We're Not Alone

The First Night.

With the evening sun beaming through the open window, laughter could be heard from inside the cozy-looking house that rested in between walls of thin bricks.

"Ok ok. We have the cooler. Check."

"Snacks for the road?"

"Uhh- yes! Check."

"Drinks?"

"Check!"

The group of seven childhood friends was in a state of unrest, excitement lingering in the air as they bustled about. Packing up the last of their belongings, zipping up the last of their bags— the group was finally done.

"Jesus- that was more chaotic than it needed to be," Bianca exhaled as she plopped herself on the couch.

"Yeaa well, we have everything packed. We're good to go," Beulah said, looking at the scatter of mismatched bags on the floor.

"Should we pack more beer..?" Nhi asked, a smirk on her face as she looked at her friends, "We can pick up another pack on the road."

"Yesss. We should!" Kiara agreed, nodding her head excitedly.

"Aight we should get going before the sun sets," Ang stated, standing up from her place on the floor. Digging through her pockets for the car keys, she made her way to the van as the gang followed along behind her with their bags.

"Okay! That's the last of it," Anna yelled, as they packed the cooler in the trunk, slamming it shut.

"Aight y'all get in!" Ang shouted from the driver's seat, ushering the rest of them into the car. With Beu in the passenger seat, Pey, Nhi, Beeb in the second row, and Anna and Kiara in the last row, the group drove off.

"Uh Hello? Can someone get the aux? Put on some music," Pey joked, rolling her eyes, "like hello? It's summer!"

•••

"I'm going back to 505. If it's a seven hour flight...."

As the music continued to ripple through the small compartment of leather seats, Ang carelessly nodded along as her eyes locked onto the endless gray road ahead of her. With half of the group leaning against each other and the cold nearby windows, Pey, Kiara, and Beeb were fast asleep, their necks positioned at abnormal angles.

"Guys. I think we should take a bathroom break. We've been driving for a good 2 hours anyways," Ana whispered from the last row, trying not to wake up Kiara who was curled into a ball next to her.

"Yea you're right. I need to pee so badly, " Ang replied as she turned right into a close-by rest stop.

"Beu come buy some snacks with me," Nhi exclaimed, clambering out of the van and dragging her older friend into the small gas station deli.

After grabbing all sorts of spicy chips and gummy candy, she was finally done and placed the pile of junk food on the counter.

"Your total is $7.84 sir," the creepy old man behind the counter said with a low, gravelly voice.

"Uh- yea sure," Nhi stammered, taken back by the cashier confusing her for a man. As she was handing him the money, the man hastily grabbed her arm, making the couple crumpled dollars and quarters drop from her hand.

"You kids aren't from around here...are you?" The man growled, his grip tightening around the frightened Nhi who was trying to pull away.

"No. We're not," Nhi answered with a shaking voice, staring at the man whose callused hand was still grasping her forearm with an iron grip, "Can you let me go? Please?!"