Then she'd roll over; her leg would kick out or her arm would come toward me. Yeah, totally not going to let you know how some of that stuff affected me.
Then when I'd finally fall asleep...she'd snore. It's not as bad as Aspen made it sound and I know that's not really supposed to be a big turn on or anything, but yeah, it was, okay. It's cool she feels comfortable enough around me to sleep and not worry about it.
Still, I'm tired as hell today and glad we're not going to be driving too long. We decided to keep with the original plan to stay in Salt Lake even though we're a day late getting there. That will give us some more time to hang out and have some fun.
It wasn't very easy for the others to explain to their parents why we didn't go there last night, but it all worked out.
Bastian and I have already loaded the car with the stuff and he ran to see what is taking the girls so long.
I lean my head back, playing with the keys while I wait for them to get down here. A few minutes later, Bastian jumps in the back beside me. Aspen's taking the first driving shift today.
"They're on their way," he tells me. There are a few minutes of silence which when it comes to Bastian, I know it can't be a good thing. When he speaks again, he confirms it. "So...about you and Pris."
I can't help it, I start to laugh.
"What's so funny?" he pouts like he's famous for.
"You. Aren't you the one who's always saying not to ask about other girls?" He used to give me crap when I asked him about some girl he was hooking up with or whatever. Not that Priscilla and I are doing that, but still. I have to take my shots against him where I can.
"That's different. This is one of our girls."
His words make my stomach hurt. They shouldn't because she is just as much his girl as she is mine. They're good friends just like we are, but it makes me feel like puking. "There's nothing to tell, Gossip Girl. We talked. We're cool and that's that."
Luckily, I see the girls coming to save me from Sebastian and anymore questions I don't want to answer. They head to the back of the Explorer and I get an idea. I elbow Bastian who looks at me funny, but waits to see what I'm going to do. We keep facing the front. Once they finish getting whatever they needed, I hear the rear door close, I hit the button to make it pop open. One of the girls grabs it and closes it again. The second it clicks, I hit the open button again.
"What the heck?" I hear Aspen say. I can see Bastian biting his cheek so he doesn't laugh.
"Do it hard. Maybe you have to slam it?" Priscilla replies to her.
This time they slam it so hard, it practically vibrates the Explorer and my finger jabs the button making it pop open again.
"Jaden!" Priscilla shrieks. "You dork!"
By now Bastian and I are rolling in the backseat we're laughing so hard. I have no idea how she knew it was me and not him, but it's funny as hell.
"Do it hard!" I toss back at her which makes Bastian start to laugh even louder.
Priscilla gives me a dirty look when she climbs into the passenger seat, but I can see a smile trying to peek through. "You need serious help."
"Are you kidding? That was classic."
"You guys totally have to listen to our music for that."
"And close the hatch!" Aspen adds.
Still laughing, I get out and close the back door before tossing the keys to Aspen. A few minutes later, we' pull onto the street and a harmonica comes through the speaker before some guy starts singing, his voice kind of gravely, but somehow smooth at the same time.
"Umm, what the hell is this?"
"Our music. It's Bobby Long." Priscilla doesn't even look back when she replies.
"Bobby who?"
"You heard me."
"Argh. We're in for a long few hours, man," Bastian says from beside me.
"Word."
By the time Aspen pulls onto the freeway, it cuts into another song about some chick wearing green, pink, and all these colors. I totally don't get what the guy is talking about, but even though I won't admit it, it might not be so bad. As the guy keeps singing, I let my eyes close to get some sleep, thinking about Priscilla's smirk and how I know, she thought my joke was funny too.
***
"Jay, wake up. Are you hungry?"
Clouds are trying to part in my head at the sound of Priscilla's voice. Man, I must have really passed out. My eyes open and she's standing at my open door, Bastian and Aspen nowhere in sight.
"We stopped to eat. You want something?"
"Yeah. I'm starved." We didn't eat breakfast before we left this morning and my stomach is growling.
They stopped at some hole-in-the-wall diner that looks like it came out of a movie or something, I'm assuming because we're in the boonies and there's nowhere else to go.
