Road Trippin' with BJ, chapter 1
Ever since I can remember, Billie Joe has been my next-door-neighbour. Now, I know what you're thinking. 'Oh great, it's gonna be one of THOSE stories, about the girl-next-door and the boy falling in love, blah, blah, blah.' But no. Billie is my friend. And that's all. He's always been the adventurous type. Me? I'm the quiet one with freckles who likes to draw and decide what make-up would go best on people. We went to different schools too. I was at a private school with a prissy uniform. Billie was at the local high school that most kids in the neighbourhood attended.
Our neighbourhood was pretty nice. Everyone knew everyone. I was happy there - I didn't want to leave...
One day, I was sat under the tree at the end of our garden, my sketchpad in one hand, pencil in the other. I was more of a cartoonist, but my art teacher said I should try some real lives too. I had just decided to start drawing our garden pond, when Billie climbed over our fence and landed on the grass.
"Hi," I said quietly, looking up.
"Hellooooo," he grinned, sitting down beside me. He peered at my sketchpad, "What ya doing?"
"Drawing."
"Right. Okay," he said lamely, "Well, I've got good news!" he cried, bouncing back to his old happy self, "Brad asked Mom to ask me to ask you if youuuu wanted to come away with us on a trip for a few days. Huh? Huh? Do ya, Kate, do ya?"
"A trip?" I asked, closing my book.
"Yaha, a drive, exploring America's "beauty spots" as Mom says."
"Um, I dunno, I'd have to ask my mum first..." Did I mention I was English? Yeah, Billie was always teasing me about my accent. But it didn't really matter - I was proud of my heritage.
"Oh, go on, Kate, it'll be fun!" he said, then he bent down closer to my ear, "And I can't stand Anna when it's just me and her."
Anna is his older sister. They're always arguing. It's actually pretty funny.
"I'll ask, but I don't know what she'll say," I said, sighing. Billie just grinned...
I tackled mum about it over dinner. After several attempts at cutting into my steak, I gave up with a frustrated groan and put down my knife and fork.
"Mum," I began, breaking the silence. It was just me and her. Dad was still at work and my three brothers were out with friends, "Billie Joe asked me something today. He asked if I wanted to go on a trip with him and his family for a few days?"
"A trip?" Mum repeated, cutting her own food easily. Mum's were so strong, "What kind of trip?"
"An...educational trip," I said, thinking this would win her over, "A drive to see America's beauty spots."
"Oh, well, I don't see why not. After all, they are close friends of ours."
"So I can go?" I asked, smiling widely.
"I suppose so. But you'll have to give me details. And if it clashes with our visit to the family in England you can forget it."
I prayed it didn't.
"Of course it won't clash with it, Kate," he said, when I asked him about it that night at my place, "You're not visiting England for nearly a month. We're living in a few days."
"A few days?!" I asked, outraged. I'd thought he'd meant a few WEEKS!
"Nope. Start packing, Kate. ROAD TRIP!"
Our neighbourhood was pretty nice. Everyone knew everyone. I was happy there - I didn't want to leave...
One day, I was sat under the tree at the end of our garden, my sketchpad in one hand, pencil in the other. I was more of a cartoonist, but my art teacher said I should try some real lives too. I had just decided to start drawing our garden pond, when Billie climbed over our fence and landed on the grass.
"Hi," I said quietly, looking up.
"Hellooooo," he grinned, sitting down beside me. He peered at my sketchpad, "What ya doing?"
"Drawing."
"Right. Okay," he said lamely, "Well, I've got good news!" he cried, bouncing back to his old happy self, "Brad asked Mom to ask me to ask you if youuuu wanted to come away with us on a trip for a few days. Huh? Huh? Do ya, Kate, do ya?"
"A trip?" I asked, closing my book.
"Yaha, a drive, exploring America's "beauty spots" as Mom says."
"Um, I dunno, I'd have to ask my mum first..." Did I mention I was English? Yeah, Billie was always teasing me about my accent. But it didn't really matter - I was proud of my heritage.
"Oh, go on, Kate, it'll be fun!" he said, then he bent down closer to my ear, "And I can't stand Anna when it's just me and her."
Anna is his older sister. They're always arguing. It's actually pretty funny.
"I'll ask, but I don't know what she'll say," I said, sighing. Billie just grinned...
I tackled mum about it over dinner. After several attempts at cutting into my steak, I gave up with a frustrated groan and put down my knife and fork.
"Mum," I began, breaking the silence. It was just me and her. Dad was still at work and my three brothers were out with friends, "Billie Joe asked me something today. He asked if I wanted to go on a trip with him and his family for a few days?"
"A trip?" Mum repeated, cutting her own food easily. Mum's were so strong, "What kind of trip?"
"An...educational trip," I said, thinking this would win her over, "A drive to see America's beauty spots."
"Oh, well, I don't see why not. After all, they are close friends of ours."
"So I can go?" I asked, smiling widely.
"I suppose so. But you'll have to give me details. And if it clashes with our visit to the family in England you can forget it."
I prayed it didn't.
"Of course it won't clash with it, Kate," he said, when I asked him about it that night at my place, "You're not visiting England for nearly a month. We're living in a few days."
"A few days?!" I asked, outraged. I'd thought he'd meant a few WEEKS!
"Nope. Start packing, Kate. ROAD TRIP!"
