You Are What You Love, Not Who Loves You (ON HOLD)

Chapter 2

    The next day, Toni, Carly, Kara, and I decide to head up to New Jersey. I didn't care that we were leaving a day before. It gave us time to explore or do something.

     "What's the city I'm going to?" I ask, paying attention to the road. I see Kara put in "From Under the Cork Tree" as she looks at the her iPhone's GPS.

      "Atlantic City. The concert's at Boardwalk Hall," she says.

     I take the nearest exit to Atlantic City. Luckily, we didn't have to pay for a hotel, because we were staying with my cousin, Ashley. She doesn't believe I got up on stage at the last concert, and I haven't had time to post them on social media, so I had to show her when I got there. We were almost there, after about five hours of driving, and rotating drivers every hour or so. 

      I'm surprised my 2004 Mazda Mazda6 made it all the way to Atlantic City. This car was my baby. It got me everywhere, but I've never driven it on a long trip. I've never had any problems with it, though, so I trusted in it to get us all to Atlantic City. 

        I see Kara looking at me out the corner of my eye. I look over at her quickly.

        "What?" I ask, laughing.

        "Do you think it's a little, you know, that Pete invited you to this concert?"

        "A little what?" I say, taking a turn that the GPS tells me to. 

        "Cute but weird. Weird in a good way?" 

        "What do you-"

     "Cassandra, she means she thinks he's in love with you. But she's not the only one!" Carly chimes in.

        I laugh. "Yeah, okay, Kar," I say.

        "Okay, if he wasn't, why'd he give us VIP tickets so we could meet him and the band again?"

        I stare at the road silently. She's right.

        "Well, maybe-"

        "No, nope, absolutely not. He loves you, Cass!" Kara exclaims, excitedly.

        I smile but then snap out of it. "No, he doesn't, Kara!"

     "Okay, just wait until tomorrow night at the concert then," she says, sitting back in her seat, looking out the window. I look over at her and then look at the road again. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and we listen to the rest of "From Under the Cork Tree" for the rest of the way there.

      I pull into my cousin's driveway. We all grab our duffel bags and suitcases out of the trunk and walk up to the door. I ring the doorbell and wait for an answer.

      I hear the door open and see the door handle turn. "Hey cousin!" Ashley exclaims, giving me a hug. 

      I laugh. "Hey, cuz," I say. "This is Kara, Toni, and Carly," I introduce them all.

      "Hey guys, come on in!" she says, holding the door open for us.

      "You guys are gonna stay in the living room, if that's okay. Sorry there weren't anymore rooms. Only one master bedroom and then my roommate's bedroom, and that's it," she adds.

      "It's all good," I say, excited to be here. I haven't seen my cousin since she moved out of my uncle's house. Her house, which seemed more like an apartment, was nice. 

        The doorbell rings again. Ashley walks over to the door.

        "Okay, thanks," she says, slightly confused.