‹ Prequel: Kids in Love
Growing Up
01
“Hey can you change the CD?” Ryan asked switching into the right lane. When he received no response he tried again, “Claud”
Still nothing, he glanced to the right and realized she was sleeping. He looked into the rearview mirror and spotted Tori and Brendon fast asleep. Ian had headphones in and was staring out the window. He sighed; when they decided to go on this trip he’d assumed it’d be more like last summer. It felt had only been a year since the last trip yet it seemed like everything had changed. He’d assumed that they’d spend the trip drinking, smoking, singing, and making fun of Brendon’s ass. This trip was supposed to be epic, yet he was driving a silent van. It didn’t feel quite right.
Ryan drove a few more miles before his legs started to feel cramped. He took the first exit and drove into a Chevron station. He took his wallet out of his pocket and took out the money. He began to count it.
“Ry,” Claudia yawned before finally sitting up, “how long was I asleep?”
He still had forty seven dollars in cash, and he could always use his debit card later. How much did he have in the bank anyway? If he spent too much he’d be late on the rent. He was not looking forward to another argument with Claudia about the rent, “long enough for your cd to play all the way through three times.”
“oh.”
“Hey when did we stop?”
Ryan and Claudia turned around and saw Ian pulling his headphones off.
“Just now, are you guys getting off or . . .?”
Claudia shrugged, “yeah c’mon Ian let’s get some stuff for later.”
Ryan held his money out to Claudia, “forty on six.”
She shook her head, “it’s my turn to pay for it.”
“Take it.”
“Nope”, she climbed out of the car and took her bag off the seat. Ian took her hand and dragged her towards the store.
Ryan rolled his eyes, “get me some coffee.”
Without looking back she gave thumbs up.
He watched them enter the store before stuffing his money back into his wallet and finally getting out of the van. He stretched out and looked around before leaning against the van waiting for the okay to start pumping gas.
“Hey you left your phone inside.”
“So she paid for it already?”
“Yep”
Ryan put the nozzle in and turned towards Tori, “So is Bren still sleeping?”
She nodded, “he could sleep through the fucking apocalypse”
He chuckled, “still not as bad as Spin, he slept like a baby but snored like a bear.”
She smiled, “you really miss him huh?”
He shrugged he hadn’t given it much thought till now but Spencer was probably what was missing from this trip. “Yeah I mean my whole life he was just next door, just a few feet away.”
She nodded “And now you have to drive to California to see him.”
“I don’t mind I like taking trips, it’s just,” He paused to take the nozzle out and place it back in
its proper place, “I miss having him around. Everything just seems off.”
She gave him a small smile before climbing back into the van. He climbed in after her and made his way to the seat furthest back.
He glanced out the window and watched Ian and Claudia slowly walking back. Ian climbed into the driver’s seat and Claudia got into the passenger seat.
“Tor sweetie, can you get Brendon up? I want him to eat before it gets cold.”
Tori gently shook Brendon. He mumbled, “but I’m so comfy.” He yawned scratched his head
and finally sat up, “are we there?”
“Nah it’s just lunch,” Tori replied, handing him one of the hotdogs Claudia had just passed back.
“Kay so pass the coffee back to Ry and the Coke is for Bren, Mountain Dew is for Tori. Got you a root beer in case you want soda later, kay Ry?” she reached over and stuck it in the cooler.
The plastic bag rustled as she reached in again, “alright so I’ve got Sour patch kids for Tor, cigarettes for Bren and Ian, and oh my God Ian, seriously!?”
“What is it?” Brendon asked obviously curious.
Claudia shook her head and stared intently at Ian. He pulled out of the gas station and back onto the highway before she finally asked, “Ian why do you need glow in the dark condoms?”
Brendon laughed, “they have those, you have to give us one” he nudged Tori and wiggled his eyebrows.
Ian shrugged, “you never know I might get lucky.”
“No I get that but why do they have to be glow in the dark?” she asked trying to not smile.
