Soul - Colby Brock

Ninety-Six

We all decided on a little road trip. Colby, Sam, Kat, Jake, and I were going in Colby's car to Kansas. As it takes twenty hours to drive there and there's five of us, we decided four hours each but Sam and Colby offered to drive for me and Kat. I had a bunch of clothes packed in one suitcase, as did Colby. It'd already been arranged that I'd be in the passenger seat the entire time just because it's Colby's car and he said so. My mother was going to take a plane over the day after we tell her we're there. Colby's going to take the first shift, then it's going to be Sam, then Jake, then Colby, then Sam again. We planned to leave at eleven am so we'd arrive at seven am LA time, nine am Kansas time. Kat figured out the maths. We also made a mutual decision that everyone would go to Colby's parents' house for a few hours first then go separate ways.

I managed to sneak my suitcase down to the car, avoiding Colby's help. I also had a little backpack - an xplr backpack - that held the two scans I'd had and other items I'll probably want for the journey. 

I waited for Sam, Kat, and Jake while Colby was making sure there was enough room in the trunk. "Octavia!" Kat exclaimed excitedly. She ran over to me, Sam and Jake lagging behind her with three suitcases. When Kat hugged me, I noticed Sam smile widely. 

"Hi!" I hugged her back then we pulled away. "You excited?" she nodded hyperactively.

"Then it's time those two hurry up." Colby pointed to the slow boys.

"Come on, Sam! We have a twenty-hour journey! Move your asses!" Kat yelled at them. I smiled apologetically at the man getting into his car a few spaces away. 

"Sorry, Kat!" Sam laughed. Kat sat in the middle of the backseat, Sam behind me and Jake behind Colby. I wore a hoodie over my baby bump because they can't know for another two weeks yet. That feels so close. 

Colby grabbed my hand when he started driving. At first, we were all talking but the conversation slowly died the longer we drove. After just an hour and a half, we were all minding our own business: everyone wearing earphones and playing on their phones. I, however, stared out the window at the road flying by.

It felt like no time when Colby pulled over to switch with Sam. It'd already been four hours. I checked the time and sure enough, it was three pm.

It was so perfect that on Sam's second drive, it was three am. We finally arrived outside of Colby's parents' house at seven am, nine am in Kansas time. I say finally, I'd slept for about ninety percent of the entire journey. 

I headed straight up to the door, hearing Foxy and Koki barking upon my approach. I knocked nervously. The second it opened and revealed Mrs. Brock, my soon-to-be name twin, I smiled. "Octavia! Sweetheart, how are you?" she asked, pulling me into a hug. 

"Hi! I'm good, thanks." I slowly pulled away and felt dogs at my feet. Koki was sniffing my leg until the cute doggo recognized me. I petted them both before Colby appeared with our suitcases.

"Hi, mom." he greeted.

"Hiya, honey. Oh! You brought even more friends! Come on in!" I finally moved away from Foxy so that everyone could enter the house. Kat sat with me in the living room where Mr. Brock was watching TV.

"Hello, Octavia! How are you?" I got a hug.

"I'm good, thank you. You?" he just nodded then walked away to talk to his son in the hallway. 

"They didn't even notice!" Kat whisper-yelled.

"I know! I'm surprised, to be honest."