This chapter is dedicated to Kindrajoy.

***

It was Scarlett's turn to drive and I was riding shotgun. I had picked Marianas Trench and Falling In Reverse as our music for this stretch as it was a particularly long one. Everyone felt pretty sad to be leaving the lake and the gorgeous view but we had to keep going. Breakfast was just plain cereal and Kyle and Luke had to make sandwiches for lunch during the drive. We stopped at a Starbucks halfway at lunchtime to get coffees.

I was just inside collecting our orders and paying when this random girl came up to me. She had light brown hair and grey eyes and wore a black sundress with sunflowers on it.

"Hey, um. Sorry to bother you but I love your outfit and I think you're really pretty. Could I have a picture? I'm meant to do a photo project for the summer on summer style."

"Okay sure. By the way, you look familiar. What school do you go to?" I asked, striking a pose.

"Kennedy High. I'm Sarah by the way," the girl answered.

"I also go to Kennedy High! I'm Jay. How come I haven't seen you around?"

"Oh, I'm pretty shy. Plus I hang with the photography club."

She snapped a few more pics and thanked me. We swapped numbers and promised to see each other at school. When I got back to the Kombi, Scarlett asked what took so long. I told her about Sarah.

"See?" Scarlett said. "I told you those shorts would get your legs noticed."

I laughed. It was true. I was going to wear leggings this morning but Scarlett had convinced me to wear shorts.

We got on the road again and drove until 16:00 when we reached the coastal campsite. It was a parking lot for RV's by the sea and it was busy. There were at least ten other RV's camping out there.

"Oh well. We'll make the best of it," I sighed.

We waited for the sunset before taking a stroll along the beach front boardwalk. Scarlett produced a Polaroid camera and we snapped some awesome pics. I had always thought Sydney was the most beautiful place on earth but this was a side to New Jersey that I had never seen. Maybe not the most beautiful, but definitely enough to take my breath away.

Afterwards we headed back to the Kombi and ordered pizza. Three large pepperonis later and I took out some beers. At one in the morning, we all went to bed, laughing and a little tipsy.

☆☆☆

The next morning my dad and Christine Skyped us and asked how things were. It was seriously bad timing though. Everyone felt slightly hungover and hadn't showered yet. I just told them that we hadn't slept well because the neighbouring RV's were partying all night. We made small talk for about ten minutes and then I said I had to go.

Thank God. I didn't know how much longer I could have kept that up.

Scarlett and I went to the communal showers first to shower while the boys watched the Kombi. Then they showered and we girls watched the stuff. Then we spent the whole day swimming, tanning and chilling at the theme park. We took snaps on the ferris wheel and playing miniature golf and eating ice cream. Cookie dough for me, vanilla and chocolate for Luke, mint for Kyle and bubblegum for Scarlett. All in all, it was a perfect day. We went to a restaurant for dinner and ate east Asian. We talked and laughed and made plans to do this again next year for spring break.

If I'm still here next year.

My guilty thoughts marred my enjoyment only slightly. I was having fun on this trip and bonding with my friends and stepbrother. Life was freaking amazing.

☆☆☆

It was the next morning and I received a phone call from Kat.

"Did you get the USB?"

"Nice to hear from you too," she laughed.

"Sorry. It's nice to hear from you. Now do you have the flash drive?"

"Yes. So I went to his house and we practiced for a few hours and then went out for pizza. Halfway through rehearsal, I asked where the bathroom was and said I felt a little nauseous. Conveniently, Nate called him to distract him while I go scratch around."

"I'm only imagining this was almost a close call."

"It was. So I'm in his room and I've found the flash after two minutes. I'm about to leave when I hear him walking to his room, still talking to Nate. I grab the flash and dive under his bed."

At this point I'm just howling with laughter.

"And then he talks to Nate for another five minutes while I'm under his bed, suffocating from the stench of dirty Nikes. Eventually, he goes downstairs and I escape from his room. I make like I've been cleaning myself up on the bathroom the whole time."

"Kat. You are a freaking legend!"

"I know. Although I prefer the term 'boss-ass bitch'. Anyways see you in a few days," she said.

"Bye! Thank you for all the effort," I reply and cut the call.

I fill in Luke, Scarlett and Kyle on Kat's success and soon we're all laughing and joking about her predicament. We spent the rest of the morning swimming and had lunch. Then it was time for the next stretch.