After securing everything, making sure they had their maps and walkie talkies - just in case one of the drivers got lost - and a few more protests from Rae and Finn; they were on the road. Chop and Izzy drove in front, Archie and Johnny second and Rae and Finn were last, Finn and Rae began the journey in tense silence; although the pair wore sunglasses - it wasn't enough to cover their frowns.
Finn huffed, glancing between Rae and the road, "Look, Rae, this is stupid an-" "Oh, are y' talkin' t' me? Couldn't 'ear y' over my fat arse", She cut him off, her tone sarcastic and snappy. He rolled his eyes before scoffing, "Oh grow up", Her mouth dropped into an 'O' as she retaliated in her typical Rae, dramatic fashion, "Oh, please do not tell me y' just told me t' grow up" He snapped, "Oh wind y' neck in", She glowered, "D'ya know how irritatin' y' actually are!?'", "Aw thanks, please get in the line with the others who are waitin' fer me t' give a fuck", He quipped sarcastically, in which she huffed back into her seat and muttered, "'Ope someone pisses on y' cornflakes", Which, of course, he heard and just gave an eyeroll. A tense silence fell between the two, he then rested his right arm out of the driver's seat window whilst his left hand occupied the wheel, his fingers then began to drum against the driver's seat window sill and his head bobbed along to a beat in his head. Rae did her infamous Rae eye roll before snapping, "Are y' seriously tryin' t' piss me off today?" He said nothing but gave her a massive, sarcastic grin and tapped harder. She snarled before looking out her own window and watching a passing scenery, mumbling a "Fuckin' prick" As she huffed her arms across her chest. Finn tried to surpass a smirk as he looked out his own window, God, did he love winding her up.
But Rae and Finn weren't the only ones driving in a tense silence, Izzy and Chop had fallen victim to tension - The low tones from The Stone Roses lulling from the car radio to be the only source of noise. Izzy rested her head against the pane of the passenger seat window, before glancing at Chop as he let out a bored huff - the three cars currently stuck in mid morning traffic. Izzy was disheartened with Chop's half-arsed attempts to make conversation, believe it or not, Izzy's and Chop's relationship wasn't just constant swirls of colours and happiness with the occasional noise in their heads - it was deeper than that. A lot of people didn't realise the arguments they had, the stress they went through and the paranoia.
Izzy was a strong girl, stronger than she let off. Last year Chop had fallen into a bad crowd, when the gang had first started college and completely cut everyone - excluding Izzy - off. Where the bad crowds were, the drugs were also and Chop had fallen into a nasty little drug habit and Izzy helped him through it all - So, it completely ruined Izzy that Chop had almost split up with Izzy when she broke the news she was keeping Al's baby. In fact, she thought it was quite selfish of him as she needed him; but with it being another man's baby - Izzy couldn't really argue.
Izzy sat up properly before forcing a smile and beaming, "Y' excited then, ay!?" In which Chop, still looking out the window, mumbled a "S'ppose", Izzy continued, "I love campin' me, I reckon it's gonna be a right laugh. Well, if Rae and Finn don't kill each other", In which she gave an awkward laugh, but Chop didn't reciprocate the laugh but just shrugged, "Yep", She sighed, giving up as it was hopeless. As if Archie could read their minds, the walkie talkie started crackling before Archie breathed, "Iz? Chop? Y' there?" Izzy glanced at Chop before taking the walkie talkie off the dashboard and pressing the talk button, saying, "It's Izzy! Wha's up?" Archie then spoke, "The traffic's movin' a bit and Johnny needs petrol so we're gonna pull in to this service station comin' up now, tha' alright with y' two?" Izzy then looked at Chop, who nodded, she then pressed the talk button, "Yeh! Tha's fine! 'ave y' told Rae and Finn?" Archie then responded, "Just about t', wish me luck", His last words laced with sarcasm and humour. Izzy giggled and pressed the talk button, "I'll pray for y'!" And with that, the pair "Hung up".
