fortress | kate bishop

twelve.

2023
Manhattan, New York

"Senior year bitches!" Elise exclaims as they walk through the streets of New York, "I can't wait to see how sexy my degree looks with my name on it."

"Elise Grace Prescott," Deanna states dryly, "Such a sexy name."

Anya laughs as she looks over at Elise who frowns at the sarcastic comment.

"Elise Grace is a pretty name," Elise says defensively.

"It's just you're a badass who wanders around in leather and combat boots 24/7 and your middle name is something basic like Grace," Deanna says with a shrug, "You really need to confront your parents about that."

"Whatever," Elise responds.

Kate takes Anya's hand and spins her beneath her arm. Anya laughs as Kate pulls her close, wrapping her arms around her.

"You two disgust me," Elise states as she shakes her head.

"Why?" Kate asks, "Because we're happy and in love?"

"Precisely," Elise states.

"Sorry not sorry," Anya says as she leans against Kate with a smile on her lips.

"Guys," Brady says as he suddenly stops walking, "We could die tomorrow."

"Excellent observation," Greer says as she looks at the busy streets of New York. All it took was one misstep and they were road kill, "Or we could die today."

Brady spins and looks at the five of them, "We need to do something extremely impulsive and dangerous. Like – like a road trip!"

"Now you're talking," Elise says, "Where are we going? Hawaii?"

"I think you missed the key word," Greer says, "Road trip. Emphasis on the road. What road gets you to Hawaii?"

"Shut up," Elise responds, "I just really want to go to Hawaii."

Deanna nudges Elise, "I'll take you someday."

Elise grins, "Really?"

"Of course," Deanna responds as she throws an arm around Elise's shoulder, "Consider it charity work."

"You're an asshole," Elise states.

Deanna narrows her eyes playfully at Elise, "You find it charming."

"Sometimes," Elise responds with a grin.

Anya rolls her eyes at the two of them. Their relationship status was 'we're dating but let's roleplay as two people who can't stand each other.' It was an interesting dynamic but at times it was truly disgusting.

"Road trip?" Kate asks, "That sounds like it could be fun."

"Where to though?" Greer asks.

"How about the Outer Banks?" Anya suggests as she looks at her friends. She'd heard Kennedy and Nat talk about it.

"I happen to have a house down there," Kate says, "Or my dad did so there would be free lodging."

"And I have a white Jeep Wrangler for the aesthetic," Deanna says with a smile.

Elise smirks as she looks at all of her friends, "So are we doing this?"

"Why not?" Brady says, "I mean we could die today? Don't we want to make memories?"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kate says with a grin, "Let's get packing!"

And in three hours they're on the road to North Carolina. They all wouldn't fit in Deanna's Jeep, so Kate made some calls and impulsively purchased an older two-door Jeep just for her and Anya.