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That Endless Summer
Chapter Five: My way away.
"Driving down the 101
California here we come"
-California, Phantom Planet.
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"Happy New Year" Everyone screamed around me. Luke leaned down to kiss me, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss. Out of all the traditions that had been handed down from generation to generation, this was definitely the best, I thought, smiling into the kiss and putting my arms around his neck; jumping up, as he span me around.
When Luke finally pulled away and put me back onto the ground, he kissed me quickly on the forehead as Cassie came bounding over to us, skipping happily, pulling a not as, well, tipsy Ric behind her. Sometimes, the problem with being able to drink alcohol legally was that it happened a lot more often than before. Especially at large family gatherings, and holidays such as New Year.
Cassie, obviously feeling the effects of the alcohol, stumbled a little before Ric caught her. She simply giggled. I giggled along with her, and chose to ignore the look the boys shared. Ric gently pulled Cassie towards some empty chairs, an action Luke mirrored as I swayed slightly next to him.
Setting me down gently next to Cassie, I sat back and smiled seductively up at Luke. He and Ric shared another look, before he bent down and rubbed his hands gently up my thighs, as if trying to warm me up, even though I didn't feel cold at all.
"Luke," I said, my voice drawing itself out. I leant closer, attempting to whisper in his ear. "Luke, let's go play."
His hands went to my arms, pushing me back. "How about, I go and get you and Cassie some water, and then maybe later we'll go play?" He said, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear and giving me his best puppy dog face. How could I resist?
"Fine." I said, kissing him quickly on the lips as he and Ric walked into the house to get the water.
Cassie started giggling next to me. I turned to look at her. After several moments, she still hadn't stopped, so I poked her. She turned to look at me, but still giggled.
"What?" I whined next to her. "What's so funny Cassie?" I finished; her name sounding somewhat slurred.
"You're…. Getting… lucky…" Cassie said in between giggles. I looked at her for a moment before comprehending the meaning of her words, and burst into giggles like she did.
Calming myself for a moment, I turned to face her and said "And tomorrow, we'll all be getting lucky… coz we'll be on holidays! At Surfers Paradise." I screamed happily, my face breaking out into giggles again as we stood up and did our victory dance that was often done while we were, aherm, under the influence of alcohol together.
I looked up to see Luke and Ric walking towards us, holding bottles of water in their hand. They shared another look as they came closer, as Cassie and I danced up to them, ginning from ear to ear.
"We're going on holidays." Cassie said loudly to Ric as he grabbed her before she fell over. "And we're getting lucky." She whispered ever so loudly.
Luke snorted, and Ric tried to cough to hide his laughter. But we were oblivious. We were happy. Cassie and I were getting away from here. I was going on holidays for two whole weeks. It was going to be brilliant. Nothing could bring me down.
"Luke," I said, grabbing his hand "Come dance with me."
"Only if you drink some water." He said, handing me the bottle.
"You worry too much Lukey." I said, as I took a long swig of the water.
"Only about you." He replied, pulling me close, wrapping his arms around me "Only about you."
I smiled into his chest. Something told me that this was the real beginning of that one summer, the one that you'll never forget.
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I heard groaning next to me, and I resisted every urge to laugh. Maddie and Cassie had never been able to hold their drinks. Every time they let loose, the end result would be the same. After becoming so tipsy they needed help to stand, they would do their wild dancing, before passing out on our laps. Then they would be taken home; carried into the bedroom and left to sleep everything off.
Tonight was like every other night. And the morning after, was the same as every other morning after.
There was some rolling, followed by more groaning. Then a reach for me. Followed by a faint, "Luke."
I smiled. Sometimes routine wasn't so bad.
Then there was a louder, "Luke."
I didn't dare turn down the covers. Any natural light this early into a hangover, and later on in the recovery, Maddie would cause me major damage.
