Just Talk to Him! (IM5)

Chapter 1

June 10, 2013 - 3:00 p.m.

"School's out, let's shout!" I muse as I hop into my dad's car with my best friend Anna Chase.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Yeah, right, Kylie. Like you'd shout in public. Riiight."

I ignore her and plop my backpack in the little space between my feet and the seat in front of me. "Hi, Dad," I say cheerfully. "Aren't you excited? You get to deal with me for a whole two and a half months!"

Dad twists around and gives me a pained expression. "Yeah. Can't wait."

"Hey, Mr. Pendery," Anna interjects, "Any plans for summer?" She smiles her most polite angel smile and waits for him to respond.

"Actually, yes," he answers, surprising me. I didn't know he was going anywhere.

"Really? Where ya going, Dad?"

He inserts the key into the ignition and starts the car. "Work. I've got two consecutive business trips to China and Germany. Kinda booked."

"So I'm at home with Mom for how long?"

"Two days."

"What?" I ask, confused. "Each trip is a day long?"

Dad laughs. "No. Your mother decided it would be a great idea to go on a vacation for a month and leave us behind. Impeccable timing, you know?"

"Wait, so I'm gonna be at home by myself for a whole month? Isn't that illegal or something?"

"Maybe. I guess you'll just have to be arrested then."

It takes me a moment to realize he's joking. "Dad!"

Anna laughs silently beside me and I elbow her. "Ow."

"Really, Dad, what's the solution?"

"You know your brother's stupid band?" Of course I know. Two years ago, my brother Cole auditioned for a boyband and somehow, miraculously, got in. I don't know. I don't think he has much talent. When he'd decided to audition, my parents rolled their eyes and said, "Whatever makes you happy." I'm sure they'd rather he get a real joba and go to college, but their expectations for him have been getting lower every year. At least for now Cole can earn some money and have some fun. His band isn't that famous, but they do have fans. I've met his band mates once or twice. They're nice, I guess. Kinda cute.

"You know how they're always on tour?" My dad continues. Yeah, I know that, too. Cole should be graduating now, but because of his silly boyband career, he still hasn't graduated. Since he's always on tour, I haven't seen him for months.

"Your mom and I have decided to let you join them. Your summer gift. You get to goof off with your brother and four strange boys we don't know while traveling the country. Great, right, Kylie?"

"Right, Dad," I retort sarcastically.

"Aw, come on, Ky!" Anna says, "you get to spend your summer traveling with cute boys. I get to volunteer at the hospital and take classes at the community college. Who do you think has got the better deal?"

"I'd say Anna does," responds my dad.

I roll my eyes and realize that yet again, Anna is probably right.

***

June 11, 2013 - 11:00 a.m.

"Wake up, kiddo," my dad announces with more energy than someone should have at this time in the morning. I groan and crack open my eyelid just wide enough to peer at my alarm clock. 11 a.m. Well, I guess it's not that early, but considering the fact that it's officially summer break, 11 still counts as morning and any hour of the morning is too early. "Up and at 'em."

"It's summer," I complain, pulling the sheets over my eyes.

"Right, it's summer," Dad repeats, walking towards me. "So don't waste it sleeping. Spend the time on something useful." He opens the curtains on the wall closest to me and the shock of bright lights makes me cringe.

"This is useful. I'm catching up on all the sleep I lost. Go away, Dad."

"Your mom is making pancakes. Get up." With that he exits the room, leaving the door wide open. Ugh. I do get up, though, because it's a rare occasion that my mom actually makes us pancakes. She usually has us fend for ourselves.

At breakfast, I grab a brush and try to sort out the tangled mess my hair became while I slept. Between brushes- more like yanks- I stab my cinnamon pancakes with a fork and stuff them in my mouth. "So," I say with a mouth full of pancake, "When is stuff happening?"

"What stuff, honey?" Mom asks, standing guard over her coffee machine.

"You know, you going on vacation, Dad going on business trips, me going to join Cole."

"I'm leaving in two weeks. Your father is leaving in five days. And you, young lady, are leaving in a week. You're going to meet Cole at the Hilton and travel with him for five weeks. Also, Ky, don't talk with your mouth full," she lectured and poured her black coffee into a travel mug.

"Why do I have to stay with him for that long?" I whined. "I do have a social life, you know."

Mom chuckles. "Right. Then how come you're always on your laptop the whole day?"

"Talking to friends."

"On Netflix?" She has me there.

"Well."

Mom grabs her designer purse, keys, and coffee then blows me a kiss. "See you tonight, Kylie. Try not to burn the house down."

"I won't!" I whine.

I hear the door slam and sigh. Summer? More like watch a whole season in a day. I turn on my computer and log into Netflix. "I do have friends," I reassure myself and sink into the sofa. Maybe I can start watching Merlin.

A/N: Do you like it? 1 vote and I'll post the next chapter. <3