Just Friends

*40*

"Geez, Al. How long are you planning on staying?" FP quips as he helps Alice carry an abundance of travels bags out of her trailer.

"This one is just my dress for the wedding." She tells him, gesturing to the overly large suitcase.

Hermione clears her throat. "Vow renewal."

"Same thing, Mione."

"No, a wedding implies they were never married or marrying other people. It's a vow renewal to celebrate their love."

"Well if their love is what gave us you I think they should take it back." Alice bites.

"Who put salt in your cheerios this morning?" Hermione rolls her eyes.

FP places a hand on Alice's waist in precaution, not wanting to risk her leaping at Hermione. "You good?" He checks in with her, chuckling a little. She nods.

"Just annoyed I have to bring so many damn bags with me." It's so not her style, she'd prefer to stuff everything in one bag for convenience, not rummage through multiple for a weekend.

"Well you wouldn't let me bring my steamer for the dress, therefore it has to travel alone." Hermione points out.

"And why is that?" FP asks, genuinely curious.

"Silk wrinkles too easily," Hermione answers as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, like he should know. "It's basic knowledge. Plus, putting heels and other items in with it could damage it, better to be safe then sorry."

"I guess that makes sense." He concludes, taking the bag from Alice and loading it into the trunk.

"Don't side with her!" Alice hisses.

"What do you think? Bon Jovi or Bruce Springsteen?" Fred wonders as he steps out of Alice's trailer, having raided her CD collection for the ride to Greendale.

"If I said Bon Jovi would you have a grudge the entire ride there?" FP wonders, knowing how much of a Springsteen fan his friend is.

Fred shrugs, but they both know he will. "Maybe a little."

"Then go with Springsteen, we can play Bon Jovi on the way back." The grin of Fred's face makes FP chuckle, and he hangs back a moment to whisper to Alice. "You bring your Walkman?"

Alice scoffs, retrieving the device from her bag. "Of course I do. You think I was really going to let Fred control the music the entire time?"

"I heard that!" Fred yells. "And just for that, I'm playing it as loud as possible."

***

"I spy with my little eye, something that is... green." Fred announces to his friends.

"Let me guess," Alice responds dully. "The trees?"

"No," Fred answers pointedly. "That'd be too easy. It was that one bush back there."

Alice laughs. "Well how am I supposed to guess that?"

"You're not, that's the fun part."

"Hey guys can we stop for food? I'm wasting away back here." FP whiningly requests. He sits up to peer over Hermione's shoulder at the map in her lap. "Anything coming up, Mione?"

She scours the map for a moment before landing on a food joint nearby. "Chips, Flips and Dips?"

"That's what it's called?" Alice turns her nose up but can't help letting a snicker out at the ridiculous name.

"I guess." Hermione shrugs. "But I agree with FP, I'm starving so I think it's our best option."

***

To everyone's surprise the place ends up being a very Pop's-esque diner. Of course the food isn't nearly on Pop's level. Still, the four cram into a booth and scour the overly colourful menu.

"What the hell are frog sticks?" Hermione cries as she reads the menu.

Alice quickly searches for the item, finding amusement in the names. "French fries."

"Why not just call them French fries? Why frog sticks?"

"It's diner lingo, babe. It's fun!" Fred explains, seemingly loving the entire experience.

"Welcome to Chips, Flips and Dips, my name is Pinky, what can I get for ya?" The girl must be in her early 30's but the bright blonde, tightly curled wig she's sporting seems to age her immensely.

"I'll get two dots and a dash, with a nice cold glass of moo juice please!" Fred chirps, feeling the weight of his friends eyes on him. "Fried eggs, bacon and milk." He clears up their confusion.

"I'll just have an omelet with a side of sausage, and orange juice." Hermione requests.

"Pancakes for me." Alice decides, not even wanting to attempt any of the strange named meals.

"I'll uh get... Adam and Eve on a raft?" FP requests, much to the delight of Fred.

"That's the spirit!"

"What is that?" Alice asks, passing her menu back to the waitress.

"Two poached eggs on toast." Fred answers for him. "My parents used to love taking me and my brother to old-timey diner's like this."

"And the names are really necessary?"

"No, but they make it more fun."

"Ok so once we leave here we're back on route for the hotel. Tonight we can do whatever we want, but tomorrow is the rehearsal dinner, and the day after is the actual vow renewal. So, if anyone has anything in particular they'd like to do while we're in Greendale speak now or forever hold your peace." Hermione rambles.

Alice blinks. "Hermione... breathe."

"What?"

"We all know why we're here, we're not going to do anything to mess up the weekend."

"I didn't say-"

"You've repeated the schedule to us about six times now." FP chuckles.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want anything to go wrong. My parents have been looking forward to this and so much of my family came to town for it,  my mom will be a complete basket case if something goes wrong."

Alice reaches for her friend's hands to calm her. "Hermione, it'll be fine. Now chill out, you're a teenager, act like one."

"You're right. I'm going to go get some air."

Fred scoots out of the booth and tails after her. "Wait up, I'll come with you."

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" FP teases, his arm absentmindedly resting on the booth right above her shoulders.

"Never but I don't want to deal with a Hermione freak out all weekend." Alice explains.

"So I take it this means we have to be on our best behaviour?"

She frowns. "Unfortunately yes, but we do have all weekend, I'm sure we can find the time to have our fun without risking Hermione having a canary."

He smiles. "I'm holding you to that promise."