One For The Road

Chapter Six

The next day, a Monday, I texted Heidi and Just to tell them to get ready. We were going on a trip.

Heidi had informed me that Just was eager to come with us and help. I decided I was alright with them joining me. Maybe the moral support would be useful after I had explained the situation. Of course, I wasn't going to do that until after the matter was done. I would find Dad and tell him to never try to message us again unless he wanted to really try to start over with us, to rekindle our family. I would make sure he'd never have the nerve to ask us for money ever again.

The night before, I had packed a bag with a few days' worth of clean clothes and my hoodie, as well as some toiletries. I don't think I'd ever been luckier in my life; Mom was going to start leaving work to pick Kaleb up and taking him back to work with her this week so I'd have some quiet time. My heart hurt at the thought of leaving without telling her. She was at work now, thinking I was at school. I knew Just and Heidi were at school; they had packed the night before and would he picked up by me at some point throughout the day. I would drop them at each of their houses to get their bags.

Now, I was digging through my dresser trying to find the stack of money I'd been collecting for years. My mom gave me fifty dollars around every Christmas because it was the rare time of year in which she got a bonus on her paycheck. She always told me I could spend it or save it.

Every year, I'd saved it, keeping it tucked at the bottom of my sock drawer.

Now, I pulled out the wad of cash and began counting. I had eight years' worth of fifty dollar bills in the drawer, plus random bursts of allowances and random cash. It all totaled to $462, and Just and Heidi had told me that hey would bring some of their own money to help as well. Hopefully our funds combined would be enough to last the trip.

I tucked my money into the side pocket of my bag. It was noon now. I packed my phone chargers and earbuds and the remaining extra items I would need (books, notebooks, pencils, and other little things like that) before deciding there was one more thing I had to do.

I headed into the kitchen, grabbing a small notepad and a pencil. I began writing carefully, knowing I should probably get ahold of Heidi and Just during lunch, which started in about five minutes.

1/14

Mom,

I'm leaving this note to tell you right off the bat that I'm gone. I don't plan on being gone long; hopefully, no more than a week, if that. I don't know if you know where I'm going, but please don't try to find me. I know where I'm going, and I'll have a few people from school coming with me. We'll have money with us, and I know you'll have Kaleb at work with you most of this week. I'm sorry for leaving on short notice. I'll see you in about a week. Best wishes to you. Tell Kaleb I said hi.

Love,

Chase

It hurt to put the pen down, but I did, looking up at the clock. 12:04. Heidi and Just would be dismissed for lunch in one minute. I made the last minute decision to stuff a blanket into my bad before calling Heidi. She picked up immediately, and the sound of shuffling feet and teenagers yelling wafted through the speaker before I could hear her voice.

"What's the deal?" she asked immediately. "Just's next to me. I'll fill him in."

"I'm ready to go. I know you guys are headed to lunch," I said, "and if you leave to "go to lunch", then you should be able to get out there. I'll get there as soon as I can. You're sure you two don't mind being away for a few days?"

There was a pause, and I could almost see her looking at Just, as if to confirm. "It's fine with both of us," she replied finally. "We want to help."

"Thanks. I'll see you soon."

I could hear both of them saying their goodbyes before the line went dead, and I immediately grabbed my bag to put it in the car. Shoving my phone into my pocket, I looked at the house one last time before starting the car and pulling out of my driveway, making my way to the school.

When I arrived, they were sitting on the steps with their winter coats on. It wasn't until that moment that I remembered I had forgotten my own coat, but I didn't want to go back to get it now. I let the thought slip from my mind as Heidi and Just rushed toward my car, clearly playfully fighting over something before racing toward the vehicle.

Just was the one to reach it first, almost slamming into the passenger side of the car. He opened the door and laughed victoriously as Heidi opened the door and slid into a seat in the back.

"What just happened?" I asked blankly, starting to drive after both doors were closed.

"A race to see who would get to sit up front," Heidi explained breathlessly. "I thought I could win."

"Hm." I gazed out at the road.

"What's our plan?" Just asked.

"Well, I'm going to stop at your houses so you can get your bags, and I guess we'll be on the road. We might not even have to stop to sleep if we alternate driving, but we'll stop if we need to." I paused, thinking. "I think the trip is about 21 hours- I googled it- but it could be more or less based on the traffic. And we'll have to stop for gas and stuff."

"We have to get snacks, too," Heidi chimed in.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What? Is that really necessary?"

She and Just gasped simultaneously.

"Have you never been on a road trip?" Heidi demanded. "Snacks are the most important part."

I really hadn't gone on many road trips. The longest one I'd been on was the drive we had to take to get from my old home in another town to Ledgewood. We didn't even leave the state for that trip. We'd never really had the money for vacations, and the reason we'd moved in the first place was because Mom had a good job opportunity that she had decided to take.

"How much money do you guys have?" I asked.

After adding Heidi's $220 worth of allowance and Just's $165, we ended up with $847 total. That should have been enough.

"Alright," I finally said. "We'll head to Heidi's place, then Just's, and then we'll get some snacks before going on the road."

With that, I drove off toward Heidi's house, my spirits higher than normal and my heart beating excitedly.