Paper Towns (A 5H Fanfic)

E l e v e n

Day 1: Ally's Note

"John we're fine and we'll return your car to you in a few days don't worry." Dinah explained through the phone. Their tour manager was not satisfied with the girls' decision to go out and find Camila on their own. "Lauren's a great driver and will return this car in perfect shape. We'll be back in time for opening night with or without Camila we know."

Dinah hung up the phone and plugged the aux cord into it. She put on a Beyonce song, like always and continued to watch the passing signs and scenery of the freeway.

"Is he mad?" Lauren asked, already knowing the answer to her question.

"Oh he's beyond mad. But I convinced him to give us until opening night to do this so we have three days max." Dinah explained.

"So the drive from New York to Miami is an nineteen hour drive but since Camila is taking us to Pennsylvania for Hershey Park, it's a longer drive, twenty hours." Normani explained as she looked at the Google Maps app on her phone. "Three hours to Hershey Park from New York. We'll get there around six. But we can't stay for too long or we won't make it to Miami and then back to New York on time."

"Moral of the story; drive fast Lauser." Dinah teased, messing up Lauren's hair a bit.

The girls soon all fell silent, Normani fell asleep in the back seat and the remaining girls sat in silence and listened to whatever music Dinah picked until Lauren got annoyed with listening to two hours of Beyonce and just Beyonce and took the aux cord to plug her own phone in.

"If I have to listen to I Care one more fucking time I swear to god Dinah." Lauren exclaimed. "I love you but we need to listen to something else. For an hour at least ok."

Ally sat in the back seat listening to Lauren and Dinah bickering about what to listen to. Ally unfolded the map of the United States and flipped it over to the backside. She started reading the note for her on the back of the map.

The girls first stop was in Pennsylvania. Hershey Park to be exact. A three hour drive from New York. And even before reading the note, Ally knew why they were going to Hershey Park.

Ally Brooke Hernandez!!
If you're worried about me here's your reason not to worry. I want to go down memory lane for a second here. Remember in 2014 when we did a show in Pennsylvania? I remember the two of us were siting around in the bus on our way to Pennsylvania the day before the show and I told you about wanting to go to Hershey Park. I told you about this one roller coaster there called Fahrenheit. I wanted to go to Hershey Park partially because they make amazing chocolate and partially for the rides.

The rest of the girls were kind of cranky that day. Normani was in a bad mood, Dinah needed sleep and Lauren was just in a bad year I guess. Don't tell her I said that. She'll fight me for it. Anyway, you said you'd go with me to the park if we had time. Roller coasters aren't really your favorite thing in the world but for me you said you'd do that one big roller coaster. I was ecstatic about the idea of going. Like a five year old on Christmas, I was giddy and excited and fully prepared to feel the cold wind through my hair while the ride did countless flips and turns. I was excited to be watching the concrete ground become the ceiling while the ride did a cork screw. I was excited to just spend a day with you because we rarely got to hangout just the two of us. So I wanted there to be time for us to go to Hershey Park so badly.

But we can't always get what we want now can we? Last minute we had a radio interview and performance to do during the day. Which shattered my Hershey Park, roller coaster riding, Ally Brooke day.

That morning I remember this so clearly. You looked at me right before we got off the bus and to the radio station and said "next time we're in town we'll go for sure." and I know you, you keep your word.

But I'm not with you right now. And I know the deal was we went together but the rest of the girls love roller coasters. Probably more than me. Go to the park, get on that ride and scream your little Texas ass off. I mean, you girls don't have to ride it, there's no way I'll know if you do or don't. But that's why I want you guys to go there. For you Ally to live our little deal.

I love you and I miss you and your sunshine smile and personality. Please take care of the girls for me. I trust you to "mom" them more than anyone else.

With love, Camila

Ally looked up from the map, her vision was slightly blurred from the tears that were collecting at the bottom of her eyes. Dinah had fallen asleep in the passenger seat and Normani was still asleep too. Ally wiped her eyes and noticed Lauren constantly looking up at her from the rear view mirror. She didn't say anything, even made eye contact with Ally a few times but still remained silent as the sound of The 1975's song 'Medicine' playing softly through the speakers. Lauren smiled at Ally, surly seeing the shorter girl whipping tears from her eyes.

The letter brought out a million different emotions, a million different thoughts and a million different questions. The one thought that was louder than any other thought or question in Ally's head was, were these notes suicide notes? The thought of Camila even considering something as brutal and cruel as that was unbearable. Unthinkable and so out of her character. Camila was a happy and overly excited teenage girl. She got excited over food and cute boys. She cried over food and cute boys. She was unique but ever so lovely in the sense that she was so unapologetic at being who she was.

Ally glanced at the other girls in the car. None of them had any idea what she had just read. They all wondered that's for sure but none of them knew. Lauren was certainly wondering. Why else would she have continued looking back at Ally every few seconds? None of the girls had any idea the kind of emotions they were going to feel when they read their note. Maybe one of them had a light hearted note. Maybe one wasn't so nostalgic and so sentimental.

"Ally?" Lauren finally said. Her green eyes were fixated on the road in front of her. "You don't have to say what's in the note but did it at least explain why we're going where we're going?" her voice was scratchy and extremely raspy. Lauren was tired, tired physically, emotionally and mentally and Ally could tell just by her voice.

"Yeah. She wants us to ride a roller coaster in Hershey Park." Ally replied. She could see Lauren's eyebrow crinkle a bit in the mirror before she saw her yawn. "Hey, pull over. I'll drive for a little." Ally said in a calming tone.

"I'm fine." Lauren yawned again. She didn't want to stop to ride a roller coaster she just wanted to know Camila was alive and safe. There was no time to stop at this point if they wanted to be back for opening night of tour too.

"Lauren." Ally leaned forward and eyed the other girl through then mirror. No response but Lauren pulled the car over.

"Are we here? Are we in Miami yet?" Dinah sleepily said, her head perking up slightly and a large smile grew on her face when the car was thrown into park.

"It's been two hours Dinah. We have another hour to Heresy Park so no. Not even close." Lauren replied with a laugh.

Dinah's head dropped back against the window. "I'm going back to my nap."

Lauren and Ally laughed a little before both slipping out of the car and switching seats. Lauren took the seat behind the drivers and Ally took the drivers seat.

"We have an hour so you don't get to nap for that long. You just seemed kind of tired is all." Ally explained to Lauren as she started to car again.

"Any sleep is good sleep at this point. I feel like I haven't slept in days." Lauren replied. She leaned her head against the window. It wasn't the comfiest way to fall asleep but it was better than nothing.

Ally continued driving and for a few minutes Lauren just stared out the window, trying to process this entire day. From tour rehearsal to fake crying and Oscar worthy acting, to stealing John's rental car, to this. To a road trip to find Camila with a map she left for them. This wasn't exactly a normal situation.

Lauren wondered about if Camila was ok. She wondered about if her family was aware of all of this. She wondered about what was in Ally's note. She wasn't going to ask what was in it, she probably didn't want to read her note out loud anyway so she wasn't planning on asking the other girls about theirs. She was just curious. Curiosity disappeared and she finally fell asleep. Only for an hour but any sleep was good sleep after all.