Barbie: Beyond the Trip

Birthday Bumble

"WE'RE COMING TO SEE YOU!"

"And get this: we're staying for a whole week! Barbie's parents, too! Plus, we're staying at the campus hotel, Ken! You know, the one right next to your dorm?", Mrs. Carson added. Kenneth nodded, leaning closer.

"And Barbie, your parents are staying with you! They worked it out with Simone and Kel!", Mr. Carson pointed out.

"We get to spend the whole week with you both! When you're not in classes or working, we'll all be right there with you! Isn't that wonderful!?"

Stillness stretched between the two blondes... unsettled quietness shone on the exterior that alluded to their racing thoughts in their minds, with only the soft volume of the movie stretching into the living room.

All their parents were coming to visit.

Tomorrow.

For a week.

"Uuuuuummm...", was all Barbie could utter after the call had ended, leaving the blondes wildly trying to figure out their next move.

"Sooooooo...", was Ken's response.

They both turned to each other, thinking about the fact that their plans for the upcoming weekend also included tomorrow night...

Sightseeing around Times Square, visiting the many museums in the area, catching a Broadway performance, and many other plans that included just strolling around, dining in fabulous restaurants, and spending some much-needed time together.

Because, despite living a half hour away from each other between New York University to Brooklyn, Ken and Barbie spent very little time together, just the two of them, that didn't involve classmates, roommates, or musical business partners... or all the above all at once.

So, the fact that their parents were coming out, unannounced, and practically splitting up not only the weekend but the entire following week that Ken and Barbie had planned for just the duo did not exactly excite them the same way their parents were affected...

"Well, maybe it will be OK", Barbie tried to smooth over the situation. She grinned crookedly and shrugged, thinking about the positives, "It has been a while since we've seen them, and... well... umm..."

She tried; she really did. But when she looked up at her boyfriend's disbelieving, blushing gaze, his mouth curled disagreeably, she cleared her throat and smiled apologetically.

"Or not..."

****

Friday came and went faster than either Barbie or Ken had wanted... While they both sat in Buddy's Café as a central meeting spot, Barbie couldn't help but notice how quiet Ken was. He seemed distant, his hands curled against his mouth as he blankly stared ahead, as if he were dreading the moment for some reason. Placing a hand on the small of his back, she watched his eyes rotate to fix on hers. And with a soft, encouraging smile from his girlfriend, Ken felt his spirits lift a bit.

They were waiting for the ding of the door to announce their parents' arrival. And going by how they had mentioned 4:00pm as their time of appearance, they were expected any minute.

BANG BANG BANG!

"HEEEEYYY YOU TWO!"

Ken and Barbie rocketed out of their seats and into outer space. The former clanged and smacked his knees against the booth that resulted in him splashing his hot coffee all over his lap, plus sending Barbie's flying on the floor, at the sudden pounding on the glass window next to them.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!"

"AAAHH—OOOWWWW YOWWW!!!!"

As their lungs tried to regain some of the air they lost in their unforeseen rude alert, Barbie panted to settle her nerves, clutching at her chest with both hands to calm her heartrate. Beside her to her right, Ken winced and groaned in pain, attempting to uncross his eyes from the searing wet pain that was now spreading across his lap from the hot Joe.