He doesn’t care about all of the reasons we shouldn’t be flirting right now.
This is the best day ever.
And also the worst day ever.
Because there is no way I can get myself to Lawson on Saturday.
Chapter 23
I’ve watched a lot of movies by myself in my apartment. I stay away from girly romance movies, but that doesn’t really matter because romance seems to be in just about every plot. It’s in action films and horror films and every single superhero movie. If I’ve learned anything from movies, it’s that a huge romantic gesture usually wins the girl over.
I’ve been texting with Avery for an hour now. She can’t make it to Jett’s party which is my only reason for wanting to go this year. I don’t care about riding on his track or swimming in his heated pool or hanging out with this cool ass dad. I just wanted to see her. And now she’s not going.
I look up every airline and every flight. I’m trying to find something to send her from Dallas to Houston before the party but it’s all booked up. I’ve looked into trying to rent a car for her but you have to be twenty-five years old to legally rent a car. I roll my eyes. The law says I’m old enough to buy beer and get drunk enough to make stupid decisions, but it doesn’t want me to rent a car? That doesn’t make any sense at all.
I’ve exhausted all travel sources. Every flight website. Google. I can’t find a single flight for her. I don’t know how she’d feel if I bought her a ticket, especially at overpriced holiday surge rates, but I have to try. I feel like bashing my head against the computer, and then I get another idea. I search for flights from my house to hers. California is much busier and has more flights out, and sure enough there are a few seats on a flight that leaves tomorrow morning. I’d get to Dallas at noon, and then Keanna and I could drive to Jett’s house and arrive at night, stay there overnight and be there for the party on Saturday.
I can’t believe I’m even thinking of this. Will she like it? Will she think I’m insane?
I text her and ask what city she lives in, since I know it’s probably not Dallas, but one just outside of it.
Green Leaf. I search that, and find that it’s an hour away from the airport. Then six and a half hours away from Jett’s house. Even if I book the flight, that leaves one very important detail uncovered. How are we going to drive there?
I call three car rental places and explain my situation, but none of them want to rent a car for me. I offer to pay a huge deposit, but they all say it’s a law and they won’t break it. Jerks. Those rental cars are cheap models anyway, probably not even worth ten grand, yet if I offer to give them a ten thousand dollar deposit they still won’t take it.
Then I get an idea.
It’s definitely crazy. And it’s all just to see a girl at a party. But, hey that’s what life is all about right? Doing crazy things to make sure you don’t miss out on what matters in life. I think Dylan Baker would be proud of me.
I book the flight.
Avery has no idea. We texted all night and now I’ve sent her a good morning text on my way to the airport. I’m not sure when to break the news to her, but it’ll have to be soon because I need her exact address in order to pick her up. Everything else is all arranged. My flight lands in Dallas at noon, then I’ll take a taxi to a nearby used car lot. I’ve already spoken with the owner, a man named Greg, who agreed to sell me a used car. I had him get all the paperwork ready last night so that all I have to do is sign, drop off the check, and drive away. I don’t have time to wait for a car purchase to go through—this has to be fast.
It all goes smoothly, and within fifteen minutes of shaking Greg’s hand, I’m sliding behind the steering wheel of my three-year-old car, the same model that Avery happened to tell me she liked. It’s shiny red with black leather interior and it’s in pretty excellent shape for being used. It’s ironic how the law won’t let me rent a car but they’re totally fine with me buying one.
I pick up my phone while I sit in the parking lot at the dealership. This isn’t really a texting situation, even though we’ve texted a few times today. I call her and my heart beats so nervously in my head that I can barely hear the phone ring in my ear.
She answers after five rings, just long enough to have made me start worrying.
“Hello?” Her voice is nervous and it makes me smile.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Um… nothing really.”
I grin. “Want to know what I’m doing?”
“I assume you’re getting ready for Jett’s party,” she says.
“Yeah, only I changed my plans a little.”
“What does that mean?” I think she’s a little suspicious now, and suddenly I’m scared to tell her the plan. What if she thinks it’s weird? What if she doesn’t like me the way I like her?
I take a deep breath. “I changed my flight to take me to Dallas instead of Houston. I’m here now, actually. I was hoping to get your address so I can pick you up and we can head to Jett’s.”
“You know that’s a six and a half hour drive away?” she says. I try to analyze her voice, but it sounds mostly stunned, not annoyed. That’s a good sign.
“Yes, ma’am I do. But there’s no one else I’d rather take a road trip with than you.”
