Who You Say I Am (A Jai Courtney Fanfic)

Chapter 23-Meg

Meg

Pastor Ben comes back out of the hotel as Gale and I wait outside but I don't see Jai anywhere. I wonder what's going on. "He'll be right out. I said he could bring whatever he could fit in his vehicle," he explains.
"Okay," Gale nods. "So... I'm looking forward to the camp out."
"Me, too," I smile.
"Too bad we won't have marshmallows," she says.
I laugh lightly.  "Or hot dogs," I add. 
We wait for a moment. I notice Ben tossing more bags under the bus. "Do you want some help?" I offer.
"No, I think we're good," he responds.
"So... who's riding with our Australian friend?" Gale asks nonchalantly.
"First come, first served," Pastor Ben grins.
I look around to see it's only the two of us out here, Pastor Ben, and the driver.
"Yes!" Gale says enthusiastically pulling her arm down as if she just won something. I giggle at her excitement.
"Come on, ladies," Jai says stepping out of the door with his bag and guitar case. "Let's get these into the boot."
Gale chuckles. "The what?" she asks confused.
Jai sighs. "The trunk," he says with an American accent.
"See, you should talk like that all the time," she teases. "I can actually understand you."
He laughs at that.
"At least he didn't call you a sheila," I point out jokingly.
"A what?" she asks confused.
"Obviously she doesn't speak 'Strayan," Jai teases.
I guffaw. He laughs with me.
Jai unlocks his vehicle. "Let's get these in the boot," Gale jokes.
Jai laughs again. "Let me take that from you," he says reaching for my bag. I surrender it to him but hold onto my satchel. "What about that one?" he asks.
"I'll keep this one with me," I say.
Gale puts hers into the trunk without help.
"I could've taken that for you," Jai says to her.
"Yeah, he's a gentleman," I point out.
"Not used to that in my hood," she says.
"It's when a bloke does something nice for a lady," he explains teasingly.
"I don't know what you're talking a-boot," she teases. He throws his head back in laughter. I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. That's Canadian, though, but I don't bother saying it. 
When we calm down she admits, "I get it. I was just looking to throw that joke out there."
I laugh even harder.
"Don't you mean... what was it again?" she nudges me.
"What? Sheilas?" I grin.
She chuckles, too. "Why a girl's name?" she asks him.
"I think it has Irish origins," he says with a shrug.
We lean up against his rental as we wait for everyone else. I see Pastor Ben standing around by the bus. He looks to his watch and strides toward the hotel entrance. He walks inside and steps out a moment later laughing.
"What'd you do?" Gale questions grinning.
"I told them they have ten minutes until the bus leaves but I said whoever comes out first gets to ride in Jai's jeep," he chuckles.
I look to the door to see Izaak rushing out with his mouth full, a bag in one hand and a fistful of bread in the other.
"It looks like Izaak is with us," Jai shrugs reaching out for his bag.
"I made it?" he questions.
"You made it," Gale nods.
"Oh, awesome. Thanks, man," he says to Jai.
"No worries, mate," Jai replies.
I see a few others rush out but they frown as we get into the jeep. I frown and rise, thinking of giving up my seat. "No," Gale says pushing me back down.
"Is there room back there for anyone else?" I ask looking over my shoulder at the backseat.
"Maybe a skinny girl," Gale shrugs.
I see Valentina come over towards us.
"Lucky," she frowns.
"I see a skinny girl," Izaak says in a singsong voice.
"Is there really enough room?" Jai asks quietly to them in the back.
"Yup," Gale nods.
Jai climbs out and takes her bag.
"Yeah, just put that in the boot," Gale teases laughing as she's rising. "We saved you a seat."
"What?" Valentina asks breathlessly.
"Ask and it will be given," Izaak says patting the seat.
"Seriously?" she questions happily.
We all nod.
"Let's go. I could use half a tank of petrol," Jai says.
"What?" the three in the back question.
"We're going to the gas station," I explain.
"Are we going to lose the group?" Izaak ask.
"I've got a map," Jai says.
"Wait... shouldn't we pray first?" Gale says.
"You want to do the honors?" I ask her.
She nods her assent. We all bow our heads in prayer and agree with her as she asks for blessings on the trip and traveling mercies. She thanks God for Jai and the privilege to ride with him. Jai starts the ignition. Pastor Ben sees who's with us and waves as we leave.
I see Jai glance at me and smile before he puts it into drive and we're off. He drives a few blocks away up the mountain and pulls into the gas station. There's actually a line at the pumps so we get in line and wait. A few minutes later we see the bus pass by. The driver is honking and everyone is waving at us.
I sit up and wave back.
"While we're waiting, let's get a group picture," Gale suggests. She passes her phone to Jai and he somehow manages to get us all—including himself—into the shot. He hands it back and she takes a few with silly faces. It's not hard to get one out of Izaak. Jai and I are watching them all goof off in the back seat. She turns her phone around and takes one of her and me. Then she takes one with just Jai and me. I smile brightly.
"Would you send me that?" Jai asks.
"Sure," Gale grins. "I've got a couple I could send you."
The line moves forward and we pull up to the pump. Jai gets out and fills up the tank.
"So what's with all the funny names?" she asks me.
I shrug, "He's from the other side of the world. Of course they'd come up with their own names for things."
"That makes sense," she nods. "Everyone from my hood was always making up their own words... petrol... like petroleum?"
I nod.
"I get it. Where do we get gas from?" Gale says.
"From cabbage," Izaak says deadpan.
The whole car explodes in laughter. I'm wiping my tears out of my eyes from that.
Jai joins us again. "What was that all about?" he asks.
Izaak explains it all grinning. Jai is chuckling.
"You better not be doing that in my car up on the mountain or I'll turn around and leave you back at the hotel," Jai teases. "I want to be able to breathe up there."
Everyone laughs but I remember something.
I open my satchel and realize it's not there.
"Shoot," I say. "I need to check my bag."
"What's wrong?" Gale asks.
"I think I left my inhalers in my purse at the hotel," I say.
"I didn't know you have asthma," she says confused.
"I didn't until last year," I admit.
"I'll go to the car park over there and we can check," Jai offers as he pulls out of the gas station to let the next car fill up.
"What's a car park?" Valentina whispers.
"Parking lot," I say.
He puts the car in park and we get out. I search my bag but I forgot them.
"We can go back," Jai offers. "It's no trouble. It's just two blocks away."
"Thank you," I whisper.