Brian and Aj sighed as they sat down on the table that was now a bed.
"Ang, baby, please ... what's the big deal?" Aj asked.
"Well Nick is going to be driving for the next few hours, Claire will be sleeping up front with him. So that leaves two bunk beds and a table bed." she explained.
Brian nodded, "Well, Nick and Claire are in the front. Aj is in one bunk and I am in the other." he said with a devious smile.
She laughed as she threw a pillow at him, "Come on, I have the next driving shift. Please let me sleep in a bunk?"
Claire turned around, "Hey guys, there is a couch in the back that someone could easily sleep on, so you all need to stop complaining." she said with a dull voice.
Angie sucked in her breath to retaliate, but Aj cupped his hand over her mouth and whispered "It's not worth it."
She pulled his hand off her mouth and stuck her tongue out at him before going into the bathroom. Brian stood up and walked to the front of the RV.
"Nick, I think it's about time for a break. We should restock the food and everything." he said.
Nick nodded and headed off the closest exit. It was 7pm and they had been on the RV all day. The food was basically gone, due to the binge Claire and Angie had during the fifth hour. The soda was pretty much gone also. Nick pulled over and turned off the car. They all stretched before piling off the RV and going into the store. The guys went to get drinks and snacks as Angie and Claire went to the bathroom.
When they were finished, Claire told Angie she was going to call her house to check her messages. She put in her code and the machine beeped twice.
A mechanical voice said 'message one.'
"Hi Claire? This is Mrs. Montica, your next door neighbor." she said pausing with a giggle, "Well you know that. I just wanted to say that everything is good in your home, and I will see you when you get home."
The message clicked off and the voice announced 'message two.'
There was a shuffling noise, then a clicking before the voice came on.
"Claire ... this is Scott." the voice said.
Claire felt her knees go weak and her stomach leap as she clutched tightly onto the phone.
"I really miss you, and I'm sorry for the things I did to you in the past. I know you would love to come back to me, because no one will love you like me. Everyone else will just lie."
Claire's eyes brimmed with tears as the hateful message played on and memories of her past relationship pushed forward into her mind.
"I am going to stop by later to see you. You better be home."
And that was the end of the message. Claire slowly went to hang up the phone as she swallowed the large clump rising in her throat. She placed the phone lightly on the receiver and stared at it blankly. A minute later Angie came up behind her and poked her in the side, causing Claire to jump a mile.
"My god Claire!" Angie said frightened at Claire's surprise, "You scared me half to death..."
She looked at Claire's pale complexion and caught her attention, "You okay?"
Claire nodded slowly, "I feel kind of sick, I just want to lay down."
Angie nodded and walked back to the RV with Claire. She went in to the back couch and laid down, pulling the curtain shut so it was dark in the back. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out all the memories and realized it was no use. Scott had done it again. Claire felt trapped.
Angie jogged off the bus wen back into the store. She met up with Brian in the candy aisle, and began loading up the basket with juju fruits, skittles, reese's and twizzlers.
"Where's your significant other?" Brian asked.
Angie threw a bag of tootsie rolls in the basket, "Aj?"
Brian shook his head no, "Claire."
Angie laughed and made a goofy face at Brian, "She went back to the bus already."
Brian nodded and walked over to the chip aisle with Angie right next to him. Aj and Nick were arguing over wavy chips or regular. Angie reached across them and grabbed both bags.
"Okay, let's go troops." she said in a deep voice.
All three guys gave her a look like she was crazy before they all plodded over to the cash register. After paying, Nick asked Angie if Claire was still in the bathroom.
"No, she went back to the bus." she said.
"Why?" he asked.
"She said she didn't feel good, and she looked wicked pale." Angie said before humming.
They all piled loudly back on to the RV before starting to drive again. Angie was in the bathroom when she heard a quiet sob from the back room. She opened the curtain and found Claire with a tear streaked face.
"Oh my god honey!" she said rushing inside.
Claire wiped away her tears and placed a fake smile on her face.
"Sorry, I had a horrible dream. I just kind of scared myself." Claire lied.
Angie nodded and rubbed Claire's back to calm her down. The RV came to a screeching halt, then take a sharp left and they heard Aj and Brian begin to bicker about a missed exit.
Angie started laughing and Claire managed a weak smile. Angie eyed her and knew there was more to her tears than a bad dream.
