Driving Across America

Chapter Two

I looked around on a few of the first few sites that popped up, but none really captured my attention. So instead, I decided to do it the hard way. Meaning: do it manually.

          I grabbed an old composition book from a shelf and a pencil from a desk drawer. Clicking on Google Maps, I searched my home town. It took a bit for it to load and then adjust to the size I wanted it to. When it finally did, I began taking note of what route I would take to where and how long it takes to get there.

          Three was a good number for anything, so that's what I planned. Three stops a day, one at mid-morning, where I'd get a late breakfast, one soon after noon for lunch, and the other would be where'd sleep and get dinner. I wanted to plan this out, mile by mile, day to day, but I knew it'd be impossible. The best I could do would be to make sure I had a GPS and a backup map. And maybe a list of suitable places to stop or spend the night.

          Since I had never been down south, or outside of Maine, for that matter, I'd head down there. Which meant hitting North Carolina, Georgia, maybe Tennessee if I could stand that horrid country music. I'd go through Alabama, Texas, and Arizona too, but Delaney warned me about El Paso in Texas. She said it was "Full of traffic, and loud noises. Also a terrible place to go right after a new perm," meaning in her language, full of traffic and hard to get through. I'd take heed to her advice, and avoid it, going through Oklahoma and New Mexico instead.

          I wanted to go to New Yor also, so I planned on going there. Between staring at Google Maps and a pencil, I realized this trip was really for me to see the country this summer before going to college at Stanford. So really, I could go any where, within reason of course. If I wanted to, I'd tour the entire United States, but I didn't have nearly enough money for that, so going to the places I wanted to the most seemed like the best idea. Well, the places in the south. I couldn't go up north to Yosemite or Yellowstone, even though I terribly wanted to.

         After thiniking for a while, between daydreaming, I  decided that it'd be best if I left around nine or ten every morning to get a good tart after early morning traffic. So a short breakfast and an even shorter walk would be in store for me in the mornings. But I'd have to do it in moderation for a) fear of losing money and b) fear of getting fat from two breakfasts. I wasn't really worried about getting that fat, but I'd like to maintain a somewhat acceptable body for wearing a bikini.

         A yell from the hall made me look away from my computer and step into the hall. When I did, I saw Andy with a fake, foam sword attempting to lunge at William. And for the first time in my life, William was actually playing along. I watched them for awhile, a smile tugging the corner of my lips up. Finally, William "let his guard down" and Andy stabbed him. William fell to the ground, overplaying the dramatics much to Andy's amusement. 

          A laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it and William's eyes shot over to where I was. He shot off the floor, and attempted to act like nothing happened. I just smirked at him; that was hilarious to watch.  

        "You saw nothing," he hissed at me before going into his room and slamming the door. Andy looked a bit forlorn about losing his playmate, but instead he grabbed me and dragged around the house. Usually he has no point to what he does, and I bet this was one of those times. 

          "Shelby!" He yelled. We were currently in the kitchen, where I was being the nice sister I am and was making him a sandwich. "You can't put the peanut butter on first!" He kept protesting me about how I made it. In the end, when I set the plate down in front of his face, he refused to eat it. 

          "C'mon, Andy. Eat it or I will," I told him. He shook his head, still making no inclination to eating it. Sighing, I picked it up, and was about to take a bite when he let out a loud screech. I dropped the sandwich in surprise and he swiped it. 

          "I got a sandwich! Nah nah nah nah nah," he stuck his tongue out at me. I smiled slightly at his actions, but it soon faded as he began to scream "nah" at the top of his lung. I groaned as he then began to dance around the living room and screaming. Finally, William thundered down the stairs. 

          "Will you please shut him up?" He asked. We both turned to face Andy, who was still doing it, but now he found his cape and was screaming "SUPERMAN" at random intervals mixed in with the "nah"s. 

          "If I could, do you think I'd still be listening to this?" He shrugged. I sighed as I started chasing Andy around the house, trying to get him to shut up. Finally, after a good twenty minutes of running around I grabbed him and put my hand over his mouth. 

          Which was the exact moment my parents walked in. 

          "What are you doing?" Mom asked as my dad tried to keep in laughs. I sent him a wink before straightening up and letting go of Andy. Immediately, he began repeating the same action. 

        "Trying to prevent that," was my answer. Mom have me a wry smiled and headed into the kitchen. As soon as the door closed, my dad burst into laughter. 

          "That was very funny," he told me after all of his laughter subsided. "I think that was a first; don't you?" I nodded, watching as Andy ran into the kitchen and the came right back out completely quiet. Mom came out soon afterwards, a triumphant grin on her face. 

          "That's how you get him to shut up," she said, walking up the stairs. I rolled my eyes. Of course she was able to do it. She had three kids for God's sake! I followed behind her, and noticed that my door was still open. Also, when I walked in, my laptop was still on, open to what I was last looking at. Beside the mouse pad was my composition book. I sighed and shoved it into a desk drawer, not really paying attention to which one it went in.

          Saving the page I was on for later, I opened a new tab and closed the last page I was on. I randomly clicked on sites that popped up, leaving me to stare at a giant ad for SCAD: a private, non-profited, accredited, degree-granting university. Which seemed like a load of shit to me, if you were to ask me. I closed out the web browser entirely, turning off the laptop shortly after.

          I sighed and plopped down on my bed. I was bored out of my mind and lonely, wanting nothing more than to just go out and talk to some one. But nope, I'm stuck alone like the loser I am while my friends are off vacationing in Paris or London. And they didn't hesitate to rub it in my face.

          My sucky iPhone vibrated in my pocket. Groaning, I looked at the caller I.D., which showed that it was Delaney that had messaged me.

          Hey! It's so pretty here in Milan! And the hot guys . . . ooh la la I can totally tap them all! Like these have to be fucking super models! Anyways, text me back soon, darling.

           She was my best friend, and her parents were also rich. No one really knew why they came to our sleepy little town, but I'm glad they did. Entering my life in my sophomore year, she brought sass and style to our school. And that was one thing we were lacking in entirely.

          My mom appeared at the door. "Dinner!" She exclaimed, and walked off. I gave out yet another groan and got off my bed. I went down the stairs and into the kitchen, where the smell of Domino's pizza met me.

          This is my favorite part of Fridays.