7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Nick
Logan and I planned to leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow since it would be a nine-hour drive to Nashville, and that was without stopping. We'd packed the Mustang already, for the most part, so we wouldn't have to deal with it in the morning. The only thing we needed to toss into the car was the cooler for food and drinks.
Logan moved things around in the opened trunk, checking and double-checking to make sure we'd packed everything we would need. The trunk and backseat were crammed with a suitcase we had to share, two backpacks, a tent, camping gear, toiletries, and other necessities we'd need while on the road. If worse came to worst, we could always buy it. Although, if we did, I was sure the car would explode if we added anything else.
"God, my poor car," Wyatt said, walking into the garage.
Logan glanced back at him, grinning. "Regrets for bribing me?"
"Never as long as you two get along."
Admittedly, I liked seeing Logan smile.
"We'll do our best," I said.
My stepdad clapped my shoulder and then gripped it. "Good. That's what I like to hear. Anyway, Mia and I will be up early in the morning to see you boys off, not that your sister doesn't have us up at the crack of dawn. I thought those days were long over."
"You love it," I said.
"I really do, as exhausting as it is."
Logan closed the trunk and locked up the car. "Hopefully, we got everything. We'll do one more check tomorrow."
"Whatever you forget, we'll bring it with us when we head your way in a couple of weeks."
"Thanks, Dad."
An hour later, after I'd showered, I fell onto my bed, rolled over, and stared at the phone sitting silently on my nightstand. It'd been pretty quiet since Lauren and I broke up. On days we weren't seeing each other, we could talk on the phone for an hour or more. We didn't always talk, but just ‘hung out' over the phone. I thought we'd been close and in love, but now I questioned everything and looked for any signs I might have missed or where I failed.
It still stung a little that I was about to leave without her and that it'd been nearly two months since we broke up. Not once did she call me to apologize or to see how I was doing. It felt like those years had been wasted. Being as stubborn as I was, I didn't call her, either. If I were Caleb, I'd just hit college and find girls to get with, but that wasn't my style. I'd only had one girlfriend ever, so while I was excited for my future to begin, it was bittersweet, starting a completely new life alone.
The screeching alarm set my heart racing and pounding. I sat up, instantly awake, and glanced at the clock, which read five-forty-five in the morning.
"Here we go," I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes and yawned.
This trip would either be the adventure of a lifetime or an absolute disaster. I prepared for the worst but hoped for the best. And with Logan, who knew? One minute, he was cool, and the next, he'd go completely mental.
After throwing on the clothes that I'd laid out the previous night, I headed to the bathroom I shared with Logan, but I stopped in the doorway and turned around. My room was virtually empty except for the bed, dresser, and desk. All the posters were gone, the souvenirs I collected over the years from our family vacations had been packed away, headed toward my new life, and my tennis trophies were put into boxes, which now sat in the basement.
Sure, I'd see my room again, but it would never be how it used to be. Just like when I returned, I'd be a different man. Probably. Maybe not. I doubted I'd change that much in a few months. Still, I'd like to think I'd be more grown up. Perhaps even a little smarter and wiser.
I guess I was more sentimental than I thought.
Logan and I reached the bathroom at the same time, staring at each other for a beat before he waved me in. "Go for it."
"You go first."
"Just get in the fucking bathroom, and I'll go after you." He pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed. "Sorry. Just… you can go first."
My mouth opened and closed, trying to find words, but before I could argue, he stormed off back into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. How could a person be polite yet such an asshole at the same time? I seriously doubted that I would ever understand Logan Conrad.
I rushed into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and fixed my hair before heading downstairs with an excited pep in my step for a quick bite to eat and to drink down some coffee.
"Morning," I said as I stepped into the kitchen and walked straight to the coffeemaker to pour some brewed coffee he'd brewed already.
Only Mom was in the kitchen, feeding Hannah some milk in her high chair. "Did you sleep okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, like a baby, as always."