Rae and Finn were arguing over directions... Again. They'd be arguing for the past half an hour, the stress of the traffic ahead not helping - which was moving a lot quicker than ten minutes ago. Their loud bickering was interupted by the walkie talkie crackling and Archie breathing through the intercom, "Rae? Finn? Hellloooo?" Rae snatched the walkie talkie from the dashboard in a huff before clicking the talk button, "'Ello?" Archie then responded, "Iya, Raemundo! Y' sound 'appy", He jokingly quipped, in which Rae pressed the talk button and snapped, "Well, s'wha' 'appens when y' stuck with a knob'ed", Finn rolled his eyes, "Oh, tell it t' someone who cares", In which she snapped, "Get bent, y' prick", Before pulling a face at each other. Archie breathed a laugh down the reciever before continuing, "Listen, about three or so miles ahead there's a service station on the left and Johnny needs petrol so, just thought I'd give you's a heads up", She then replied, "Cheers, Arch. See y' in a minute" And they hung up.
"Cheers, Arch. See y' in a minute", Finn mocked in a childish tone, which caused Rae to scoff, "Oh and now who's bein' childish?" In which he snarked, "Still y'", and once again, another argument broke out between the two. Finn looked ahead and snapped, "Fuck it", Before pulling off the lane and onto a hard shoulder, Rae then shouted, "The fuck y' doin', dick'ed!?" He then shut the engine off and turned slightly to her before huffing, "Look, Rae, I am not gonna sit through an hour drive with y' and for it t' be like this and I am definitely not gonna spend a whole fuckin' weekend arguin' with y', alright!? Now, we can sort it out now or we stay 'ere till we do", She folded her arms and snarled, "Y' can't do tha'", "Watch me", He challenged, she huffed and rolled her eyes; looking out the window.
A silence fell between the two before Finn piped up, "Don't make me put Spaceman on", Which she couldn't help but smile at before snapping, "Don't make me laugh I'm mad at y'", In which he snorted a laugh before he grew serious, his tone soft, "Rae, listen, about wha' I said, I didn't mean it like... Like the way it came out and I didn't mean for y' t' take it like y' did, y'know I'd never hurt y' on purpose", "So, then 'ow did y' mean it?" She snarked, glaring but not taking her gaze off outside. He sighed, picking at a bit of dry skin in the palm of his hand as he continued, "I meant it like, well, if you're unhappy about it then do summat but I don't care wha' y' look like, as long as y' 'appy. I didn't mean for y' t' get offended, I just meant like if y' wanna change then I won't stop y' but if y' wanna stay the same then 'appy as I'll love y' all the same and y'll still be me best mate", He confessed, relief hitting him almost instantly. She said nothing, still not looking at him. She jumped slightly as she felt his finger graze her thigh, as he traced; I-M S-O-R-R-Y. She let a small smile grow onto her lips before she looked at him and traced her finger across his thigh as she wrote; M-E T-O-O and with that, the pair shared a laugh at how stupid they'd been.
After making up, Finn put the car into drive and drove to the service station. He and Rae climbed out, stretching before Rae walkie talkied Archie - asking where they are. Turns out Johnny had gotten the munchies and decided to get a full English in the little cafe within the service station, which the others couldn't say no to - and now, neither could Finn and Rae. As Finn and Rae walked into the cafe messing about and laughing, like over grown kids, they walked over to the table in the far left - where the rest of the group sat.
Johnny picked up on the sudden happy aura that glowed from Rae and Finn, piping up, "See y' two made up then", In which Rae and Finn pulled up a chair each from a table by, joining the gang. Rae playfully rolled her eyes, "Well y' know us, can't stay made at each other for too long", In which Finn playfully quipped, "She just can't stay away", Rae pushed him and gasped, "Cheeky bastard", Before the gang shared a laugh before breaking off into conversations, Rae then asked Finn, "I forgot t' ask, where's Chlo?" Finn shrugged, scratching the back of his ear and toying with his ear lobe - an anxious habit he'd developed when he was younger - as he mumbled, "'er dad's or summat".
