They Left Me Behind on the Road Trip, So I Got on a Better Ride Chapter 01

They Left Me Behind on the Road Trip, So I Got on a Better Ride Chapter 01

Our last road trip before college graduation.

My boyfriend, two childhood friends, my best friend—the five of us had planned to drive the full national park loop together.

But on day three, one of the cars broke down. Only four seats were left.

My boyfriend didn’t even hesitate. He held out a long-distance bus ticket for the six-hour ride to me.

“You don’t get car sick. Sorry to dump this on you. We’ll head to the next stop and wait.”

Chloe, my best friend, started to speak up. “I can go instead.”

The two boys cut her off at the same time.

“You were throwing up yesterday. Don’t push it.”

Ethan hauled my suitcase to the curb with a laugh. “She’s tough. Never complains about anything.”

Like always, I said okay.

Six hours later, I pulled into the tiny town we’d agreed on—only to find they’d detoured to another city without a word.

Photos popped up in our group chat: the four of them huddled around a barbecue spread, grinning wide.

No one had bothered to tell me.

In that instant, all those years flashed through my mind.

Chloe got cold easily, so three extra jackets were always set aside for her.

If Chloe was tired, everyone stopped what they were doing.

The more easygoing I was, the more comfortable they became leaving me to deal with the hard parts.

Not this time. I wasn’t chasing after them anymore.

I bought a one-way ticket home, then messaged the Russo family—the people I’d turned down two weeks prior.

[Hello. Is the offer still open? I’m in.]

I was done with these people I’d known for more than a decade.

……

The mechanic said the car wouldn’t be fixed that day.

Ethan, my boyfriend, leaned against the car door scrolling his phone, then flipped his screen toward me.

“One p.m. Six hours. You’ll roll in right in time for dinner with us.”

I glanced at the ticket. “This is for me?”

“Yep.” He nodded toward the remaining SUV.

“Four seats. Someone’s gotta take the bus.”

Chloe spoke right away. “I’ll go. Ava shouldn’t ride alone for that long.”

She reached for her bag, but Mason pushed her hand away. “Don’t you remember how sick you were yesterday?”

Liam frowned too. “Your stomach can’t handle six hours on the road. You’ll be miserable tonight.”

Ethan had already dragged my suitcase to the curb.

“Ava’ll be fine.” He grinned at Chloe. “She’s always been tough. She can handle anything.”

Mason chuckled. “True enough.”

I would’ve laughed along once.

I thought they were complimenting me—for being low-maintenance, for being independent.

I took the ticket. “Alright.”

Ethan clapped my shoulder. “Text when you arrive.”

Then he turned to Chloe. “Didn’t you want to catch the sunset at Bryce Canyon? We need to go if we don’t wanna miss it.”

I froze.

“Aren’t you heading straight to the next town?” I’d assumed they’d get there early and wait for me.

“We’re just making a quick detour.” He climbed into the driver’s seat.

“You can’t get there on the bus anyway. No point stressing over it.”

As the car pulled away, Chloe leaned out the window and waved. “See you tonight!”

I lifted my hand to wave back.

The car rounded the corner and vanished.

I stared down at the ticket on my phone.

Six hours. It wasn’t the end of the world.

Once I boarded the bus, I remembered I’d left my sunhat in the backseat.

I was about to text Ethan when my phone buzzed with an Instagram notification.

Chloe stood at Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon, wearing my hat.

Ethan knelt on the ground framing her shot.

Mason held an umbrella, Liam carried her purse.

The caption read: [Playing handmaidens for the princess of the MECCA family, getting the perfect shots today.]

Chloe commented three heart emojis.

MECCA—the mashup of all five of our names.

We’d promised we’d build our own clan together after graduation.

I stared at the picture for a minute, then closed Instagram.

I deleted the half-typed message: [Remember to hold onto my hat.]

It wasn’t expensive anyway.