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Chapter One Chapter One

 

            “Oh stop, I can’t take it anymore!” Andrea yelled to her cousin, Annie, as they were driving down the interstate. 

 

            “What?  Now I’m not allowed to complain about this?  I cannot believe that I am actually on this insane road trip with you anyway,” Annie retorted.  “I mean, I know that I said if they every go back on tour we would totally go, but I didn’t actually think it would happen so I didn’t think I had anything to worry about!” 

 

They rode in silence for about a mile, but Andrea could not help the smile that was creeping onto her face.  She looked over at her cousin, who was also trying to halt a smile but was not winning that battle. 

 

“I know you are excited about this, so don’t even try to hide it,” Andrea said to Annie.  “You can lie to everyone else about where we are going and what we are doing, but you and I both know the truth, and the truth is you planned this whole trip, and you cannot say it was all for me.  You’re still in love with them too, you big teeny bopper!”

 

They burst out laughing in unison, and it continued until tears welled up in their eyes and Andrea could no longer clearly see the road she was driving on.  As they were wiping away the tears that had collected in the corners of their eyes, Annie looked over at her cousin.  Andrea met her gaze and gave her a brief smile, but Annie could see much more emotion behind her cousin’s eyes.  There were more than just her tears from laughter; she knew her cousin was thinking about the past 8 months, because she too had been thinking about the exact same thing.

 

            “I’m sorry Andi,” Annie said with a hint of sadness in her voice.  But her voice perked up when she said, “I am very excited about this trip, but not because I am still in love with them.  I am excited because this is our first ‘long distance’ road trip together, not just a day or two.  We are going to be on the road together for three whole weeks!”

 

            “I am really excited about it too, Annie.  I still can’t believe we were able to take our vacations at the same time.  The Gods were smiling on us the day we requested that, don’t you think?  And I’m very proud of you for not making a single comment about how expensive this is going to be either,” Andrea stated jokingly with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. 

 

Andrea and Annie worked for Jingle All the Way, a jingle writing/producing company that the two girls had founded.  When they were younger they had always said they wanted to do everything together as they grew up, which included working together.  They had always been inseparable since they were toddlers, and the fact that Andrea was only one year older than Annie always aided in that closeness. 

 

When Andrea graduated High School, Annie still had a year left, so Andrea decided to work for a year at her job, the same job she’d had since she was 16, and go to college with Annie after she graduated.  During that year though, Andrea had decided that she did not want to keep doing the same thing day after day for a company that meant nothing to her.  She sat Annie down a few months before her High School graduation, and they decided together they wanted more than that, and they started to put their plan into action. 

 

Instead of going to a university like they were planning to do, they took courses at the Technical College in the areas of business operations, management, and finances.  While in school, they came up with a concept for a business they wanted to have, put together a business plan, and submitted it to area business men and women in hopes of finding someone to help fund their venture.  A week and a half before graduation they got the call they were waiting for, and three months later, along with help from some very close business associates, they opened the doors to Jingle All the Way.

 

“Yeah, it is rather amazing that we are going to be gone for that long and the place is going to stay afloat,” commented Annie.  “I can’t believe that this is our first real vacation from that place since we started it three years ago.  And why would I say anything about how much this is going to cost?  You’re the one to tries to talk the salesperson into giving you something for free just because you spent money in the store!”

 

“Touché,” said Andrea with a smile.  She drove for a few more miles without saying anything, and then she turned to her cousin with a thoughtful look in her eyes and said, “Thank you for this Annabelle, I really need it.”

 

“I know you do, and that’s why I’m not going to say anything else negative about them, and I’m going to enjoy myself just as much as you will.  And I will deny this vehemently if you repeat my words to anyone, but I am still in love with them!”  Annie squawked as her cheeks turned red and a stupid smile came across her face.

 

“I knew it!” Andrea said in an I-told-you-so tone of voice.  “But why are we calling them ‘them’, are you unable to say their names without having a teeny bopper hyper-spaz fit?”

 

“No, I can say it,” responded Annie defiantly.  “I am just trying to not be as immature as you and build this up.”

 

“Then say it!” challenged Andrea.

 

“Oh fine,” stammered Annie.  “I’ll say it-Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys; are you happy now?”

 

“Very,” chided Andrea.  “Acknowledging the love you feel for the boys is the first step to recovery!”

 

“Cute…. just drive,” replied Annie, pretending to be annoyed. 

 

Andrea was laughing despite her attempts not to, and Annie soon joined in.  It was typical of the relationship they had; most of their time together was always spent goofing around, laughing, and partaking in some very interesting conversations.

 

When the laughter had died down a bit, Annie turned to Andrea and said, “I always have so much fun with you.  It’s been so long since you’ve been able to laugh and have a good time like this.  I’ve missed it so much.” 

 

The look on Andrea’s face led Annie to believe that maybe she shouldn’t have said that, but she so desperately wanted her cousin to know that it’s okay to have fun again and to move on.  Tears started to well up in Andrea’s eyes and Annie knew instinctively what was wrong, that night eight months ago was haunting them both, again, and Annie wondered to herself how she could help her best friend move on.  When will it be okay, what will it take or whom will it take?