"Are you excited?"
I stirred my coffee after pouring some cream and adding sugar to it. I leaned against the counter, blowing on it before taking a tentative sip.
"Sure, I guess. Yeah, I'm kind of excited about the trip Logan has planned out." I smirked and took another sip. "But… the trip's with Logan."
Mom smiled and shook her head. "You boys… what am I going to do with you two? Nick, please get along with him. Try to fix things between you. Wyatt and I are tired of you two fighting all the time."
"I'm going to do my best, Mom."
"That's all I ask."
I was also tired of it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to fix things if he didn't put in some effort, too. He was the bigger asshole around here.
Logan suddenly stormed in and eyed me before grabbing a glass of water and chugging it down. He wore a dark gray Pink Floyd T-shirt with cut-off jeans, exposing long and muscular lightly tanned legs with a dusting of golden-brown hair. He'd always been pretty built, more so than me, but I held my own. His light brown hair was damp, making it wavy, as he ran a hand through it, exposing his strong forehead.
"Ready?" he asked. "We need to hit the road if we want to reach Nashville by late afternoon. I'd like to get the tent set up while it's still light out."
"Yessir, bossypants."
He narrowed his hazel eyes at me before storming off into the garage, and Mom just sighed. "Do you really need to poke the bear so early in the morning?"
Fine, I wasn't going to make it that easy on him.
"What better time than when he's especially growly?" I ignored her sigh as I swallowed back the rest of my coffee, opting to skip breakfast. We had granola bars, among other things, to snack on.
"I made you boys some ham and cheese sandwiches and put them in the cooler if you get hungry."
"Reading my mind!"
"Not reading your mind. You and Logan are always hungry."
"Thanks, Mom."
When I stepped outside and headed to the driveway, the sun was almost up, and the morning had already become humid.
Wyatt hugged Logan and said something only they could hear.
Mom also pulled me into a hug while Hannah yanked on my hair, trying to eat it. "Off, little gremlin. I work hard to look this good," I teased and kissed her head before I kissed Mom on the cheek. "Love you, Mom."
"I love you, too. Call us every day to tell me you're alive. I mean it. Do you have the credit card?"
Logan waved his hand. "It's in my wallet."
It was Logan's turn to get hugged by Mom. His body went stiff, but he gave her a tentative hug back. At least he could be nice to her. If he weren't, I'd have to give him a serious beat-down.
"You boys be careful and drive safely. Seat belts. I mean it. You wear them at all times you're in that car. And… please be careful with my baby," Wyatt said.
After more goodbyes, as if our parents couldn't let us go, we climbed into the car, and Logan started the engine. I had to admit, this was a sweet ride. Wyatt took really good care of it. The interior was also red and shiny after being recently oiled.
"Got everything?" Logan asked.
"Yep."
"You sure?"
"Yes, Dad ."
"This is going to be a long fucking trip," he mumbled. "You're in charge of the map and putting on some music. I've spent months making mixed tapes for this trip."
"Rad," I said, digging in the box holding the maps, and pulled out the one for Virginia.
As soon as we pulled out of the driveway, waving to our parents, another sense of sadness hit me. I would miss them and my home.
I hated that Lauren wouldn't be with me. She was probably getting ready for her trip to New York City. She'd make new friends, have new boyfriends, and live a life without me. It was so weird not having her around after being together for so long.
"I still miss her," I said.
"Who, Lauren?"
"Yeah."
Logan said nothing else, and I didn't expect him to. To kill the silence, I opened the shoebox holding his tapes and pulled one out. He'd written all the songs on each tape in tiny print. His handwriting was neat and concise. Logan had always been kind of a control freak and highly organized. I guess that was how he got into Berkeley, and it was also his dad's alma mater.
I popped in the tape, and the car was filled with the synth beats of Duran Duran .
I rested my head on the open window and watched the small town of Vienna pass us by, saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new.