They Left Me Behind on the Road Trip, So I Got on a Better Ride Chapter 04

They Left Me Behind on the Road Trip, So I Got on a Better Ride Chapter 04

When I got back to the parking lot the next morning, I spotted the SUV at once.

Only the one SUV. All four of their bags were already loaded inside.

I didn’t say anything.

Ethan saw me and held his phone out. “Bus leaves at eleven. Three hours. I bought your ticket.”

I didn’t take it.

Chloe hopped out of the passenger seat right away. “I’ll go this time. Ava’s been on buses nonstop the last few days.”

The second the words left her mouth, both boys frowned.

“Your stomach just got better.”

“That stretch is all winding mountain roads. You’ll throw up again.”

Ethan pulled her back toward the car. “I’m not comfortable with you taking that bus.”

I stood there watching them.

I suddenly thought of that six-hour ticket from two days before.

Ethan noticed I wasn’t reaching for it and urged me. “Take it.”

I looked straight at him. “I don’t want to take the bus today.”

All of them froze.

Mason recovered first. “What are we supposed to do then? We can’t send Chloe.”

I stared at them. It was absurd. Why was it always Chloe or me?

I cared about Chloe and wouldn’t make her take the bus.

But none of those three guys ever volunteered to ride it themselves.

I swallowed my frustration and suggested a compromise. “We can wait for the car to get fixed.”

“Then we lose our whole planned itinerary!”

“We could rent another vehicle.”

Liam clicked his tongue. “It’s only three hours. Is it really that big of a hassle?”

Ethan’s expression darkened. “Ava, don’t pick a fight right now.”

When he said that before, I’d rush to explain myself.

I wasn’t fighting.

I was worn out.

I hurt too.

This time, I had those words ready, but they died in my throat.

“Go on without me.”

Chloe moved to climb out again. “What will you do?”

I gripped my suitcase handle. “I’ll figure something out.”

Mason laughed. “Told you she could handle it.”

Liam waved at me. “See you tonight.”

Ethan stared at me for a long second. “I’ll send the ticket to your phone anyway. Call when you arrive.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

I stood watching until their car vanished around the bend.

The edge of my sunhat peeked out from the open trunk.

I didn’t call after them.

Back at the hotel, I canceled all the remaining lodging and attraction reservations.

Then I opened my chat with the Russo family’s scout.

[Hi. I’ve changed my mind.]

The reply came fast.

[Wonderful. I’ll let the Capo know. She’s always believed you have incredible potential…]

I paused a moment before typing again.

[I’ll head back soon. I’ll come meet her in person.]

Once I hit send, I packed up my suitcase.

I didn’t ask for my hat back or the jacket I’d left in their car.

At eleven p.m. that night, I dragged my suitcase back to campus.

My roommate stared in shock when she saw me.

“Aren’t you supposed to be traveling for several more days?”

“I came home early.”

“Did you fight with Ethan?”

I shook my head. “No.”

We hadn’t fought at all.

Ethan had left headphones, a charger, and two of his shirts at my place.

I found a cardboard box and packed them inside.

Old ticket stubs and Polaroids I’d once cherished were tucked at the bottom of my drawer.

I flipped through them briefly, then dropped them into the box too.

The box wasn’t even full.

Midnight, someone finally messaged the group chat.

[Has Ava gotten there yet?]

Mason replied: [Probably still mad.]

Chloe typed: [Should we call her?]

Ethan waited several minutes before responding.

[Leave her be. Let her cool off.]

I read that line.

For the first time, I didn’t feel that familiar sting of hurt.

He was right. I was cooling off.

Not so I could rejoin them later, but to slowly get used to life without them.

The next morning, I finished my last graduation paperwork.

A car from the Russo family pulled up at the campus gate to pick me up. That was when Ethan texted.

[What do you feel like eating tonight?]

[I know yesterday sucked. I’ll take you somewhere nice to make it up.]

He still assumed things would go his way.

That one nice meal, a few gentle words, would be enough for me to fall back into step behind them.

The car brought me to the airport.

The airport announcement echoed over the speakers when his call came through.

I didn’t answer.

Right before my screen dimmed, I saw the four of them in the group chat debating their next stop.

They were still on their five-person graduation road trip.

But the girl who always ran to catch up?

I dragged my suitcase forward and stepped through the boarding gate.

This time, I wanted to see scenery that belonged only to me.