California Blues

002

The burnt orange coloured van was filled to the brim with the group's belongings. A nice assortment of luggage's and duffel bags stacked neatly, in preparation for their anticipated road trip. They had three hours ahead of them, so each member was prepared with some sort of treat. It was an unspoken thing for everyone to chip in and play their part. Gray was in charge of driving - thus, his van - Tyson was responsible for music, while the girls took the responsibility of snacks and directions. It was pretty much perfect. With final checks, they were just about ready to go.

"Okay gang! Let's head out!" Gray yelled, eager to arrive in sunny Santa Barbara.
"Seriously? Gang? Who are we Scooby Doo and that?" Kat smirked knowing she was killing Gray's joke.
"Thanks a lot Kat! Always ruining my fun."
"Ohhh please, you know you love me Gray. SHOTGUN!!" Kat smiled as she sat herself in the front passenger seat. Ivy and Tyson scooting into the back seat. Gray smiled knowingly at Kat's playful comment.

"You love birds done?" Ivy teased. Before Tyson added his own joke, of course.
"What you jealous I wasn't giving you enough attention? You know I love you V" Earning a wink from Tyson and groans of disgust from Gray and Kat. Ivy punched Tyson's shoulder in return. "Fuck you T." She turned towards the window as heat filled her already rosy cheeks.
And with that they were off.

Everything felt as it should within the group. Their unspoken bonds with each other eased the comfortable silence. The only noise being that of Tyson's Spotify playlist, humming in the background. Everyone felt at ease. From an outsider's perspective, it was clear they all felt good about their friendships with each other. It's been that way for as long as each of them can remember. The group was originally formed by Katarina and Ivy, childhood besties who lived in the same hometown, who later befriended Tyson during a sports rally - and finally Gray when he transferred from the city. Their group was an odd bunch, but it just worked. Everything was perfectly balanced. They were all just really good friends.

"Well aren't we lucky girls Kat? To have men who serve us good taste in music and drive us around?" Ivy said.
"Oh we really are."
Kat and Ivy did actually feel lucky to have the boys as their besties, along with each other of course. But who were they if they didn't add their typical sassy, yet playful comments?

"Hey! I thought I, Tyson King, was your highness? Aren't you supposed to be serving me? Isn't that so Baby G?!"
"Of course my king, Grayson Miller, your humble servant, always here to lend a hand!" Gray added, with an impression of a knight. He saluted Tyson, yelling random noises and being a complete goof, As he usually was.
The group cackled and burst into laughter. Well if one thing's for sure, their three hours spent on the road, definitely wouldn't be boring.

——————

An hour into the drive, the four were caught up in their own worlds. More specifically, Ivy and Tyson. They were consumed by the bubble that they created as they continued messing around. Enjoying each other's company.

Tyson was the first friend that Ivy made when her and Kat moved away from their hometown. Ivy initially found Tyson to be quite intimidating. His light blonde hair, dark pupils and somewhat serious demeanour seemed unfriendly at first. Along with the fact that Tyson did have a well-known reputation of getting into fights. He was never one to shy away from a good fight and so far, Tyson never seemed to lose. Yet after being his lab partner for the entirety of highschool, Ivy found herself being drawn to Tyson. She always felt he had a peculiar charm. Thus, the present.

"Seriously V, you gotta slow down on those bacon bits. You're practically oinking like a pig at this point."
"Okay wow, you did not just make that dumb joke. First of all, these are the best things to snack on, and secondly, if you wanted some you should just ask." Ivy spoke as she shoved some more palmfuls of the snack into her mouth.
"My baby's got a point!" Kat yelled in between her conversation with Gray.
"Stay out of it Kit Kat!" Tyson retorted. Kat returned to Gray as Tyson raised his middle finger towards her.

"So can I have some?"
"No." Ivy replied stubbornly.
"Please?"
"Nah."
"Just a little?"
"Nope." Ivy said, popping the P.
"But you literally just said! Oh what's the point!" Tyson huffed in frustration, confused about Ivy's intentions. Ivy smiled to herself, pleased with the reaction she got out of her friend.

He held a pout and laid his chin on the edge of his palm, avoiding her gaze. Ivy thought he was being childish, but as serious as he looked from the outside, she knew that was just Tyson's class clown act. Ivy found Tyson's jokes to be kind of dumb, but he always found a way to make her laugh. It was cute, he was. And she knew that.

"T, here you are, you big baby." She handed over the pack of bacon bits, tapping Tyson's shoulder gently.
"Fina-FUCKING-lly." Tyson rolled his eyes yet started to smile when he heard the small giggle erupt from Ivy. That made him happy. He liked making her laugh. Tyson liked to believe that it was because of how much it boosted his ego. Making someone laugh meant that he was funny right?

Tyson obnoxiously chewed the bacon bits, passing some to Ivy from time to time, knowing she was obsessed with the snack. They sat in a comfortable silence not really minding the other's presence. Being friends for so long, this kind of behaviour was the norm of their everyday lives. Both of them, deep in thought.
"I wasn't joking about what I said before." Tyson muttered aloud.
"Huh? What're you getting at?" Ivy responded.
"About you being jealous because I wasn't giving you attention. Am I right?"
"Shut the fuck up."
"Just tryna make conversation V."
"Go to sleep moron." As infuriating as Tyson could be, Ivy couldn't stop the heat and rosy tint returning to her cheeks once again. She knew Tyson was a jokester, but some jokes took her a little longer to grasp. Embarrassed, she turned away from him and watched the lines along the road pass as the van continued straight on.

Eventually, Tyson fell asleep. Mouth hung ajar, with pieces of the small bacon bits scattered on the side of his cheek. Ivy found herself falling into a deep sleep as well. Slowly her tiredness consumed her as her eyes fluttered shut, head hanging to the side. Her brunette head landed on the crown of Tyson's. They leaned on each other as both of them became unconscious.

——————

Kat was applying lip gloss using her small compact mirror as she caught a glimpse of the sight behind her. Without turning her head, she watched the two. Sleeping in peace, as they leaned on each other for support. Kat kept to herself as she let a small smile grace her lips. She turned her head towards Grayson who stayed focused on the road ahead. Kat sighed a breath of relief as she sunk into the leather seats. She felt content. This is how she visioned her last summer before going off to college to be. With her best pals, exploring anything and everything together.

What a summer this was going to be.