High school graduation. A moment they've prepared us since we were able to fathom the cycle of life — the constant aging. It's a stepping stone to the real world. Not everyone goes to college, but most of us at least try to get our high school diploma. Beverly Hills High is the home to future star athletes, money-hungry business moguls, savvy and brilliant engineers, household name directors, out-of-this-world supermodels, cutthroat Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalists, and so much more. Most of the kids that attended had to live as legacies, coming from money and fame, but the few that didn't come because of their family's name... They were challenged with the ladder and the political affairs of popularity, and those challenges will soon become the foundation of THEIR legacy. BHHS is where legends are born, whether you have a great starting hand or not, whether you want to continue what your parents started or not, whether you know it or not, you have a higher chance of success and that ticket? The diploma you were handed two weeks ago? That's your ticket to freedom and the start of a great adventure. An adventure where you are destined for greatness.

Remember, Class of 2019: Legends Never Die.

"ALFIEEEEEEEE! Don't forget to give mommy a kiss." Wincing at his mother's voice, the only person he can handle calling him Alfie, AJ Tyler, the idea man behind a once-in-a-lifetime road trip with good people, his friends, finished inspecting his father's two decker mobile home RV. It was originally a bus, but since the Tylers go camping every other weekend, the old man decided to make an investment that would make his whole family happy. Recently, he helped his pops install external LED lighting, like a beacon for his friends, especially when everyone would get inevitably drunk and lost. After closing one of the exterior storage units, making sure he packed camping, survivalist, and automotive essentials, AJ strode up the steps of his family's Beverly Hills estate. While he walked, he took off his unreasonably expensive sunglasses, knowing exactly what would happen when he reached the top step.

Immediately, he was forcibly pulled into his mother's embrace and like the good boy he was, at least when it comes to her, he gave her a lovingly, affectionate, and just-for-her kiss. "You be safe now. If you need anything, call me."

"I will."

"You should call me everyday." Haylee, his mother, demanded, with a pout and a tone of certitude.

"That's a lot..." The young boy muttered.

"A lot my ass! I'm your mother."

"But mommmm, I got a lot to do!" He whined, really not wanting to have to confess his sins to his mom on a daily basis. "How about... once a week?" He tried to bargain.

"Absolutely not. Every other day. Deal or I'm coming with you." Oh my god. Why was she pulling this needy shit right now? When he had to go too! He loved her but goddamn. He was a grown ass man.

"Okay, FINE! Every other day. But I choose the time. Okay?" His mother smiled at his response, which caused him to sigh in relief. It took him years to master the art of pleasing this woman. She was such a spoiled brat. Now, he could make his great escape.

Of course, just when he was going to pull himself out of his mother's tight grasp and try to get away, from the corner of his eyes, he saw his little sister recording him. His smile went into a grimace real quick. As he lifted his hand to block the camera, he barked, "You little shit, delete that. Or else." He pulled away from his mother, giving Molly the deadliest of death glares.

"Or else what? You're going to break my phone? Daddy will buy me another. Post embarrassing pictures of me? Oh wait, you have none. Just imagine if I shared this on my snap, or even worse, my insta? I have soooooooo many followers." Molly teased, but in truth, she was buying time with her brother before he disappeared for the WHOLE summer.

His sister could be a pest. If he was staying, he'd cut that long hair of her's right off from her tiny ass head. But honestly? Why should he care? Why did it matter if something like that trended on the internet? He was a graduate! Being coddled by his mother was nothing in comparison to how he ruins his own self with his damn mouth. "Okay. Post it. Those that know me, know I love my mom. So I don't give a fuck."

"Ew, no fun." Molly protested in disgust. She only liked doing things if AJ didn't agree with it. What were little sisters for? To ANNOY, obviously. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, going out of her way to let it whip AJ's face, she nonchalantly added, "Hey, you should totally tell Chris to text me more."

Rolling his eyes, AJ countered, "Why can't you?"

"Because I'm not the desperate type. Like you."

Oof.

Fucking bitch.

Yeah, no. He had enough. He wasn't going to start a fight with Mols right in front of his mama and right before he saw his friends. Good vibes, man. It wasn't like Molly had a chance. She was too Plastic for Chris, a little Unholy Trinity fan girl. His best friend deserved better.

"You two, stop." Their mother chided, and then gasped, "Oh Pumpkin!" AJ turned his attention back to his Broadway goddess of a mother, who handed him a bag filled with Earth set bracelets, "Give all your friends one! I've had way more free time than usual so I decided to make a bunch."

... That's pretty gay. Would everyone even wear one? They were neat with different combinations of colors, charms, beads, and knot work, but still. Well, knowing his friends, they definitely got food covered. He sent out a text awhile back asking them to bring breakfast. He couldn't remember if he told someone specifically or just made a shout out in a group thread. Ah, well. That didn't matter. "Okay, ma. I'm sure they'll love it." He wasn't sure.

After saying his goodbyes, and watching Molly mouth 'don't forget to tell Chris I said hi', AJ was finally on his way to the school parking lot. Specifically, the G spot. As he slowly approached, treading ever so closely to the handsome Russian standing there, waiting, and still wearing the same outfit AJ saw him wear last night, AJ honked the horn, keeping his hand on it so that the noise lasted for an unpleasantly long time. When he put the RV into park, a good song came on the radio, "Ace really knows how to pick them." Turning up the music, and flipping a switch so that the music projected on the speakers installed on the outside, the door slid opened. Leaving the bag of bracelets on the passenger seat and placing his glasses on his fluffy hair, AJ-fucking-Tyler jumped down and gave his charming grin, that showed his pearly whites. A grin that meant: let's make mischief.

"Cosmosssssss! You ready? I hope no one bails, it's not often my dad let's me take this beast out." The gearhead gestured to the large vehicle behind him, before taking a step closer to one of three best friends and swiping his soy latte, knowing exactly which one was his.

"Esme." A hard-edged, brassy yet insistent voice came out of a pink bejeweled phone, laying on an untidy motel bed. "You know what I expect of you and if anything goes off the rails, take matters into your own hands. I trust you, got it?"

