Hesperia #Wattys2015

New Orleans

To say that the car ride to New Orleans was awkward would be a complete understatement. The tension in the air was so thick I swear you could cut it with a knife. 

Cedric and I were seated in the back whilst Lena was situated in the passenger seat and Marcus was obviously driving because you know, it was his car and all. Nothing filled the air but silence, the awkwardness was unmistakable.

Whats even worse was that the car ride from Luna Falls to New Orleans was a little over a half hour drive , maybe forty minutes or so which meant that the rigid stillness of the car lasted for forty freaking minutes. 

Growing up, I had always wanted to live in New Orleans. It was the home of jazz as well as the freaking best food on the planet. Spicy food and seafood together were just heaven in my mouth - which was why cajun shrimp was probably my favourite thing in the world.

But anyway, I was getting side-tracked.

Back to the awkwardness, I kept trying to sneak glances at Cedric from the corner of my eye to see if his expression had changed at all since entering the car. He was glaring out the car window at the highway we were driving down and wouldn't meet my gaze. I didn't know if he was doing that intentionally or absentmindedly, but either way it still made me feel like crap. After all, Cedric was pretty much the one true friend I had since moving here. I mean, sure I guess Rowena and I were friends, and maybe Emmett too - but Cedric, I felt was the only one who I could confidently say was my friend.

"Can someone at least turn the radio on?" I sighed after a good ten minutes of silence past. "Seriously the silence is more awkward then watching the bridal shop scene in Bridesmaid."

I didn't get a response. 

Here I thought that reference would be funny, guess supernatural's don't appreciate Melissa McCarthy as much as I do.

And so, the silence continued for what seemed like hours, we just sat there - letting time pass by as slow as a snail trying to climb Mount Everest.

It was horrible.

But the forty minutes finally came to a close and soon we were passing the bright green sign that read; "Welcome to New Orleans,"

We drove about another five, passing through the busy streets of this amazing city. I finally let all thoughts of the supernatural in my life escape my mind. No magic, no witches, no Marcus, Lena, or Cedric and just took a minute to roll down the window and breath in the salty sea air of Lousiana.

"So where are we going again?" I asked, once my head was safely back inside of the car and not hanging out the window like a Terrier. "You said something about a coven of witches, where is that?"

"The French Quarter," Marcus informed me in his deep English accent. "It's just a few more minutes."

"New Orleans is said to be the most haunted city in the world - are we going to get to see ghosts? Or go into haunted houses?"

"If you haven't noticed we aren't trick or treating," Lena snapped in her usual bitchy voice. "We aren't here to have fun we're here to do business, right Marcus?"

It was clear that Lena expected him to nod or say something, anything. Even I expected a little head bob or a simple 'Yes,' but instead, Marcus just stayed silent.

"Marcus..." Lena said nervously. "What's going on?"

He finally let out a sigh, turning the wheel down on of the main streets that I presumed led out to  The French Quarter. His tone was dull, his sigh showed irritation - something that usually occured when a plan of his had failed. "The point of this little get together for today was for me to run away when we were walking down the streets of The French Quarter. You two were meant to have to ban together and try to find me all the while bonding and actually speaking. That is before little miss sunshine over here invited the incubus along and now... that plan has been terminated."