One of Them Girls by Cala Riley (the gingerbread man read aloud txt) 📕

Don’t leave me,” Rebecca busts in the door out of breath.

“Are you okay?” I take her appearance in.

She’s sweaty and her face is red. She’s resting her hands on her knees as she gasps for air.

“Did you run here?”

“Yes. I couldn’t find a ride. Now where the hell are we going and how much longer do I have to pack.” She straightens and goes to her closet, still out of breath.

“I have no idea where we are going, but Jack and Xavier are going with us. They planned it, actually. As for your time limit.” I glance at my phone. “You have about fifteen minutes left.”

She groans. “Fine. Back up. This is going to get ugly.”

I sit back on my bed and watch as she pulls out her largest suitcase and starts tossing things inside.

“Do you really need that much?” I ask, but she practically growls at me, so I stay quiet while she packs.

Almost fifteen minutes on the dot, she closes her second duffel bag before sitting on her bed.

“All done,” she says on a sigh.

My phone vibrates in my hand.

Avi: Coming up.

“Perfect timing. You were almost left behind,” I tease Rebecca.

“Like you could leave me behind. I would’ve hunted your ass down.” She throws her arm around my shoulder just as the boys knock on the door.

“Beautiful ladies. Are you ready to go?” Jack sweeps in the room with Xavier following behind.

“Are those your bags?” He gestures to Rebecca’s.

“Nope. This is it.” I turn, showing him the backpack on my back.

“Seriously? Could you even fit anything in there?”

I shrug. “Well, the panties wouldn’t fit so I’ll be going commando for the trip, but I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

I swear his mouth drops open as Jack howls with laughter behind him.

Rebecca slides in next to me. “Do you mind, Xavier? If my girl here doesn’t wear panties the entire trip?”

He swallows hard. “Nope. So what prize do you want?”

I shake my head. “You never said there was a time limit. I’m still deciding what I want.”

“By all means, take your time,” he says sarcastically.

“I will. Thank you,” I say, walking out the door.

I can hear Jack shamelessly flirting with Rebecca, making me smile. He’s such a flirt, but if anyone can be a match for him, it’s her. She doesn’t put up with anyone’s shit.

“Shotgun,” I call as we make our way to Xavier’s car.

“Hey,” Rebecca half-heartedly complains.

“Is that your prize?” Xavier teases.

“Nope. Just road trip rules.” I shoot him a wink before getting in the car, putting my bag at my feet.

As Jack helps Rebecca with her bags, Xavier joins me in the car. “Who said we were going on a road trip?”

“Well, if it requires an overnight stay, I would have to say it’s quite a bit away.”

“Clever girl. I’ll have to watch out for you,” he says as he turns on the car.

Jack and Rebecca get into the back seat, bickering already.

“All right, kids. Settle down.” Xavier smiles over at me.

“Can you tell me where we are going now?” Rebecca asks.

“Nope.” Xavier looks at her in his rearview mirror. “It’s a surprise.”

As he pulls the car on the road, I hear Rebecca mumble to herself, “If that ain’t the most serial killer thing I’ve ever heard.”

I chuckle as Jack tries to draw her into conversation. I reach over and turn on the radio, putting it on my favorite country station.

“Driver picks the music,” Xavier says, reaching to turn the station.

I swat his hand. “Passenger is DJ. Road trip law. Everyone knows this.”

“So I have eight hours of country to look forward to?”

My eyes widen at the little tidbit he let slip. “Eight hours? Are we going to Corpus Christi?”

He smirks. “Maybe. Or maybe we are going to Oklahoma.”

I pretend to shudder. “Don’t even joke. Okies hate us Texans.”

“Do they really?”

I shrug. “Everything is bigger in Texas. Especially our egos.”

He shakes his head, laughing. “You’re something else.”

I feel a smile creep onto my face. “I sure am. My daddy always told me so.”

About two hours into the road trip, I turn down the music.

“Hey, I like that song,” Rebecca mumbles from the back seat.

“I know, it’s a classic.”

“I can’t take my eyes off of you,” we sing at the same time.

“Girls are weird.” Jack mumbles.

“It’s from a classic!” I protest.

“I don’t know it.” Xavier laughs.

“You’ve never watched 10 Things I Hate About You?” I ask.

“No, why should I have?”

“It’s a classic,” Rebecca says from the back.

“If you say so. It sounds like a chick flick.” Jack smirks.

“Anyway, I think we should play a game.”

“A game?” Avi asks.

“What game?” Jack says.

“Start with the license plate game?” I ask, looking at Xavier, then Jack and Rebecca in the backseat.

“Sounds good to me.” Xavier smiles.

“You’re going down this time, Davis,” Jack says, cracking his knuckles, making us laugh.

“This is going to be good.” Rebecca smirks.

I turn back around, leaning forward.

“What are you doing?” Xavier asks, laughter in his voice.

“I’m getting closer,” I deadpan, making him laugh.

“Pretty sure you leaning forward won’t help you out at all.” He reaches over, tapping my knee. “Alabama.” He nods toward the car in front of us.

“What no way! How can you read that?” I say as we approach a car that does in fact have an Alabama plate.

“I was blessed with good eyesight,” he says, rubbing his lip, trying to cover his smile.

I turn around in time and catch another car’s plate. “California.” I point at the car.

Jack groans from the back seat. “You guys can see everything before we do.”

“Maybe if you spent more time looking out the window, then at me you would have better luck,” Rebecca teases, making Xavier and I laugh.

“Idaho!” Jack calls out, ignoring her comment.

For the next hour we go back and forth calling out different states.

“Is it just me or would we have better luck calling out religious signs then finding the random non-Texas driver?” Xavier asks, tapping away at the steering wheel.

“Welcome to the Bible belt,” I quip as he pulls off the interstate to get