I didn’t need to spin round to know my sister’s almost-more-annoying best friend was walking up my parents’ driveway. “How about you stop perving on me, Mallory? I know it’s hard for you, but you’ll get eye strain one day.”
“Yeah, you wish I was a member of that brainless harem that follows you about all day.” In my periphery I could see her cupping her face in one hand, before she put on a high pitched squeaky voice. “Oh, Jupiter, oh look at your muscles, oh look at how hard you swing your bat, oh you’re so handsome…”
She didn’t manage her next dig before she dissolved into a fit of giggles. At least she was amusing someone.
“You’re a dick, Mal, but whatever floats your boat.” I finally turned to look at her, and my eyes popped wide instead of rolling deep like they were about to. “Um, what the fuck is that under your arm? I know you’re not thinking of bringing that with youbecause I’ve already told you it’s not coming anywhere near my truck.”
“Keep your muscles on, Jupe.” She righted the surfboard she was carrying and glared at me. “You understand the purpose of a truck is to put stuff in the trunk, right? Emerson and I are going surfing after school, and we don’t have time to come back because we have a late math period.”
“Not my fucking problem.” I leaned on the horn again while I hung out of the truck window, “EMERSON!”
Mallory propped a fist on her hip. “You know, Jupe, based on my calculations, you owe at least fifty dollars in the swear jar from our delightful morning chit chat alone. I’ll let it slide and keep it between us, if you can graciously give me and Stevie a ride this morning.”
I looked at the clock on the dash; at this rate I wasactuallygoing to be late. I’d forgone my usual morning run in favor of one with my best friend, Jenson, at school, and if I was late for that, I’d be late for Coach, which he would not be happy about.
And this morning had started off so great.
“Who the fuck is Stevie? I never agreed to give any of your friends a ride! It’s annoying enough as it is to have to wait on you and Emerson! And you better tell her she has thirty seconds to get here before I leave you both.”
The horn blared out one more time.
“Stevie the surfboard,” Mallory replied nonchalantly as she heaved it into the trunk of my Escalade, ignoring my glare, and then climbed in the back seat.
I don’t know why I even bothered. Truth be told this is how most interactions with Mallory and Emerson went – me protesting, them doing whatever they wanted regardless. At least I didn’t have to contend with Piper, my eldest sister, as well, who was thankfully away at college. Then when she left,it fell to me to provide the carpool, hence my beloved Escalade truck I’d received for my eighteenth birthday.
“Finally!” I cheered, once again omitting the curse words as my sister ambled – fucking ambled – out of the house like she had all the time in the world. My teeth gritted as I spied her surfboard, but didn’t put up an argument like I would have done if she’d arrived fifteen minutes earlier when I was first outside and ready to leave.
I waited until it joined Mallory’s surfboard in the trunk, then turned the key. The engine roared to life, ready to inch its way down the driveway the second Emerson opened the passenger door.
“Jeez, impatient much? Let me actually get in before you take off, please! I don’t understand why we have to leave so early. Piper didn’t make us leave for another half hour, and we were still early to class,” Emerson mumbled through the slice of toast still wedged between her front teeth, while trying to pull her seat belt on.
Turning left out of the drive, we surged forward along the winding roads leading out of our neighborhood, and towards Santa Monica. Hopefully traffic would be light, and I’d be able to make up some time.
“Piper didn’t have pre-school commitments; I do. I have squad training, followed by practice, and this morning I have a meeting with Coach, and I’m meeting Jenson for a run. So, yes, we need to leave early, and yes, I’d appreciate you moving your ass quicker.”
She huffed a response I didn’t catch and began fiddling with the buttons on the music system. I braced myself for another protest once I’d rejected whatever pop crap she’d chosen.
“Oh yes, Taylor Swift! I love this song,” Mallory piped up, her head sticking through the space between us.
“Absolutely not, turn this shit off! It’s bad enough you’re making me late.” I slapped my hand on another button and the music changed to a much more acceptable Jay-Z. I then pushed Emerson’s feet away from where they were currently resting, and rubbed off the mark her sneakers had left. “No feet on the dash, you know the rules!”
I didn’t miss the wide eyes Mallory gave to neither one of us in particular.
“I want to live in New York one day,” Emerson sighed, pulling down the passenger visor to look in the mirror as she brushed her hair, no doubt getting her long auburn strands everywhere. She was worse than a shedding dog.
“Fuck no. New York is far too cold.” I shivered at the thought. “And can you stop doing that in my car?”
She flicked the visor back up. “I wouldn’t have to if you’d let us leave at a more reasonable time.”
“Jupiter, what if you get drafted to the Yankees?” asked Mallory, far too innocently to fool anyone.
I narrowed my eyes at her through the rear-view mirror.
Emerson turned around in her seat. “Please don’t set him off. I’m not listening to The Dodgers for Life statement this early in the morning.”
Mallory snorted, and turned to look out of the window, making me flinch when she banged on it. “Hey, stop! Jupiter stop the truck! Em, look, it’s that girl…”
“What? No chance.”
