Lyrical Love Letter

“You two are fucking hopeless.” Jonnie decided after she had endured the ranting/fighting tales of Jack and Missy. She played with her ponytail as she closed her eyes while the breeze hit her face.

“Thanks,” Jack grumbled, no happier than he had been in Juliette’s car. He couldn’t help but be more than upset with Missy but he was also frustrated with himself. Because Jack knew in his heart that he was just as conflicted as Missy was. Jack cared for Missy and he wanted to be with her but at what stake? What drama? Jack knew he was a hypocrite but he couldn’t make himself admit it.

“Seriously,” Jonnie went on as she pulled the hair tie from her mass of blonde locks. “You, my friend, are Alex’s best friend. As for you, Miss. Miss, you are Alex’s cousin. He will never be okay with that.” She gathered her hair into a tight bun once more in an attempt to better rein in the unruly strands.

“You don’t know that,” Zack cut in gently. Zack felt it was his duty to be the buffer amongst his friends. Zack would leave it to his friends to be over the top and Zack would be the normal, level headed, sane one trying to keep them all on the same page.

“Really?” Jonnie challenged. “No offense Jack but Alex knows you—knows you in that ‘I-know-you-can-be-an-immature-horny-dick’ kind of way. Do you really think the first thing that comes to mind for him is, ‘oh yeah my beautiful lovely cousin and my immature horny best friend are perfect for each other’.”

“Well that’s blunt,” Zack mumbled as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. No one had gotten a peaceful night sleep within the last four days. In the longest four days of their lives they did nothing but drive, alternating drivers while the others slept in less then uncomfortable conditions within the car. It usually resulted in Jonnie falling asleep on Zack’s shoulder with his head resting against the window.

“Why do I feel like you’re blaming me for this?” Jack questioned glumly as he eyed Jonnie suspiciously. There were dark circles under the youngest Barakat’s eyes which was due to the fact that Jack had probably gotten the least sleep of the bunch—that is of course next to the confrontational brunette at his side. Missy and Jack were still at odds which made their sleeping arrangements all the more passive aggressive. Every time Jack would start snoring Missy would elbow the guitarist while each time Missy’s head rolled to his shoulder he would shrug her off silently. With the constant jabbing and tense behavior it left little room to relax, let alone sleep.

“Facts of life buddy, woman are more mature then men.” Jonnie smirked then shrugged. “Sorry babe.” Her head fell back to rest on the seat behind her in a futile attempt at sleep.

“I think in some part of your mind the two of you just love the thrill of it.” Declan commented off handedly as he cranked up the AC just a little more.

“What thrill?” Jack retorted indignantly. “The thrill of Alex punching me in the nose if he finds out I’m sneaking around with his cousin?”

“Love makes a man do crazy things,” Declan smirked.

“I’m not in love,” Jack stated instantly and Missy’s head snapped in his direction. It stung to hear but Missy would never let him know that. She glared at him before turning out the window, effectively giving him the cold shoulder.

It was then that Jack knew, whether it be in Juliette’s car or Declan’s, it was going to be a long ride to California.
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“Alright,” Rian began as he through up his hands innocently. “All I’m saying is that shit goes down when Juliette is in town.” It was nearly 95 degrees in the old muscle car and the AC had given out 15 miles back with another 76 miles to California.

“You’re a poet and you don’t even know it.” Kara smiled hooking her arm with his as she lay her head on Rian’s shoulder. While Missy and Jack were still at odds Kara and Rian were still sickingly perfect together. While Missy and Jack hardly slept, Rian and Kara probably slept the best in Juliette’s car. Although heat stroke seemed to threaten Juliette and Alex out of sleep, Rian and Kara still didn’t have a problem leaning against each other as they slept easily.

“What the hell have I done while being here?” Juliette questioned half amused and partly annoyed. “I’ve been good!” She added indignantly, her frizzy chocolate locks blowing in the wind of the rolled down window.

“Riight,” Alex cackled but when Juliette threw him a look he sobered into quiet giggles.

“Alright, first of all it wasn’t my fault the cops showed, how was I suppose to know some fun-sucker was going to do that?”

“Fun-sucker?” Kara echoed grinning, a teasing edge to her voice. “Well aren’t we just a Freaky Friday fan.”

“You’re a freaky Friday,” Juliette retorted and Kara’s jaw slacked in mock shock. Alex snickered as his eyes darted between the two friends while Rian laughed silently, Jonnie just looked confused.

“You promised you wouldn’t tell what happens to me on Fridays!” Kara cried trying to hold back a grin as she played along.

“You’re the one who had to announce that I liked Freak Friday!”

“I am so lost right now,” Jonnie mumbled glancing between her friends.

“I’m pretty sure you announced that yourself, Sun.” Alex commented but both friends fell on deaf ears to the remaining entertained group. It was amazing what a bad case of severe boredom and the heat will do to you. Suddenly everything around you becomes mildly amusing—at least when Juliette is involved anyway.

“What happens to you on Fridays?” Jonnie questioned. She was confused and lost, having never seen the Lindsey Lohan movie but she was still entertained by her friends conversation all the same.

“You know,” Juliette grinned evilly at Kara. “She gets her freak on. Not in that ‘Omg I’m in your body and you’re in mine’ kind of deal. Its more like a freaky kind of deal.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “I’m sure Rian could better explain. Right Rian? Tell them how Kara gets freaky when she takes—“

Rian’s hand clamped over his cousin’s mouth sufficiently silencing her. “That isn’t appropriate road trip talk., Cuz.” Kara was clutching her stomach from laughing so hard and Juliette was snickering even through Rian’s hand. Even Jonnie and Alex were laughing at the trio.

“You’re drumsticks Rian!” Juliette blurted when her cousin had unclamped his hand. “When she takes your drumstricks. I don’t know what you were thinking about, you perv.” The laughter grew louder and Rian narrowed his eyes at Juliette, despite the growing grin on his parched lips.

“I’m going to remember this, Sunny.” He nodded in his own amusement as he spoke. “You just wait, Sunny Dawson, you just wait.”

“Oh I’m so scared,” Juliette snickered as she maneuvered the car off the freeway. “What are you going to do? Beat me with your drumsticks?”

“Worst,” Rian began grinning. “I’m going to make you listen to ‘Barbie Girl’ on repeat.”

“Uh, dude?” Alex piped up. “We chucked that CD out the window the last time Jack tried to play that shit on repeat.” He reminded his friend, to which Rian pursed his lips in response.

“I think of something.” He grumbled crossing his arms.

“Hey guys?” Juliette announced, excitement and relief evident in her voice. “Welcome to California.” The friends glanced out the window at the sign that sported a shining sun greeting them on their arrival.

The cross-country road trip was over and it was one they wouldn’t soon forget. But a whole other type of trip was about to begin and it would bring memories that they would not soon forget—make no mistake, these would not be all good memories.