Once Upon a Road Trip (Jack Harries Fanfiction)

Part Five

Ellie and I pulled up in front of Sam’s flat on Saturday and we heard laughter from the backyard. My heart was racing and my palms were sweaty, even though the wind was cold. I mentally cursed the person who decided to have a bonfire at the end of January. I took a deep breath with every step I took closer to Sam.

Ellie snorted. “Nervous?”

I glared at her, trying not to let my hands shake. “Shut up.”

I threw the bag of marshmallows to Ellie and opened the gate to Sam’s backyard. The space was small and cozy. There were seven lawn chairs circling a roaring flame. Sam was nowhere to be seen.

“AYE ITS THE FLOWERS,” Finn called. I could almost smell the alcohol on his breath from here. “Ellie and Amelia Rose, my great, great friends,” he stumbled across the yard and embraced us drunkenly, kissing me on the head. Ellie giggled. “I love you two.”

“DID YOU BRING THE MARSHMALLOWS?” Marcus yelled, waving a stick in the air.

Ellie gave me the bag, wrapping her other arm around Finn. I rolled my eyes as she winked. “How could I forget?” I tossed them to him.

“Oh, you’re too perfect,” Finn sang and planted another sloppy kiss on my cheek. He flung an arm around Ellie and me and pulled us to the fire. The snow around the flame was melting away.

I sat in the chair next to Jack. “Hey pretty boy,” I grinned.

“What? No beanie?” he joked.

“MARCUS, GIMME THAT,” Finn shouted, flailing in the direction of the roasting sticks. He reached around me and grabbed one from Marcus’ hand. I looked for Alfie, but he wasn’t there either.

“I didn’t want to overwhelm anyone by how good I look in it,” I shrugged.

“OW,” Marcus cried out, but smiled immediately after. “I POKED MYSELF WITH THE STICK.” He and Finn collapsed into a fit of giggles. Finn’s arm was still around Ellie. Something told me she wasn’t letting him leave.

“Toss me one of those,” Jack told his brother. He had a beer in his hand, but was considerably more sober than the other two idiots. Finn obliged. “Marshmallow me,” he told me. He pointed the stick in my direction and I pushed a marshmallow on the tip, right when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind.

“Long time no see,” A voice whispered in my ear. I turned my head and saw Sam’s flawless face in the corner of my eye. He released me from his warm hug and sat in the chair next to me. My breath hitched in my chest and my heart started racing. I knew if I tried to say anything, I would just embarrass myself so I stayed silent and smiled.

Alfie emerged from the house at that time, holding a 6-pack of beer. Sam reached beside his chair and picked up two pop cans. “Coke?” he offered. When I took it from him, my finger brushed against his. I felt a shiver run all the way up my arm and I blushed for, like, the eighth time. I should probably get used to this by now. Sam smiled in an adorable way that made his eyes crinkle up as he sipped his pop.

Jack cleared his throat, and I turned to him. He opened his mouth to say something but all that came out was a cloud of mist, as he was interrupted by Marcus bursting into song. It sounded like he was trying to serenade Alfie with a butchered rendition of One Direction’s “Kiss You.” Seconds later Finn joined in and all hopes for a conversation kind of went to hell. Ellie’s marshmallow was engulfed in flames, but she didn’t notice. She was too busy ogling at Finn.

The moment Finn and Marcus started dancing I lost it. I tossed my head back and laughed. I put my Coke in the cup holder to avoid knocking it over. As soon as my hand was free, Sam laced his fingers through mine. I looked up at him, and he was already looking at me. I never knew brown eyes could sparkle before. Among the shivers running down my spine, I swore I could feel another gaze burning into the back of my head. I tried not to think about it and instead I focused on how tight Alfie was hugging Marcus.

Eight serenades later, the fire had died down too far to revive so Alfie suggested we go inside to watch a movie. Sam’s hand was still in mine. Finn and Ellie decided on Iron Man and we were all too tired to argue. Sam and I sat on a plump, red couch in front of the television. I expected Jack to sit on my other side, but he curled up on the chair across the room.

Drunken Marcus was taking far too long to put the movie in the DVD player, so Ellie initiated a conversation to break the ice.

“So,” she began, lying next to Finn on the ground with her hands behind her head. “I know you all want to play Truth or Dare.”

I groaned, but no one heard it. It was drowned in Finn’s cheering. “YES. YESYESYES WE ARE DOING THAT.”

“Finn, quit shouting,” Jack complained. All his energy seemed to have been sucked out of him.

“PARTY POOPER,” Marcus yelled. He was still struggling with the movie.

“Yeah, I think you’ve had enough,” Alfie said and took the beer from Marcus’ hand.

“OKAY JACK TRUTH OR DARE,” Finn called. He was lying flat on his back in the middle of the room.

Jack rolled his eyes. “I’m not playing.”

“Aw, come on Jack,” I batted my eyelashes playfully.

He looked at me for a second and then scowled at Finn. “Fine. Truth.”

Finn sat up and thought for a moment. “Have you ever crushed on a friend’s girl?” he said in a slurred whisper.

Jack blushed. I thought I saw him look in my direction, but I figured I was just seeing things. “Not technically.”

“YOUR TURN, JACKSON,” Marcus sang.

Jack laughed to himself. “Amelia. Truth or dare?”

I shifted in my seat awkwardly, right when I felt Sam’s arm snake around my waist and tug me close. I can only imagine the shade of red my face had turned. “Dare. I like to live dangerously,” I winked.

Jack smiled. “I dare you to eat a spoonful of mustard by itself.”

I nearly gagged. “Truth.”

“Uh-uh,” Finn wagged his finger in my face. “None of that.”

I sighed. “Point me to the fridge.”

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Sam complained. I held a teaspoon piled with yellow paste in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

“I bet you 10 pounds you can’t do it,” Jack raised an eyebrow.

I stared him dead in the eye. “Watch me.” And without giving myself time to change my mind, I shoved the spoon in my mouth. My mouth was burning, my eyes were watering and I was trying hard not to throw up. I pulled my wallet out of my back pocket, handed a 10 pound note to Jack, spit the mustard into the sink and chugged two glasses of water.

Jack called out in victory held his arms up, snapping the money in my face. “How does it feel to lose, Amelia?”

“Shut up,” I spit in the sink again and pushed Jack in the chest. He caught my fist and pulled me in for a hug. I winced, but didn’t have time to pull away. I could feel him laughing.

“GOT IT,” Marcus called. He stood in the middle of the living room with his arms in the air. Iron Man was starting to play.

We all reclaimed our seats, but this time Jack sat next to me. Ellie made sure she got to sit next to Finn, and Marcus and Alfie lied down on the floor.

Sam put his arm around my waist again, his fingertips brushing my hip ever-so-lightly. I let my head fall on his shoulder and fell asleep with a smile on my face.