"Maddie, is that you?" Mum called out as I shut the front door.

"Yeah" I replied, going into the kitchen where I assumed she was.

"How was school?" She asked as I pulled myself onto one of the bar stools around the island.

"Alright, I guess" She just nodded and poured us both a glass of water. "You know how when Mia came over she kept going on about all of us doing something during summer?"

"Yeah. Where's this going, Maddie?"

"Well her and Calum suggested a road trip and we all thought it was a really good idea"

"So you're asking my permission to go on a road trip with your friends for like a month?"

"It'll probably only be a couple of weeks. I'm hoping anyway"

"You sound like you don't want to go"

"I do. I just get fed up of people very quickly and spending every day 24/seven with the same five people could become tiring quickly"

"You should go, Maddie. I always wanted to do something like this with my friends when I was your age"

"I will go. Just don't be surprised when I call you wanting you to pick me up from Melbourne or somewhere in the middle of nowhere"

"Who else is going?"

"Mia, Calum, Michael, Ashton and Luke"

"Luke? Oh good. Him being there makes me feel better"

"How so?"

"His parents raised him right. I know he'll watch out for you"

"You know I don't get on with him"

"He's a nice kid"

"You're only saying that because you're basically besties with Liz and Andrew"

"They're nice people"

"How did he turn out so wrong?"

"Stop it. He's a good kid and maybe this trip will do you two good. You might finally learn to get along"

"I highly doubt it"

"You guys would be a cute couple"

"Mum, no"

"You would though"

"Please stop"

"But seriously, I'm glad you've got Luke and Ashton there. They're both good kids"

"OK, mum" I said before heading upstairs.