"What the hell is this?" I walked over to the "something even cooler." It was on old VW Bus (yes, like the one from the 60's), painted black, or at least it was at some point. The paint was peeling in odd places, and the car looked like it would collapse any moment.

"Just the coolest van ever! Once we get the stencils, we're going to put the name of the band on this side." Jack said.

"Oh. That's, uh, cool." Oh my gosh, please tell me they don't want me to ride in that death trap.

"Yeah! Come on!" Alex got in the driver's seat with Jack riding shotgun. Rian and Zack got in the back.

"Are you coming?" Zack asked, his hand resting against the door.

I blew my bangs out of my face, "Yeah, let's take a ride in the van from hell."

He chuckled and moved over so I could sit next to him.

"Zack, where exactly am I going?" Alex asked. Zack shrugged and leaned back against the seat.

"Okay, well, I'm just going to drive. Someone stop me when they see something interesting."
Alex pulled out of the driveway and out onto the road.

"Will do." Rian said. I watched the landscape scroll by the windows, making up stories in my head

"How do you know what I seek?" She questioned. "Please," he smirked. "You desire adventure, it's practically written across your features. You want to be rid of this life. Come with me. I guarantee adventure will follow us." He held his hand out to her once again. She hesitated. Leaving with him would mean giving up everything she has ever worked for. Was she willing to do that? She placed her hand in his. "How soon can we leave?"

"Salem? Ssssaaaallllleeeeeemmm. SALEM!" I bolted upright in my seat, bracing my hands against the seat in front of me. I turned and noticed Zack leaning against Rian, both looking terrified.

"What's wrong?" I asked, relaxing my grip on the seat.

"I have never, in my entire life, seen someone wake up like that." Rian said.

"Wha?"

"You fell asleep, and Jack found some place to eat. Alex and him went in to get us a table and we stayed back to wake you up. I was just tapping your shoulder and you flew up, it was like something out of a horror movie." Zack explained.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Yeah, I wake up like that. I hear someone call my name and up I go." I motioned with my hands. Zack shook his head and held out his hand to help me out of the van.

"What a gentleman." Rian teased.

"Hence why he gets all the ladies." I said. Rian rolled his eyes and lead the way to the restaurant.

"Hey, we're looking for our friends, they should have just gotten seated." The hostess looked up from her podium and rolled her eyes at Rian.

"Lanky kid with weird hair?"

"Yeah, that would be one of them."

She inclined her head, "They're in the back."

As soon as we stepped around the hostess, I could see Jack jumping up and down and waving. Alex was sitting in the booth, tugging on Jack's hoodie trying to get him to sit down. "Alex look! They got sleeping beauty up!"

"Jack! Sit down you idiot! They're going to kick us out."

"They aren't going to kick us out! We are paying customers. They need us."

"And I need you to sit your ass down." Jack finally slid into the booth next to Alex when we reached the table.
"Hey, hyper Harriett, what's the haps?" I asked as I slid into the empty side of the booth. Zack sat next to me and Rian pulled a chair over to sit on the end.

"Let's just take a moment to appreciate she said that without stuttering once." Alex applauded.
I could feel a blush creep up my neck. He actually noticed. Lately when I say words that begin with an "H," I haven't been stuttering nearly as much around these guys. I'm comfortable around them; we crack jokes and mess with each other. I may have found friends who really want me around. Without having to worry about everything I say and do, and about whether I actually fit in, has improved my speech. Score one for Salem.

"Why thank you." I did a faux bow and nodded towards Alex.

"We have only been waiting FOREVER for you guys to come on. The waitress keeps walking by with food and she keeps making eye contact with me. She knows I want that food. She knows." Jack moaned.

"Oh she totally knows Jack, she just wants to keep you in suspense." I said with a wink.

He threw a balled up straw wrapper at me. Usually, this would have been no big deal. However, this particular straw wrapper ball decided to take a detour down my shirt and snuggle itself in between my boobs. Shit. I quickly looked up hoping no one had noticed, maybe I could just quickly retrieve it. Jack was staring after the waitress, Rain was messing around with his drink, and Alex was playing with his phone. Zack, at that moment decided he wanted to strike up a conversation. "So how were you able to pull this off?" I shifted hoping for the wrapper to maybe slide out of my bra. Yeah, no such luck.

"Pull what off?"

"Getting us a gig?"

"Using my lady-like charms I picked up while attempting to win Miss America."

Zack laughed and shook his head. I tried moving my shoulders a bit, but that just moved the ball over. It was now straight up poking me in the side. It probably wouldn't bother a normal person, but it was driving me up a freaking wall. The little ball from hell felt like a thousand hot pokers being jabbed into the side of my boob. Oh this was mega no bueno. I needed a distraction. I reached over and grabbed a sugar packet out of the little blue container next to me. I fiddled with it between my fingers a few times before nailing Zack in the chest with it. "Hey what was that for?" Zack bent over to pick the packet up, giving me just enough time to yank the wrapper out of my bra and fling it at Rian. "OH LOOK OUT! Someone at this table wants to start a war!" Jack shouted. Shit went down after that. I got nailed in the face by a sugar packet. Rian had straw wrapper balls all stuck in his hair. Zack fell out of the seat trying to dodge Jack's sugar packet attacks. Jack ended up knocking his water over into Alex's lap. "Cold, COLD, SHIT BARAKAT THAT IS FUCKING COLD!" Alex jumped out of the seat and ran to the bathroom. We all laughed until the waitress came over.

The waitress, around sixteen, a tall, with bright blond hair up in a bun came running over to the table.

"Hey Hope!" Jack and Rian said.

"Yeah, hi Hope." Zack said, glancing towards the ground.

She leaned over and placed her fists on the table. "Alright listen up here fucktarts, if you think I didn't just see all that you are dead wrong. I will personally escort your asses out of here you hear me?" She quickly straightened up and pulled a notepad out of her apron. "I see you brought a friend. Hi! Nice to meet you, I'm Hope and I will be your waitress this evening. I'm assuming these idiots are getting their usually, but what can I get you?" I told my order and then introduced myself.

"Nice to meet you too, Hope. I'm Salem." She nodded and smiled before turning away to place our order. Alex slid back into the booth a few minutes later giving Jack the evil eye.

"Feel better?" I asked.

"I'm going to strangle this one," He pointed at Jack, "first chance I get."

"Oh well, you missed Hope." Rian said.

"Really? She's working tonight?" Alex sat up a little straighter and glanced around.

"Yeah, who is she anyway?" I asked.

"Oh, she's Zack's cousin, but she lives next door to me. Zack hates her though because she makes fun of his hair." Jack explained.

"It’s not that bad!" Zack said.

Alex leaned in and whispered, "Oh, but it really is."