"You flatter me, Mr. Tyler! Even calling me by my name. I must be moving up in the world." Esmeralda, more known as Belladonna in the underworld, cooed, as she finished applying her Black Cherry lipstick. "I promise you, you have nothing to worry about." Approaching the bed, she grabbed a manila envelope and took out the documents hiding on the inside. While she retrieved a lighter from her purse, and walked to the sink, she chuckled, "Oh wait, you hate promises. Just know, I'll do as you wish."

"I like the sound of that." Hovering the paper over the porcelain sink, she started burning information about Havana, while listening to Dominic give his usual advice. "Remember, failure isn't an option."

"Uh-huh." She watched the couple of papers at her finger tips disintegrate, her melting chocolate gaze lit from the burning flame, "Mr. T, I'd love to stay and chat but I have a date with a psycho. I'll give you weekly reports. Give your wife a big kiss for me, why don't you?" Esme teased.

"Yeah, yeah. You know I will. Buy the children some time, okay?"

"You got it, Bossman."

*Click*

“You dumped Carter? Over text? Katie, what the fuck? He was taking you to fucking Paris! To fuck, in Paris!” Jamie Callaghan’s face gazed out from Katie’s phone, eyes tracking her from his vantage point on her vanity while she rushed around her room, throwing items into a large, black suitcase. Behind him, a white sand beach extended out, and tourists clad in swimsuits walked behind. He was tanner than when she’d seen him a few weeks ago, a result of the Grecian sun that she was certain her brother found very pleasant.

She winced at his words. It sounded a lot worse when Jamie said it. “Don’t get yourself worked up yet. It gets better,” Katie said, approaching the phone so that she and Jamie were face to face. “I’m going on AJ’s roadtrip.” The twins froze for a moment, one gripped by shock, the other by her own anxieties.

“Katie Callaghan, you’re an idiot,” Jamie said, after his eyebrows had returned to their normal position on his face. “How did you even get invited? You guys haven’t had a nice thing to say to each other in like, two years.”

Katie’s fingers began tracing lines across her bare arm, her eyes avoiding her brother’s stare. “So, funny story… I wasn’t really invited…” Katie said. Jamie’s shocked expression returned, and Katie rushed to explain her side of the story before her brother could pass more judgement than he already had. “I called Ivy and asked her for the plan, and she was totally down to help me out. Plus, I told Ava I might be showing up. I’m just like, the plus one.”

Jamie groaned, exasperated by his sister’s fuck-all attitude towards the world. Before he could say anything though, he turned around, and then turned back to the camera. “Okay, Marshall’s coming back with drinks so I’ve got to go, but, please reconsider like… everything.”

“It’ll be fine Jamie.” She wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince him, or herself. “Tell Marshall I said hi, enjoy Greece, and don’t worry about me,” Katie said, beaming. Jamie rolled his eyes, but nevertheless, the duo waved goodbye to one another before ending the call.

As the phone screen went dark, Katie dropped her head into a pillow and screamed. She would never tell him so, but Jamie was right. What the hell was she thinking? While she lay there, awash in her own self-loathing and pity, Carter slipped his way back into her thoughts. She could see him, standing in front of her, begging her for a reason with those stupid, beautiful, puppy dog eyes. Despite it all, she could not give him one.

Everytime she had imagined their breakup, that had been the scene that flashed, and she’d never had a reason. That was why she’d done it over text. She knew she wouldn’t be able to look him in the eyes and tell him that there was no good reason. It just wasn’t him anymore. For a moment, she thought desperately about taking it all back. Texting Carter and telling him that she’d been freaking out, and it was dumb, and that she loved him, more than anything, and that they should just run off to some island and never come back. He would agree to it. He loved her. Too much for his own good.

Sighing, Katie rolled over and got off her bed, shoving any thoughts of Carter from her mind. She had brought herself this far. She would not turn back now.

---

---

A half hour late, Katie had a suitcase packed, a backpack filled with necessities like snacks, and movies, and she was standing in front of the door, wrapped up in her mother’s constricting embrace.

“Be. Good. And be safe. And don’t do anything Jamie wouldn’t do,” Allison Callaghan murmured into her daughter’s ear.

Katie extracted herself from her mother’s arms and playfully rolled her eyes. “I’m always good, I’m always safe, but I think if I restrict myself to things that Jamie would do, I’d spend the entire trip in the RV.” She and her mom shared a smirk at Jamie’s expense.

“Call me, if you need anything! And just to talk. I’ll miss you.” Allison looked up slightly at her daughter’s face, taking it in for what felt like one last time. She’d just watched her walk across the stage, and now she was leaving for the rest of the summer. When Katie came back, she would be going off to college. This was Allison’s last moment with her little girl. She held back her tears. She didn’t want Katie to start crying.

Katie, young and very much unsure where the next few hours would take her, let alone the next few weeks, waved one final goodbye to her mom, before heading out to the driveway. She hauled her suitcase out to her ride, popping the trunk and pushing the case in. Technically, the car was Jamie’s. Katie’s car was in the shop, and while she was well aware that showing up in her brother’s car was an even bigger middle finger to AJ, she really couldn’t do much about it. Whatever deity is currently watching me, please, please don’t fuck this up.

Beverly Hills High School was not far from the Callaghan’s home, and Katie wasn’t trying to arrive early, so she stopped at a nearby Starbucks to get some much needed caffeine, and a breakfast sandwhich. Facing AJ uncaffeinated and hungry was the quickest path towards a Chernobyl level incident in the middle of the BHHS parking lot. Not the ideal jumping off point for a weeks long road trip. The drive thru line was short, and soon enough, Katie was driving towards BHHS, white mocha in one hand, steering wheel in the other, egg sandwich resting gently in the passenger seat.

