Road Trip by Caleb Baker (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📕

"How about you two go and get her a water from the vending machine," Emily said her eyebrows raised.  

Chris and I exchanged looks. 

"I didn't bring any money today, you," I asked. 

"No, I didn't."

Emily gave a deep sigh, and reached into her purse, "Here's one dollar and fifty cents, get her a Vitamin Water." 

Chris took the money and hurried out of the room, I bolted after him. 

"What a jerk, that Jake! That Jerky-Jake" I said as soon as we left the classroom. 

"Yeah I know, me and Lauren saw the whole thing go down last period. He did it in front of everyone, shameless. You should have seen the look on Alice's face, or better yet, Lauren's. She was about ready to crush Jake, if I hadn't stepped in," Chris trailed off as we passed a sophomore health class.  

"This could ruin the whole trip!" I exclaimed. 

"That's what you're worried about? The trip? She's really hurt, man," Chris said insightfully. 

"You're right, I'm stupid, Alice is my friend," I reasoned with myself.     

When we reached the classroom we saw that it was tear-free. Alice had cheered up a considerable amount, her eyes were puffy and still red, but the water works had stopped. 

"If only there was something we could do," I said as we walked towards the girls, Vitamin Water in hand. 

"There is. We can be good friends," Chris said. 

"Right again, man, when did you become so wise?" 

"I guess it comes with age," he replied handing the water to Alice who thanked us. 

"You're only a year older than me," I said laughing a little. 

"A year older, a year wiser."

We both laughed, and then noticed Alice who looked sullen and not her usually self at all. 

"I like to laugh," she said, "Jake used to make me laugh. Used to..." and then she broke into more tears, and sunk back into Emily. 

Emily looked at me and shook her head angrily. She looked almost motherly. 

"I guess we should start playing the piano, huh Chris?" I said, avoiding Emily's evil eye. 

"Yeah, that would be a good idea," he answered, he too was avoiding the eye.      

Chris was a genius when it came to playing the piano, he knew many rifts to random songs, and had even mastered some songs of his own, that was part of the reason Lauren fell in love with him. He cracked his fingers and went to work on Beethoven's Fifth, a hard piece to play. I was still in the beginning stages of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, although I did know how to play the Harry Potter Theme song, I made sure it was the first one I learned.     

The rest of the class was filled with noises of messed up keys, kids shouting at one another to stop playing while they were playing, and then the marvelous tunes that Chris played. Alice had even begun to play, but her notes were all on left side of the keyboard, making low and somber tones. Emily was a mediocre piano player and trying to play the jingle from a certain commercial. The bell finally rang, signalling everyone to leave school and not return for three months, or ever. It was barely audible over the noises of the classroom. The teacher had to announce that school was over, and to pack up and leave. Chris and I having brought nothing to school that day got up and left, the first ones to leave the school. We waited in the parking lot for the rest of our group to catch up.     

It was several minutes before John showed up at Chris's truck with Lauren, and Emily and Alice came a minute after them, Alice still shaken up.

"So what's going on today?" John asked the group, trying to get a thorough synopsis. 

We all looked around at each other, all trying to find someone to talk first.

Emily broke the silence as she said, "well, Caleb and I are going to John's."

"When?" Alice murmured.  Emily looked over at me and John, also needing an answer. 

"Right now, right?" said John, looking at me. 

"Yeah," I replied, "as soon as Emily gets her stuff from her house."

"Oh yeah! John, is my stuff still at your place?" Chris asked, his arm around Lauren once again. 

"Yeah it is," Lauren said, "don't you remember? You and I both dropped our stuff off a week ago."

"Oh yeah, your right," Chris said. 

"I wonder if I left mine there too," I said, putting my hand on my chin. 

"So what are you doing today, Alice? Are you hanging out with Jake?" John said, letting his arm hang into the bed of Chris's truck. 

Everyone's faces in the group (except John's) looked as though they had fallen to the ground. I slapped my forehead hard, Chris coughed awkwardly, Lauren looked up into the sky, and Emily looked down and shuffled her feet. Alice looked dumbfounded, while John looked at everyone as though we were all crazy. She didn't cry, she merely stood there, staring at John. 

"Do you mind if I come to your house too?" she said to John. 

Emily's head shot up, Lauren's came down, Chris's coughing fits died out, and I stopped hitting myself. There was a stalemate within the group, except for Alice and John, who looked like they were enjoying a nice conversation. 

"Yeah, no problem, the more the merrier, I suppose," John said happily. 

Alice smiled slightly, and began to walk towards Emily's car, followed by John. 

"That was weird," I said as soon as they were both out of earshot. 

