One Stupid Thing

3:9:99

John B, JJ, and Sarah are standing near the base of my family's jet. With my bag slung over my shoulder, I make my way across the pavement to meet them.

"Dude, where is everybody?" I hear JJ ask John B.  He drops his bag dramatically. "We should get in the Twinkie, and we should just get 'em. That's what we should do."

"Five minutes. Just give 'em five minutes, all right?"

"Hey!" I shout, capturing their attentions.

"Oh, good. You made it," Sarah exhales in relief. "And guys, there's Pope and Cleo, right there."

The engine of a motorcycle revs and from around the bend, the pair appears and drives up. "You guys waiting for us?" Cleo asks.

"Yes, yes we were. You're late," JJ snaps. The blonde picks his bag back up off the ground and sighs. "Now, did you actually convince your pops this time or...."

"Cleo convinced him." The girl shrugs with a smug look on her face.

"My girl. That's what I'm talking about." JJ slaps her hand and they do the classic handshake. "I thank you for being a part of my crew."

"Anytime."

"Hey, where's, uh... where's Kie?" Pope asks. The brunette girl is nowhere to be found.

"I don't know," Sarah replies. "It's gotta be her parents, dude. They've been up her ass."

"They must've said she couldn't come."

"I wouldn't put it past them," I sigh.

"We're gonna have to do this without her," Pope says decidedly.

"No," JJ protests. My heart sinks with jealousy. He turns to John B with his hand outstretched. "Give me the keys."

"No, dude. No, no, no, no, no."

"Gimme the keys right now."

"It doesn't seem like a good idea now, JJ," John B tells his friend.

"Look, man. Her parents already hate me. All right? Just give me an hour. It'll be like a black ops mission, in and out. Surgical removal type shit." JJ placed his hands on his friend's shoulders.

"I don't know...."

"Plus... I kinda owe her. Gimme the keys."

John B exhales, realization igniting in his gaze. The money clip. I watch as John B's eyes flit in my direction, almost as if he is asking me for permission. Reluctantly, I nod and then stare down at my sandals. No point in holding him back now.

"Okay. Hurry back."

With a deep breath to steady myself, I make my way towards the jet. I don't dare look back and watch the boy my heart belongs to go off and rescue another girl. It's too painful to bear. Hearing the Twinkie's wheels skid on the pavement is enough to make my feet carry me faster. To just escape.

I climb up the stairs and through the open door. It smells like a new car, fresh and clean as if it has hardly been touched. I set my bag down in the seat beside me and throw my head back against the headrest. With my eyes closed, I feel my lip begin to tremble and tears well up behind my eyelids. Shit.