She spotted the RV before she even turned into the parking lot. She knew it was AJ’s, having seen it parked in front of her house once or twice, once upon a time, back when Jamie pretended to like camping because AJ’s family went so often. As she pulled in, she was struck more by the lack of cars. She clocked AJ, Aleks, and Sami. No Ivy, no Ava, no Reyna. She’d have even settled for Val.

Her gut twisted, her earlier anxiety returning in full force. Her mind sought out the worst case scenario. What if they told her to fuck off, and go back home? Would she tell them about Carter? Would that just make her look worse? She was pretty sure it would. No, if they told her to fuck off, she’d go home, and wallow the summer away, basking in the light of her fuck ups. But if she didn’t get out of the car, she’d do that anyways.

Steeling herself, she scooped up her sandwich, slung her backpack around one shoulder, and stepped out of the car, strolling over to the three boys. “Good morning, my favorite Gearheads. Morning AJ,” Katie called out, waving with her right hand despite it’s contents. That was as good a greeting as she could give, given the awkwardness of the circumstances. At least she hadn’t called him Alfie.

Slyly returning the smile, AJ took a sip of his latte, as Aleks ruffled his hair. One of the few people he was okay with touching his hair. He watched his friend's face carefully, all the while keeping silent, letting his voice be the only one resounding in the nearly empty lot. They were inches apart, and just when AJ opened his mouth ready to respond, Aleks looked away, back at the RV, and asked him a question.

Tsk.

After taking another sip, he shrugged, "Do I ever?" Masking his annoyance, AJ followed Aleks' gaze to look at his father's RV. To others, this might be excessive, but to him, it was his normal. And there was nothing interesting about his normal. Quite frankly, it was boring to him. Feeling inclined to yawn, AJ covered his mouth with his arm. This coffee would be his saving grace, at some point. When it hits him.

"Can you two fuck on this trip and get it over with? Or at least announce your soul mate status on FB or something, dios mio.”

Rolling his eyes, AJ shot back, "Fuck you, Sami-boy." Their relationship, meaning Aleks' and AJ's, was hardly affectionate. What he had with Valentine and Tink was affectionate, what he had with Aleks was more like a babysitter who had no choice but to watch a kid bounce off the walls. Beyond that? There really wasn't much. Shut up, AJ. Drink your coffee. When Sami gave the RV compliments, and made a playful jab at the host of the road trip, AJ muttered, "Uh-huh," and then took a bigger gulp.

Of course rather than make matters better, the next person entering the scene caused AJ's heart to drop. His mood was already turning sour, and then... he saw his ex's car. While his mouth went agape, he watched the car approach, as if it was going in slow motion. When it finally went into park, AJ held his breath.

When Katie exited, he was relieved and speechless. More importantly though, he was pissed. Did Jamie set this up? Why was SHE here? His grip tightened around the cup, but not tight enough to cause it to explode. He hadn't seen Katie in a minute, and yeah, she was still hot as fuck, but the fact that she came in with Jamie's car set the mood. It was like putting salt on an already butthurt wound.

“Good morning, my favorite Gearheads. Morning AJ,”

"Wow, well fuck you too, Katie. It is a good morning, I'd say so myself. Absolutely lovely. Fan-fucking-tastic." His first response was meant to be sarcastic, playful, but the displeasure and scorn he felt, emanated from him and into the general proximity. He wasn't necessarily trying to hide the fact that he felt some type of way seeing his ex's sister again. He thought he could leave all that behind. Regardless of what he felt, AJ kept his ground, his dark gaze never looking away from her. "Look at you, all packed and ready to go."

At that point, everyone else started piling in. First came, Ava and Trash. While his Fruit Loop was making her way, with a big ass grin plastered on her face, Reyna offered pancakes. Usually, he would be stubborn and not get pancakes, but this was an opportunity for him to walk away from the current situation that made him uncomfortable, even if it meant he had to look Reyna in the face and accept her damn food. So, he decided, sure, why not. "No shit, yeah. Pancakes sounds great!" While his words came out in good humored, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that AJ was only doing this to prevent himself from doing something stupid.

However, as he started striding to the pancakes, still latte in hand, to offer his assistance or grab food first, his Remedy shouted, “Don’t fret, Bumble, I’m here now!”

"Oh thank god," He whispered to himself, feeling like his Valentine was a better escape than the garbage disposal. Throwing a smile back on his cute, babyface, he called out to Chris, Ivy, and Chloé, "Hell yeah! Now this is a party!" It seemed the group was balancing in his favor. Katie started to become smaller and smaller to him, in this moment, and less of a concern.

This was fantastic!

“Leave it up to you to go over the top, Shortstop!” A genuine smile was back on AJ's face. Nate and Val were here! Almost everyone! A nice calm washed over AJ after Nate slapped his back and left his arm around his shoulder. Okay, he was over Katie. Sure, she can come along. Why not? Should be one helluva ride. A road trip to remember.

Not.

Of course, as always, good things never last.

Things were supposed to get better, with all the cool people here.

They usually do!

And yet... “I need to talk to you alone NOW.” He was roughly ripped from staring at his other friends, right from Nate's arm, when he turned to see a tiny anklebiter pulling on him and taking him away, giving him really no room to say no.

He should've seen this coming. Part of him wanted to believe this wouldn't happen, and she would let shit pass, like he was doing with Katie. That was him thinking on the bright side. This was Val, for crying out loud. She was a hard woman to please. Something he knew would make her mad, but chose to not think it would make her mad, hoping it wouldn't make her mad, forgetting it was a high possibility that she'd get mad, has gotten her past that point of madness. She was raging mad. And he knew it.

But that's the thing.

This road trip wasn't about her, and he would make sure she'd understand exactly that.

This was fine.

Everything was going to be fine.

The RV door closed behind them...

...and that's when Leon came jogging in.

AJ was peeved. Katie marked that down as a win in her book. She’d been expecting far more of AJ’s usual melodramatic pomp and circumstance when she stepped out of the car, but a single sarcastic greeting was nothing compared to some of their earlier fights. Maybe this wouldn’t be a complete trainwreck after all.

“”Hey Katie, good to see you,” Sami said. ”Glad to have you on board.”

