Road-Trippers

Nine: Sweet Home Alabama

Levi is driving, simultaneously tapping his fingers rhythmically on the steering wheel. Emmett is reading some kind of advanced literature for his English class. Antione is attempting to read along. Lucy is biting her nails down to their beds, staring at me nervously as I rock back and forth and mutter:

"Big wheels keep on turning. Carry me home to see my kin."

Lucy grabs me by the jawbones, halting my rocking. "Joe... Joey, you're gonna be just fine. There are hundreds of hotels in Naples. What are the chances that they're gonna end up at ours?" Her hands pull away, and my frantic rocking continues.

"Singing songs about the Southland. I miss Alabamy once again and I think it's a sin, yes."

I look to the driver's seat to see Levi singing along to the unforgettable lyrics. He's practically laughing his blonde head off, glasses falling down his nose bridge.

Lucy lightly slaps my spine. "Joe, you've got to stop-"

"Well, I heard Mister Young sing about her. Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down."

Emmett joins in. Lucy laughs.

"Won't you stop it!"

I crack a fortuitous smile and take a glance out the window.

"Well, I hope Neil Young will remember. A southern man don't need him around, anyhow. Sing it with me, Lucielle!"

"Joseph Phillip Temp-"

Just as the green sign standing in a patch of grass approaches us, the roar of all our voices escapes the van.

"SWEET HOME ALABAMA! WHERE THE SKIES ARE SO BLUE! SWEET HOME ALABAMA! LORD, I'M COMING HOME TO YOU!"

Sitting here in the backseat, rocking ceased and voice cracking magnificently, I can't help but not care about my parents. This is our trip, not theirs. Ours. And if some old people are going to ruin the most cautionary road trip of all time, then that's on them. I sit back, watch the road, and shout every lyric I can remember to the glorious American tune that is "Sweet Home Alabama," waiting for Florida's sign to be reached.

Only around twenty minutes later, I shout, "WAIT!"

Levi spins around, my reflection mirroring in his tinted sunglasses. He pulls them down to reveal his blue eyes, slightly closed due to his mid-day drowsiness. He turns off the radio and sighs, resting his arms atop the back of his seat.

"What's up, Joey?"

I scratch the back of my neck and sheepishly hand him my phone. "Do you mind if I give a quick speech? This has been a dream of mine, and I-"

"Yeah. I'll live-stream it," he says, swinging his legs back around into the passenger's seat, adjusting himself to the new atmosphere. He takes my phone and gestures me to the wheel. I smile widely and climb into the seat next to his. All I can think about is how I won. I sigh.

"I'm ready, Levi." He hits record. I take a deep breath, taking a glimpse back at the quiet road with my coffee brown eyes. My pupils meet the eye of the camera.

"Hi, my name is Joseph Phillip Templeton, although you probably know me as Joey, if you go to my high school or are my personal stalker-"

God, that sounded awkward! Maybe I should've planned a speech beforehand...

"I'd like to thank you all for following me on my journey, and- oh my god! Why does it sound like I've won some kind of award?"

Levi chuckles and audibly replies with, "you're doing great. Just don't geek out."

"Thanks, Levi, thanks. Oh, that's Levi, by the way. He's been running this account while I've been running from the law and my parents and-" I facepalm "-just, forget I said that. I've been wanting to go on this excellent journey for years, and thanks to a week off and a sweet van-"

Sweet van. I'm becoming my dad!

"-I am finally able to succeed."

I take a glance to the backseat to see Emmett giving me a thumbs up, Lucy nearly crying. Antione is confused as always.

"But I wouldn't have without Levi and Lucy and Emmett and a foreign exchange student named Antione, whose first experience over here was a law-breaking, parent-deceiving road trip. Oh god, we're awesome."

I clench my fist with false (but at the same time, true) enthusiasm.

"I don't even know how we made it this far, and- oh, god, I'm such a geek. Levi, take over before I start crying or some crap-" Levi refocuses the lens at his face and smiles broadly.

"Li'l Joey here is a little emotional. His parents are trailing us, we're getting a little teary-eyed, and we're about to cross into Florida, so, just thank you, take your vitamins, and don't do drugs."

He ends the live stream and looks over at me, whose eyes are tearing up like those of a five-year-old. I'm such a baby, but there's no reason to feel shame for that. I'm a baby who has finally made it to Florida. All I need is back, and I can die in peace.

"Hey, man?"

I wipe the two escaped tears from my ghost-white cheeks and reply, "uh-huh?"

"You wanna finish the job?" I smile and turn the key in the keyhole. Lucy cheers, Emmett smiles, and Antione claps despite knowing what in the heavens is going on.

"Ride of the Valkyries" blasts from the speakers.

The car jerks forward.

I kick into high gear.

The ah's erupt from the backseat, and a great grin consumes my face.

Merely two seconds later, we are off the ground, winging with the music playing victoriously, past Florida's border, into the lovely, lush Florida.

Cheers all around.

"Congratulations, Templeton, you've made it."