Yeah, I know this chapter is a little sappy, but in the next like, five, there is no lovey-dovey schtuff. I know the past few chapters we heard from Josie, but in the next few it's all about George! Yay! Ps. I tried to be funny in this one but it turned out a little raunchy, so reader discretion is advised. Next chapters will be funnier, I promise, so read on when I update!
"What are the odds, huh Tiger?" said George Luz gleefully, bouncing in the front seat of the car like a five year old. "We enlist on the same day and look what happens: we get sent to the same military training camp. Boy, we are two lucky fucks!"
"George! Watch your language son!" scolded a powerful voice with a faint Portuguese accent. It was George's dad from the driver's seat. It seemed like he was trying to sound angry, although inside he was laughing at his twenty-year-old son acting so childish.
"Technically its not the same training camp George," Josie stated, matter o' factly. "It's just on the same grounds."
"Oh, care to enlighten me more on the matter, know-it-all," George said in a sophisticated English accent.
"If you were in the back seat right now, I'd punch you so hard your head would explode," snarled Josie. She could hear Mr. Luz chuckle from the front.
"Lucky for me," George said, casting a wink that Josie could see through the rearview mirror.
The car screeched to a halt, Mr. Luz's satisfactory driving skills contributed to this.
"And so we have reached our destination, Ladies and Gents!" cried George in an animated voice.
Josie peered out the window; in the dark she could barely see the train station. George hopped out of the car joyfully and Josie followed his lead. The air was thick and musty, and smelt heavily of exhaust fumes. George and Mr. Luz got her bags out of the trunk for her and she realized it was time for George to say goodbye to his father. She had already done her goodbyes with her family, it hasn't as heartfelt and tearful as she expected it to be, she guessed her Mom was all cried out after Bobby and Stevie left.
"Well son," Mr. Luz started, glowing with pride for his son. "You get out there and crack some skulls," he said, ruffling George's hair proudly.
Josie laughed and so did George. "Will do Pop."
Mr. Luz turned to face me. "And you mend some skulls little lady."
Josie chuckled, "I will Mr. Luz."
He gestured for a hug. "Bring it in kids."
Josie and George were then wrapped up in what Josie liked to call a bear hug. Josie backed out of it earlier then George, thinking it was an appropriate time for the father and son to have a proper goodbye. She picked up her suitcase uncomfortably; she surely didn't want to make family goodbyes awkward with her standing there watching.
"Thanks for the ride Mr. Luz," she said, smiling fondly at him.
"My pleasure little lady," he said, returning the smile. "Hopefully we'll see you sooner then we think!"
"Thank you, goodbye!" Josie said before starting to walk away. She could hear the Luz boy's goodbyes faintly behind her, and felt her heart sink a little.
"Take care of yourself son."
"Don't worry about me Pop, you know I'm a lucky bastard," George said reassuringly.
She could hear Mr. Luz sigh. "Just get back home to Mama safe."
George laughed. "Sounds like a hell of an idea, Pop."
By this time Josie tried to tear her attention away from them. She had always hated goodbyes, just something about them made her insides squirm, even if she was going to see whoever she was saying goodbye to in a matter of days.
Josie could start to feel pain on the heels and toes of her feet. Wearing heels, even if they were short, and carrying a suitcase wasn't the best idea. What normally would have been a dainty click-click sound on the pavement from her shoes ended up being a much heavier thud-thud, because of the weight of her suitcase. Who knew how long she'd be away from home and all she brought was a suitcase. She didn't have much to pack anyway, after all her family was still trying to recover from the depression.
"Hey tiger, slow down!" She heard George huff from behind her. She stopped in her tracks and spun around, while he sprinted towards her.
"What's the rush sweet-cheeks?" He asked, winking at her. He noticed her struggling with her medium sized suitcase and offered to carry it for her.
"Quite the gentleman you are, Luz," Josie chided, grinning with her chin held high.
George smirked in return. "Hey, it's the least I can do, since you're gonna blow me when we get on that train."
Josie, who should have been appalled by his comment merely laughed. She was used to this kind of sexual harassment on a day-to-day basis.
"You gotta suck me first then," she fired back.
He scoffed, "Surely, if you had one."
After what seemed like miles for Josie, the pair had finally arrived at the train. George got their baggage checked, while Josie got their tickets punched. Side by side, the dynamic duo loaded onto the train.
"I get the window seat!" Screamed George as soon as they got on the train. Several Shhh!'s and dirty looks followed. Josie slapped him on his bicep.
"Shut the fuck up, people are trying to sleep asshole," Josie hissed.
"Where's my blowjob woman?" He whispered back, snickering.
"You're gross," said Josie, letting him sit down first when they finally found their seats. After Josie sat down, she slouched further down in the seat, trying to get comfortable, while George did the same.
George sighed, "Well, I think this 24 hour train ride calls for some serious sleeping. What do you say Tiger?"