Katie returned Sami’s smile with a grin of her own, her troubles from moments ago forgotten. Before she could say anything more, another car joined them in the parking lot, and soon, Katie and Sami were heading towards Reyna’s car. Katie took a sip from her coffee as she approached, and waved at the two girls. “Thank God for you two,” Katie said, relieved to have two people she actually trusted on this trip. She passed on Reyna’s offer of pancakes, looking down at the breakfast sandwich already resting in her hand. She’d have more than enough food on vacation.

Next to arrive were Chloe, Chris, and Ivy. She waved at Chloe as she got out, and looked over at Ivy’s with a somewhat bemused expression, as if to say “Guess I get to stay.” Chris went and took AJ’s mind off of her arrival, while Katie remained planted near Ava and Reyna, munching away at her sandwich, and washing it down with sips of white mocha.

Nate and Val pulled up next, in a camper van of their own. Katie did her best to keep her face straight as Val hopped out of the van and stormed over to AJ, dragging him off to talk. “What’s she pissed about?” Katie asked, looking over at Nate before turning her head towards the faint sound of shoes on pavement. Soon enough, Leon came running down the street, duffel bags in tow. In true Leon fashion, he’d dropped the bags in front of them, and taken off his shirt before anyone could even say hello.

Leon didn’t say anything about Carter which was reassuring. In fact, no one had mentioned him or their trip. She was beginning to think that she might be able to actually forget about him this summer, that she’d be able to leave all her problems in Beverly Hills. And then the final car arrived.

Last, but not least, Josie and Emilia rolled into the parking lot. Katie nearly choked on her coffee. AJ she’d been prepared for. AJ was easy, as far as she was concerned. Emilia...she hadn’t been ready for that one. They hadn’t spoken since prom. Not since Brandon dumped her, in front of the entire school, while Katie and Carter stood up on stage, in their crowns, like fucking idiots. She’d been hoping to forget about the ex-boyfriend she’d screwed over. Now, a living, breathing reminder of him was going to be spending the summer, in a camper van, with her. This was going to be a train wreck. “I wouldn’t suppose Emilia got a really banging new boyfriend to take her mind off of prom?” Katie asked, glancing over as Sami went to intercept the two new arrivals. One could only hope.

This was supposed to be a celebratory trip, wasn’t it? Last hurrah, summer fling, road trip, party all day, staying up night… that kind of thing. So why the hell was it so tense right now? Chris thought all of these things as he approached his brothers from other mothers. AJ had that pinched expression he got when he tried (badly) to hide that something was pissing him off, and then Val practically grabbed him by the ear to drag him off for… whatever reason. Everyone else seemed unsurprised by the tension, and weren’t really speaking about it, ‘cept for Aleks, of course. Aleks always called it like he saw it, and for some reason he was predicting bodies.

Chris scanned the rest of the group and his eyes found a face that he didn’t really recognize. Maybe in passing at a party, if that, but nobody that he got to know at all. This was unexpected, given that this trip was organized by AJ and meant to be with his closest friends… so, who was she? The punk sized her up and, truth be told, he liked what he saw. Long wavy blonde hair, black crop top, chucks, a choker. She was fine, and very much so his type. Hell, give her some smudged eyeliner and a drugged out expression that dripped sex appeal and she’d be giving Gwen a run for her money. That thought sent a pang of guilt through his gut and Chris tried to shake it away. Best not to think about that bad idea… poison that tastes sweet is the most dangerous of all. Aces and Chris would be each other’s downfall, so they couldn’t be a thing. At least that’s what Chris told himself. Leaning in towards Aleks, he asked in a low tone, “Hey… who’s the babe?”

Aleks grinned to himself, the mischievous tug on his lips somewhat disguised by the way they pursed around his straw. He took a long sip of iced mocha before he elbowed Chris’ bicep, his way of a wordless greeting. Once he gulped, in a similarly low tone he murmured, ”Check this out.”

The Russian in his accent was more noticeable when he spoke quietly. It turned half his sentence into a purr and grew more pronounced as he continued. It was so rare that people allowed him to gossip.

“Here is the rundown. So the babe. The babe is Jamie’s twin. Obviously, we can assume she was not on the guest list, meaning some perceived Judas among us decided to tell her to be at this parking lot with all her things with the rest of us. It’s fucking great.”

Chris’ eyebrows shot up and he nearly choked on his words. He had been ogling his best friend’s ex’s sister. His twin sister. That had to be breaking some kind of bro code. “Oh… no shit…” Chris laughed and even smirked alongside Aleks. “So that is why he looked like he had just sucked a lemon when I got here.” He shook his head, recalling the girls’ conversation in the car when they arrived. “I thought they were fucking joking… I didn’t think they were serious, holy shit. But I know who your Judas is. It’s a Judette.”

“Hm?”

Aleks was taking another sip of his coffee when his eyes found Chris’ two lovely chauffeurs, and his eyebrows shot up with a rare surprised breath - one that almost led to him inhaling an entire mouthful of mocha down the wrong pipe. He took another deep breath to steady himself, but the damage was done; he was already on the verge of doubling over, gasping and laughing in the same instance. Dear Lord. Holy fuck.

“Please tell me it was Ivy,” he whispered, tears of breathlessness and mirth filling the corner of his right eye. “AJ will want someone beaten to death for this, and if it’s Chloé I don’t think I have the heart.”

Chris’ silence was the only cue he needed. Aleks let out a small giggle from his chest, coarsened into a chuckle from his accent and the tickle still clinging to his throat.

“Well… there was definitely some collusion between the two… but…” Chris nodded in confirmation.

“Oh, Ivy, you goddess. I for one can’t wait to be sealed in a single fucking vehicle with everyone.” Aleks leaned closer, sticking his breakfast plate towards Chris as if he was making an offering of one of his uneaten flapjacks. His voice lowered again. “Val is just as furious. Given the general level of attractiveness around here, she’s going to be spitting venom like a fucking dinosaur at everybody here in about an hour. So, in short, she and AJ are--”

Aleks jerked his head towards the van and rattled his coffee; the ice cubes struck the insides of the cup and rocked in his best approximation of a caffeinated tsunami, his closest comparison for what the hell might be happening in the RV right now. Especially with the presence of Leon.