I gave the form under the covers a quick kiss, before sliding out of bed and walking into the kitchen. Passing Kit and Kim in the lounge room, I mumbled a good morning before stumbling the rest of my way to the kitchen. Finding Dad and Beth wide awake, they smirked as I walked over to the coffee machine, attempting to make a fresh batch.
Even the best of us needed our coffee in the morning.
I looked up to find Dad and Beth hiding their smirks as they drank their own coffee. I simply glared at them before fixing two coffees and walking slowly back to the bedroom. I nudged the door open, hoping to remain gentle and quiet, so I didn't worsen the headache I imagined Maddie was beginning to feel.
"Baby." I said softly to the lump curled up under the covers. A few moments passed, then the shape shifted into a sitting position, and a hand snuck out the side, reaching for the coffee, which I gladly handed to her. It slowly made it's way under the covers, and I heard a mumble that sounded something like "Thank you," after a few sips had been taken.
Kissing what I could now distinguish as her head, I sat down on the bed next to her, sipping my own coffee as I rubbed her back, hoping she would snap out of her funk earlier than usual. Last night she and Cassie hadn't considered the day of driving that we were going to have, as they drank their way through half a case of Cruisers.
My own coffee finished, I felt alert and awake, and now able to face the shower and packing the car. Maddie, on the other hand, had slumped further down, trying not to let the hangover get the better of her. Laughing a little bit, I chose comfy clothing to wear for the long drive ahead of us, before walking out, shutting the door quietly behind me and walking towards the shower.
When I returned, I found Maddie still in bed, but the covers sat around her waist, as opposed to covering her body. She offered me a weak smile, before putting her hands out towards me, asking me silently to help her out. She stumbled out of bed, and I passed her clean clothes as she headed out the door towards the shower. She'd be fine after that. She always was. Although, she would wear her sunglasses all day, and be quieter than usual.
I was outside packing the car with Dad and Beth when Maddie returned. She looked fresh and clean, but wore large sunglasses, hiding her sore eyes from the sun. She approached me, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek before sitting down on the step, watching me do all the hard work.
Between the two of us, Dad and I managed to pack everything, including Maddie's three bags of clothing, one bag of shoes, and two cases of make-up and general tid-bits into the boot in fifteen minutes. Just as we slammed the boot, Ric and Cassie drove up the driveway in their own car Sally had brought for them for a joint Christmas present.
Turning off the engine, Ric jumped out quickly, while Cassie ambled, taking her time, wearing almost identical glasses to Maddie. She waved shortly at me before walking over to Maddie and sitting down on the step next to her.
Jack, Martha, Kit and Kim came walking out of the house, as Kit and Martha joined the girls on the step, Kim and Jack walked towards Ric and I. Smirking as they reached us, I realised the conversation that followed would be anything but fun.
Ric and I shared a look as they joined us. We had no idea what was coming. At least we knew we were dealing with this together.
Clearing his throat to make sure we were paying attention, I rolled my eyes as Jack began to speak.
"Okay boys, this is your first big test in life. How you survive with only two females for company. It's like, a trial run for living with them."
"We've prepared a kit for you." Kim said, handing us a box, which I began to open, only to have the lid snapped shut by him.
"Do not, under any circumstances, open it until you are locked alone in a room together with the girls no where around. This is crucial, if they find out, bad things will happen. We can't say what, all females are unpredictable, no two are the same. Just trust us." Kim said seriously
"We've also got some essential road trip items." Jack added, pulling from behind his back a bag and several CD cases. Opening the bag cautiously, in case that was shut on us like the box was, we peered inside to find every imaginable sort of junk food.
"Sugar hits for the drive." explained Jack helpfully.
Holding up the CD's, we saw such titles as 'Classics', '80s' 'Pop' and 'Ballad's', amongst others.
"One for every occasion" Kim added.
Finally, there were coffee and sugar sachets, with travel coffee mugs.
"To keep your coffee addicts over there happy" Jack said, nodding his head towards the girls whom looked to be deep in conversation.
