All It Took

13.Jeff

Down Under // Men At Work

I haven't waited at my parent's house for a ride since tenth grade when I got my license. But here I am standing on the porch with a duffel bag keeping my eye open for a black truck with equally blacked out windows. Misty's brother let her borrow it for some unknown reason. Knowing what I know about her, I would never let her borrow my car. It's a guaranteed fail. I insisted on driving once she gets here, my only demand, because I'd like to live past the drive up to Salt Creek. And the fact that Misty has to join us after inserting herself into the drama makes it even worse.

This entire plan is stupid, but I don't have a choice. It's been stupid since day one when Reign forced me into his SUV with the dipshit twins. Ever since finding out they were doping, I upgraded their nickname. And I'm not afraid to use it.

Okay, yeah, I am. They'd pound the life out of me. My skin has been crawling for weeks over this. I know what they'd do to me. I know what they'd do to Alison. I hate this. I pray to God this ends soon. Now. Yesterday.

An obnoxious honk pulls me out of my dark thoughts. The expected black truck isn't in view. But I do see a bright red Mazda. What the hell?

"What's this?" I ask when Misty jumps out of the driver's seat.

"Meh," she shrugs, "my brother, A.K.A. the big ass liar, changed his mind."

"This car isn't very incognito."

"Got any other suggestions?" She quirks a brow and juts her hip.

Before I can answer, Alison steps out of the front passenger seat looking amazing. Her long, dark hair falls in waves around her face. She's sporting her Panda onesie and I've never been so happy to see her in sloppy, comfortable clothes. It's a core memory, the time we spent on her couch while she wore that. The day I basically realized I was falling hard.

"It's okay, Jeff. Let's just get on the road."

The ease in her voice doesn't escape me. The last few times we spoke, her voice was tight, pinched with stress and worry. Today her tone is light and easy.

If she can be chill about this whole thing, so can I.

"You're right. Let me throw my bag in the trunk and then I can drive."

"Ah no, frat boy. My baby equals my call."

"That wasn't the deal."

"Maybe the deal needed a change."

I want to argue with her, but what's the point. She's Alison's bestie. Two against one. I shake my head and take a few deep breaths before grabbing my bag and walking over to the trunk. I tap it lightly. It pops open and I throw the bag in before closing the trunk with way less force than I want to. I'm frustrated, but even I'm not so dumb to understand it's the situation and not the people.

"What's taking so long? Chop, chop, frat boy."

Well, maybe it's one person. When did Misty get this obnoxious? She's always been loopy, and a little off her rocker, but right now it's like nails on a chalkboard being around her. I open the back-passenger side door to jump in but find Misty laid out across the seats.

"Umm..." I scratch my head.

"You want to drive? Have at it. Plans have changed and I'm taking a nap."

For fucks sake. I can't keep up with the lightning speed this girl has at changing her mind. I redirect and hop in the driver's seat, Alison sitting shot gun with a shit eating grin. I mouth a what-did-you-do at her. She smiles and lifts a shoulder. My girl. I grab her hand and squeeze before lacing our fingers together without thinking it through. Once I realize what I'm doing, I pull away, but not before noticing that Alison hadn't rejected it.