“While Katie is--”

His eyebrows rose again suggestively, accompanied by rolling eyes. They both knew damn well that an act of sabotage like bringing Katie was only going to lead to Biblical plague levels of fuckery. Aleks had no fear on that count; after all, he’d helped her seal the deal with Carter. That earned him a pass, and he was sure he could extend one to Chris. Chloé might be on her own, but hey, that’s what she got for trying to nail him to the wall on several counts of OnlyFans While Intoxicated.

“And here I am, stuck in the middle with youuuu,” he sang playfully.

Chris blew out a breath of exasperation and shook his head. “Damage control central, goodie.” He reached into the bag of breakfast bread that his mother made and pulled out a roll, taking a mighty bite in thought. Chewing quietly, he looked over to Katie again and shook his head. “Why are the most evil, off limits ones also the hottest? God damn, dude. I think I get Val’s perspective for once.”

Aleks’ look lingered on Chris for a long few seconds. Then he shrugged and shook his head.

“Listen, there’s no need to be fooled by all this. It’s tempting, I know, but it’s all bullshit. Even me. Especially me.” Aleks grinned and sipped on his mocha; his teeth scraped against the end of the straw thoughtfully. “You know, I never went to a bank before I came to America. The first time I walked into one was with AJ in freshman year, he had something to cash for his little sister, I think. I asked them what they would do for me if I made an account, and they said, ‘Well, this is where we keep all your money.’” The Russian laughed to himself at the memory. “I doubt that.”

Chris raised his eyebrow and looked over at his rambling friend. What the hell was this Russian on about? He figured that if he listened long enough he would eventually find the point or lesson to be learned. Maybe...

“A lot of the people here have had life gifted to them. I don’t know where my money comes from or how much of it we go through in a year, because I can snap my fingers and there’s always more. We’ll all run out of Reyna’s cooking before I run out of cash to set on fire. To most people, that would make me look like a proper cunt. Maybe I am. But you all got to know me, right? Back when I was too shy to say more than a few words, out of fear of how my accent sounded. And I would like to think you all benefited from taking that leap. The way I did. I mean, if I wanted to sit still and go through life on easy mode, fuck knows I could just stay in Los Angel--”

Aleks shook his head, not finishing the sentence. He chewed over his pancake contemplatively.

“The point is, it may look like there’s a lot to be jealous of here, but you know us very well. We have as many fucked up problems and idiosyncrasies as anyone. And you, unlike most of us--” Aleks cocked his head at his friend, staring again. “You have a good head on your shoulders. You know how to use it. Just don’t do anything to her that AJ would do, and don’t do anything you think I wouldn’t. In fact, I would argue that maybe it’s better to get on her good side early. The summer won’t go by any faster if we decide to draw battle lines right here in the parking lot.”

He turned back to Katie - a girl he hadn’t talked to in ages, someone who made him feel as though the Aleks of last year and the Aleks of this morning were two different people, someone who made him acutely aware of the passage of time and friendships.

“Maybe we need to take a leap again. Try and be her friends before it turns out we’re enemies. But I am a lover, not a fighter, I guess..”

Yeah right.

Finally, destination “the point” had been reached. Conversations with Aleks were always a hoot. It was like one of those indoor roller coasters that are completely dark, so you just keep getting tossed around at every twist and turn, no idea what is going on until you are out in the light again and realize what a fun ride that was. Yeah, that’s what being friends with the crazy Russian was like, and it was great. “Well…” He looked down at the bag in his hands. “I got my mom’s fresh baked rolls. Peace offering, maybe? Also, you’re disgustingly rich and I kinda hate that, but I keep forgetting so it’s easier to love you regardless. No homo.”

Aleks winked and elbowed Chris’ arm again.

“Good talk, sport. I’ll give you a thousand dollars if you tell her one of those rolls is from me. You know me, I’m too shy to shoot my shot with girls.”

Chris kissed his teeth and shook his head, “Pfft, man, fuck your thousand dollars…. Wipe yer ass with a thousand dollars… too shy, my ass, dude.” His filipino side started taking over as he started gesturing with his hands, indicating all around Aleks face and such. “The hell you got to be shy about, shit…” Chris shook his head some more and waved Aleks off. “I ain’t walking over there alone, and you can save your money for our hospital bills if AJ loses his shit for us talking to her, how ‘bout that?”

“That seems agreeable.” Aleks smiled innocently and looked at his half-finished white mocha. It seemed he and Katie shared some common ground after all.
Chris had a point. There was no telling what AJ would do if he came out and saw them chatting up Katie, but Aleks hoped his presence would ease tensions somewhat. After all, his decent acquaintance with Katie aside, Aleks had never been a fan of Jamie. Hopefully it would make them both realize all he wanted was for the trip to go smoothly until they could reach Colorado and replenish their pot supplies. Hospitalization seemed unlikely, but the Russian knew that AJ, at the very least, would never strike Chris.

“I am, you know. Cripplingly, painfully shy. I wish you wouldn’t mock me for it.”

Chris was looking at him like he was an Instagram thot, gyrating on his bed while swearing he was a born-again Christian. Which was an apt comparison.

Aleks smiled wider.

“Me? Mock you? I could never...” He smirked and clapped a hand against the back of Aleks’ shoulder in camaraderie. “Val ought to keep AJ busy for a few, so we should have enough time to extend an olive branch. Shall we?”

“I believe we shall.”

“Thought you would’ve been halfway to Paris by now, what made you decide to come with us?”

