Night On Set ❁ COLIFER

Chapter 32 ❁ New travel buddy

❁ Might update twice tonight because I split a massive chapter into two parts... here's the first one 😎 ❁

Jen's POV

Time flies when you're having fun, but it goes by even faster when you live next door to one of your closest friends.

Especially when that friend is also joining your family holiday.

I don't mention this to Colin on set, but I'm actually ecstatic he's coming along. It will be the first time I'm not flying to LA on my own, and the first time he's spending time with my family other than at events and celebrations.

It's December before I know it. We wrap at four in the morning on our last shooting day, and a few hours later we're already packing our suitcases. We leave the doors of our apartments ajar, which, obviously, causes him to walk in every five minutes to ask me for advice.

After the third consecutive time he's tapped me on the shoulder, the option of just locking him in his suitcase is starting to look more and more appealing.

"I thought you were the one who spent a month in France when you were sixteen?" I say, dropping a few blouses in my suitcase and looking up at him.

"That doesn't make me an expert." He stuffs something in my face; the blue sweater he always wears when we go for a run. "Do you think we'll be able to go for our morning run in Gap?"

Now I can't help but grin. Ever since his first year in Vancouver, he's joined me on every single one of my runs, and he's finally starting to wheeze less.

"I do know it's winter in France as well," I say. "So unless you want to freeze to death, I suggest you bring some warm clothes." I crouch down and focus on the content of my own suitcase again.

When Colin turns around, clicks his heels together and leaves the room on a jog, I know I'm not the only one who's excited.

An hour later, we stuff our suitcases in the back of my car and load the dogs in their crates. We have a three-hour flight to LA ahead of us, followed by a thirteen-hour flight to Toulouse, and after that we'll be in the car for a five-hour road trip.

That's a LOT of Colin. And the only reason why I say that is because he starts teasing me from the moment we get in my car to drive to the airport.

But I'm grinning all the way there, and I have this really giddy feeling in my stomach when I park the car in the parking lot. It's only when I bend down to grab my bag that I realize I left the little monkey on the window sill in my room.

Well, I guess I don't need a travel buddy; I already have one.

And he acts like a child until we're up in the air, but after spending approximately sixteen hours a day with him, I know that's just his way of dealing with his exhaustion. Despite that, we both stay awake on the flight to LA. In LAX, we then take a cab to my parents' house and drop off the dogs at the neighbors, who were nice enough to look after them while we're in France.

Daniel and Colin haven't really spent that much time together, but they greet each other like old friends. Ellie, my two-year-old niece, only takes one look at Colin before she comes running up to me and demands that I pick her up. When he comes over to say hi, she squishes her face against my shoulder.

There's no time to show Colin the house, because we have to head back to the airport already. And almost from that moment on, exhaustion kicks in and my brain's autopilot function takes over.

Cab to the airport. Bumping into some fans. Trying to appear awake as we sign their papers. Finally boarding the plane. Collapsing in the seat.

I fall asleep next to Colin in LA, and I wake up the next morning when we're arriving in London Heathrow for a two and a half hour layover.

When our next plane finally touches down in France, my heart is thumping in my chest. Out of pure excitement, I realize, but Colin notices and he keeps grinning whenever our gazes accidentally cross. I'm clutching a little travel pillow to my chest when we pick up our suitcases at baggage claim, and then we make our way down to the spot where our rental van is waiting for us.

Dad, Daniel and Colin take it upon themselves to load our suitcases in the back. I put Ellie on my shoulders to entertain her until everything's loaded in the van, and that's when Daniel pinches my arm.

"Wanna share the backseat with your baby brother?" he asks, grinning.

I clench my teeth, subtly looking for Colin. But when I see him getting into the passenger's seat next to my dad, who's driving, I shoot my brother a smile and set Ellie back on the ground.

"Sure, why not."

* * *

Ten minutes later, the eight of us are loaded in the van, and I'm internally cursing the person who thought it would be a great idea to put two extra seats in the trunk area. Daniel and I are squished together, which he seems to find particularly amusing, but it takes three different positions before I get comfortable.

I end up with my feet draped over Dan's lap, making sure I place them as closely to his face as possible.

It takes him another thirty seconds before he's not that amused anymore.

The car is filled with a cheerful chatter, but everyone simmers down when my dad turns around, wrapping his arm around the headrest of Colin's seat.

"Okay, we're in for a five-hour drive. We'll grab a bite to eat on the way, but it looks like traffic's pretty bad at the moment. Everyone comfortable?"

"Yeah, we are," Dan, Julia and I chant back, just like we used to do on road trips when we were younger; I'm smiling when I see Colin raising his eyebrows out of amusement. Our eyes meet for a moment.

He smirks, giving me a cheeky wink. I grin back with the tip of my tongue between my teeth.

"Colin, you're in charge of the music," dad bellows as he backs up the van. "I have high expectations, son. I've heard you play the guitar."

"Dad, be gentle with him," I call to the front, but I'm smirking; if dad's already calling him 'son', there's no need to worry.

"I'm on it," Colin calls. He dives down to dig his phone out his bag.

The first two hours of the trip are filled with Disney songs and a sing-along concert from Colin and Julia. When little Ellie starts dozing off, we switch to softer, quieter music, but by the time she's asleep, the van is steadily slowing down.

Until we're barely even moving anymore.

"Seems like we're stuck in traffic, people," my dad announces.

This might be another weird trait of mine, but I actually like traffic jams. I don't like the part where your traveling time gets doubled, but I do like the thought that everyone's stuck in the same situation right now.

It's like we're part of a unity that didn't even exist half an hour ago.

I turn to the window to look at the cars that are creeping past us. The guy in the black pick-up next to us is jamming along to some song, drumming his hands on the steering wheel; a few moments later, he passes us and a truck blocks my view completely.

I lean back against the headrest with a smile on my face. But before I even close my eyes, Daniel's voice breaks through my thoughts.

"Guys, I think we have a little bit of a situation here."

I open one eye, glaring at him. He looks back at me with the same look he had that time he broke mom's favorite bowl when he was five.

Oh, no.

"What is it?" I ask, propping myself up and pulling my legs back.

"Uh—" He looks around him, suddenly very aware of the fact that dad's watching him through the rearview mirror. "I have to pee."