According to Plan

Chapter 5

Texas: the arrow-shaped state. And on this particular day; boiling hot.

"I can't believe this," Billy complained as he hauled both his and my suitcases behind him.

I raised my hand and a yellow-cab swirved infront of us, hastily packing our bags in the trunk.

I laughed and whooped as the driver sped off, "we're actually here, Billy!"

"So what are we going to do for the weekends? You do know we have the weekends off, right?" Billy asked.

"I know," I shrugged and wound down the window. The wig on my head was beginning to itch, "we'll figure it out."

"Stella! I'm going to get shredded out there, I can't play football.. or any sport, for my life!"

I cleared my throat as the driver shot me an odd look, "Stella? You mean Steve?"

"Oh," Billy bit down on his tongue.

The taxi pulled up to the side of the road. A field of green and an old abandoned shack lay plainly in view.

"We've passed city limits," he said as he pushed a few buttons, "this is as far as I can go."

I dropped my jaw, "b-but sir, we need to get to Anderson Football Camp. It can't be far away from here."

He shrugged, "it's either you get down and walk or I drive back to the city. Mind you, the cost will triple for me to drive back."

Billy sighed, "I did not sign up for this."

"Fine," I groaned and slapped a lumpsome of cash into his palm then retreated the vehicle.

We took our baggage and began to hitchhike.

"Stella, what have you gotten us into?"

"Just relax," I said, "it'll be fine. We'll get there.. somehow."

"Okay," Billy panted as he walked behind me tugging his suitcase. The schorching Texas sun beat down on us mercilessly, "we're stranded in the middle of nowhere!"

I looked up. He was right.. all I could see ahead was road, road and more road. I flipped open my cell.

"No reception here," I wiped beads of sweat off my forehead.

"Great!" Billy threw his hands in the air and began kicking at some rocks, "I'm going to perish in this stupid place that I didn't even want to go to! Stella, are you listening to me? I can't believe...."

Billy rambeled on and on as we dragged our luggage to who-knows-where. Finally, we gave up after an hour or so and sat, defeated, in the grassy fields just by the main road.

"Hopeless," Billy muttered to himself, "I could be defeating level 4 in Halo right now. This is hopeless."

Cars whizzed by and my stomach rumbeled. I sucked in a deep breath as I stood up and raised a thumb. But regardless, cars ands trucks still went their way.

Finally, I'd had enough. I stepped into the middle of the road.

"Stella, what are you doing?" Billy gave me a look.

"Trying to get us out of here," I replied.

He jumped up, "by standing in the middle of the road?! Are you crazy? You're going to kill yourself!"

"I came to Austin to play football, and no one's going to take that away from me," I said, a little erked as I remembered the taxi driver.

In the distance, I noticed a semi-truck speeding towards us. My face lit up and I spread my arms out, waving them frantically.

"Stella!" Billy shouted, "Stella move out of the way!"

"No!" I shouted back, "he's going to stop! He has to!"

"Stella!" Billy called again as he looked at the semi, possibly judging the chances he had to yank me out of the way.

I waved my hands again, the semi still sped towards me. Panic rose in the pit of my stomach... He has to stop, right?

"Stella!" Billy shouted again as he bolted to meet me and grabbed my hand.

The semi came to a screeching hault just literally five metres away from us. The smell of burning rubber made me cough.

"Are you boys crazy?!" A bearded man shouted as he descended, "what do you think you're doing?!"

I flashed him an innocent grin, "we need a ride."