Priscilla scoots back and I get out of the car and stretch, before walking with her. Once we get inside I realize I really need to take a leak. My mouth is all dry and cottony, too. Priscilla starts to head over to Bastian and Aspen who are sitting in a corner booth, when I stop her. "I'm going to the bathroom. If they take a drink order before I get back, will you grab me a soda?"
"I guess." She winks at me and I freeze, because damn it's hot when a girl winks.
I do my business and then wash my hands and splash some water on my face, hoping it will help me wake up. When I'm done, I'm walking back to the table when I see Priscilla halfway across the room from our table, with the waitress. It looks like she had to run to catch up with her or something.
"Umm, excuse me. I was on the phone and my friend accidentally ordered a Pepsi for my other friend, but he likes Cherry Pepsi. Is it too late to change that?"
I start to step around the corner to tell her it's not a big deal. I like Cherry Pepsi better, but I can drink anything. But it kind of is a big deal. Which, yeah, I know. It's lame. Who cares what kind of soda it is, but that's not the point. What matters is she knows what I prefer. That she left the table to talk to the waitress so I would have the kind of freaking soda I want. Not because she had to or because I asked for a specific kind or any of the other billion reasons someone can do something their obligated for. She just did it...for me. Just because she wants me to have what I like.
Yeah. To me, that totally is a big deal.
So I stay ducked around the corner and let her finish talking to the waitress and then I watch her head back over to the table and sit down before I head that way, too. Plopping down beside her in the booth, I look around the table and say, "Please tell me one of you were smart enough to get me a Cherry Pepsi."
"Umm, yeah. I did." Priscilla almost looks embarrassed.
Me? I feel good, because even though I didn't come out and say it, I found a way to thank her for thinking of me. Sometimes it's easier to say things when you don't really have to say them at all.
***
Honestly? We don't really have a ton of stuff planned in Salt Lake. There are two things we really want to do. Sebastian is determined to go rafting down the Provo River. He thinks it will earn him man points or something—not that the rapids are too huge or anything, but we've heard it's a good time.
The other thing is we're supposed to eat at this place called Café Rio. Priscilla and her family eat there when they come to stay at the place they keep here for when they coming skiing in the winter. Yep, she has a place in Salt Lake. Which, in the grand scheme of things, isn't that big a deal, but also, she has a second house in Salt Lake. And we're staying there. Should be a good time, right?
Back to the Café. According to her, they make their own tortillas on a stone or something. Sounds strange to me, but she says it's the best place to eat Mexican food while you're here.
Once we get into town we head to the house first. It's seriously huge. Probably three of my houses. It's never really bothered me because she's not one of those girls who flaunts it. Priscilla couldn't honestly give a shit about her parents' money, but since I've been on a poor-me-kick lately, it kind of sucks. I keep thinking about how her dad looked at me at the police station all beat up and pierced and then the fact that they obviously didn't want me at her graduation party and suddenly Mike's words start trying to push their way into my head again. Into our trip when I don't want that bastard anywhere near us.
Not that I'm not a bastard too.
The elbow that's holding my head up gets pushed out from under me, snapping me out of it. I turn and Priscilla is sitting by me. She starts mumbling stuff in Spanish.
"Why do you do that when you know I have no clue what you're saying?" I sound pissy now even though I know I shouldn't.
She and I are in the kitchen and I'm not sure where the others snuck away to. I'm pretty sure they're locked in a room and we won't want to bother them, though.
"I do it because I don't want you to know what I'm saying. Or when you make me mad." She shrugs. "Or as it typically goes, both at the same time."
She's wearing this little tank-top thing that shows a whole lot of skin. I'm not sure if I want to thank God or pry my eyes out because it sucks to be able to see and not touch.
"What did I do?"
"Dios," she sounds frustrated now. Priscilla leans over the counter that separates us. Her head is in her hands, her elbows on the counter the way I just was. "Because you're getting upset, or thinking about something you don't like. Or something that bothers you, that you'll pretend isn't a big deal and never tell us, because why would Jaden need his friends?"
For a second, I'm stunned. I want to tell her I'm not like that, but we both know I am. Then I want to find out if she's freaking psychic, because how else would she know what I was thinking? And, third, let's get back to the stunned part because Priscilla has never really been one to keep things in, but first her admission last night and now this? She's usually not quite so open. I'm not sure what to think of it.