“Well it makes your dick look like a light saber so-“
Everyone laughed, Claudia laughed so hard she snorted which caused everyone to laugh even harder.
Still nothing, he glanced to the right and realized she was sleeping. He looked into the rearview mirror and spotted Tori and Brendon fast asleep. Ian had headphones in and was staring out the window. He sighed; when they decided to go on this trip he’d assumed it’d be more like last summer. It felt had only been a year since the last trip yet it seemed like everything had changed. He’d assumed that they’d spend the trip drinking, smoking, singing, and making fun of Brendon’s ass. This trip was supposed to be epic, yet he was driving a silent van. It didn’t feel quite right.
Ryan drove a few more miles before his legs started to feel cramped. He took the first exit and drove into a Chevron station. He took his wallet out of his pocket and took out the money. He began to count it.
“Ry,” Claudia yawned before finally sitting up, “how long was I asleep?”
He still had forty seven dollars in cash, and he could always use his debit card later. How much did he have in the bank anyway? If he spent too much he’d be late on the rent. He was not looking forward to another argument with Claudia about the rent, “long enough for your cd to play all the way through three times.”
“oh.”
“Hey when did we stop?”
Ryan and Claudia turned around and saw Ian pulling his headphones off.
“Just now, are you guys getting off or . . .?”
Claudia shrugged, “yeah c’mon Ian let’s get some stuff for later.”
Ryan held his money out to Claudia, “forty on six.”
She shook her head, “it’s my turn to pay for it.”
“Take it.”
“Nope”, she climbed out of the car and took her bag off the seat. Ian took her hand and dragged her towards the store.
Ryan rolled his eyes, “get me some coffee.”
Without looking back she gave thumbs up.
He watched them enter the store before stuffing his money back into his wallet and finally getting out of the van. He stretched out and looked around before leaning against the van waiting for the okay to start pumping gas.
“Hey you left your phone inside.”
“So she paid for it already?”
“Yep”
Ryan put the nozzle in and turned towards Tori, “So is Bren still sleeping?”
She nodded, “he could sleep through the fucking apocalypse”
He chuckled, “still not as bad as Spin, he slept like a baby but snored like a bear.”
She smiled, “you really miss him huh?”
He shrugged he hadn’t given it much thought till now but Spencer was probably what was missing from this trip. “Yeah I mean my whole life he was just next door, just a few feet away.”
She nodded “And now you have to drive to California to see him.”
“I don’t mind I like taking trips, it’s just,” He paused to take the nozzle out and place it back in
its proper place, “I miss having him around. Everything just seems off.”
She gave him a small smile before climbing back into the van. He climbed in after her and made his way to the seat furthest back.
He glanced out the window and watched Ian and Claudia slowly walking back. Ian climbed into the driver’s seat and Claudia got into the passenger seat.
“Tor sweetie, can you get Brendon up? I want him to eat before it gets cold.”
Tori gently shook Brendon. He mumbled, “but I’m so comfy.” He yawned scratched his head
and finally sat up, “are we there?”
“Nah it’s just lunch,” Tori replied, handing him one of the hotdogs Claudia had just passed back.
“Kay so pass the coffee back to Ry and the Coke is for Bren, Mountain Dew is for Tori. Got you a root beer in case you want soda later, kay Ry?” she reached over and stuck it in the cooler.
The plastic bag rustled as she reached in again, “alright so I’ve got Sour patch kids for Tor, cigarettes for Bren and Ian, and oh my God Ian, seriously!?”
“What is it?” Brendon asked obviously curious.
Claudia shook her head and stared intently at Ian. He pulled out of the gas station and back onto the highway before she finally asked, “Ian why do you need glow in the dark condoms?”
Brendon laughed, “they have those, you have to give us one” he nudged Tori and wiggled his eyebrows.
Ian shrugged, “you never know I might get lucky.”
“No I get that but why do they have to be glow in the dark?” she asked trying to not smile.
“Well it makes your dick look like a light saber so-“
Everyone laughed, Claudia laughed so hard she snorted which caused everyone to laugh even harder.