Two best friends set out on a wacky adventure they didn’t expect to endure. They hail from Illinois, the most boring state known to womankind. They decide to go on a road trip over the summer, to get away from creepy parents and stress, and of course, little brothers. What they didn’t expect is they would loose their clothes (Beware of thongs), pick up stragglers in Ohio, meet a moose with an anger problem in Minnesota, slip into a 21 concert in New York undetected (or so they thought), and meet the loves of their lives on the way. One exciting, grinding, suspenseful, comedy, romance, action thriller!!! Rated R for language, suggestive themes, sexual connotations, and the highway to hell...(and heaven)!

A/N: I know this chapter doesn’t really convey the characters of Denver and Bridge, but the next one definitely will. I promise. It’s just a chapter to start off the story. And I hope a lot of people will read it because the second chapter gets much more interesting. MUCH!! It's heart-wrenchingly romantic mish-mash. Sort of. R&R please!!heart I'm with Sid Vicious

Poke. He wouldn’t stop poking me. He never stops poking me.

“ Denver! Please?”

I rolled over onto my stomach and picked a blade of grass. Ignoring him was the best method, besides hoping into the car and going to Bridge’s house. I sighed and counted to seven, chewing thoughtfully on the grass as I went. If this is what I was going to have to endure all summer, then I’d simply kill myself and get it over with, before Eric pokes me to death.

“ I’m gonna tell mom.” He warned in that little voice, that only six-year-olds could manage. I was up to seven when I heard him walking away. As soon as I knew he was gone, I flipped around to my back and gazed at the clouds. There must be so much more out there for me. This summer would undoubtedly turn into an apocalypse of sorts. I swept my short hair up into a ponytail and tied it. My phone vibrated on the ground next to me and I watched it, hoping it was who I thought it was.

“ Hello?”

“ We have to get out of here.” Bridge said, breathing heavily in anger. “ This new baby is gonna kill me.”

I chuckled and threw the grass away from me.

“ Is she crying?”

“ To no end.”

“ Why don’t you come over then?”

“ Is Eric going to bombard me with hugs and kicks to the shin?”

“ We’ll see...” I told her, examining my legs. “ I need to shave.”

There was a pause in the conversation. I suddenly heard Bridge gasp.

“ Denver, we are eighteen right? We have our own credit cards, cell phones, cars, responsibility, and lives, right?”

“ What’s on your mind, my friend?” I asked her, sitting up now in anticipation. She giggled and I almost exploded, all too eager to hear her out.

“ I’ll show you when I get there.” She said and hung up, leaving me to wonder. Maybe for once she would have a good idea that wouldn’t shame us, or get us grounded for ‘life’. Like the animal rights protests. All eleven times we were caught letting the animals out of their cages and all eleven times we were grounded for more than a month each. And just a week ago, she had the brilliant idea of liberating the animals in the smelly pet shop on the corner. I talked her out of that one of course, which was the only reason I was outside, chewing grass on a marvelous day like this. I would be stuck inside, doing paperwork for my mother and vacuuming the carpets of cracker crumbs and tiny plastic dinosaurs.

I heard a car door slam and I waited patiently for Bridge’s shadow to fall over me. I heard her excited yelp before that could happen, causing me to sit up and grin. She did a cartwheel over to me and landed on her butt. She giggled nevertheless. I motioned with my hand for her to tell me and she sucked in her breath and let it out.

“ Denver, we’re going on a road trip!”

I blinked at her, licking my lips. The idea tasted of danger and excitement, a frivolous journey of womanish joy. I hugged her and squealed.

“ Where? I mean...oh.” I looked up to my mother standing over us with a tray of cookies, and Eric grabbing her shorts and pulling, trying to tell her how I didn’t give him juice.

My mom smiled at us and handed me the tray.

“ So, what are you girls up to?”

“ Mom, I’ve decided what I’m going to do this summer.” I grinned and waited for her to tell me to spill it. All she did was nod and pick up Eric.

“ Aren’t you going to ask me what it is?”

“ Not really, as long as it doesn’t involve releasing animals.”

“ But I need you permission for it!”

“ Spill.” She said.

“ Bridge and I are going on a road trip.” I said and gave her a gigantic smile and hoped to god she wouldn’t say that I couldn’t go because she had some more paperwork for me to do. The smile slightly faded off her face but she maintained he composure because of Bridge’s presence.

“ I don’t really think its safe Denver. Where will you girls be going?”

“ Florida!” Bridge piped up and used her useful charm against my mom. Her black, curly hair flung around her face in the slight breeze, and she tucked it behind her ear. “ I go there every year with my family and I decided it would be great if Denver and I could go. It wasn’t her idea really, and if you deem the idea unsafe that’s all right. We could go become camp counselors instead.” She grinned and looked at the ground. “ It’s up to you Mrs. B.”

My mom shuddered at the thought of us being camp counselors. She had been one for a couple years when she was our age. In her words, the whole experience was horrific.

“ Well as long as your parents agree as well. I’m sure Seth won't mind.” Seth is my stepfather. He was alight by my standards, a little on the standoffish side, but it was okay since he let everything go. Bridge smiled and nudged me.

“ Actually, I already talked to my parents. They said it would be great and even gave me the maps that we use. Oh Mrs. B. Thanks so much. We’ll have so much fun, you don’t need to worry about us.”

“ I sure hope not. When are you leaving?”

“ Uh...” I said and looked at Bridge who seemed to have everything planned out and was bursting to go.

“ Tomorrow.” She said, and my mom gave me a look. I shrugged and gave her an ‘I love you’ look and she sighed.