"We'll leave you with two vital things to remember to make this trip perfect." Jack said seriously.
"Always, always, always, let the girls be right. Nothing good can ever come from denying a girl from being right." Jack finished one hand on each of our shoulders.
I let out a breath I wasn't aware I had been holding. How could Jack and Kim make this all so serious, I wondered, as Ric asked the question that had been playing on my mind.
"And the second?"
"If the girls are wrong, don't let them know. It'll ruin your holiday." Kim said grinning, as he watched the girls share a group hug.
Shaking our hands, they left Ric and I shaking our heads as they wondered off to say goodbye to the girls, who were almost like their little sisters.
Kit and Martha walked over to us, watching the boys hug Maddie and Cassie goodbye.
"Whatever they said," Martha said, looking towards Jack and Kim, "Please, ignore it." she finished sympathetically.
"Treat our girls right." Kit said, hugging Ric then me.
"Funny," I mumbled to Ric as Maddie, Cassie, Dad and Beth wondered over to us "That's kind of what Kim and Jack implied."
In their subdued state, Maddie and Cassie could only muster enough energy to walk over to us, as I felt Maddie's body slump against mine, willing for me to support her weight. Which I did, just as Ric had done for Cassie.
Beth and Dad stopped infront of us. Beth looked like she was about to cry. Maddie said bluntly, "Mum we're just going for two weeks. We'll be fine."
"I know, I just, want you to be safe. And have fun." She covered quickly, hugging us four together.
Promising over and over again that we would be careful, and that we'd ring twice a day to tell them that we were in fact, safe; we finally walked over to the cars.
"This is it." I said aloud, realising that we really were going on our own.
"Yeah, it is" Ric replied, grasping the magnitude of the situation.
We stood for a moment. It was all real. Maddie's dream summer. Our first chance at real adulthood.
Suddenly, Maddie was opening her car door. "Let's get on with this then".
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Cassie moaned in the seat next to me, and I glanced quickly to make sure she was okay. No matter how many times Luke and I had rescued our girls, we still worried about them all the same. Alcohol made light work of them, and the morning after was particularly amusing.
Unless, of course, you were stuck in a car driving ten hours north.
With no one or nothing to amuse you. Then, their hangovers could be a damn curse.
Suddenly, I heard Cassie's message tone go off. I looked over to see Cassie mouth the words to "California" before checking the message.
She laughed before replying quickly.
"Maddie want's to know if we're there yet. And Luke is sick of her asking him. So she wants to swap cars so she can ask you. I told her no, because I haven't had a turn bugging you yet. But in a couple of hours sure." Cass said, grinning at me like a Cheshire cat.
How those girls managed to conspire against us even when they were in separate cars, I'll never know, I thought to myself, shaking my head. I saw in the corner of my eyes, Cassie reaching for the CD's that Jack and Kim had made for us.
Luke and I had hidden the box deep in one of our bags, knowing the girls would never go near them, then we'd split the CD's in quarters. We'd have a quarter each driving on day one, then swap them for day two. Then on the way back the same thing would occur with the other unheard CD's… this meant that there was at least new music coming each hour we drove.
It surprised me at times how organised Luke and I actually were, compared to Maddie and Cass, who had simply thrown their entire wardrobe into bags. It was like they were simply shifting their lives from one place to another. Kind of like what we'd be doing at the end of summer, I thought sadly, trying to block the idea of Cassie moving away from me out of my head.
It was a topic that Cassie and I had avoided at all costs. I knew she wanted to go to University. She knew I hated the idea of being stuck in a classroom for longer than I had to be. We talked about it briefly, when she first nominated Universities she wanted to attend. But nothing since then. We became excellent at not caring any more.
Maybe the time to care was approaching, I thought, before the noise of the Spice Girls "Wannabe" filled my ears.
