The Cancer Chick's Best Friend

Chapter Fifteen

"ROAD TRIP! GET UP EVERYONE!" Jared shouted, throwing a pillow at Ashleigh and accidentally kicking Drew's legs.

"What th-" Olivia said, rubbing her eyes watching Jared trip over Drew and falling onto the mattress. 

"Jared its seven, we slept at three, please shut up!" Ashleigh groaned.

Drew was snoring, completely oblivious to the commotion his legs had just caused.

"I've spoken to everyone's parents, We are going on a road trip, get up!" 

"But we just finished Halloween!"

"Yeah but we've got the week before our final semester, don't you want to enjoy?"

"Wait, where?" Olivia asked.

"If i told you, it wouldn't be half as exciting." Jared said and shook Drew awake.

"What what! is Oli okay? I'M UP" Drew said, alarmed.

"Yeah, go home and pack, Your dad told hes fine with the road trip"

"Oh okay cool, meet you guys here in an hour?" Drew asked, stretching his body sheepishly.

"He knew and I didn't?" 

"Ash relax, He helped me plan half of it, you help the other half. There's a lot on that bucket list to do!"

"Don't talk about my list like I'm not here!"

"Get your bum up and pack, meet back here in an hour"

Jared and Ashleigh were walking down Olivia's driveway when Ashleigh stopped Jared and asked, "My parents said okay to this?"

"Yeah, i managed something. They're cool with it, don't worry."

Ashleigh smiled wide and hugged Jared, "Thank you! they'd never say yes if i asked!"

_________________________________________________________

Jared was driving the car, with Ashleigh sitting beside him staring out the window. Olivia and Drew were fast asleep in the back. 

"How do we have the money for this though?" Ashleigh asked softly. Jared smiled and looked towards her, "Olivia's parents are paying for the whole thing."

"Wow really? For all of us?"

"Yeah, they wanted her to stay comfortable i guess." Jared said with a soft voice. What he said may not have been the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie either. 

"So she doesn't know we are going to Kansas?"

"Nope. There's some cool beaches there, her Sandcastle can be made there. We can Vlog the trip for her YouTube too"

Ashleigh turned around and looked to make sure Olivia was truly asleep, then leaned towards Jared and whispered, "There's an Ed Sheeran concert in four days there, think we can do it?"

"I've already got four tickets for it." Jared smirked.

"This is unfair, when do i get to plan things!?"

"Oh come on, get creative" 

"Hey man can we stop somewhere? I need to pee" Drew said with a rough voice, making it evident he had just woken up. 

"Yeah there's a gas station nearby i think, Ash pull up maps please"

In less than ten minutes, Jared was pulling into the Gas station. Drew jumped out to get to the bathroom while Jared decided to fill Gas, leaving the girls inside the car and walking into the store to pay. 

"Hey!" Ashleigh said cheerfully, startling Jared, who was zoning out in the line. 

"What are you guys doing here?" Jared asked. Olivia gave a nervous smile and Ashleigh said, "Check your phone" and walked out, hand in hand with Olivia. 

Jared yawned and pulled out his phone from his pocket to see a message from Ash.

Ash: 1 Oreo, 3 Doritos, 5 snickers bars. Total $16

J: Do you want me to get them for you? 

Ash: No. We already took them, pay for it somehow. It was on her bucket list rem?

"Oh my god" Jared sighed and looked out the glass to see ash grinning smugly. 

'How do i do this!?' Jared thought. "Well?" The cashier asked. 

"Gas on 2, also here" Jared said and handed a 20 dollar bill. 

"Don't you have change?" The cashier asked annoyed. 

"Keep it. Consider it a thank you"

"Man what?"

"Yeah, its complicated, but yeah"

"Um, Okay."

Jared rushed out, becoming red in the face as he rushed into the car. Ashleigh was giggling while Olivia was sprouting questions to him. 

"Did you tell him we stole? Was he angry? Are we in trouble?"

"No."

"No what?"

"I just gave him the money as a tip and he looked confused and i ran out. that technically applies right?"

"Yes, it does." Olivia said and began laughing. "You guys are the best" 

"I told get creative not put me on the spot!" Jared rolled his eyes at Ashleigh.

"Serves you right for not involving me in the plans with Drew"

"No it doesn't! Drew back me up will you?"

"I wish you stole a KitKat instead" Drew said, Munching on a snickers bar. Olivia giggled at Jared sigh of defeat as he sunk down onto the seat in a fuss like a child.

"I wish you drove the car instead of me" Ashleigh groaned.

"Its your turn, sorry!" Drew shrugged and increased the volume of the song. 

They sang the song loud as Olivia giggled at how tone deaf Drew was, recording everything for her Vlog. Jared ate the Doritos smiling goofily at the camera. An hour into it, they had calmed down, listening to mellow songs and staring out the window, taking the view of the fields in. 

Olivia smiled at the footage she collected and rested her head on Jared's shoulder, holding his arm. She felt good, she felt safe. This is the life she wanted. Even if it was short lived. 

This is what she wanted.