The Road Trip

1

"My ass itch. That mean I need a shower, right?" Lisa asked, looking at her friends over her glasses.

"Lisa... girl what the fuck?" China said, pouring herself some lemonade, then going to sit next to Mani on the couch.

"Remind me not to share anything with you. Ever again." Normani said, eating a bag of chips and scrolling down her phone. Lisa shrugged and kept typing away on her laptop.

"Breathe in positivity, breathe out negativity." Zendaya said,  standing on her head, her legs in the air. The door flew open and Lauren came in, smiling.

"Ladies! Listen up!" She said. Everyone kept doing what they were doing, ignoring Lauren.

"Uhm, LADIES!" She said again.

"Damn, Lauren what?" Mani said, glaring at her friend.

"Road trip! That's what we all need! Let's get packed and go across the country for our break!" She said. No reaction.

"Y'all ain't hear me?" She said.

"We did. We just didn't wanna hurt your feelings when we said uhm," China said.

"Hell to the no." Lisa finished her sentence, making the whole room chuckle.

"Whatever, BABY. You'd  probably need a permission slip to go anyway." Lauren said to China, the youngest in the room. China shot her a bird and Lauren rolled her eyes, walking to the kitchen. Zendaya fell on her back, making everyone look at her.
"That's an... amazing idea Lauren. I'm down. The vibes in this house suck right now." She said, looking at the ceiling.

"That's one. Mani..?" Lauren said, burning a hole in the back of Normani's head.

"Ugh! Fine, green eyed devil." She said.

"I'm goin if Mani goin." China said.

"I guess I gotta go." Lisa said, slamming her laptop closed.

"Damn right. You're not staying in our house alone." Mani said.

"Bet! We leave tomorrow morning! Get your shit ready ladies!" Lauren said, running up the stairs. The five women all went to the same fine arts college in New York. The house belonged to an older couple who moved into something smaller. They originally rented the home to Normani, who was friends with Zendaya and Lauren already. The three of them couldn't afford the five bedroom house alone so  they put word out that they were looking for two more roomates. The house was perfect, not too far from the college or from their favorite spots to eat or shop, or they would've tried to find something smaller. Everything smaller was farther away though.  Lisa answered first, since she got kicked out of her place that she had shared with her sister due to... personality differences. China answered last, needing a place to stay since she just started at this school and the dorms were all taken. It's been a year, and all the women had become friends.

"This better be fuckin epic." Lisa said, going upstairs to her room.

"Ahhh, the open road." Zendaya said, smiling at Mani and China who were still on the couch, before going upstairs.

"Guess I better get packed." China said, hoping up off the couch and bounding up the stairs. Mani sighed and spread out on the couch, smiling at the thought of getting away from the stuffy city.
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"ZENDAYA! WHERES MY HOODIE?!" Lisa yelled up the stairs.

"What hoodie?!" Zendaya yelled back down.

"This is gonna be so fun, watch!" Lauren said, taking her last bag to the minivan her mom gave her.

"It better be." China said, following with her duffel bag.

"I'm ready my sisters." Zendaya said, coming downstairs with two back packs.

"My hoodie Coleman." Lisa said, restuffing her clothes in her suitcase to make them fit right.

"Hmm, I don't know what you're talking about Cim."

"Yeah right. I'm checking your closet." Lisa said, getting up and jogging up the stairs to Zendaya's room.  Normani was already in the car, claiming the passenger seat. China slid in behind Normani, claiming a window seat. Zendaya slid next to China, wrapping an arm around the younger girl.

"Uhm, bye." China said, removing Zendaya's arm. Zendaya pouted but kept her arms to herself. Lisa ran out and threw her bags next to Zendaya before sliding in the third row of seats to stretch out.

"Lisa, did you lock the door?" Mani asked.

"Awe, dammit! I knew I forgot to do something!" Lisa said, smacking her forehead.

"I got it." Lauren said, rolling her eyes. She got out and locked the door then hopped back in the car, pulling away from the house.

"Bye house! See you in a couple weeks!" Zendaya said, waving to the house out the window.

"Zendaya! Get off my stuff!" Lisa said. Z moved Lisa's stuff between her and China. China smacked her lips at Z.

"What? You don't wanna sit by me?" China asked angrily.

"I'm good." Zendaya said.

"Kids, don't start fighting. This is supposed  to be a good thing for us. First stop, Pennsylvania!" Lauren said.

"Wha- Pennsylvania?! What the fuck is in Pennsylvania?!" China asked. Lauren looked at her through the mirror.

"You'll see."
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