The Sirens Of Jefferson Drive

Clouds lined the sky, a mixture of blues and whites sweeping across Millie’s vision as she looked up in a daze. A small smile spread across her thin soft pink lips. She allowed the sun to kiss her full cheeks, forming a light blush to appear and her smile to grow. Millie loved days like these and this day was going to be even better, because on this day her and her friends were going on vacation for the week.

Delicate fingers absentmindedly strummed along her sticker covered guitar as she spent the moment memorizing the warm feeling the car hood left against her t-shirt clad back as she leaned against the window of her friend Allyson’s car. This feeling was fleeting however, and she realized this the second the vibrations of a screaming voice filled her ear. “Jeez-Louise, Allyson,” Millie scolded, wiping at her ear where a droplet of spittle had fallen.

An almost musical sounding giggle left the older girls mouth as she popped herself up onto the hood of the car, beside her friend. “Sorry Millie, but I think you were getting lost in your own little world again. It’s my job as your friend to bring you back to reality.” She held her hand to her heart as a rare serious expression filled her face and she looked off into the distance as if taking pride in her work; then broke into more laughter.

Millie shook her head before laying it back against the window and closing her eyes. “So how does it feel being eighteen?” she asked, turning to face Allyson.

“Oh you know,” Allyson replied with a shrug. “Pretty much the same as seventeen, except now I can vote.” She cracked a grin and nudged her friend playfully in the side. “Here they are!” she announced suddenly, pointing behind them as a blue Mustang pulled in beside Allyson’s silver “Soccer-mom” Van. Caroline was out of the driver’s side in an instant, letting out a feral shriek and running to envelop both her friends in a tight hug. A second later Layla sauntered over with a small smile and rested a caramel colored arm against the car.

“This is what I’ve had to deal with the entire car ride here, Caroline is very excited for the trip,” she said bemused, shooting a glare at her perky friend who in return rolled her hazel eyes and wrapped a long strand of thick wavy brown hair around her finger.

“Like you guys aren’t just as excited as me for a weekend getaway?” Her already big doe eyes widened as she looked at her friends with disbelief. “No parents!” she yelled, pumping a fist in the air and making a sound somewhere between a battle cry and a whistle.

Allyson jumped from her perch on top of the car and grabbed Caroline by her tan, slender arm, a smile on her face as she pulled her towards the passenger seat of the car. “Of course we’re all excited. Just remember, you’re supposed to be the one chaperoning us.” This remark earned a laugh from each of the girls, as they all knew Caroline was the least qualified out of all of them for that task.

“Whatever, I still can’t believe Auntie Marilyn thought I would stop you guys from getting into trouble,” she let out a sinister laugh and hopped into the car.

“Yeah considering you and Ally are going to be the ones causing most of it,” Millie retorted, walking around and placing her guitar in the already packed trunk before taking a seat in the back.

“Somebody really knew what they were doing when they chose you two to be cousins,” Layla concluded, getting in the back beside Millie.

Ally rolled her eyes at her friend’s comments and took her seat in the driver’s seat, before putting on the radio in an attempt to drown them out. She loved her friends but being stuck in a car with them for the next couple of hours was going to be interesting.

The car ride there was a blur of fights over which radio station to put on, Ally’s chain smoking, what kind of alcohol to pick up at the liquor store, and who was going to hook up with Justin, who was so sexy. The later was a conversation which excluded Layla, who had a possible girlfriend arriving at the beach house along with the boys, but she enjoyed listening to the other girls bicker. However, it wasn’t a negative experience. The girls only fought because they loved each other, and while there were conflicts there were also a lot of laughs and fun jam sessions to a variety of music. Millie smiled to herself, thinking about how each of her friends could be almost defined by their favorite genres of music. Like how Ally loved music just as hardcore as the person she was or how Layla and Caroline, who were practically connected at the hip, loved anything that was currently popular on the radio because like their personality they liked music which was upbeat and something to dance to. Millie however, was practically in love with John Lennon and any music with a peaceful or liberal message. It was often noted of her that she was born in the wrong decade, and was much better suited to be a flower child.

When the girls finally arrived at the beach house, they couldn’t contain the grins which almost simultaneously spread across their faces. “Wow, I would’ve been happy with a shack.” Millie was the first to comment, as the others were too busy grinning from ear-to-ear as they stared up at the two story house before them. The place didn’t look like a beach house, rather it slightly resembled a house owned by Gatsby, all that was missing was a lavish party on the beach. It was sided in white and surrounded by magnificent windows through which the suns reflection bounced off of, turning it into an almost reinterpretation of the sun. In back of it was a large beach, surrounded on one side by big moss covered rocks and faded into a thickly settled forest.

“It’s perfect!” Layla exclaimed, getting out of the car as fast as possible and running into the house. No doubt to get first dibs on a bed. Millie looked up in fascination, memorizing all the miniscule details of the house while Caroline and Ally shared a conspiratorial look. Of course they had both been there before, considering Caroline’s parents owned it, and her and Ally were cousins. After a moment Ally started removing suitcases from the van and was soon after joined by Millie. Caroline however began walking in the opposite direction.

“Where are you going? You need to help unpack!” Ally yelled after her cousin who in return faced her and shot her her notoriously evil smile.

“I’m calling the boys,” she stated simply before turning back around and heading toward the beach.