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Dallas reached the curb of Arizona’s driveway and grinned when he saw what she was doing. Arizona was in the back seat of Genesis’s car (well, half-in, half-out) raking garbage into a large waste bag. Genesis was sitting on the trunk, watching Arizona’s progress but making no attempt to help.
“Well, well. I see who does all your dirty work,” Dallas joked.
Arizona lifted out of the car and shrugged. “I just told Gen that if she’s going to have people riding in her back seat, she could at least clean it out.”
“And I told her that if she was so self conscious about it, she ought to clean it herself,” Genesis asserted. There was a wide grin on her face. “The way I figure it, beggers can’t be choosers. If someone wants a ride from me, they can live with the filth.”
Dallas leaned against the side of the car, positioned directly between the girls. “Cleaning up for me? Honey. You shouldn’t have.”
Arizona smiled. “It wasn’t like that, it was more . . . I dunno . . . ”
“Courtesy,” Genesis reminded her. “That’s what she kept telling me it was about, anyway.”
His eyebrow lifted, and Arizona locked on to his eyes. They were smirking at her. “How’d you know I was going to need a ride?” he teased. “Told you I might show up.”
“She didn’t know,” Genesis replied, hopping off the trunk. “I did. Everybody in!”
Arizona walked the shockingly full garbage bag to the curb. Dallas slid into the back seat. When Arizona rejoined them, Genesis had already begun The Drill.
“There’s three other girls,” she began. “Paige, Mariah, and LeeAnne. Now, Paige is easy to remember because she’s ridiculously short and platinum blonde. LeeAnne’s going to be the tallest one, and she’s got really straight long brown hair.”
Arizona giggled. “You sound like you’re selling furniture.”
“The boys might be a little bit harder at first, but believe me, you know the distinctions fast.” Genesis blew a bubble with her gum. “Especially Garland.”
Dallas didn’t have the heart to tell her that names wouldn’t help him at all until he saw faces. He sat back and listened though, as first Gen then Arizona recapped random Gang facts and stories. He felt like he was entering some weird, secret society. Probably they’d all felt like that.
The entire trip had turned out like nothing he’d expected. Visions before he left New York involved a gorgeous but brief love affair with a brunette vixen. Then, Cashus went on the date of his dreams and fell head-over-heels as only a sixteen year old boy can. Then, Lee had called him to say that she wasn’t interested. So instead of spending most of his time with LeeAnne, Cashus experienced something different – something that would probably stay with him a lot longer. Every day had been about hanging out with Felix. Best friends, ever since the pair attended elementary school together. Probably if everything had gone according to plan, Cashus would have had a very exciting trip. He would have overlooked Felix, though. Sometimes things happened for a reason.
LeeAnne and Sasha went through the course of the meeting without mentioning their date and the new road that they were on. They’d agreed that one of them would bring it up when it felt natural. Conversation moved too fast. Garland, who would normally have blurted it out for them on his own, had forgotten. He was too busy to gossip – there were people to entertain. Dallas, Garland, and Cashus spent most of the ‘meeting’ telling jokes to one another, letting Garland lead the way as Head Clown. Everyone in The Gang took a liking to Dallas immediately. They didn’t know a lot about the actual situation he was in – only that he was out of school and wouldn’t be able to make it to all the meetings – but everyone made it clear to Dallas that he was welcome to hang out again.
Garland looked at his watch. “I think your girlfriend bailed on us, Morg. We’ve been here almost three hours. I’m gonna have to go home soon.”
“Me, too,” Cashus said quietly. “On the plane, I mean.”
Mariah winked at him. “Hope you had a blast, buddy.”
Cashus nodded. “I did. Thanks.” He and LeeAnne exchanged a look and both smiled. Oh, life and it’s could-have-beens.
“Let me try to call Paige’s cell,” Morgan said. “I really thought she was going to show up.”
“I’m here,” came Paige’s voice. She appeared in the open doorway. “Sorry, I know I’m really late, I’m just so excited!” Paige crossed the room to sit by Morgan. The movement was somewhere between a bounce and a frolic. “I’ve got the best news ever, guys, you’re going to super-duper forgive me for being late!”
Dallas cracked a smile. Short and platinum blonde.
“What’s going on?” asked Morgan. “Your mom’s not pregnant again, is she? ‘Cuz Sasha’s mom already pulled that publicity stunt.”
Paige laughed and wrinkled her nose. “No, thank God. Mom’s not pregnant. But her and my dad ARE getting called to some big software convention or something weird and it’s spelling vacation of the year, guys. Picture this: me…in Hawaii!!!”
“Your parents are going to Hawaii and they’re bringing you?” LeeAnne clutched her heart. “You are so lucky, Paige.”
“Congratulations!”
“When is it? We’ll miss you!”
“You’re gonna have so much fun!”
The Gang chorused their congratulations and Paige started laughing harder, waving her arms. “No, no, no, guys. I’m not done! That’s not the best part! You’re not going to miss me! You’re all coming with me!”
THE END