Finn may have been easy to fool but Rae could smell a rat from miles away, it wasn't too hard to guess who Al and Chloe were spending their weekend with.
Al found Chloe, sat at the bar; downing a shot of Sambuca. He smirked as he took a seat next to her, calling the bartender over and ordering a Carlsberg before turning to her. He drank her in, his pupils darkening with each second. The bar Joe's was quite modern, lively, played footie matches on the projector screen and had cheap drinks; so it wasn't tacky and quite popular amungst students.
He then asked, eyebrow raised, "Thought y' were at the camping trip" She took another shot before grimacing and saying, "Was", He asked, not really arsed, "Wha' happened?" She scoffed, "Y' girlfriend", Now he was interested, "Whaddya mean?" She then waved her hand at him, not wanting to repeat the fortnight's events, "Tell y' later, right now we need to get very, very drunk!" She cheered, in which he laughed. She then smacked her hand on the bar and called out, "Bartender! Would y' be so kind as to get me four glitterbombs and a JD on the rocks?" The bartender laughed and nodded before handing over the Carlsberg and began to work on her orders.
She then turned to Al as he shook his head, "Wha'?" She frowned, he breathed a laugh, "Glitterbombs? Do I look like I have a pair of tits?" She rolled her eyes, "Piss off, glitterbombs are a manly shot too!" He rolled his eyes and took a sip of his beer, "Yeh, because glitter is a real manly thing, Chlo", He sarcastically quipped, she then smirked, "Just because y' can't 'andle it", He then raised his eyebrows, once more, "Pardon?" Realising she now had him, she then smugly smiled, "I'm just sayin' that the reason why y' tryin' to act 'Manly' Is cause y' can't 'andle y' drink", He then looked at her for a moment before turning to the bartender and saying, "Can y' make tha' six glitterbombs as well as two jager bombs and two vodka shots? Cheers".
It was now approaching to twelve, the gang were fed as well as their petrol tanks and were on the road once more - not a lane of traffic in sight. Rae and Finn had the windows down, Oasis blasting and lyrics screaming from their voices. They had to admit, they had missed this - missed it more than the other realised. But, although they had made up and were pals again - Rae couldn't help but let his words echo within her head. Now, although he explained how really meant it; she couldn't help but be tormented by the thought of what he could've meant and was just trying to cover his tracks.
"Y' wanderin' again", Finn spoke as he lowered the music, she snapped out of her daze before shaking her head and giving a laugh, "Yeh, sorry. By the way, seven out of ten", She gave a smirk, it took a moment or two to sink before he realised she was talking about the tune that just played before he frowned but jokingly quipped, "Well, then again y' like Oasis over Blur so", In which he gave a cheeky smile at her, she then smacked him and he bellowed, "Oi! I'm drivin'!" And the pair shared a laugh before Johnny breaked slowly before them in which Finn replicated, Johnny then signalled with his arm out the window for Finn to turn left and the three cars turned left and off onto a winding road that was surrounded and overshadowed by trees, before the cars then turned off onto a dirt road that led into the middle of a never ending forrest.
The walkie talkie crackled before Archie's voice piped up, "Chop told us t' tell y's t' keep an eyeout for the sign tha' has a pinecone on it", Rae pressed the talk button, "Will do", Before the pair then began to keep an eyeout. The cars then came to a fork in the forest before they turned down the left side. Suddenly, Johnny slammed the breaks; causing Rae and Finn to jolt forward as Finn slammed his own breaks. A moment passed before Chop appeared, jogging over to Johnny's car ahead and speak to Johnny. He then jogged over to Rae and Finn, a grin upon his face. Finn frowned and snapped, "The fuck y' playin' at, knob'ed!?" Chop rolled his eyes before saying, "Get out, we're 'ere", Before jogging off, Archie, Johnny and Izzy had now emerged from their cars and followed Chop. Rae and Finn shared a look before Rae shrugged, the pair undone their seatbelts and climbed out the car; following the others. Through branches, climbing over trunks, almost falling over a few times, etc; the gang then climbed through a bush and walked out onto a clearing that overlooked everything - it was beautiful.