"No kidding," Chris agreed. 

"Why didn't she yell at him," Emily asked. 

No one answered right away, there could have been many possibilities. 

"I guess, we're just gonna have to wait and see," said Lauren darkly. 

"Shall we leave then?" I said, making a motion to Emily's car. 

"Yeah, let's get out of here," Emily said following me, I could hear the clinking of keys behind me.

We reached the car, and Emily fiddled with the lock. Once the driver's door was opened she pressed a button on the side of it and a click sounded throughout it. I opened the passenger seat door and sat down, making sure to buckle myself in. John and Alice both took seats in the back, also putting on their seat belts. Emily got in the car and quickly turned it on, the roar of the engine making a resonating sound. 

"Everyone ready?" she asked looking into the mirror above the dashboard.

We all nodded and murmured consent. She put the gear into reverse, and slowly backed the car into the middle of the parking lot. She changed gears again and this time we moved forward. I saw Chris and Lauren getting into the truck, Lauren flipping her long blonde hair before getting in, and Chris waving an arm to us. John had his entire face on the window and was making rude gestures towards Chris's truck, Emily's car erupted into laughter. I took one last fleeting look at the school I attended for four years and laughed some more, I would never forget the memories I made at this school, I thought.

The Townsend sky kept itself cloudless, and the perfect shade of blue. The air rolled in through my half open window and played with my golden brown hair. Emily had turned the radio to a significantly loud octave, at the request of John, and it was playing a song that reflected all of our moods at the moment, although I couldn't say anything for Alice. She hadn't said a word since we left the school, and she wore a blank expression. I tried to think of something nice to say to her, then I realized talking to her would be a bad idea.      

"So guys!" John yelled above the radio. 

Emily turned the volume dial below the dashboard down, making John's voice more audible. 

"About my house," he continued, "I'm going to need to set some ground rules."

"What rules?" I said looking back behind my seat. 

"Well first," John said, "you'll have to take off your shoes."

"Easy enough," Emily stated, "what's next?"

"Rule number two. And you have to do this or I'm kicking you out," he said in a serious tone, "nobody can wear a shirt."

Emily and I both started laughing, while John looked at us still serious and was waving his arms in protest of our laughter, even Alice cracked a smile. I looked at Alice, her hair was light brown, and tied in a long pony tail. Her eyes were less puffy than before. 

"Look, Al, Jake is a jerk," I waited for the warning look from Emily, but none came, John looked confused, "he clearly doesn't deserve you if he's going to treat you like that. You don't deserve that, you're a good person," I finished as gently as I could.  

"Thank you, I appreciate that," Alice said, smiling broadly. 

"Wait, what happened?" John asked, thoroughly confused. 

Neither I, nor Emily answered. That was for Alice to say, when she was ready.  

"Jake broke up with me," Alice said looking ahead through the windshield. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." John said genuinely. 

"That's alright, I'm over it," Alice replied.

"Really? That quickly?" Emily said, taking a right hand turn onto the road with her house. 

"Yeah, I have better things to look forward to. Like, being on the open road with all of my best friends," Alice said sweetly. 

"Aw shucks," John said, in his most girlish voice. 

"This is it!" Emily claimed as she slowly stopped the car on the side of the street.     

Her house was dark red, and the shutters were newly painted white. The front steps led up to a wonderfully built porch that overlooked the rest of the street. Two rocking chairs and a white table were placed on the far side of the porch, they looked worn down, probably from rainstorms and other maladies. Emily raced up the steps and opened the screen door and shoved a key into the doorknob. 

"My parents aren't home, so you guys are free to come in if you want," she said, slamming her hip into the door and nearly falling into her house. 

We all followed her up the steps, and were greeted by a welcome mat. John was the first one inside the house, and I was the last, making sure to close the door behind myself. Emily glided up the stairs which were right in front of us. A living room was located to the left of the stairs, and was decorated with lovely furniture. A kitchen was placed to our left.  

"Do you guys want anything to drink?" Emily's voice called from some where in the house. 

"Yes! Please!" John yelled out. 

"There are drinks in the fridge, help yourself!"

John rushed into the kitchen and an immediate crash sounded throughout the entire house. I made my way smoothly after him, careful not to cause any noise. 

"What the hell was that?" Emily called from up the stairs. 

John was sprawled out on the floor, a big white dog on top of him, making ferocious licking motions. He was getting attacked by Emily's pet dog Kendall.

"AH! GET IT OFF ME!" John yelled through mouthfuls of fur. 

I shooed the hound away, and helped John to his feet. He brushed off the fur on his shirt and stuck his tongue