the campsite. Can we possibly start before we talk about stopping again?"
I grin big at him. "What ever works for you champ!" I clap him on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Banksie."
"Can we play my CD?" I ask.
He sighs deeply.
"Oh, come on!" I beg. "I bet you've been listening to boring stuff with the Bashes! I bet it was all Guns 'n' Roses and Less Than Jake."
"Exactly, it was bliss." He looks at me, and gives me yet another indulgent smile. "What have you got?"
I hold up another CD.
"I thought Britney died. Jesse said that Julia sat on it – which is the only good thing she's done so far."
I shrug. "That was 'Oops!', this is 'One More Time'."
He sighs and mutters, "Only ten minute until we stop, that's three songs, four max. I can get through this without killing anyone."
It only takes three attempts to leave the campsite. First off Jesse left his coat on one of the benches, then I realised that Britney's latest CD was missing. After returning and checking the campsite thoroughly I admitted defeat (I'm not going to tell Charlie that it was in the 'Oops' case all along). Then Julie noticed that her copy of Bridget Jones's Diary was not where she left it, she was convinced that she'd seen it this morning. (That turned up in the other van, Connie had picked it up yesterday).
Charlie is getting progressively more annoyed about this but has only muttered from time to time, "That's eight Britney songs now…"
I spot some services with a diner. "Can we –"
"YES!!" He responds quickly. "We're stopping, and when we start again, someone else is driving!"
"I will!" Julia volunteers.
"Adam will." Charlie decides.
I'm driving? Yay! Maybe Julia can sit up the front with me.
"And I'm navigating."
Ok, so she won't. It's still cool.
**
"Damn it, Adam you are not buying that!" Charlie snaps at me as we inch towards the counter.
"Yes I am. Julia sat on my last one." I reply, spotting a pack of Fizzballs and grabbing one. I see Charlie's stern look and quickly grab another pack. "Fizzball?"
"No." He replies shortly, getting himself a pack of mints. Boring.
I am buying this CD. The first thing I did when I got out of the van was head toward the shop rather than the diner. I'm still annoyed that my CD got murdered. This will be my third CD. The first was thrown out of the window by my brother Danny.
I reach the counter and give the girl a big smile. Then I blink. She's got purple hair. What a nutter. Can we take her with us?
"Hey," she says in a distinct Irish accent.
"Please, Adam. I'll buy you ten packs of Fizzballs if you don't buy that Britney album."
The girl snorts. Her name badge reads Taz. What kind of name is that?
"No deal. I love this album."
"I don't blame you," Taz joins our conversation as she rings up my stuff. "Britney rules. Don't listen to him, my girlfriend doesn't like her either. It's just deep denial."
I grin at her. "Come to Vegas with us? You obviously have good taste."
She giggles as she takes my money. "Love to, but unfortunately I'm stuck working here."
She and Charlie do not engage in conversation as he buys his mints.
_______________________________
Fulton's POV By Charisma"Well, let's hope that we're sleeping in a motel tonight." I hold up my crossed fingers. "I think I'm the only one that puts up with your snores."
"Hey!" Portman growls softly. "Don't pick on me. Don't you know what happens to people when they pick on people?"
I raise my eyebrows. "They turn into serial killers?"
"Close." Portman pulls the passenger door open for me.
"My, my, my." I step in. "You're so sweet."
He shrugs in a modest manner.
"Bad karma." He grins as he slams the door shut. He opens the sliding door for everyone else.
Nice to know I'm the special one.
"I just realized something." Portman says as he hops next to me. "We got the lovers van and Charlie got the crazy van."
"So?" I ask. He shrugged and leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek. He starts the engine.
"I just realized it." He looks over our seat. "There's the lover triangle. And there's Guy and Connie."
"You know Peter, in a week, he'll find someone else to obsess over." I shrug as I tie on my bandanna.
"Yeah, probably Julia." Portman snorts.
"Hey Bash Lovers!" Annie calls out. We never tire of that nickname, a girl from one of my classes, Vicky, called us that once and it stuck.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Are we leaving anytime today?" She asks with a cheeky grin.
"Don't get too smart." Portman grins back and steps on the gas. He gives me a cool glance and slides on his sunnies. He always thinks he looks really cool when he does that.
If it wasn't so overtired, it would probably look cool.
**
"Do you have any more black markers?" Connie asks, I rummage through the glove box. "I already gave you two!"
"And they ran out of ink!" She shots back. I pull out a pink marker.
"Perhaps you should have brought some at the store." I hand it to her.
"Dude, why is there a pink marker in my glovebox?" Portman asks, giving us both a quizzical look.
"I don't think I wanna know the answer!" Connie grins. "Anyway, this is good."
"It was probably Katie." He frowns, speaking of his cousin. "How do those things end up in a glove box? I heard there was a green glove in Charlie's one."
I snort and twist around in my seat to see what everybody is doing.
"Whatcha doing?" I ask, all I can see are papers all over the place.
"We're trying to make a protest banner." Annie speaks up, she holds up a piece of paper that says 'please'.
"Please what?" I ask.
"Please let us stay at a motel tonight!" Luis grins. Annie looks proud of him.
"I was just about to say that."
"Just friends." I mutter. "Give me one, I'll colour it in."
"No!" Connie, Guy and Peter chorus. I give Portman a wounded look.
"You really do suck at colouring in." He laments. Then changes the subject, "I see Charlie's van."
"Well at least can I help hold them up, I could give him a threatening look." I glare.
"OK!" Annie scribbles on a piece of paper and hands it to me.
"Or we will bash you up?" I read out loud and raise my eyebrows at her.
"It's worth a try." Annie grins.
"There is no way I'm sleeping on rocks again. And I want to have a decent shower." Peter somehow wedges himself between Annie and Luis.
Portman waves to Charlie as we pass him, he waves back. I lean over Portman and hold up the sign.
He slows down so Charlie can pass us, and we all put our hands together in a praying position. He sighs and nods.
I guess we won't be camping tonight.
We all cheer.