Trapped in a Zoom Call ↬ Jason Waud

t w e l v e

"Mom. Dad. Cat and I are going on a drive!" Aurora says as she takes the car keys and hands them over to Cat. Her mother appears and looks at the curiously as she sees the bag with the blanket, snacks, a leash and Thor.

"Are you guys running away?" Angela asks, making Aurora roll her eyes at her overly dramatic mother.

"If we were running away it would be at night so that you guys don't know. Not in day light and after telling you." Cat answers her mother in a duh tone, causing Angela to roll her eyes.

"Where are you guys going then?" Angela asks curiously.

"A social distance meet up. We'll be staying in the cars and 6 feet apart." Aurora explains to her mother with a smile, slightly worried their mom wouldn't let them go.

"Okay. As long as you stick to those rules, it's fine. Have fun." Angela says before walking away, causing the girls to run out the house and to the car. Cat puts the bag in the trunk of the car, as Aurora puts Thor in the car.

"Ready?" Aurora asks, just as Cat opens the door the passenger side of the car.

"Born ready. Let's go." Cat says in excitement, making Aurora chuckle as she gets in the driver seat. Taking the key from her sister she puts it in the keyhole and turning on ignition. "So according to google maps, we're 10 minutes away."

"Okay that's great." Aurora breaths out, as she backs out the driveway, while Cat puts the phone on the holder so that Aurora can take a look at the way.

"You nervous?" Cat asks her as she notices her sister tapping against the steering wheel, while driving away from their house. Cat takes Thor and puts him on her lap.

"A bit. Aren't you?" Aurora asks as she takes a look at Cat for a split second before looking back at the road.

"Not really. I think it's the excitement. I'm just so excited to finally meet them. It's been a week since we started talking to them." Cat muses, causing Aurora to hum in agreement.

"True. But still what if it's not the same in real life as it is over messages? Like so many things could be different. What if they've been catfishing us?" Aurora ponders, Cat shaking her head.

"I think you're more worried that Jason isn't the perfect boyfriend material you expected." Cat says teasingly, making Aurora glare at her playfully.

"You and Meg are so annoying about this." Aurora grumbles, as she takes a turn, still following the Google Maps' directions.

"But we have a point. There's a chemistry between you and him, that isn't there with Cole. And I'm not just saying it because I don't like him, but because it's true. You and Cole never had this. Everything between you and Jason is so natural." Cat points out, making Aurora sigh deeply.

"He's just a friend and it'll stay like that. Because Cole and I are together. He makes me happy." Aurora huffs, causing Cat to shake her head.

"But not the way Jason does." Cat states firmly. Aurora shifts nervously in her seat. She wouldn't admit it, but Cat and Meg were right. She couldn't deny that her and Jason have something, more than she has with Cole. But she couldn't admit it, not when she had Cole and she was only friends with Jason.

"Anyway, we're here." Aurora says as she turns into the empty parking lot. "We're early. Or they're late. Or they're not coming."

"Calm down." Cat chuckles as she looks into the side view mirror. "They're right behind us. I think."

"Okay, let me just park." Aurora sighs, as she stops in the middle of the parking and turning off ignition. Cat immediately opens the door and waves happily at them. Joe is the first to open the door and does the same as Cat.

"Joe!" Cat exclaims happily as she gets out the car and walks as close as she can, keeping in mind that they can't pass 6ft. "Oh, my god. I can't believe this is happening."

"You're telling me? I'm just as excited as you are." Joe says happily, just as Jason gets out the car. Aurora takes a deep breath, as she also finally steps out.

"Hey, Rory." Jason smiles at the oldest sister, who grins happily. All her worries she had on the way, were now part of the past.

"Hey, Jason. It's kind of not fair that you have a nickname for me and I don't have one for you." Aurora says teasingly, making him shrug innocently.

"Well you have today to think of one." Jason muses.

"Guys, I'm so happy we're all here." Cat grins in excitement, as she opens the car's trunk. "We brought Thor as well!"

"And we brought Apollo!" Jason says happily, just as Joe takes the puppy out the car. Cat takes Thor out as well, while her sister takes the blanket out of the bag and sits it on the floor of the trunk.

"This is gonna be so fun." Aurora giggles as she sits in the trunk, her feet hanging off. She was glad she had chosen her father's SUV over her mother's Coupe.

"We're about to have the time of our life." Joe grins, just as Cat sits down next to Aurora. "Adam had to take a rain check but he said we should text him later when we go back home."

"Aww, I was looking forward to seeing him." Cat pouts, Aurora nudging her teasingly.

"You and Adam just need to get together. Because you're both crushing hard on each other." Jason says as he sits down in his own car's trunk.

"How about you and Aurora?" Cat asks, as she reaches behind her to take a bag of snacks. Aurora gapes at her, while Joe bursts out laughing and Jason smiles uncomfortably.

"Cat Wilson. I hate you."