Dear Summer

Kinsley paced back and forth around her room again and again, yet ended up in the same place she started: laying on her bed next to Abbey. When Abbey nudged her with her foot, Kinsley grabbed her pillow and slapped it against Abbey’s face.

Kinsley had spent the past hour randomly opening and closing dresser drawers and her closet door. She had no clue what she was looking for but was dead set on finding it.

“Kinsley, I’m sure you have everything. You’ve spent enough time preparing for this,” Abbey said, reminding her yet again that she had overdone her summer packing. Kinsley covered her face with the pillow and screamed into it to get her frustration out. Abbey stole the pillow from her and dropped it on the opposite side of the bed, away from Kinsley.

Kinsley frowned and tried to get the pillow back by leaning over Abbey, but her lack of balance resulted in the black and white comforter rushing up to meet her face while she laid spread across Abbey’s torso. “I just keep thinking I’m forgetting something,” her muffled voice complained.

“This is precisely why we make check lists, darling,” Abbey pointed out, pushing Kinsley off of her and onto the floor.

Kinsley rolled her eyes at Abbey, “I’ve tried that. It just doesn’t work. What happens if we forget to put something on the check list? Honestly, I'm going to laugh when you realize that you left without your toothbrush or something stupid like that," Kinsley said while rising from the large bed. "Oh my God! My toothbrush!" she shouted as she jumped up and down before running into her bathroom.

"You are a moron," Abbey yelled through the door.

Kinsley returned with a triumphant smile. "I'm definitely ready now. Let's go."

"Kinsley, we're not leaving for another two hours," Abbey informed her.

Kinsley shook her head and grabbed one of her bags. "I honestly don't see the point in waiting," Kinsley protested, "Monster is lonely out in the parking garage all by himself."

Abbey rose from the bed and grabbed Kinsley's remaining bag. "Monster is a vehicle. It is in the garage with plenty other vehicles. I'm sure it's fine," Abbey said, though she was already following Kinsley toward the door.

"He," Kinsley corrected under her breath. She twisted the door knob and started toward the elevator, pulling her cell phone out to call to have Monster pulled to the front of the building.

When the girls got to the main floor, they were greeted by the door man, Will, who had agreed to hold Abbey's luggage until they left. Will led Kinsley and Abbey outside to Monster, who Kinsley greeted happily. The girls has always referred to the cute, foreign door man as Esteban behind his back due to the fact that he resembled a character from a certain television show.

As Will loaded the remainder of the suitcases and other bags into the back of the large bus, Kinsley crawled to the driver's seat through the passenger door, not wanting to face the heavy New York traffic without being shielded by some sort of metal structure between her and the cars. After Kinsley got her foot unstuck and started the engine, Abbey reluctantly climbed in.

"Don't you just love the fake new car smell?" Kinsley asked, poking the very aromatic yellow leaves hanging from her rear view mirror.

Abbey stilled the car fresheners and laughed uncomfortably. "This thing can't even pretend to be new," she insisted.

Kinsley turned the key, "Bye, Esteban!" she yelled and waved as she carefully pulled into a large gap between two cabs. Abbey laughed and joined her friend waving to Will, who stood on the sidewalk scratching his head in confusion.

Driving out of the city was very frustrating for Kinsley. She had the potential to be a great driver, but lacked the patience to put up with the sudden stops that came with New York traffic. She had no idea how cab drivers did it on an everyday basis.

As soon as they were out of the city, Kinsley breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god, she thought to herself. The girls were in Jersey, the first of all the states they would be driving through in the next fifty-six days. Kinsley looked back at the skyline through her rearview mirror and felt a sense of distance. New York was her home, and she was leaving it behind.

Abbey plugged her iPod into the new sound system that the Dimera's had installed for their daughter and the large vehicle filled with happy, summery music. Abbey noticed a sad look on Kinsley's face and elbowed her while singing loudly and off pitch. Kinsley smiled and joined in, screaming the lyrics to a song from the movie Grease at the top of her lungs.

Here we go.

The girls had only been on the freeway for an hour and a half before Kinsley started requesting that they stop for food. Kinsley was sure Abbey could hear the growling and complaining coming from her stomach, but every time Kinsley suggested making a pit stop, Abbey was reluctant.

