Dancer's Body

Chapter 3

"Ladies!" Ava said, clapping her hands. The informal meetings were always faster and more chaotic. "Now that we're adjourned, let's cover some off-the-books business. We have a 15-seater van for the spring break Vegas trip, and only twelve of you have put down deposits. You have 24 hours or your spot goes to someone else, and seniority is taken off the table."

The freshmen and sophomore girls looked giddy at the chance to snag a spot in the coveted van. Spring break road trips had long been earmarked for the older sisters.

"Hannah? Olivia? Jamie?" Ava prodded.

Olivia looked to Hannah, who had begged her to sign up for the trip months ago. Hannah raised her brows at her, the desire to go evident in her eyes. Olivia nodded slightly. "I'll give you the cash tomorrow in Lit," Hannah told Ava. "For Olivia and me."

Ava nodded and made a note on her tablet.

"Ava?" Olivia asked. "Is there ... is there any chance I can get dropped off in Eugene on the way back?"

"For?"

"To see my mom. She can drive me back to campus."

Ava sighed. "Is it right off the interstate? This is really inconveniencing everyone, Olivia."

"Yeah," she said. "But you can also just drop me at a gas station that's seriously a few yards from an exit and she can pick me up."

"Well, I guess so then," Ava said.

As expected, they started late on the trip—but still much earlier than Olivia thought. Hannah fell asleep instantly, her head in Olivia's lap. She pored over the countless emails from Mrs. Burke, sent on behalf of Dr. Stone. Instructions, directions, deadlines... she was drowning in them. The first, short week at the company had been even more hectic than she'd anticipated, and they'd barely seen anything of Dr. Stone.

"After you return from spring break, he'll take over your management," Mrs. Burke had promised, but Olivia was starting to get skeptical. A part of her was frustrated. She hadn't applied to this competitive program and gone through weeks of interviews to have his executive assistant and intern coordinator oversee her credits.

"Olivia!" one of the girls called from two rows up. "Put that thing away. No work, all play," she said.

She complied, knowing it was pointless to worry over the work that awaited her anyway. Olivia waited until they passed through Eugene before she nodded off herself, a sense of comfort washing over her as she saw her familiar exit fly by. "This is a speed trap stretch," she called up to Ava at the wheel, but was ignored. When they passed the lowered speed limit section, Ava gave her a smug look in the mirror.

The winding hills of southern Oregon lulled most of the van to sleep. No amount of morning caffeine could match the twists and turns of Rogue Valley.

"Last call for tax-free weed!" Ava called as they passed through Ashland with countless signs for recreational dispensaries.

"No need," one of the girls said as she held up a Hello Kitty bag. "Pussy's holding enough for the whole week."

"Why is everyone yelling?" Hannah murmured, wiping her sleep spittle off her face.

"Pussy full of weed," Olivia said.

"Oh." She pushed herself up. "Where are we?"

"California border."

Ava pulled up to the inspection booth where a stern man in what seemed to be a non-ironic moustache motioned for her to roll down the window. "Where you headed?" he asked.