Scene 21

Gabe's POV

Rolling to  a stop outside the complex I've spent many weekends at, I put my car in park and turned off the ignition. I smiled to myself as I unlocked my phone to send my parents a quick message saying I was at the complex. I flashed back after locking my phone to helping the two numbskulls move in.

"GABE! GRAB THE BOX LABELLED KITCHEN!" Cole yelled from the doorway, boxes piled infront of his face. He stumbled into the doorway as he managed to set the boxes on ground.

"ALRIGHT!" I yelled back, grabbing the box labelled kitchen and stacked the box labelled plates on top of it.

"Hey Gabe?" I stun around to my name. "You think you can drop me off on campus tomorrow when you leave?" Will asked, carrying some boxes too.

"Yea, it's no problem." I smiled, excited they were finally starting college. "Do you have a specific time you need to be back at your dorm?"

"I need to get back before 2:00, so I can finish unpacking and what not. I'm still not done." Will chuckled, "I've been too busy helping these guys." Will nodded towards the apartment.

"They're cra--"

"GABE! WILL! HURRY UP! THE SOONER WE GET ALL THE BOXES THE SOONER WE CAN PARTY!" Dalton yelled from just inside the apartment.

"Calm down!" I laughed, Will walked ahead of me to get to Cole waiting at the door.

"I"ll get the last few boxes!" Dana called, running past us to get out to the uhaul Cole rented.

"YES!" We heard Dalton shout as we all managed to get the boxes sat down in the living room as Dana entered the house and kicked the door shut with his foot. "Alright boys, it's time to party!"

I laughed, thinking back to all crazy events that happened later that night. Grabbing my keys and phone, I opened the door and got out. I locked my car as I walked up to the apartment. Knocking a few times, the door swung open to a half-dressed Cole and a pile of clothes.

"Hey!" Cole hugged me, his shirt in his hands. "We were beginning to wonder if you'd ever make it." He smirked, nodding towards Dalton who I just noticed was in the midst of the pile of clothes.

"Hey guys! Dalton, what the hell are you doing?" I gestured to his position and the empty bags around him.

"I'm trying to pack, what does it look like?" Dalton scoffed, sending me a look.

"It looks like you're sitting in a garden of black, gray, and white." I retorted.

"Oh shut up." Dalton rolled his eyes as he started shoving shirts into one bag. "Uhm, will we be staying places we can do laudry?" He questioned a few seconds later.

"That's the plan, I figured when we get close to running out of clothes, we pick a hotel with washers and dryers." I replied, falling to sit on the couch.

"Okay, good because I have a feeling after a few parties I'll be needing some fresh clothes." He smirked, probably thinking about the nights in the clubs as we finally have the cross-country roadtrip we've been planning.

"You hungry Gabe?" Cole asked, sliding his shirt over his head and heading into the kitchen, "Sorry if the apartment's a mess. With finals week just ending we've been neglecting the cleaning." Cole threw me a can of Coke.

"I'm good, I got something on the way. Thanks though man. How you guys been? How'd finals week go?" I took a sip.

"It went well, we've both worked our asses off this semester. I aced all of my finals and pulled A's and B's for the semester." Cole boasted, pulling a chair from the table and sitting down.

"I did pretty well, could have been a better semester."  Dalton mumbled, working on fitting everything in his bags.

"Pretty well? Seriously dude, that's what you think?" Cole gawked, "He freaking pulled a 4.0 GPA this semester. I don't get how he does it." Cole shook his head. "He parties every weekend, does most of his homework the day it's due and pulls a fucking 4.0" Cole shook his head in disbelief.

"He's a fucking genius. That's why." I shook my head in disbelief too.

"It's all up here." Dalton paused his packing and pointed to his head. 

"What?" Cole stared at his best friend sitting in the floor.

"Everything." Dalton went back to packing. "Wait, when is Will getting here?" He stopped.

"We're gonna swing by the dorms and get him before we go surprise Dana." I answered. "Which reminds me, I need to text Will."

Pulling out my phone and shot Will a text telling him I was with Colton. He shot a quick message back telling me he'd be ready in a few hours. I told him to text me when he was ready seeing as the dorms were only about 15 minutes away.

"Will's gonna text me when he's ready to go and we'll leave not long after that."  I took a swig of my Coke and we all sat in silence for a few minutes as we watching Dalton pack.

"Seriously bro, how long is this going to take you?" Cole's voice had a twang of annoyance.

"Cole, we're spending the entire summer on the road going across the United States I've got to have plenty of clothes. I'm checking everything and doubling checking."

"It's not like we'll never stop to get supplies." I pointed out, returning Dalton's look.

"I know that. I just like being prepared, that's all." Dalton defended. "Shit, all my chargers are still in my room."

He hopped up and ran to his room.

"COLE WHERE'S MY LAPTOP CHARGER?"

"IN MY BAG!"

"WHY IS IT IN YOUR BAG!?"

"I USED IT LAST."

"IT'S MINE!" Dalton whined.

"You can have it back later." Cole shrugged, looking back at his phone.

"Dalton, would you please just pack!" I called, really wanting to get on with the day. It was going to be a long day. Reguardless of whatever happened throughout the day.