Whoop, there it is. Katie’s stomach jumped into her throat as Leon’s words spilled from his mouth and entered her ears. For a brief moment, she thought her white mocha was about to make a return appearance on the hot asphalt of the parking lot, but luckily for everyone involved, she was a pro. A little nervous energy wouldn’t make her puke. Leon, bless his heart, dropped it faster than he’d picked it up, waving away any inconsistencies as he rationalized her surprise arrival. Before she could spout her well rehearsed line about Carter’s passport being stolen, and the trip being cancelled, Leon was off to brave the wrath of Val and AJ. Better that way. She wasn’t quite ready for her friends to begin poking holes in her weak ass lie.

As the conversations around her began to flow, Katie closed her eyes, and reflected for the briefest of moments on how fucking stupid she was. Lying to her friends, poorly at that, was inevitably going to fail. She knew that, somewhere, deep below the writhing masses of self-loathing and regret. She’d watched enough TV to know that a lie always made its way out. Foolishly though, another part of her believed that she would be the exception to the rule. Katie forced that part, the confident, devil may care, fucking invincible version of herself, to the front of her mind. She opened her eyes to see Chris and Aleks strolling towards her. Woman up, Katie. Woman the fuck up.

They approached side by side, Aleks still smiling innocently at Chris’ playful jabs. His typical nonchalance was usually a virtue, and he hoped it would be the case here too. They had limited time to make a good impression before AJ came out of the RV like a tornado, whirling towards whatever straw he felt weighing most heavily upon his back. For everyone’s sake, Aleks hoped it would be him; AJ’s tantrums rarely struck him directly, but when they did, it was hard for him to lose his cool. The same couldn’t be said for Katie, who was clutching her coffee tightly towards her as though she feared it shooting up into her face or spiking into the ground.

”Privyet, Katie,” he said politely, lifting his own white mocha up to her and rattling the ice in the half-empty cup, proof he came in peace. “Nobody told me you were coming, but I’m happy you are. If you’re still planning on going to Europe maybe I can hide in your carry-on bag.”

He grinned and winked at her, with a playful jerk of his head towards his brother-in-arms beside him.

“Katie, I don’t know if you have met Chris Reyes in his full glory yet,” he said, favoring his friend with the same coquettish grin. “Chris, you’d know if you met Katie in hers. Katie, do you know if Carter--”

Aleks looked up at Katie, meeting her eyes directly for the first time, and then flicked to the car behind her. Many things, from Ivy’s invitation to Katie’s more insular demeanor, clicked into place halfway through his sentence. Oh fuck. Christ.

Well, he had already said the name. What a shame. Aleks had felt kind of proud of helping Katie pull that heist off. He had felt kind of like consigliere when they swept prom.

“--Forget it. RV is crowded as is. Chris, say hi already. Make friends while we have the chance.”

“Hi.” Chris responded rather obediently. “I think we’ve met before, but probably not in our full glory.” He laughed in recollection of how… messy AJ’s parties could get. “I don’t know what you might’ve heard about me, but I swear I’m only half as much an asshole as I look. I hang with the gearheads, but I go to a different school. Nice to formally meet ya.”

Chris gestured with the carbohydrate-filled “olive branch” he held in a bag, fresh from his mama’s kitchen. “Have you had breakfast? My moms made pandesal to feed my friends, she does that. It’s flip food, like a nice sweet roll. Mango jam too, if that’s your thing.” he said in offering.

To Katie’s credit, her smile didn’t falter as Carter’s name came tumbling haphazardly out of Aleks’ mouth, only to be shoved aside the moment he put it all together. She should’ve figured he’d be the first to figure it out. Rather than panic, she focused on Chris as he reintroduced himself. “Nice to meet you too, in your full glory,” Katie said, cracking a playful grin. She accepted the bag with a thank you, and opened it up to find a roll, and a jar of mango jam.

She spread the jam across the roll, and bit into it, an involuntary moan of pleasure escaping as the pastry met her taste buds. “This is really fucking good. Your moms just changed my life I think,” Katie said through a mouthful of pandesal and jam. “So have you two started taking bets on whether or not AJ actually survives to see this road trip start? The way Val looked, I say it’s a fifty-fifty chance we go in and find his body.”

”I doubt it,” Aleks replied mildly. ”The best thing about Val is that most people can hold her at arm’s length without much trouble. AJ should be fine as long as she doesn’t sink any teeth in.”

He was glad that Chris’ mother’s cooking had gone over so well. Most of the Gearheads had been the willing recipient of one of those rolls at one point or another; they usually worked surprisingly well on hangovers, and along with some coconut water and a very casual walk in the morning, they were one of Aleks’ private cures. They were another little occasional perk of California that he was going to miss.

“It’s only the rest of the trip we have to worry about now. You have a hell of a lot of nerve, you know. Really. I like it.” Aleks’ lazy glance drifted over his shoulder to the RV, almost as though he expected it to start rocking with violence any second - and with a surprising lack of concern at the notion. ”I know things are going to be tense. And I know you’ll do everything in your power...assuage AJ’s temper.”

The playful smile grew on his face again.

”The new Tarantino movie is coming out at the end of the summer. If you haven’t killed one another by then maybe I treat you to tickets. Chris, bratan. You like Tarantino? I started watching Tarantino movies when I came to LA.. The best. I think three tickets means we get a family deal. A little Icee or something.” He nudged Chris’ arm with his elbow and smiled brightly at Katie. “We call it a...trip rewards program or something.”

“Who the fuck doesn’t like Tarantino?” Chris replied with a scoff. Gratuitous violence was the peak of cinematic entertainment, in his humble opinion. Aleks’ russian commentary would no doubt make it all the more entertaining too. “Don’t know if we’ll need the flick if we’re about to embark on our own Tarantino plot though.” He glanced at the RV for emphasis. No signs of fire or even smoke yet.

Chris looked back to the source of some of the upcoming tension now, one Miss Callaghan, and smirked. “Speaking of… not to go back on saying I ain’t an asshole or anything, but like, I’m just curious... What made you want to come on this trip?” From what AJ had to say about Katie, Chris would be led to believe that she was just a shit starter and probably decided to come just to cause him woe and grief and be an all around evil bitch. But… sane people weren’t really like that, right? She seemed normal as hell so far, nervous, even. This blondie in front of him seemed nothing like the big bad Katie of AJ’s tales.

