A/N: I'd like to thank the people who have reviewed this story so far. You brighten my day and make me that much more inspired to continue! :]
"Wait!" Clare said suddenly, and she winced as Eli slammed on the brakes. Adam pushed up against her seat and glared at the two of them. She smiled apologetically at the boys before raising her finger and pointing at Above The Dot. They were just passing it and she realized how much she really needed a ginger tea before they even hit the highway. "Mind if we stop? I'm thirsty." Eli nodded and Adam fished some cash out of his pockets, mumbling something about, 'need coffee before I die', and she chuckled softly to herself. If there was anybody she would choose to accompany her on a roadtrip for three months, it was definitely these two boys. They were the shining light in her ever growing bleak life. She wrinkled her nose at the depressing metaphor and followed them inside, smiling slightly to Peter.
"You guys are up early," he observed and leaned up against the counter. He looked tired. Bags were underneath his eyes and his blonde hair was sticking up in a way that suggested he had decided to skip brushing it. Clare knew Spinner still partially owned the Dot, so she knew he was assisting as well, but maybe he ought to think of hiring some help for poor Peter. If she were up to it, she'd apply. She liked Peter. Despite her first thoughts about him, he had been good to her sister. It was weird to think that Darcy had dated both boys that ended up practically living at The Dot. Clare smiled at the thought. "Roadtrip," she said simply. "Ginger tea, please?" Eli ordered a black coffee and Adam quickly echoed that, Peter nodding as he went to the machines to make them.
Clare looked around. To her surprise, there were a few people there. An elderly couple that were both reading the newspaper, exchanging sections with each other when they were done. A girl with long, curly brown hair that was wearing something that looked like Chanel or Marc Jacobs, reading the Style section and sipping on a caramel frappuchino. Clare narrowed her eyes; she looked awfully familiar. Then she realized it was Fiona Coyne, a girl who had graduated last year. She thought socialites slept in until noon.
"One ginger tea and two black coffees," Peter announced and Clare smiled gratefully as Eli handed her drink to her, paying for the drinks himself. She opened her mouth to announce Fiona was over there when she saw Eli's green eyes light up mischeviously and he nudged Adam, who was turning a dark shade of red. "What's going on?" She asked and leaned closer towards them, wanting to know the secret.
"It's Adam's wittle crush," Eli laughed but it quickly died when Adam shoved him roughly in the side. Eli rolled his eyes. "Man, you've been obsessing over her for a year. Just go talk to her, I'm sure she doesn't bite. And if she does, that's kinky." He wriggled his eyebrows mischeviously and Clare rolled her eyes herself before straightening herself up and walking over to Fiona.
"Clare!" Adam hissed, looking horrified.
"Adam," she repeated, turning back around and wearing an expression of such seriousness that it made Eli's stomach turn. Her eyes were bright. "Life's too short to not do what you want," she swallowed and once again, Eli got the feeling that she was holding something back from them. From him. Clare turned back around and walked over to Fiona, sliding in the seat across from her.
"Hi," she said, smiling and Fiona lowered her cup. She wore a cautious smile, a smile that said 'I've been tricked before, but I'll still give you a chance'.
"Hi," she replied, a laugh in her voice. "Can I help you?" Clare nodded and her attention drifted to the page Fiona was reading. It was about traveling. A roadtrip story, that focused on one model's journey of self-discovery through her travels and of course, the many clothes she encountered around the way. Clare brightened.
"Would you like to go on a roadtrip?" Fiona looked taken aback but then, to Clare's surprise, her smile widened and she nodded. She closed up the Style section, rolled it up and tucked it into her sleeves, then stood up. Clare turned around and saw Adam staring very determindely at the table and Eli looking confused.
The two girls walked over to the boys and Clare said, "This is Fiona. She'll be joining us." Adam's mouth gaped open and him, the king of subtlety, blurted out, "But you don't even know us."
To Fiona's credit, however, she nodded. "I know. But I'm bored out of my mind here. I don't want to go to college, I want to experience life before I start to dedicate my life to studies and work. I've been waiting for an excuse to get out of this town ever since summer started." Clare nodded, understanding how that felt. She couldn't tell anyone why she felt this way, but she knew that it'd come out eventually. Especially to Eli. She couldn't keep it from him, but she couldn't tell him. Not yet.
"Well," Clare started, "Looks like we have a pit stop to make-" She was cut off when Drew and Alli both burst into the shop, Alli looking disgruntled at the fact that Drew was right behind her and Drew looking furious at his brother. "Clare, you can't leave without me. We're like this-" "Adam, you know how pissed Mom is right now-"
Clare turned to Eli, a smile tugging at her lips. She could feel his frustration building that this was getting more out of control, but it excited her. It was actually turning out to be the adventure she wanted. "Guess we have a few more pit stops to make, Goldsworthy."