I wake up to the sound of the rain hitting my window. As much as I love that sound, I hate it when the outside world is all grey and gloomy. I roll over and cover my face with my blanket.

"Ugh", I groan, really not wanting to leave my bed. A knock sounds on my door.

"Are you up?" My best friend's voice wavers through the door.

"No", I simply say while cuddling deeper into my pillows.

"Okay, we're leaving in half an hour."

"No way, I can't get ready in 30 minutes, Tess! An hour minimum", I bargain.

Right as the last word leaves my mouth, she slams my door open and looks at me.

"What?" I ask from between my pillows and blankets, blinking up at her.

"45 minutes is all you get. If you're not ready by then I'm gonna leave without you." Her arms are crossed over her chest and she accusingly glares at my tangled mess of a body.

"Okay, okay. Look how the tables have turned Miss 'always 40 minutes late wherever she goes'."

"Yeah, whatever, sue me for being excited to see my brother", Tess snaps back and rolls her eyes.

"I'll be ready on time, don't worry."

Tess strides out of my room without closing the door behind her and I reluctantly make my way out of my bed and into the bathroom. Tess and I share an apartment close to the college we both study at. I'm enrolled in International Business and Tess does Social Studies. I don't get it at all but she's always been the person to care a lot, or too much, for other people. Especially kids and people in need. I don't like kids. Tess and I always fight about if puppies or babies are cuter. As if that is even a question. Puppies all the way. We met on our first day of college and have been best friends since. And even though she cares a lot, she is a badass through and through. I admire that about her. This summer break, Tess wants to visit her brother who lives in a small town somewhere in the countryside. She's forcing me to come along because the lake behind his house is 'the bestest thing ever!'. Who could say no to that argument?

I smile thinking about Tess's antics when I refused to come the first two times she asked me. After brushing my teeth, showering and getting dressed, I quickly pack my duffel bag and a small suitcase and head downstairs to join Tess for breakfast. She made french toast, my favorite.

"You're the best", I moan while biting into the toast which I drenched in maple syrup.

"Tell me something I don't know, darling", she grins, eating her own toast. "That's all you're bringing", she asks, looking down at my carry on suitcase and duffel bag.

"Yeah", I shrug. "We're only there for a few months, right?"

"Yes, exactly, a few months." She looks at me weird.

"It's summer, I packed light clothes and if I need something I'll just buy it there or borrow some of yours."

"Okay, whatever floats your boat."

Twenty minutes later, we're all packed up and Tess starts her old pickup truck. We pull on the road and the GPS shows us we'll arrive in about three and a half hours. I don't know much about Tess's brother since I've never met him. The only things she told me are his name, Bennet, his age, which is 30 and his profession. He owns a repair shop for cars with his best friend. Apparently, his house is quite large and is just one town over from Tess's parents' house. They are on a cruise though so we won't get to see them. It's a bummer because I really do like her parents. Mick and Georgie are great. Loving and welcoming, unlike my own parents. They often visit her in our apartment which means they have been more like parents to me than my own ever have. They never really cared about me and my life, they only focused on my sister. I wouldn't blame her though, she never intentionally tried to cut me out or hurt me. It's just something about me that my parents don't like, I guess.

I notice Tess taking the exit off the highway and I throw her a questioning look.

"What", she questions, "I need to pee."

"We've been on the road for just 30 minutes, Tess. What do you mean you need to pee?"

"Leave me alone, Romy. Mind your own bladder", she snaps at me.

I small smile graces my lips and I can't help but chuckle. "The gas station better has smoothies", I mumble under my breath.

"I heard that. It's disgusting how healthy you are," Tess scoffs while shaking her head.

"Hey, I ate your french toast this morning. That's everything but healthy."

"Still."

I decide not to retort anything to that and jump out of the car, after Tess parks in the gas station parking lot, in search for a smoothie. A smoothie without banana, which is not always easy to find, let me tell you. I hate bananas with a passion.

After two more hours on the road, Tess looks at me with a pout on her face. "Do you want me to drive", I ask her and point to an exit that leads to a small parking lot. "We can switch there."

"No, it's fine. But could you call my brother and let him know that we'll be there in about an hour, please? My phone's on the back seat."

"Why can't I just text him," I inquire, nervous about having to call a person I don't know. I hate talking to strangers on phones, sue me.

"Romy, don't tell me you're still afraid of phone calls."

"I'm not! I just don't like them." I grab her phone from the back seat and ask, "What should I text?"

"No, not text, call. You need to face your fears."

"I'm not afraid", I tell her, my mouth agape, appalled at her accusation.

"Prove it", Tess says smugly without taking her eyes off the road.

"Fine."