Most of the Time

Chapter 3

Since the beach trip, Lily and I have been hanging out at her house stopping by at mine for the occasional shower and change of clothes. I get tired easily, making our adventures not as frequent as I would like.

The next week started off with me going to my doctor's appointment. Lily goes with me sometimes to hold my hand even though I don't really need it because it doesn't hurt that bad, but I let her come with me anyway because I guess that's what friends do. Nurse Angie kept asking me questions. I think I was giving all the wrong answers because her face didn't look so good. She looked sadder than usual.

"What's the problem'' I asked her. "It doesn't look good" she replied with an expression on her face that I've never seen in the months I've been getting my weekly checkups. She didn't look good with that expression, so I tried to cheer her up by giving her a hug, but she didn't look any better. "Well it was inevitable right?" I say with a smile. She ignored me. We left the hospital, Lily's hand still in mine. We hoped in the car and began driving home. The sound of Lily's phone ringing cut the silence. I can usually make out the conversation by just her response but for some reason I couldn't this time.

"Who was that" I asked, with the biggest grin Lily responds "Our new friends invited us to hang out"

"Hang out?" I questioned

"Yea, you know when people ask to hang out, Em, they mean spend time with them." she responds nodding her head as if I'm dumb

I stare at her for a while then flick her head with my fingers, "Obviously dum dum."

"They're going to the amusement park, Six Flags! You haven't been there before. This is perfect"

"Ha Ha" I say sarcastically, "I can't go to Six Flags" 

"You can go dum dum, you just can't ride the super scary rides" Lily says as if she's my mother.

"Okay Mom"

"And they're picking us up, so we're technically going on a road trip with you know who" she winks

I roll my eyes

I thought about telling my mom about my plans, but to prevent a heart attack I just text, I'm alive

The group pulls up to Lily's house in their van. I couldn't make out faces because of the tinted widows but I could tell a guy's driving, one guy in the passenger, one girl in the back and Justin. Immediately I go over all scenarios in my head where I am not sitting next to him. Lily opens the door on the side of Justin. We all stare at each other, waiting for someone to make a move.

"Hop in!" Justin says

"Hop in" Lily repeats staring at me

I get in making it three people in the row behind the driver's seat and Lily alone in the back.

"Snug", Hannah says, seated next to Justin and me.

"Hey Hannah, come sit next to me in the back so I won't be alone" Lily says

"I could have done that" I turn to Lily

"I talk to you too much" she growls

It's silent in the car until I hear the loud voice of Trevor, simultaneously driving and look at the rear-view

''Let's take this time to get to know each other'' Trevor says as if he is trying to talk over music. "By the end of this summer we should all be the five best amigos. So, start spilling your guts everyone we have time to kill.''

Trevor and Justin were both on the football team in high school. At one point they were inseparable, but now it seems like they're just friends. Hannah is dating Trevor or used to date him, I'm not sure

"I put cheese on my pickles" Justin blurts

"I like pineapple on my pizza" I say shortly after

"That's not what he meant, weirdos" David says from the passenger seat.

Justin and I look at each other, sharing a laugh

I don't think I have ever met David, but he seems familiar.

The car goes quiet again and I can hear Hannah and Lily giggling in the back. David and Trevor are talking in the front leaving only Justin and I without conversation. Lilly nudges me in my back. Without saying words, I know she is telling me to talk to Justin.

"Are you excited" I whisper to Justin

"Yea, but I go every summer so..."

His response was short, shorter than usual. He looked anxious and was fidgeting.

I turned to Lily to see if she was seeing what I was

I whisper "I have to pee" in Justin's ear and examine his response. He looks at me up and down. He could tell I didn't have to pee but whispered "Me too" anyway.

"I have to pee" I yell to Trevor, trying to sound believable, but I think I overdid it.

We pull over to a Bucky's gas station. Justin jumped out the car before Trevor got a chance to make a complete stop. We all got out of the car and picked up a few snacks while Justin used the restroom. Lily finally stops talking to Hannah to check up on me.

"Hey, you need to use this time wisely. Make a move. Get out of your comfort zone or nothing's going to change. This isn't the basic summer you're used to dum dum" She playfully grabs my head as if she's choking me.

I wouldn't let anyone mess with me the way Lily does, but she's been there for me unlike anyone else has.

We gently wrestle outside Bucky's until Justin gets out the restroom.

"You two are crazy" Justin says as Lily and I are both on the floor laughing. "Here" he says, lending a hand to help me up. "Wait" he says, staring into my eyes. He takes a tissue seemingly from the restroom out of his pocket and wipes blood from under my nose. "I'm glad we're hanging out" he says. Embarrassed and shocked, I thank him and get back in the car.