“ As long as you know what you’re doing.” She said, basically giving me permission to go. I thanked and she went back into the house. I bounced around grabbed Bridge, spinning her around and around in glee. We would finally be adults out in the world. We landed on the grass and giggled like children.

“ Did you actually plan anything out?” I asked her once the giggles had subsided. She nodded and threw a few maps at me.

“ We’ll make some stops on the way, obviously, as it is a road trip really.” She opened one of the maps and leaning on her elbows, examined it. “ I still have a lot of money on my credit card, and lots of minutes on the phone. I’m sure you do too. I asked for three weeks off from work and since I’ve been working there since I was fifteen, they let me. My parents said I could go if you were going, and gave me the names of a few hotels along the way and in Florida”.

“ I’ve never even noticed you go to Florida every year.” I said, feeling my forehead scrunch. I really had to stop doing that before I got wrinkles.

“ I’ve never been there before. My parents have, a lot of times, but before I was born and when I was little. This is seriously like my dream come true! And what if I meet some fantabulous guy there and we fall in love-?” She stopped and looked at me. “ That’s your line.”

I blushed and pushed her.

“ I can't help it if I’m hopeless.”

“ Anyway,” She said, shoving me back. “ You’d better start packing now. My parents gave me their extra credit card and we’re going over some traveler’s checks stuff when I get home. Pack basically all your clothes sweetie.” She said, winking. “ This is going to be the times of our lives!” She screamed and hopped into her convertible. I grinned as she sped away. I looked at the maps on the green grass and the spot where Bridge had been laying. Gathering up the maps, I realized she was right. What else could be the time of my life, other than being with my best friend away from Moo-ville, Illinois? I bounded to my room and stared at my closet and drawers. This was going to be one long night.

---

In the morning I discovered it would be easier if I made a few lists, instead of just throwing random stuff in my suitcase, which was squashed because I had slept on it. I organized two lists: one for clothing and one for necessities and other. I just finished my period and didn’t think it would come anytime soon. I knew Bridge just got off hers, knowing we were simultaneous menstruation-wise. I got another bag for all my things and then fixed my disheveled suitcase of clothes. I wanted to be able to find things, and not have them be all wrinkly. Bridge called me and I looked at the time. It was eight and she wanted to be ready by eleven. I panicked and packed faster. By the time I was done it was nine, and I still hadn’t packed all my shampoos and lotions and such. I wondered about shoes. It was hard not having enough time to pack. I gave up and threw some sandals and hiking shoes into my suitcase. They were clean; I hoped. I went down for breakfast with my mom and she gave me a huge safety talk and gave me some condoms in case we were stranded in some forest somewhere. Where she got the condoms, I hoped to never find out. She also handed me her spare vacation credit card and some money as well.

“ You’ll need paper towels and these little moist wipes.”

“ Towelettes?”I asked.

“ Yeah.” She said, throwing some in my direction, missing the table and hitting Dudley under it.

“ Dudley.” I said, grabbing his face and mashing around his cheeks. “ I’m gonna miss my doggie.” He gave me a lick and I petted him once more.

“ Keys?”

“ Purse. I have all my stuff like that in my purse. I’ll put these towelettes in there too.” I said chuckling.

“ You’re all grown up, it seems.” She said, slightly tearing up.

“ Oh mom.” I stood up and hugged her.

“ Just do me a big favor. Be safe and don’t pick up any hitchhikers.”

“ Don’t worry. I’m not planning on ruining my life this early on.”

“ And say bye to Eric. He’ll miss you.”

“ If he could, he would say ‘good riddance’ mom. I never give him his juice.” I said, shrugging and hoping she wouldn’t hold it against me.

“ Well, he does get hyper.”

I looked at the clock. It was ten and Bridge would be here any minute. Right on cue, the doorbell rang and I gave my mom one last hug. I opened the door and let her in with all her things. She threw them on the floor, huffing and then delicately placed her purse on top of the heap we created.

“ We’re definitely taking my car.” I said.

She nodded and still out of breath, waved to my mom. My mom smiled and wrapped her bathrobe around herself more tightly.

“ I’m going to miss you girls and your shenanigans. No setting any animals free, you hear?” She gave us a smile. We nodded and headed out to the garage, where my Jeep Cherokee was. I opened up the trunk and Bridge passed me her suitcase. It was bulging.

“ Did you pack your whole room?” I asked her.

“ Pretty much.” She replied, more serious than I had been. “ What did you do about shoes?”

“ Well I'm wearing my Converse, and I threw my sandals and hiking boots in.”

“ Why hiking boots?”

“ You never know.” I said mysteriously, launching my own suitcase into the trunk. She put our two other bags on top and I closed the trunk.

“ We’re putting the cooler in the backseat, right?” She asked, eyeing the car. I nodded and went to the kitchen to put the food in.

“ I brought Lunchables.” She said grinning. “ To bring back elementary school memories. All the cool kids had Lunchables. Now we’re the cool kids who are going on a road trip.”

I felt a surge of excitement pass through me. I grabbed her arm and looked at her.

“ Is this real?”

“ Of course, silly. Lets go pack the cooler so we can make it more real than just standing here discussing it.”

We shoved any edible items from the refrigerator into the cooler and put more ice on top. The drinks were in a smaller, separate cooler, and we placed both in the backseat between two sleeping bags, in case we did get stranded in a forest. Bridge grabbed her pillow and CDs from her car and we got in the Jeep. I started the car and backed out of the garage.

Bridge looked at me and then ahead. I knew she was giving a silent prayer that we’d be safe. I sped forward onto the path of mystery and adventure. Two minutes later we were on the side of the street changing my tire. Then I sped onto the path of mystery and adventure.