"For the morning after their drunken New Year." Cassie read aloud from the CD case. "Love Jack and Kim. P.S Remember the rules. What does that mean?" Cassie asked, turning to watch me drive.
"What is this crap?" I replied, hoping an insult of her once loved childhood bands would distract her. And it did.
"This," she said "Is the best band ever. Classic hangover remedy. Spice Girls will bring anyone out of a funk." She replied happily as she sang along with the words.
I imagined Jack and Kim's laughing faces as they burnt this CD. They knew how painful it would be for Luke and I. It was the kind of evil laughter from the villains in Disney movies. I could tell.
I did find solace in the fact that half way through today's drive, Luke would get this CD. Then it would be 'Wannabe' heaven (or hell) for him all afternoon.
"If you wannabe my lover, you gotta get with my friend. Make it last forever, friendship never ends." Cassie sang happily, her head bopping from one side to another.
"That doesn't even make sense." I said over the music "If you want to be my lover, you got to get with my friend? What kind of image is that for guys?"
"Make friends with their girlfriends friends." Cass replied, poking her tongue out at me "Because then life would be simpler for you."
"Or even better," I said, looking towards her quickly, "Make best friends with your girlfriends best friend, and her boyfriend. Then form this, inseparable group that does EVERYTHING together. Then everything is just peachy keen." I smiled mockingly as I watched the cast stretch of road infront of me.
Then I saw Luke pull over to the side of the road, so I followed suit, parking a couple of meters behind him before jumping out and walking up to where he was staring at his back, right side wheel.
Cassie came skipping up to Maddie and immediately began informing her of all the brilliant music choices Jack and Kim had made.
Walking up to stand next to Luke, I saw he was considering the flat tire that their car had received already.
"Damn flat." He said as I folded my arms, examining the tire "Look's like we're going to be stuck here for an hour replacing it."
I looked up to see Maddie and Cassie pulling towels from the backseat of Maddie and Luke's car.
"And what do you think your doing?" I said to them as they began to walk away.
"You don't honestly expect us to help with that do you?" Cassie said jokingly.
"Well Luke and I can't do it all by ourselves." I bit back, annoyed by their flippancy concerning the seriousness of the situation.
"Remember what Jack and Kim said." Luke mumbled under his breath.
"I got it." I mumbled back to him. "Luke and I were just worried. Say this happened to either of you when you were alone, and neither of us could get to you soon. We need to know you can do these things so we can worry that little less about you." I finished, playing the caring card on them.
Maddie and Cass glanced at one another and there was a moment of hesitation before they gave in.
"Very nice" Luke mumbled over his shoulder as I replied quickly "Thank you".
Maddie and Cassie put their towels back into the car before, somewhat unwillingly, walking around to where Luke and I were standing. They looked up at us expectantly
I shot Luke a look before sighing loudly. They certainly weren't going to make this easy on us.
One more look between Luke and I, and I gave in. "Okay, it'll be better for everyone if Luke and I do this, and you girls sun bake."
Squealing in happiness, they ran around and pulled their towels out and went to lie down on the roadside.
"Don't pick up any hot strangers." I called out, before rolling up my sleeves and getting to work with Luke. They had us wrapped around their little fingers. It was sad but true.
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This was the life. Sun baking with your best friend, while the boys do the manly stuff. Curing a hangover can be hell, but the sun is the second best remedy, coming second only to coffee.
Closing my eyes, I thought a little nap wouldn't do any harm. I heard Maddie's breathing even out, signaling she had the same idea. Luke and Ric would wake us up when they were done, then we'd be on our way again. Closing my eyes, I had images of a sandy white beach, and heard loud laughter, the sound of the four of us in absolute bliss.
Instead, I awoke to the sound of screams, and the feeling of icy cold water splashing against my body. Sitting up in shock, I left the water continue to dribble down my body.
Then, I heard laughter.
Did they never learn?
I looked over to see Maddie sitting up, her body adjusting to the cold water just as my body was. She was just as pissed as I was.