“To make a long story short, I needed out of the Hills, and I knew AJ was leaving today. It was either brave the wrath of Alfie James Tyler, or spend the summer with Jamie and Marshall, experiencing Greece through the magic of FaceTime.” Katie smirked, glancing quickly at Aleks. She didn’t want to draw any more attention to the Carter story, and she hoped her intentional vagueness wasn’t lost on the Russian. Hopefully he’d keep his observations to himself, for now.

“I know AJ probably still hates me, but I walked in on him and Jamie having sex so many times, I probably know his ass better than my own. Pulling up in Jamie’s car was,” Katie paused and gave the boys a grimace before resuming, “poor taste. In all fairness, mine’s in the shop. The point is, he’ll get over it. Everyone knows AJ can’t resist some famous Callaghan charm,” Katie said.

Aleks’ eyebrows danced for a second, shrugging themselves slightly with a little roll. Katie had always been his Callaghan of choice, but that was about the same as the choice between a chocolate sundae and a baseball bat to the teeth.

“Most people here can lapse into occasional bouts of gaucheness,” he demurred, eyes bouncing between Jamie’s car and Jamie’s sister. “I wouldn’t worry about it for very long. It’s not coming with us, it’ll be out of everyone’s minds in a few days or so. Just as long as we’re not one-upping each other as far as dick moves go.”

His eyes found her coffee and he sipped at his own mocha, mostly out of reflex.

“Greece, huh? I spent the summer in Mykonos last year. I wish I remembered more of it, it was probably a hell of a place.”

When his friends started talking about their lavish vacations in foreign locales, Chris usually checked out of the conversation. Generally, he tried not to be bitter about it, but jealousy is a human emotion and Chris is all too human. He hadn’t even been able to visit his mother’s birth country yet, but he had made a promise to himself that someday he would, and he’d take her too, he just needed to work hard and save up for it. He usually checked out of these conversations, but today involved a pretty girl, so he kept interest for a time.

“You’re trouble.” Chris remarked in reference to her earlier explanation of why she was here and why she arrived in Jamie’s car. “But no more so than the rest of us, I think. Cept, you really shouldn’t call him that again. Like seriously.” Chris knew a thing or two about not wanting to be called by your own cringe-worthy name.

Katie laughed. Chris’s warning reminded her of the one Jamie had given her back when he’d divulged what AJ stood for over smores and their parents’ vodka. “Oh trust me, I know. I made that mistake once already. You would’ve thought I’d come after his mom or something.” Katie grinned. “Enough about AJ though. I have a feeling I’m going to come out of this trip with enough AJ memories to last me a very long lifetime.” She glanced around at their friends, scattered in groups across the parking lot. “Aleks, you read people like a book, and Chris you’ve seen us all at our most blacked out, who do you guys think hooks up in the RV first? My money’s on Ava and Ivy. Don’t think, just go with your gut,” Katie said looking back at the boys, the famed Katie Callaghan energy rolling off of her, now that her mood had begun to turn around.

“I dunno…” Chris mused for a minute, then looked at the RV and nodded his head towards it. “If all goes well, the two that are in there fighting. Maybe then the rest of us could start enjoying this trip.”

”You and me, with any luck.” Aleks swished a mouthful of white mocha around his cheeks and gulped down before cocking his head in the same direction as the RV again - but this time, at the people standing outside it serving looks and pancakes respectively. “Sami and Reyna. Easy money. It’s been building for a while and he’s already working his crowd.”

Katie’s mouth formed an O, but she was proud to report that Aleks’ comment did not make her blush. She wasn’t fifteen anymore and compliments from cute boys did not send the blood rushing to her cheeks. They did however, get her heart racing. Maybe it was the realization that this was the first time in almost three years that the words could actually lead somewhere. Despite the accompanying guilt and Carter’s voice in her head, Katie’s look of surprise morphed into an easy going laugh. “Oh luck will certainly be in play for that one. Luck and vodka. Although,” Katie said, without really thinking about the consequences, “Vegas is known for having copious amounts of both.” She considered winking, decided against it, and moved smoothly back to the topic.

“AJ and Val would be a sight. Honestly, I wouldn’t be that surprised. The way they fight, it makes you wonder,” Katie said, playfully tapping her finger against her temple. “Sami and Reyna though, that would be cute as shit.”

”They look good together, yeah. I give it by Colorado, Reyna is not shy by nature..” He shrugged and looked back towards the RV containing his fearless leader and his shoulder devil-sized cohort. “You know, fuck if you might not be right. They’ve been in there a while. I was sure AJ’s Spider-Sense would kick in by now.”

Chris had been glaring at Aleks for his very obvious flirtation. Hell, that wasn’t even a flirt, it was a full on proposition. Shy, my ass, lyin’ russki. The look of irritation subsided when Katie used ‘cute’ and ‘Sami’ in the same sentence. He was a good looking dude, but cute was a word reserved for like… puppies and soft shit, and Chris was pretty sure that Sami left his house last night to either beat or get beaten by someone, so “cute” Sami was an amusing thought.

“Damn right I’m right, why else do her claws come out whenever there are too many girls around him.” Chris said as he fished around in his jacket pockets for his vice. They were about to be trapped in an RV for four hours, maybe more, so he figured he’d might as well indulge while he could. He lit up a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke away from his conversational companions. “Man, I hope I’m wrong though, there ain’t enough windows on that thing to air it out properly.” He said with a grimace.

Katie watched as Chris pulled a cigarette from his pocket. She didn’t smoke, not cigarettes at least, or maybe it was more accurate to say she hadn’t smoked in a while. She’d gone through a phase where she wanted to feel rebellious and badass, but Carter had hated them so she’d stopped for him. Having just realized that she could flirt without cheating, she was also struck with the realization that she wasn’t bound by any of the concessions she’d made during their relationship. She had no desire to start smoking again, but Katie Callaghan also liked doing things just because she could. “Chris, could I steal a cigarette from you?”

