Road Trip, chapter 1

"Shona, I don't want to go!" I whined as she dragged me outside to the waiting van. There were three guys in it. One was her beloved boyfriend, Mike something or other.
"Yesh you do." She stated. "You're coming on this road trip. We need your directional skills." Our bags were packed and already loaded into the van. I attempted to dig my heels in but unfortunatly laminate flooring gives very little grip. I was eventually bundled into the van and the dreaded road trip began.
"Okay." Said the short guy that was driving. "I was thinking we go to New York first."
"Go to Los Angeles. We'll work up to New York." I said.
"Why?" Asked the driver, looking round at me while driving. I hit him to make him look at the road.
"Simple logic, dumbass. Los Angeles is on the way to New York." I muttered, trying to edge away from Mike and Shona who were getting cosy with each other. The guy next to the driver was laughing.
"Ha! Billie, you got told!" He said, poking Billie.
"Fuck off, Tre." Muttered Billie angrily. I'd got to him! I was satisfied! For a couple hours I just gazed out of he window, wishing I was anywhere but in this cramped van.... With Billie.
Eventually we had to stop to refill the tank. The incompetent Billie had neglected to do it before hand. I sat in the van and read my favorite book, The Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger while Billie filled the tank, Shona and Mike went somewhere private and Tre went to get some snacks. In an attempt to get some fresh air into the van I had the window open. Instead, vast clouds of nausiating fumes filled the van. I noticed that Billie was watching me intently. I tried to ignore him but found that I was reading that same page over and over. Sighing, I put my book down.
"What?" I demanded. Billie grinned at me and nodded at the book.
"That's my favorite book. What do you like about it?" I was stunned. That high school drop-out/drug addict had read an American classic?!
"Er... .I like how... .Er... .How Holden is disillusioned about everyone... . You know, how he thinks they're all phonies... ." Billie nodded, considering my answer.
"Same here. I can relate to him. I wrote a song about Holden Caulfield." I nodded.
"Great. Well if you don't mind... ." I muttered picking my book up again. He grinned again and went to pay for the gas. Mike and Shona wandered back looking and flushed while Tre had an armful of beef jerky, chips and soda. Mike sat in the drivers seat with Shona next to him to my annoyance.
"I thought Billie was driving." I mentioned as casually as I could. Mike shrugged.
"We're taking it in shifts. Tre's next. Your seatbelt is your best friend when Tre gets behind the wheel." Even the prospect of having to endure Tre's driving wasn't bad enough to distract me from the prospect of being even closer to Billie. When he came back he climbed over Tre to sit between him and me.
"I can't let you sit next to Tre in good conscience. He devirginize you. Better if I sit here." I blushed and looked out of the window.
"What makes you think I'm a virgin?" I asked, quietly. Billie looked over at Shona, who grinned apologetically at me.
"Sorry." She mouthed. After giving her my world renowed death glare I went back to my book. Mike started the van and we got back on the road. I hated that van. It was too cramped. Every second of that journey I could feel Billie's arm against mine. Whenever we turned a corner Billie leaned into me, whether by accident or on purpose I don't know, but it was unnerving. I caught him watching me every so often. Well, he looked away when I noticed and pretended that he'd seen something out of the window, but he was definitely watching me.
After awhile he tried to strike up a converstation.
"So... . I, er... . I haven't introduced myself properly yet have I?" I almost laughed. It was so pathetic. Billie held his hand out to me. "I'm Billie Joe Armstrong." I glanced at his hand but didn't shake it.
"Edie Richards." Billie clenched his hand and then put it back on his lap.
"Edie. Short for Edith, right?" I nodded. My mom was English. Do I need to say anymore? "Are you seeing anyone?" I sighed and looked at him.
"Yes, I am." I stated.
"Oh, sorry." He bit his lip and looked at his lap. I ignored him for the rest of the way.
Mike soon pulled up outside a service station. It was dark which made me even more worried about letting Tre take over driving.
"Okay, Tre's turn next. Me and Shona need to... . Stretch our legs." They hurried away. I got out of the van and sat down on the wall a short way away from the parking lot. I was joined by Billie.
"Do you... ." He started. "Do you have a problem with me?" I shrugged and shook my head.
"Nope. No problem."
"Really?" He cocked his head. "It seems you've been trying to ignore me. I mean, I understand you have a boyfriend, congratulations and salutations but why can't you just... . Be friendly at least?" He droned.
"I am being friendly." I muttered. "This is me being friendly." I got up and wandered round the service station for awhile. Why was I thinking about him? And why couldn't I stop? I had a fucking boyfriend, a good one. Why did Billie haunt my every thought?
Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind and started trying to pull my clothes off. I tried to scream but he put his hand over my mouth. I struggled but the man was much bigger than me. As he pulled at my clothes, I cried. I was going to lose my virginity like this. As I was about to give up when a fist that I recognized slammed into the man's head. He let go of me. I grabbed at my clothes and stepped away, still crying. Billie turned to me, then looked back at the guy on the floor and kicked him in the stomach.
"Sick fuck." He muttered, spitting on him. Billie put his arm round my shoulders and pulled me away. "You okay?" He asked. "Did he... .manage anything?" I shook my head.
"No... ." I hugged Billie, tightly. "Thank you so much... ." I cried into his shoulder. Billie made me face him, wiping the tears from my face.
"It was nothing. Not like I was gonna stand by and watch him... .do what he was gonna do." He kissed my lips lightly, then kissed me more passionately. After a couple of seconds, Billie broke away. "That shouldn't have happened." He walked away to the van. I wiped my eyes quickly and sorted out my clothes, then followed. No one noticed that I'd been crying. Billie ignored me entirley and I returned the coldness.
Tre's driving was as bad as Mike had said. I clung to the seat, fearing for my life. Tre braked suddenly and I was sent flying forward as the seat belt came unbuckled. Billie grabbed me and pulled me back. He smiled briefly at me but then went back to ignoring me. His arm stayed round me though, to stop me flying forward again.