"Yeah, I got so pissed! He cut me off and he had the nerve to drive like a blind man and then flip me off when I honked at him!" I said into my cell phone, placing a bathing suit in my suit case. Reese and I were going to Santa Cruz with Kayla for the week to celebrate the Fourth of July and we were leaving to meet her there tomorrow, so I was packing tonight.
"No fucking way!" Michael snorted on the other end. "I would have gotten right up on his ass and cussed him out!"
"Believe me, I was tempted." I laughed, getting up to search for my hair brush.
"Self-control, self-control." Michael chuckled, the sound getting distant, and then back to its normal volume as he switched the phone from on ear to another. "So..."
"So..." I repeated, mimicking Michael's tone.
"Stop that!"
"Stop that!" I giggled.
"Lana," he whined.
"Okay, okay, fine. What?"
"What are you doing this week? It's Fourth of July week, so I thought maybe we could all get together and do something."
"Oh." I sighed, quirking my mouth to the side.
"What's wrong?" Michael asked, sounding worried.
"I'd love to spend the Fourth with you, but I'm going to Santa Cruz with Reese and Kayla." I frowned.
"When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Oh," Michael said slowly. "That's okay. We have the rest of the summer."
"Yeah. I wish you guys could come." I sighed again. I meant it too. It's been almost two weeks since the first gig I went to and I'd gotten really close with all the boys and loved hanging out with them.
"Me too. That'd be a lot of fun." Michael said, sounding thoughtful.
"Mmhmm." I agreed, checking the time and realizing how late it was. "Hey, Mike?"
"Hmm?" He sounded distant.
"I gotta finish packing, so I'll talk to you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sure. Okay. Goodnight, Lana."
"Goodnight, Michael." I smiled, hanging up the phone.
Groaning, I tossed my phone on the bed and went back to packing.
***
"Yup. I think that's everything." Reese said, carrying the last bag out of her car and tossing it in my trunk and closing it.
I checked my phone. "It's six thirty-seven. I gave us until seven, so you just wanna get going now?"
"Yeah, sure, might as well." Reese shrugged, opening the passenger door. I nodded and walked around to the driver's side and opened the door, about to get in when I heard my name being called.
"Lana! Lana wait!"
I spun around to see Michael leaping down the stairs of the apartment building, a small box clutched in his hand. "Michael? What are you doing?"
"I wanted to give you these." He panted, shoving the box in my hand.
"Sparklers?" I smiled.
"I–uh, yeah."
"I love sparklers! I didn't get the chance to buy any earlier. Thank you."
"Yeah, no problem." Michael nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets.
