Unopened chips

Unopened chips

Ahhh, how nice it was to stretch my legs after such a long drive. I breathed in the air, taking a big whiff of the fresh air my lungs craved.

"CoUGh!" I spluttered, after inhaling the most disgusting air I could imagine.

"Hehe Hana!" My friends laughed, as I lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

"Get up drama queen, it was only a little exhaust fumes." Lincoln teased.

Megan slapped him on the back of the head, which I was assumed was in defence of me. "Don't slap her, those fumes already killed the last of her brain cells!"

Everyone cracked up at this, as I sulked in annoyance.

We all headed into the minimart, as hours in the road had caused a dire need for sustenance.

"Dibbs on the chips!" Lincoln alerted.

"Fine, you pig! I'll have the doughnuts." Megan retaliated.

Justin and I strolled casually towards the store, pretending that we were not affiliated with the other two. As we reached the door, I waved my hand and said "Ladies first," which resulted in a push through the door. I crashed straight into someone coming out.

"You moron!" He yelled, as his chip packet fell to the ground, still unopened.

"Hey mate, sorry." Apologising for my stupidness.

"You're a bloody idiot." He continued to rant.

"Mate, I believe she's already apologised to you." A voice from behind me boomed.

Justin towered over the man, causing the man to falter back. He then grabbed his chips and continued on his way. Boy, was I glad to have a friend to defend me, who was also a muscly footy player.

"I was alright Jazz, I can look after myself." I tried be tough, and not the damsel in distress.

"Sure Hana, I wasn't trying to intervene, you're blocking the bloody door." He teased.

I poked my tongue out, as we began the search for food.

The store attendant must have thought a bunch of cavemen had escaped from the museum, as we hunted the shelves. Four people, just out of high school, on a road trip around Australia.

We made a really nice group, if I may say so myself. There was Megan, the pretty one and life of the party. Then there was Justin, the football captain and typical male. Next we had Lincoln, an early bird in the discovery of being gay. Then there was me, the mature glue that held us all together, except that I was a natural blonde. I suppose we were a strange mix, and all through high school people had thought that too. But we just fitted. And this road trip was going to signify moving into adulthood together, or would end up in one of us killing another because of annoyance.

"Earth to Hana." Megan said, waving her hands in front of my face, bringing me out of that thought. "What are you going to buy?"

After stocking up with bags of food, most unhealthy, we headed back to the car. It wasn't much, a beat up old Kombi with multiple dents and scratches. Not to mention the peeling paint and probable lack of road worthy. Why buy it? you say. It was Justin's idea. He'd seen it cheap, and though it perfect for the trip.

I hopped into the driver's seat, as it was my turn to drive. Lincoln sat next to me, map at the ready. We were making our way up from Melbourne. Why up? Megan had asked, and not left? Or right, as Justin had joked. It was dad who had told me to drive upwards, and even though we got lost on every family trip, I took his advice.

"Wind down the window, will ya Megan." Justin asked as our trip began again. A gush of air wafted in, filling the scorching car wot fresh, cool air. Just out of school seemed like a great time for a holiday, but it was summer, the hottest blood month of the year.