"Arby's, McDonald's, Burger King..." Kinsley listed as they passed another green sign.

"What's that?" Abbey asked, pretending to forget that Kinsley had been complaining about hunger for the past forty minutes.

"Nothing, Abbey. Nothing at all,” she smiled before she commenced with her singing.

Abbey nodded and turned the volume up.

Immediately after, Kinsley turned the knob in the opposite direction. "It's just that I'm sure you've got to be hungry too, even just a little bit!"

Abbey shook her head, "No, not really."

"Taco Beeellll," Kinsley singsonged.

Abbey quickly turned to her, "Really?" she asked. Now Kinsley had her attention, "I mean... no. I have protein bars in my purse. I'll be just fine," she insisted.

"You have a really screwed up interpretation of health food!" Kinsley yelled.

"And what is your idea of health food exactly?"

Kinsley grinned, "Yummy food that adds a couple healthy pounds from time to time, but is well worth it because our young metabolisms will be working hard for another five to ten years."

Abbey rolled her eyes. Kinsley never really understood the meaning of diets. She could deal with exercise as long as she wasn't feeling tired or lazy, but the excessiveness of it all overwhelmed her.

Kinsley presses harder on the gas pedal as she became more excited about the next exit lurking ahead.

"Wait, I never agreed!" Abbey protested, "Slow down!"

"No back seat drivers!" Kinsley shouted.

"I'm not even in the back seat," Abbey huffed, "God, a three-year-old listens better than you."

Kinsley was delighted with her win. "Fast, fast, fast," she said as they got closer to the exit.

In reality, the Volkswagen bus, "Monster", hardly went ten miles over the speed limit. It didn't matter exactly how fast the bus went though. Kinsley and Abbey were enjoying the way the summer light shined on the trees and purple flowers they passed on the freeway.

Kinsley and Abbey were too preoccupied chatting about graduation and the parties they recently attended to even notice Taco Bell until they were well into the New Jersey town off the exit.

Kinsley had a little bit of trouble turning the large vehicle around but managed and made it to the fast food restaurant in ten minutes.

Abbey shut her door and stomped into the little building. "I am definitely driving after this! You're horrible," she said.

"Am not" Kinsley defended, quite poorly.

Abbey laughed and hugged her childish friend, "Whatever, just get me my Mexican pizza and I'll be happy."

Kinsley practically inhaled her food. She couldn't remember the last time she had to wait over an hour to eat after she got hungry. Not having access to a refrigerator at any given time was definitely something she was not going to get used to any time soon.

When they left, Kinsley realized that Abbey was being serious about taking over the driving for a while. Until she was being chased around the parking lot for her keys, she had thought it was just a joke or an insult to her driving.

Kinsley whimpered, "Don't hurt him."

Abbey put the key in the ignition. "It's going to be fine," she assured her friend. She turned left onto the street and got back on the freeway.

In the seat next to her, Kinsley was pushing random buttons on the GPS.

"Kinsley, what are you doing with the GPS? He's supposed to be giving me directions." Abbey said, nervously looking from the road to the gadget in Kinsley's hands.

“Just go straight,” Kinsley ordered.

“I know that, Kinsley, but what happens when I’m done going straight?” Abbey asked

No answer.

“Kinsley?!”

Kinsley put the GPS back in it’s holder on the windshield. “Look, Abs! It’s British!”

Both girls erupted into a fit of giggles.

“Continue on route for 22 miles,” the British GPS directed.

“Kinsley Isobel Dimera, you are insane. Now tell me where we’re going,” Abbey demanded.

Kinsley considered this for a minute, then pulled out her cell phone and started browsing through her contacts list until she landed on her cousin Matt’s name. A smile light up her face, and she felt like a genius.

Without informing Abbey of her idea, Kinsley pushed the call button and had Matt on the phone within seconds.

“Hey, Kid!” Matt said when he picked up his phone.

“Matt!” Kinsley exclaimed, “Guess what. We’re coming to see you.”

Kinsley and Abbey exchanged looks. Abbey beamed when she figured out what was going on while Kinsley smirked because of her little (yet brilliant) idea.