Chapter 11: Breakfast and a Hangover
*Author note: In Julia's defence, Adam is actually making her more hyper (and annoying) if possible! Hyper people gets her more hyper. But hey, it means she's not a Mary Sue!!! *bounces* Rock on!*
Charlie's POV
By Charisma
I stretch and yawn widely. Last night was not fun. Not after Adam came into my room and woke me up to play poker. Freakin' poker at freakin' 4am!
I hurry to the shower before Adam and Julia wakes up. Adam and Julia got their own room, but noooo. They had to camp out in mine room. Guy and Connie ended up sleeping in their room.
I'm hoping with all my heart that they don't end up as a couple. I snort.
Some roadtrip this is turning out to be. This is a Ducks only roadtrip and Julia and Annie are tagging along.
Annie, I don't mind much. I hardly speak to her but I like her. It's just that when Luis is with her, it's like Luis isn't there.
And Julia. Don't even get me started on her. The other day, she called me something along the lines of 'Adam was right you are a preppy cake-eater.'
Adam just laughed. If I had called her 'Hellcat', the nickname I've been privately calling her, Adam would have defended her straight away. They've only known each another five minutes and are the best of best friends. Literally.
She's already wrecked Julie and Connie's friendship. Mine and Adam. Annie and Luis will be next, I bet. I quickly shower and come back to the bed room. It's seven thirty and Adam and Julia are bouncing around on the beds.
Cheerfully.
How can anyone be cheerful at seven thirty am in the morning?
*
I sit next to Connie outside by the vans. I snort for the second time this morning as I see Julia, Jesse, Terry and Banks playing 'basketball' with rocks and an old rusty bin.
"Where's Jules?" I ask as I dig into my scrabbled eggs and bacon.
"With-" She swallows. "Guy and the Bashes."
"Probably didn't want to stick around and watch Julia bitch at you." What is wrong with me? I've gone into full bitch mode. I'm such a girl.
"She's not that bad." Connie shrugs. "And plus it's not always her who's bitching at me. Sometimes it's me bitching at her."
"This coming from the same girl who used to bitch about Julia every night?"
I ask with raised eyebrows.
"Look Charlie," She looks up. "Whatever is going on between Jules, Julia and I shouldn't cloud your judgement about her. It's between the three of us."
"Look at what she's doing to Adam!" I point out, she shrugs.
"He was way hyper before Julia came onto the van." She point at me with her fork. "If you ask me, I think they're actually winding each another up.
Maybe you could put them in separate vans."
I sigh. "Connie, do you realize this is the second time you've defended her? Julia Knight. The annoying best friend stealing demon. And if I put them in separate vans, Adam will whine about having nobody to play with and I don't want the Bashes to be charged with murder."
"Sheesh!" She laughs. "Maybe you should, uh, calm down?"
"She-"
"Charlie!" She cuts me off. "I don't know if you have noticed, but Julia and I haven't fought for two days. That is because I have realized that I'm on a roadtrip with my friends and boyfriend. I've finished high school. There are no parents or coaches chaperoning us. This is the time for fun, so if Julia is going to start a fight with me, which I doubt she will, I'll just ignore her. I'm not gonna fight over Julie's friendship, that's just childish. If I can do that, can't you just lighten up?"
"But-"
"Yes I know half of the Ducks aren't on this roadtrip, but there will be more to come. And as for Adam and Julia, well, maybe Adam's hanging out with her because you haven't really been that fun to hang out with." She takes a deep breath and takes a bite out of her toast. "And-"
"I get it." I snap.
"All I'm saying is, just because this roadtrip isn't going as you planned doesn't mean you can't have fun."
I muse over this. She could be right. But I'm not going to tell her this.
I'm not ready for a 7th Heaven moment.
___________________________
Guy's POV By Star"In. Van. Now." Portman instructs tiredly.
Fulton looks at him and grins. "You shouldn't have got drunk last night."
"Shhhh." He presses a finger to his lips. "Very loud."
Connie and I exchange glances, suppressing a giggle.
"I'll drive." Annie offers, bounding up to us. She stares at Portman. "What the hell happened to you? You look like hell on toast."
"Thank you, Annie."
"He and Peter got drunk, I suggest you don't sit near them." Fulton explains, patting his boyfriend's back.
"Luis," she tugs at his hand. "Come sit up front with me."
I glance at Connie, then the Bashes.
"No, still 'just good friends'." Fulton deduces with a sigh.
"Maybe we could get them drunk and handcuff them together or something?" Connie suggests.
"We'll try it when we get to Vegas." I agree, hopping in the van and extending my hand to Connie. She smiles and takes it.
Fulton and Portman follow us. Portman flings himself down on a seat quickly winds down the window and sticks his head out of it, moaning loudly. Fulton sits next to him, rubbing his back and looking amused.
"There's not going to be throwing up in the van, is there?" Annie asks worriedly.
"I hope not." Fulton replies.
"At least we're up front." Luis grins at her.
"Do we have everyone present?"
"We don't have Peter." I point out.
"We get two drunks in the van with us?" Connie asks. "That's just not fair."
"Would you like to have a hangover and be in a van with Adam and Julia?" I reply.
"When you put it like that…" She smiles at me and settles in my arms. Thank god she finished that book and I can get a decent conversation out of her now.
"Peter!" Annie bellows, leaning out of the window. "Get your ass in the van! Anyone would think you don't like me the way you're dawdling."
Portman moans again, and Fulton hands him a bottle of water.
Peter wanders over looking worse than Portman. "No more yelling." He mutters tiredly, climbing in.
I lean over and slam the door, the effort seems too much for him. He winces as the door slams.
Oh this will be fun.