Road-Trippers

Thirteen: The Boys are Back in Town

Sunlight shining down upon the back of my neck, I hop my own fence.

Sure, it isn't the most polite way to enter one's abode, but coming full-circle is just something I'm bound to do, being a perfectionist, and all of that. I land in our zucchini planter, atop a plant in which I hope I haven't stunted the growth of.

"SURPRISE!"

Opening my eyes, a crowd of high-schoolers, youngsters, and even adults greet me. Screaming and shouting along to the raucous of rock, they are all happy as a clam to see me. Nearly the second I flew over the garden wall, a jumble of arms, fingers, and hands lifted me up, leaving myself to brush the dirt and soot from my face.

Okay, Joey. All you've gotta do is make sure the parents don't find out. No more driving. Just sit back and let the praise in.

Mind irritated, wanting out of whatever electronic dance music trance it's looped in, I fall to the grass from the wall of hands, scurrying over to the cell phone correlating to the luminous speaker. Fingers tapping the glowing buttons on the sunscreen-covered glass hurriedly, I substitute the song for another, much better one, just as Lucy, Levi, and Antione enter from the slide glass door, smiling with a little bit of confusion.

"What is this? David Bowie?"

I shrug, standing up on a mesh lounge chair. "Whatever's on my playlist. Where's Emmett?"

"Keeping watch. Your parents are at Ralphs!" shouts Levi, pulling on a stupid pair of neon shutter shades with a light chuckle.

I furrow an eyebrow, shouting back over the people, "why would they post about going to the store?" Levi picks up a Capri Sun, stumbling over a girl with pigtails. I don't know how, but he actually manages to spill the juice pouch.

Setting down the nearly-empty pouch on the rusty patio table, Levi turns to me with an eyebrow raise and says, "they found more kitchen stuff."

"That wasn't at the convention?" I ask sarcastically, pulling on my own pair of sunglasses. It had only just occurred to me that when my parents come in, they'll be hauling dozens of appliances and utensils. Hooray.

Levi shrugs, looking down at the ground and over at a short black-haired guy who he greets with a high-five. I look down at the people standing on the grass and patio, all having a good time. I slide my hands out from my pockets and wave them in the air, collecting a breeze as they sway by. To finish my yawn, I take a peek up at the sun, just to look down again.

"JOE!"

Stripes on his shirt twisting as he sprints, Emmett wails my name, seemingly distressed. Stopping in front of the lounge chair, breathing heavily, he stares up at me with eyes of fear. I slink down to the appropriate chair position, placing my hands on my knees.

"Joey, Joey..." Seeking the steady breathing he knows he needs, he tousles the hair atop his head. Despite his efforts, he is still left shaken up from the cross-neighborhood dash.

"Uh-huh?"

"Your parents- oh my god -they're turning into the neighborhood."

RED ALERT! RED ALERT! THE PARENTS ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

Raising back to my elevated state of earlier, I wave my arms and yell out, "shut up!" The chatter continues. "Shut up! SHUT UP! I've got something important to tell you!" Yet again, no one listens, which I find strange since I'm the main attraction of this party.

Coming to aid me, Levi stands up beside me, cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, "SPRING BREAK SUCKS!" Everyone (and I mean everyone) looks up at Levi with dumbfounded looks distracting them from partying in my backyard. Ahh... silence.