So we retaliated. Ric and Luke were laughing so hard they didn't see it coming. We poured a bottle of water over them, then ran away, throwing random spurts of water at them when they came near us.
To the many cars that were driving by, going to their own holiday destination, we must have looked completely mad. But we were oblivious to anything going on around us. We were lost in our own, perfect world.
Finally, when Maddie and I were puffed out, and Ric and Luke had cornered us, we surrendered. Looking at my watch, I realised we'd wasted a good two hours, and that we needed to be on the road as soon as possible so we could make it to the hotel we'd booked in for the night.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Maddie beat me too it. "I dibs riding with Cassie, on account of the fact I'm not talking to either of you any more."
Her idea was much, much better than mine was.
She grabbed the keys from Ric before dragging me off to our car, as Luke muttered something about listening to Kim and Jack more often. I could only imagine they were annoyed because it was like a wet T-shirt competition and the winners didn't get their prize.
"I guess this means I'm driving." I said, as she walked over to the passenger seat.
"Yep, because we've gotta get back at the boys, and I have a few tricks up my sleeve. But we need to plan them, and you get sick when you drive and write, and I don't." She replied matter-of-factly before climbing in as I unlocked the car.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, I thought to myself, wondering what in the world Maddie would be able to come up with.
Well, I'll find out soon enough, I thought as I climbed in and began the engine, following Luke and Ric as the drove out onto the highway.
Five minutes of deep, heated discussion later, Maddie and I had a plan that would, hopefully drive the boys insane. If not, it would certainly annoy the crap out of them. Now we just had to set it in motion.
Pulling out her phone, Maddie said loudly "Phase One: Ready to commence?"
"Ready when you are, Private." I replied in army speak, before we both began giggling.
She quickly punched a few keys on her phone, before sending a message. A few seconds later, there was a reply.
"Not for a while." She read aloud.
"Well that's just not good enough." I said sternly, "Ask them again."
Clicking away, a second message was sent.
"A while longer. Annoy one another would you?" she read once more.
"They aren't very good with their explanations, are they?" She asked, before once more sending the same message.
"We're two minutes closer than the last time you asked." Maddie read back when the reply came.
"No need for sarcasm." I said seriously. "We are just asking them a simple question. Ask them to be nicer in their reply."
Once more, Maddie sent the message. This time her phone began ringing, as the tune to 'California' filled the car.
Immediately, we began singing along with the music, until Maddie finally answered her phone with a polite "Hello."
Placing the phone on loud speaker, Ric began to yell. "We'll be there when we get there. Messaging us every two seconds asking "Are we there yet?" or various alterations of the same question will not get us there ANY QUICKER. Understand?"
"You've been most helpful." Maddie said, trying to keep a straight face. "Thank you for your time." she said before flipping her phone shut, ending the call.
A few moments passed, before I said, "Maybe, we should ask them once more. His answer wasn't exactly 'clear', all the yelling interfered."
Grinning from ear to ear, Maddie flipped open her phone and sent the message one final time.
Had we been in the car with Ric and Luke, we would've heard the screams of annoyance. As it was, all Maddie and I could do was laugh.
"Phase one complete." Maddie said as we calmed down "Phase two?"
"Already under way." I said, knowing it would take us another hour and a half to get to our destination. "They won't ever want to mess with us again, will they?" I said, looking quickly over at Maddie as she smiled.
"Hell no." She answered, before sticking in a mix entitled 'Just for the girls.'
As the sweet music that was the Backstreet Boys filled the car, I couldn't help but smile. This holiday was already becoming the most memorable I'd ever had, and we'd only been on the road a day. Anything could happen, I thought, as my eyes stayed on the road…. anything at all.
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AN: Thank you to jackandmartha, my angel. Stopping it there, otherwise the chapter could go on forever. The drama is beginning to unfold, but not really. It's the calm before the storm… cryptic enough? Read and review please :)