Teenage Dream

“Jess come on!” We’re leaving!” Nicole shouted, dangling her car keys from her fingers.

“I’m comin’, I’m comin’,” She huffed, adjusting her shirt at the top of the stairs.

Nicole raised her brow. “Getting all pretty for your ride with Matt?” Jess blushed, cheeks turning pink the whole way down the stairs.

“Well come on dear, we have a house to drop you off at,” Nicole sang, linking arms with her and skipping out the door, locking it behind them.

“Jeez Jess, calm the fuck down,” Nicole said, commenting on her friend’s behavior in the passenger’s seat. She was currently bouncing up and down, clearly showing the whole state of California her excitement.

“Sorry,” Jess mumbled, trying to hold her restless body still.

Nicole just shook her head and kept following the directions to Matt’s house. She took a final left and pulled in to his driveway, shifting her car in to park.

“Now, no messing around while he’s driving, got it?” Nicole said in a motherly voice, giving Jess a stern look.

Jess let out an exaggerated sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes Mom.” She unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car as Matt walked over to them.

“Don’t let her drive that crazy truck of yours!” Nicole shouted from the driver’s seat of her BMW.

Matt let out a throaty chuckle. “We’re taking the Charger!” He called out, walking to the back of Nicole’s car with Jess to grab her bags. He slammed the trunk shut and stepped over to where Nicole was still sitting.

“Savannah and Jimmy are coming with us, and I think Olivia and Brian are going with Abby and Johnny,” Matt said, hoping that he got it all right.

“Mhmm,” Nicole nodded. “I’m going to pick up Zacky now, so you we’ll see ya’ll there.”

“Sounds good,” Matt smiled, moving away from the car. Nicole turned up the radio a bit and backed out the driveway, leaving Jess and Matt to get on the road themselves and pick up Jimmy.

Nicole quickly punched in the address Zacky had given to her this morning when she called and followed the directions the GPS was telling her.

“Holy shit,” She gasped, seeing his house coming in to view.

“Well yeah! You’re on the fucking rich side of town!” Abby exclaimed, pulling out on to the road. “You live over by Zack and his fucking mansion.”

“I wouldn’t call it a mansion –---“

“No, I mean he literally has a mansion. He calls it the Vengeance Mansion.”

“Maybe I’ll pass it some day,” Nicole shrugged, curious as to what this place looked like now.

She pulled up in to his driveway and parked the car, taking the key out of the ignition.

“Morning babe!” Nicole spun around and was met with the bright green eyes of her current love interest standing at his front door.

“Morning,” She blushed, walking to the back of her car to open the trunk. He made his way over and tossed the few bags he had with him in to the trunk, slamming it shut for her when he was done.

“And now for a more proper good morning,” He smiled playfully, snaking one arm around her waist and cupping her cheek with the other, placing his lips lightly on hers. She melted in to his touch, happy that no one else was in the car with them for the ride.

“You ready for the best ride ever?” He asked, lacing their fingers together as they stood at the back of her car in his driveway still.

“What makes you think it’s going to be so great?”

He gave her a ‘duh’ look. “Uh, because I’m there.”

She laughed, tossing her head back. “You’re so full of yourself Zee.”

“And you like it,” He retorted, pulling her in to his chest for a tight hug.

“Zacky,” She giggled. “We have to go or we won’t be the first ones there.”

“Which means we won’t have dibs on rooms,” He pouted, suddenly realizing this.

“Exactly. So let’s get this show on the road,” Nicole said, letting go of his hand and making her way to the driver’s side.

“Sounds like something Val would say,” He laughed, following her actions.

“Who’s Val?” Nicole asked, curious as to who this mysterious figure was that he had mentioned.

“Matt’s ex girlfriend who was our merch girl, our manager, back up vocals, screaming; you name it, she did it. She was like our mother on the road.” He smiled, remembering the van days. “I should really give her a call and see what’s going on with her.”

“Yeah,” Nicole mumbled, backing out of his driveway. She slammed on the brake, jerking both of them forward when she felt his hand on top of hers on the gear shifter.

She looked up with her brown eyes, meeting his in the middle.

“Val is just a good friend of ours. I know you’re freaking out right now, I can tell.”

“How –“

“You didn’t have to say much,” He half smiled. “Your actions kind of gave it away.”

“Sorry.”

He leaned over and pecked her cheek. “Don’t worry about it.”