It was open and wasn't covered by the forest, but more on the edge - it could fit at least thirty campers. Chop stood before them, grinning, "Did I do fuckin' brilliant or wha'?" Which Johnny then dived on Chop in joy, Finn snapped his fingers over and over in excitement, the girls giggled and cheered and Archie squeezed Finn's shoulders, shaking them slightly with happiness - well this trip was going to be amazing.
Sweat dripped from Al's neck and his hair stuck to his forehead, he had never drunk this much before. The music pulsed through his ears and the strobe lights swirled and blended into colours and fuzzy shapes. He felt so out of it, felt as if he was watching himself and weren't actually apart of his body... An 'Out-of-body' Experience, being the correct term. He felt for her, through the crowd; only to come back empty. He then looked around, but being so fucked meant his vision was no longer in tact and all he could see were swirls of colours. The room span and he couldn't keep his balance, where the hell had Chloe disappeared to? She was defintely still in the building as they went onto the dancefloor together no longer than ten minutes ago.
He then pushed through the crowds, earning a flew glares and shouts along the way. Once out of the mass of bodies, he headed for the toilet; you gotta start somewhere and the toilets were known for where shags and blowjobs happened. Let's be honest, Chloe wasn't at all innocent and loved taking risks, what's more risky than shagging in the toilet?
She was there, but was doing something that shocked him slightly;
Drugs.
Now sex and alcohol, he knew she lived for it; but cocaine? Then again, she wasn't the classiest of ladies. She was sat on the men's toilets sink, snorting a line. A burly and not-so-friendly skinhead of a man hovered over her. As she sat up and opened her eyes, she smiled as she'd noticed Al now had joined them, "Oh, didn't see y' there!" Al grimaced slightly. She then pointed the straw at him, "Want some? It's fuckin' good shit man", She shared a laugh with the guy.
But he didn't find it funny, which showed in his tone, "No thanks, don't do drugs", She scoffed, "Oh, don't pull tha' bullshit", He then scowled, "I'm not, never have done it before", Now, although that was utter bollocks; he'd never done it off a toilet sink - even he had standards. She rolled her eyes, "Oh come on! Live a little", She then smirked, knowing how to get right under his skin as she continued, "Wha's the matter? Scared?" He tensed, gritting his teeth. He hated how she knew that, that was the one thing she had to say to get him to do anything. He then glanced at the remainding line of coke on the sink, so tempting... Was he willing to throw away the last bit of morals, just to prove how much of a man he actually was?
"C'mon, do it. Don't be such a bore", She then snapped, cocking an eyebrow. He don't know what made him snap, but next thing he knew; he had stormed over to her, snatched the small straw from her hand, bent down and snorted the line. She and the stranger cheered him, she clapped as he stood up. He handed the straw over to the man, grabbed her by the hand, said nothing and yanked her off the sink; out of the toilets.
Al's stomach lurched at what he'd just done. He knew it was wrong and he didn't like it, he didn't like how much it made his nose itchy and how much it hurt his head. Well, it only itched for two minutes and the pain in his head lasted around the same amount, before he suddenly felt... Alive. Chloe then stood by him and watched as his frown disappear and a smile replace it. A smile appeared on her own lips as he looked at her before looking back at the club, he suddenly felt so Goddamn happy, so on-top-of-the-world. She then intertwined her fingers with his and whispered in his ear, "Come with me", And she began to walk forward, him in tow.
But what surprised him, is that she led him outside and continued on walking. He slurred, "Where are we going?" She said over her shoulder, "Where do y' think?" He then knew where this was going and smirked, remembering the sole reason why she called him out with her tonight. He didn't know whether it was the coke or whether it was how nice her arse looked in that body-con dress, but he suddenly felt so incredibly horny; that he thought his penis was going to burst the crotch of his jeans.