"I say it's a damn good idea Snaggletooth," said Josie, while she yet a yawn escape from her mouth. George did the same movement he always did when he tried to get confortable: he crossed his arms and tucked his hands under his armpits. He then leaned harder on Josie and dropped his head so it rested on her shoulder.
"Night Jos," George said yawning, and jittery feeling occurred in Josie's stomach.
George rarely called Josie Jos, (his nicknames usually consisted of Shit-head, asshole and Tiger) but when he did it made the imaginary butterflies in her stomach go nuts. He always said it in an affectionate way, and with his voice as smooth as butter it surely made her insides melt. She always tried to shake the feeling from her, and she never knew why. Well that was a lie, she did know deep down there that she had feelings for George but was afraid of what might happen if she acted on them.
It wasn't that she was afraid of relationships, sex or anything of the sort (trust her she had done plenty of that before) it was just that the fact it was George scared the shit out of her. Was it normal for someone to start having romantic feelings for someone they had loved like a brother since the age of five? She didn't know, and it scared her to know.
She closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she thought back to high school. In their first year, George went through this crazy thing called puberty and was transformed into a horny little fuck. He then proceeded to beg and plead Josie to have sex with him with the argument that: It's gonna happen someday and I might as well be the one. She had refused him multiple times until he gave up. Then, when the two turned eighteen she came back to George and begged him to take her virginity because she was almost the only girl who wasn't super Catholic and hadn't lost it yet. Yet, George refused her. Should have done the dirty deed with me back in Freshman year. Bet you regret it now. She did regret it. However, she did end up losing it to some guy who was going to move off to college in a few months and they never spoke again.
Mental reminiscing was starting to take a toll on Josie, she began to feel waves of drowsiness crash down on her. Beside her George snored once or twice realigned himself with the seat and Josie's shoulder. Fleeting memories of her and George crossed Josie's mind before she faded out of consciousness.
The dull morning sky awoke Josie from her long awaited slumber. She groaned and ripped the passenger curtains back in place. George made a few muffled noises when she moved but failed to wake up. She tried to fall back asleep, and after maybe an hour of laying there uncomfortably she decided to go to the front of the train to get some coffee. It boggled her as to how George could sleep so soundly. George had a knack for falling asleep easily in uncomfortable places and staying asleep.
Josie slowly removed herself from being George's pillow without trying to wake him by pushing his torso up and sliding out from underneath him. He thumped back down on the seat without stirring; operation successful! She then crept towards the front of the car, hoping not to wake anyone else on the sleeping locomotive.
When she arrived back, she was surprised to find George groggy-eyed, yet awake.
"Good morning Sleeping beauty," she hushed and handed him one of the cups of coffee in her hand.
"You're a doll, you know that huh, Tiger?" George said grinning, his voice still low with sleep.
"I'm aware," Josie said, sliding into the seat beside him. "How long until we reach Toccoa?"
George fumbled around for a few seconds then finally found his watch.
"Um, I think we're looking at ten hours sweetheart."
Josie nodded. "I guess it's not that bad," she said grinning. "We can play a few games to pass the time."
George winked. "Or how about a roll in the hay?"
Josie looked around conspicuously. "I don't think all these people would appreciate seeing your nasty naked ass George. Not to mention the donkey noises you make when you're fucking."
George squinted at her, "How do you know what kind of noises I make?" He hissed defensively.
"That one time my parents were out and I let you use my bedroom for Susie Rogers. I had to keep watch, remember?"
George grinned. "I payed you though, didn't I?"
"Yeah horse shit pay. It was like five cents. I should have gotten more because of the trauma I experienced after"
George laughed. "The only trauma you experienced was jealousy that it wasn't you shit-head."
George and Josie then started a game of Would you rather? Which would last them the rest of our trip that was filled with Are we there yet? And I'm hungry! That came from George.
Soon enough the pair found themselves getting giddy with excitement as they neared close to their destination. Josie had a mixture of both excitement and anxiety about training. What would it be like? She thought to herself. Would the other girls be nice? She then could have slapped herself for thinking so childishly.
"Almost there!" cried George, jabbing Josie in the ribs and bouncing again like an idiot again.
"George," started Josie. "Please be safe there."
"I'm not even close to combat yet and you're worried about me. Relax."
"I'm just saying don't act like an idiot!"
George laughed. "You do realize you're telling this to a guy who volunteered to jump out of a plane surrounded? I think I can act like an idiot because everyone else there is surely an idiot too."
It was Josie's turn to laugh. "Just promise me to behave yourself. Don't get in fights, and most importantly don't put tacks on your Captain's chair."
"Oh c'mon this is like the fucking first grade all over again. What if my CO is a big jackass though?"
Josie leaned in with a smirk, "Then you find some way to pay back the old fucker."
If only George knew what was coming to him…