Rush Above Sea Level

Chapter 20: Starting New

It was a bumpy ride, for half an hour we bumped on. Hugging my backpack, I thought was nervous about what I was heading into. The person sitting next to Marc was fiddling with the music, it turned from classical to Christmas carols to disco to pop to blues and it happened all over again.

"CJ, pick one will you buddy?" Marc said after he did flipped through the music three more times.

The teenager's hands stopped abruptly. He was wearing the same shades as Marc and wore a yellow snapback backwards. He looked like a basketball player without a doubt with the yellow Early Sun jersey. The black shorts made him look like a bee. It was weird seeing someone my age that wasn't Bradley, Bradley looked a bit irritated about the indecisive music chooser.

"Atlantis." I held out my hand.

After holding it for a while and going at least two verses of the song, I took my hand back.

"Hey CJ, she was trying to shake your hand." Marc took a turn on the dirt trail.

CJ's head turned.

"Sorry about that, I couldn't see your hand." He held out his hand "Actually, I can't see anything."

I shook his hand, clueless for a moment, before getting it. His voice was still squeaky, but he seemed too old to have a voice like that.

"Oh, sorry about that." My cheeks felt warm, I let go of his hand.

"Don't be, I've been told people are ugly." He chuckled.

"You're not wrong about that." Bradley laughed, I glared at him.

"Who are you?"

"Bradley, member of the supreme jester guild."

"Pleasure, though I believe I am the leader."

"Well when eyes don't work, you compensate it with humor."

I held my breath, CJ seemed angry.

"Well I suppose having working eyes means your humor will never rise to my skill." CJ replied with a playful sound to his voice.

Jesse and Twinkle were giving Bradley a stern glare now, Bradley cowered a little.

"We'll see about that."

The rest of the car trip was silent to the tune of 'We wish you a merry Christmas'.

I pet Kayla, who was sleeping at my feet again. It wasn't spacious but enough for a dog. The thought that she would leave soon saddened me, I couldn't take her to go wherever she I wanted anymore. It meant I would have to say goodbye to another important figure in my life. To think I met her nearly a year ago. Then it came to me, it was nearly my birthday! It must have been weird seeing me suddenly jump up in shock, if you can do that in a seat with a seat belt on, that is. Jesse, Twinkle, and Bradley looked at me concerned.

"It's nearly my birthday and I didn't even remember!" I did a facepalm.

The whole car laughed.

"Everybody has forgotten their birthday since the rush, I think mine was last week!" Twinkle wiped his eyes full of tears.

"I suppose a celebration is in order, we can get the cake once we get there." Marc chimed in.

Everyone besides CJ looked confused.

"You have enough supplies for that?" Jesse sounded baffled yet hopeful.

"You kidding? We're a literal functioning society on an island! You just parked your ship on the wrong side of it." Marc exclaimed.