Misconceptions

Suprises

I haven't seen Jacob since our encounter last month and Crawford says he officially isn't coming on the trip so I stop worrying that he'll jump at me from nowhere. Since I have no real evidence that Jacob is the guy who tried to kidnap me, I have to let it go.
School has ended and I'm am too hype about the trip which is one day away. We would be driving down Tuesday night, staying in a nice hotel, then going to the park the next day. The day of my 18th birthday. How exciting right? Mom said she would get me a better car when I'm 18 so I'm hoping I'll come home to a Lexus instead of my old jeep.
"Omgeeee Chemaraie, dahhh-ling! Chris will go crazy when he sees you in that gurl." Naomi commented on the coral swimsuit and beach cover I modeled with my new sandals.
I smile. I can imagine it now. Me and Chris splashing each other in the cool clear water, going on all the nice slow kiddy rides. (I'm deathly afraid of roller coasters, even water ones. Why risk your life for thrill?)
"Ok, what about this one?" Naomi struts back over to me with a blue lace looking one.
"Amazing!" I shout.
"I KNOW! I CANT WAIT." She yells back.
"ME NEITHER!" Now we were just shouting at the top of our lungs for no reason. We are the weirdest people I know.

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Everyone arrives at Chris's house at about 7:00 pm. Chris opens the trunk of Crawford's car and lugs all our suitcases in.
Mr. Collins runs out to the car and give us each chips and a soda.
"Thanks," I smile at him.
When we finally pile into Chris's car our seating arrangements were me and Chris in the back and Naomi in the passenger seat and Crawford driving.
"Why didn't we leave in the afternoon?" Naomi asks when we got on the highway.
"Because I like driving at night," Crawford replies like he was on a spy show. He turns on the radio.
"And now by Iggy Azalea, a radio favorite, 'Fancy'." The radio host announces.
"I'm so fancy! You already kno-ow!" Me and Naomi try to sing the song. We did this for probably the whole ride to every song that came on while Crawford and Chris just did awkward dances.
For the at least the last hour I was knocked out on Chris's shoulder.
"Hey, Princess, we're here," Chris shakes me gently awake.
I yawn and stretch and hit my head on the roof of the car getting out.
"Ouch." I rub the spot as I stumble out.
"Where is everyone?" I ask Chris as he closes the now empty trunk.
"Naomi and Crawford are inside the hotel."
"I must have been out for a long time."
He doesn't reply. Instead he takes my hand and runs inside dragging me along.

"Hey! What are you—slow down!" I try to get Chris to stop running. "Where the heck are we going?"
"To my room."
We zoom by the elevator and took the stairs instead.
When we get to room number 25, the door swung open without either of us touching it.
The lights were off and the blinds pulled down so it was pitch black. I felt around for the switch. Chris's hand slinks away from mine and almost tripped over the lamp stand to reach the light. I flipped it on.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Naomi, Chris, and Crawford ran out from the closet with confetti poppers and dumped it all over me.
"Oh...My Gosh," I take in a deep breath, "y'all scared the mess out of me!"
They all laugh and I fall onto the bed. There's a skittles cake, my favorite candy, on the table along with ice cream.
"I have the best friends ever, thanks guys." I had expected to barely get anything for my birthday. Honestly, I almost forgot.
"Here." Naomi put a gift box on my stomach.
"You got me a present?!" I squeal and sit up on my elbows. I tear it open like a child on Christmas morning.
"Oh my gosh guys! Thank you guys so much," I pull out an iPad mini and turquoise beats.
"It's from all of us," Crawford says.
I gave them all huge hugs and pecked Chris's lips but he pulled my back for more.
"Aw none for me?" Crawford whined.
"Well, uh, where are the rest of the rooms?" I ask Crawf.
"We all have suites, so all our rooms are basically connected."
"Oh cool." I checked my phone.
"It's 3 A.M?!" I looked up at them. "How long was I sleeping in the car?" I scratch my head.
"About an hour after we got here." Chris shrugs.
"It gave us enough time to put up the decorations." Crawford added.
I then notice the HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner atop the mirror and balloons.
"How long have you guys been planning this exactly?" I wondered.
"Last week when you said your birthday was during the trip."
"Oh wow. Well I'm tired so I'm gonna--"
"Your STILL tired?" Naomi laughs.
"Yes, goodnight." I plug my new beats into my phone and do a 180 belly flop onto the bed. I hear a giggle and some whispering and then the door slamming closed.
The truth was I wasn't really tired so I sat up and tried to figure out my new iPad.
"You liar," Chris suddenly appears in my bed.
"You creeper," I shot back.
He laughs, then crawls onto my bed and lays his head on my shoulder.
After a minute I say, "There is room on your bed you know," I roll my eyes and look over at him. He was snoring.
"Really?" I push him off the bed.
"I'm trying to get some sleep here!" Chris yawns and crawls back onto the bed.
"Happy birthday by the way," he adds and goes back to snoring.

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