The Road Trip

8

It was the morning and Normani had pulled over on the side of the road to rest her eyes.

"Oh shit." China said. Normani's eyes popped open and she looked back at the younger girl.

"What- Oh! Shit!" Mani said when she saw blood coming from in between China's legs, soaking the car seat. Zendaya stirred and looked over at China, her eyes getting big.

"Whoa!" She said. Mani started the car up and got into traffic.

"We're gonna find a store or something so you can get cleaned up, okay?" Mani said to the younger girl.

"God dammit! I wanted to go swimming. This some bullshit! And its so groooossss! I think I'm gonna throw up! Oh God I can't breathe!" China said quickly, trying to open her window.

"Calm down Chi. It's a natural, female-"

"Fuck all that! This is disgusting! It's red waste all over me!" She said, closing her legs.

"Why are you yelling McClain? Dammit." Lisa said, sitting up and looking over the seat.

"No reason." China said.

"She came on her period while she was sleeping." Zendaya said nonchalantly. Lisa looked mortified.

"Really?! Ew, gross Chi!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Fuck you, simple whore." China said.

"What's your problem with me McClain?" Lisa said, smiling.

"You're always making fun of me! Like, what the fuck do you get out of making fun of my disorder? You know how I am!" China said, her eyes watering.

"You call me stupid all the time China. Why do you do that? I'm not stupid!" Lisa countered.

"I never called you stupid unless you butt into a conversation that had nothin to do with you. You always got somethin smart to say when it doesn't involve, you know, common sense." China said.

"Fuck you McClain! Don't talk to me the rest of the trip!" Lisa shouted.

"Suits me just fine, spoiled fucking brat." China said. Lauren stirred and opened her eyes.

"What y'all doin? Where we at?" Lauren said.

"We're going to stop here real quick." Mani said, pulling up to a little convenience store in what looked to be some small town people usually pass by or through. The women climbed out of the van and went inside. China ran to the bathroom after getting some pants and underwear from her bag, grabbing Normani with her.

"I'll buy some pads and stuff for you hun." Zendaya said. As the other three women looked through the things on the shelves, two men wearing masks came into the store. Zendaya ignored them and went to pay for her stuff.

"It'll be 7.55 miss." The cashier said.

"Oka-"

"Don't fuckin move. Just hand over the cash. And give me that watch." One of the men said, putting a gun to the back of Zendaya's head. She calmly took her watch off and took all of the money out of her wallet and handed it to the man. The other accomplice had a gun to the cashier.

"Alright, your turn pretty boy. Everything in the register, NOW." The cashier hurriedly pulled the money from the register. Zendaya cleared her throat.

"Sir, please don't-"

"Shut the fuck up! Hey, go find the other people she came in here with. I'll watch the cashier and the lesbian." He said.

"I'm not a les-"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" The man said, pressing the gun to Zendaya's head harder. The other man found Lisa first.

"Gimmie all the money you got on you." He said, pointing the gun at her. She turned around and her eyes got big.

"I-I-I-"

"YOU need to give me the money, NOW!" He yelled. Lauren heard him and walked toward where she heard the noise.

"Lise, you okay?" She called out, stopping in her tracks when she saw the man point the gun at her and shoot.

"No!" Lisa called out. Lauren ducked into a isle, checking herself to see if she was shot.

"You hear that?" Mani said, tapping on the door to the stall China was in.

"Yes. Stay quiet. Get in one of the stalls." China said.

"What about Lisa, Z and Lauren?" Mani whispered.

"We'll check in like ten minutes or so. That was a gun shot Mani, from in the store! Just get in the stall!" China said. Against her better judgement, Mani got in the stall and waited. Meanwhile, the man had grabbed Lauren up off of the floor and walked her to the front of the store, along with Lisa.

"You get what they had?" The man said who'd been at the front with the cashier and Z.

"Yeah, we gotta get outta here. Let's ride." He said, putting his gun up and running from the store.

"You tell anybody about this, and I'll find you and kill you all. I got your license plates." The man said in a menacing voice. Z just kept her hands up, Lisa looked mortified, Lauren glared at him and the cashier fell to the ground, fainting. The man laughed and ran out the door. Zendaya let out the breath she'd been holding and fell to the floor.

"What the fuck! Fuck this road trip!" She said, punching the floor. Lauren ran to the bathroom and looked around.

"Mani! China!" She called out.
"We're in here." China said, her voice shaking.

"You can come out baby girl." Lauren said softly. China opened the door and so did Mani. China wasn't wearing any pants so Lauren looked away.

"I'm gonna grab you some pads okay? I'll be right back. And you gotta hurry cause we gotta get the fuck outta here." Lauren said. She went and snatched a pack of pads from the hygiene isle and ran back to the bathroom quickly. Lisa had helped Zendaya up, stole a snicker, grabbed a bag for where China made a mess in the car and went to get in the car. Zendaya said she'd wait for the other women. China, Mani and Lauren rushed out of the bathroom and ran outside.

"You okay Z?" Mani asked her. Zendaya shook her head yes.

"I'm fine. Broke, but fine." She said. They piled back into the car and got back on the highway, leaving the passed out cashier and the store behind.
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