My eyes slowly drifted open to see that it was already dark out. Holy cow! I must have passed out for quite a long time. The car was still moving and there was still music playing softly, except it was a different station. I listened to the hum of the tires as I glanced out the window at the passing scenery. Taking a look over at Chelsea, I watched as she let out a long yawn. I sat the seat back up and that was when she finally realized that I had woken up.
“Hey,” she said not taking her eyes off the road.
“Hey. Where are we?”
“We are now in Tennessee,” she shrugged. “I am going to assume that you would like to make a pit stop?”
“Yes, please,” I nodded. She promptly pulled off at the next exit. We got gas, drinks and snacks. We also ate at Big Boy. Since it was well past dark we decided it was time to hunt down a place to crash for the night. After all, she had done a hell of a lot of driving! As long as we got a good start in the morning, we should arrive in Orlando tomorrow afternoon. Chelsea had given her friends a call and they said they would be happy to have us, so that was where we were going.
The sun was shinning brightly when I woke up, the next morning, and my legs were a bit cramped because I actually slept on the couch that night. Chelsea was already up and in the shower so I went outside to stretch my legs. There was still no news on the guys, well nothing new, at least. The gang was still demanding my life in return for AJ and Brian’s. I sighed as I returned to the room.
“There you are,” she smiled as I closed the door. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she was bent over slipping on her shoes.
“I’m going to take a quick shower and then we will head out.”
“Okie dokie,” she responded as I grabbed a change of clothes. It only took me fifteen minutes to complete my shower and get ready to head out.
“I’m driving,” I told her as I closed the trunk of the car.
“Alright,” she nodded, “I am going to turn in the key.” She walked off toward the office and I climbed into the car shoving the seat back. Her return was prompt. We grabbed breakfast at a drive through and pulled back onto the road. Once again, the car fell silent for a while as the radio played at a moderate volume.
We made only a few stops during the day and conversations were few and far between. I think we were both stressed out trying to figure out what the next step was going to be. My mind could not even begin to come up with a plan. The WPP, of course, told me to let the authorities handle the situation…they were of no help to me! Kevin and Howie were saying the same thing but what about Brian and AJ? What would they tell me? I had been relying on AJ, so much, for advice since I had found myself in the WPP. Just when I need the biggest, most important advice, I wasn’t able to consult him.
By the look on her face, I could tell that Chelsea was trying to figure out our next move, too. She was a very sweet girl and I really enjoyed having her with me on this trip. I doubt that she will ever know just how much she has helped me, and how much I am depending on her, right now. A smile crossed my lips as the ‘You Are Now Entering Florida’ sign came into view. Home sweet home!
“Ugh, I am glad the driving is almost over,” I noted. We had stopped to eat and stuff just after crossing the border.
“I can toast to that!” she said holding up her glass of ice water. “I can’t believe that we are here. I have never been to Florida before. Erika and Kelly just moved here less that a year ago and I haven’t been able to come visit. Not that this is much of a visit.”
“Yeah. The circumstances could be a bit better,” I nodded in agreement. Our food arrived and we both shoveled it in like we hadn’t eaten for days. It was some REALLY good steak! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Anyways, after we finished eating we got right back to the driving.
Things were starting to look awfully familiar as we neared her friend’s house. She was giving me directions as we turned, down yet another street, in search of the house. The houses were not very big, but they were a few steps up from the cabin I had been living in. Numbers on the houses were growing, 1756…1782…1813…
“1842! There it is!” she shouted as she pointed excitedly toward the pale yellow house. It was a two story with a front porch, nice small lawn, and a stone pathway.
“Alright then,” I said as I pulled the car along the curb. Chelsea jumped out of the car and sprinted toward the house while I just sat there for a few minutes. The other girls met her on the porch and were now doing that annoying screaming / jumping thing that girls do. I took a deep breath and exited the car.
“O my gosh,” Chelsea turned toward me and was waving for me to come join them. “Kelly, Erika…this…is Elliot.” She smiled as I finally approached them. Linking her arm with mine, she looked up at me and grinned, “Elliot, this is Kelly,” she introduced the shorted brown haired girl, “and this is Erika.” Now, she was pointing to the taller black haired girl.
“Nice to meet you both,” I smiled as I shook their hands.
“Nice to meet you too, Elliot,” Kelly gave me a lopsided smile.
“It is nice to meet you but it’s really funny because you don’t look like an Elliot. I was thinking you look more like a…Nick. Maybe, a Nick Carter, perhaps?” she gave me a smirk then whispered, “the baby blues are a dead give away.” I froze. SHIT! How could I have forgotten to put those color contacts in? Aaaaah, I am so blonde!
“Whatever the case is,” Kelly turned from Erika to face me, “you are welcome and safe in our home.”
“Oh, yeah. You are definitely welcome,” Erika nodded, “you just may get asked to sign a CD or two while you are here. We are pretty big fans, in this house.”
“You guys are crazy,” Chelsea stated.
“Do we have to call you guys Chelsea and Elliot? I am going to get so confused!” Kelly stuck out her bottom lip.
“Yes,” I answered at the same time as Chelsea.
“Oh alright,” Kelly rolled her eyes and opened the front door so that all of us could go inside.
“So,” Erika began, “why didn’t you tall us that the guy friend, you were bringing along, was Nick Carter?” Erika questioned Chelsea.
“Hmmm,” Chels rolled her eyes, “maybe, because you weren’t supposed to know?”
“You didn’t think we would figure it out?” Kelly tilted her head.
“I was hoping not but, I guess, I should have known better.”
“I, kind of, forgot to put in my color contacts,” I mentioned a bit sheepishly. “That may have helped.”
“Sorry, baby, but I am such a Nickaholic…it wouldn’t have mattered,” Kelly snickered.
“But you weren’t the one who pointed out who I was,” I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Um…I was a bit shocked to see you on my front porch,” she replied hanging her head in, what looked like, embarrassment.
“Never mind, all that. You,” Erika pointed to Chelsea, “need to come with us. There is an urgent matter that we need to address.”
Next thing I knew, I was sitting in the living room, on the couch, flipping through channels. I heard Chelsea shout ‘oh my God’ a few times followed by ‘I know’s from the other girls. They were in a room down the hall for about an hour. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but it sounded pretty important as they discussed it heatedly, getting pretty loud at times. So, there I sat, in a strange house and bored. I had no idea what was going on back there and even less of a clue at to what events were going to unravel next.
~~***************~~
Chapter End Notes:
I am typing up the next chapter now, so it should be up soon!!!!
