Seniors

Chapter five

Chapter five

Once they were on their way to the gas station, Phoenix told Jackie all about their little trip, making sure to over-exaggerate all the details, of course. Sarah was focused on driving, but would butt in every so often in order to get the facts straight. Emma said nothing, only half-listening to what was being said. Instead, she occupied herself with looking out the window, thinking of Dakota, a boy she was most likely never going to see again. She sighed, trying to imagine that she was sitting next him now.

"By now," Phoenix was explaining to Jackie, "I've had enough, so I punch him square in the face! Sarah, being the peace-keeper in this situation, tries to hold me back, but she has a lot of trouble doing it, and I manage to break free--"

"None of that is true," Sarah said matter-of-factly, "and I had no trouble holding you back at all."

"Sure you did," Phoenix fired back, and Sarah rolled her eyes, Jackie listening intently all the while, leaning against her door sitting criss-cross-applesauce. "Anyways, so Sarah finally managed to drag me outside, and Emma comes outside, and that guy she had the googly-eyes for came out just a little bit after--"

"I did not!" Emma had tuned in the minute she heard her name, and was quick to defend herself.

"Did too!" Phoenix sing-songed, nudging Emma's seat. "And no interruptions! Thank you. So they flirt for a bit, and it turns out he overheard us talking to the counter guy and bought us some gas. Then he was all like, 'Do you need a ride?'and then Emma was like, 'Oh, are you sure it wouldn't be any trouble?'" Phoenix deepened her voice when trying to imitate Dakota, and raised her voice an octave to mimic Emma. "Then he was all like, 'Of course not, little lady, it would be my greatest pleasure,' and then Emma was all like, 'Okay, well in that case, my name is Emma, here's my number in case we never see each other again--'"

"That is not what happened," Emma interrupted, her face burning hot as she turned in her seat to face Phoenix with a glare. She was, however, surprised on how Phoenix knew what her first response had been, seeing as how she had been out of earshot when their discussion took place. Was she really that predictable? "And my voice doesn't sound anything like that." Jackie suppressed a smile in the backseat, pushing up her glasses that were sliding down her nose.

Sarah pulled up in front of the gas station, putting the car in park after it came to a stop. "Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty, now settle down, we need a game plan. I'm going to fill up the car, Jackie, you can go pay the guy inside. Phoenix, go get us some snacks, and behave. Emma, you get anything else we might need that you haven't already gotten. While you're inside, you all might want to go ahead and make a bathroom break, I'll be out here looking up a place to stay for the night, because let me tell you, I am exhausted."

"I'll drive!" Phoenix offered, and all three of them objected, Jackie raising her eyebrows as she said, 'That doesn't sound like a very good idea,' at the same time, Emma shouted 'No!', and Sarah crossed her arms, giving her a daring glare as she stated, 'Not in this car, you won't.'

Phoenix held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Sheesh."

The four of them got out of the car, Sarah set on filling up her van, the other three girls heading inside. The bell ringed as they entered the store, and the man at the counter straightened his posture, puffing out his chest.

"Hey," he said, pointing a finger at Emma, "you can't be in here."

"Oh yeah?" Phoenix said, stepping forward, and he took a weary step back, bumping into the glass display of cigarettes behind him.

"Shoes," Emma said, lifting up her feet, "shirt," she tugged on the sleeve of her t-shirt.

"Bam!" Phoenix whooped, jumping up in the air, causing the man behind the counter to tense. "Service!" She did the moonwalk as she headed towards the edge of the store, Emma doing the sprinkler as she followed. Next to them, Jackie stood out of place, staring at their performance before sighing and walking up to the counter, handing the guy some cash.