Chris raised his eyebrows slightly and flicked some ashes towards the ground. “Full of surprises, aren’t you?” Most of AJ’s friends, Chris had thought all of them until this moment, did not smoke. In fact, he usually got side eye when he lit up around them. And he got more than just side eye if he smoked in Aleks’ car. So, this was a welcomed turn of events and, somehow, Katie just got a touch more attractive. Chris tapped the pack against his hip and slid a single cigarette further out with his thumb to offer it to her. “Sure thing. You need a light too?”

“That would be amazing,” Katie took the rolled up tobacco from Chris, placed it between her lips, and she leaned in, eyes locking as Chris held the flame up. It danced between them for a moment, before her inhale drew the waltzing flame into the cigarette, igniting it. She resisted the urge to cough as the familiar taste of smoke filled her mouth, and exhaled, up and away so that the smoke drifted off into the air. It tasted like shit, but she’d been expecting that. “Smoking in my former high school’s parking lot. Check that off the bucket list,” she said before taking another drag.

“Maybe on the way back,” Aleks murmured, lips playing in a little grin around his straw while he watched Chris light Katie’s cigarette. Truthfully, there was nothing he really had against smoking, as long as Chris didn’t get it anywhere in the interior of one of his cars, but it was already threatening to be a motherfucker of a trip to Vegas based on the parking lot dynamics of this volatile crew. The last thing he needed was to start hitting cheap Newports on a venti mocha and half a pancake. That would mean getting into the booze rations early to compensate for illness, and then...blugh. Just a nightmare for all involved. “I ran here, not drove. I’m still a little winded for a cigarette.”

His eyes found Chris again. Sly little fucker. It’s not like Aleks hadn’t offered. His grin widened.

“Which reminds me, Chris, we’re going to need to move on AJ fast. Make sure we’re not sitting first shift in that fucking meat locker--” his head lolled backwards towards the van, as though he’d been rear-ended by it “--with Nate and Leon. Good guys. Fun guys. But I’m going to feel like I’m being human trafficked to Las Vegas instead of vacationing crammed between them.”

He looked at Katie and laughed for the first time since they’d walked over to her.

“Now you, you are screwed,” he teased. “He’s going to try and shove your ass out of sight, out of mind the first chance he gets. Val will concur. You should stick with us until we’re safely on the road. Unless you’d prefer Leon, which, I mean. Fair play.”

Katie smiled, a knowing smile, and took another drag. “You two are the road to salvation, huh?” she said once she’d exhaled. “Could be worse I guess.”

"Cool.” Aleks grinned and finally heard the sound of empty suction within a straw. He’d finished his last Los Angeles mocha, and he rattled the ice in the cup sadly. ”Would anyone like to impress me and shoot this into the bin before I do? Chris, this is your big chance. You play basketball, right? Nyet? Katie?”

“I'd probably miss, it's been a few months." Chris said to avoid the potential embarrassment of actually attempting it and missing. “That's all you, Katie." He said before taking another long drag. “Or you, surely Russians can do more than just hockey and communism." He said with a smirk.

“You have no idea. The lab they grow me in, the boys who miss their shots, they shoot them,” Aleks deadpanned, his natural Russian accent rising to the surface for a moment. “Very well. Katie?”

Katie rolled her eyes at Aleks’ comment, but still proceeded to hand off her own mocha to Chris, before taking the empty cup from Aleks and stuffing her own trash inside. She looked over at the bin, well aware that she had no natural gift for basketball, or any other sport, but exceedingly confident nonetheless. Her arm swung up, arced, and released the cup, sending it sailing towards the trash can. It hit the rim of the bin’s opening, and swirled around, and around, and around before clattering off and onto the ground. “Well, that was anticlimactic.” She walked over and threw away the oh so painful reminder of her fresh failure, and returned. “So, were you impressed?” she asked, retrieving her coffee from Chris.

Aleks was laughing as she walked to the bin and back, chewing on the end of one lip of his mischievous grin. “Halfway impressed me, actually. You hit the bin at least. It takes courage to try.”

He was humming in thought a little.

“Russians, British, I don’t think we’ve ever actually won a medal for basketball. We suck like motherfuckers at it.” He plucked what remained of her mocha out from Katie’s hand, bopping the bottom of the cup so her grip was loosened and then gently prying it into his own hand. “Oop. Spasibo.”

He drained it thoughtfully, bottom teeth gently chewing the end of the straw closed as his eyes marked the patch of ice cubes where his coffee lid had burst open.

“Gymnastics, volleyball. Hockey.” He grinned at Chris. “We dominate the medals here. Basketball, not so much. Probably a bad comparison, you are right. Maybe if I thought of it like baseball--”

He lobbed the empty cup with about the same amount of force that Katie had, although he also kicked his knee up and tossed it as though it were a baseball, instead of an arcing free throw motion. It wasn’t particularly pretty, not being a ball and having nowhere for him to place his fingers in place of seams, but it bounced off the interior of the bin and toppled inside. The near-empty trash bag flapped from the force of the throw and the object settling at its base. Aleks leaned backwards against Chris’ shoulder, still biting back the true smug force of his grin.

“No bullet holes in me yet, baby,” he drawled, still with the full weight of his home accent. “Sorry about your mocha. I promise I’ll buy your first vodka in Vegas. Chris, may I please have a roll now? That was tense.”

“Yeah, of course," He offered the whole bag of fresh-baked goodies to him.
“Moms will no doubt text me in two hours or less asking if I gave my friends breakfast, and Asian moms have a sixth sense, she'll know if they're not all gone. Eat two." Chris responded before stamping his cigarette butt out on the ground and walking it over to flick it in the trash can.

”Spasiiiibo, brataaaan.”

Katie smirked, and finished her own cigarette before turning to Aleks. “I expect top-shelf. Don’t try and skimp me,” she said, before returning to the trash can to throw out the cigarette butt. She was starting to feel as if, maybe, she might actually survive the summer. Emphasis on maybe.