[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200424/44c3e4c6fcf981d3d1b39da23dda4df4.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/gt2M0RL.gif[/img]

[color=darkgray][sub]A [@TootsiePop] & [@Rosalia] Collaboration
[i]Featuring [color=ff4500][b]AJ Tyler[/b][/color] & [color=D52759][b]Valeria Drake[/b][/color][/i][/sub][/color]
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[indent][indent][color=darkgray]The walk to and in the RV was oddly silent. There was no chit-chat, no ‘hi I’m so glad to see you’, no anything. He could tell she was seething. It wasn’t that hard to tell. The heat was emitting right off her skin. After knowing someone for so long, and realizing they’re just naturally an angry person, picking up on small visual cues becomes almost second nature. If only this wasn’t the case. If only she could see the bright side of every situation. If only he could show her that no one was intentionally trying to make her feel like shit. 

There was a part of AJ that had [i]hoped[/i] his best friend gained the skill of getting over herself, but, of course, that was too much to ask for. Too much to wish into existence. While they both equally held grudges, since neither of them easily got over things, he at least was able to [i]deal[/i]. Something she just couldn’t learn to do, or even attempt to learn. Stubborn as a mule, unyielding as a rock, and with love, like breaking waves. That was his Tink. 

He couldn’t blame her for feeling some type of way. It was his fault for not necessarily preparing her. Even so, if he did that, she wouldn’t be here, right now, to give him hell. He’d consider this a win, however, the war only just begun. For one, AJ wasn’t going to let her jeopardize his road trip because she can’t play nice. He had to put up with Reyna, and now Katie, so why couldn’t she do the same? With Chloe and everyone else on her ew list. 

Worst case, she could turn her attention to Leon’s abs. There was no doubt in AJ’s mind that Leon, that dopey jock motha’ fucker, would be shirtless for most of this trip. Secondly, without her, this trip wouldn’t be as phenomenal as it could be. AJ refused to take no for an answer. More importantly though, he knew she’d regret it if she said no. There was so much adventure waiting for them both. Why not do it together, with all their friends? 

...And, uh, not friends. 

When they entered the [url=https://imgur.com/KGi5Txo]main room[/url] of his dad’s sanctuary, that wasn’t his mod shops, AJ went straight to the sink counter (midpoint of the RV), turned around, and leaned up against it. Taking off his sunglasses, he placed it on the counter, for safekeeping.  Following Val with his eyes, he cleared his throat, [color=ff4500]“Soooooooo… what’s on your mind, Tink?”[/color] He decided to ease into the issue and play a little dumb. 

Valeria raised her eyebrows at him. Had a few days apart made him stupid already, or did he honestly think she didn’t know he was just pussyfooting around the issue? [color=D52759]"[i]‘What's on my mind[/i]?’"[/color] the young woman repeated slowly, staring at AJ in disbelief. [color=D52759]"‘[b][i]What's on my mind[/i][/b]’? Are you seriously fucking asking me that right now?! ‘What’s on my [i]fucking[/i] mind’, AJ Tyler?! Gee, I don’t know! What the fuck do you [i]think[/i]?!”[/color]

Damn. At first, her voice was at a reasonable level, like a normal goddamn [i]mature[/i] conversation level, yet it didn’t take long for her to raise the octave, to turn red with anger, and to completely lose her shit. There was [i]no[/i] chill at all in that tiny body of her’s. Unfazed by her yelling, he countered, while staying put in his laxed stance,  [color=ff4500]“[i]Yeah.[/i] What’s on [b]your[/b] mind?”[/color] He didn’t stutter, did he? He knew exactly what stick was up her ass, but this was her opportunity to let out some steam and say [i]exactly[/i] what she needed to say. For once. [color=ff4500]“No: ‘hi, AJ! I’ve missed you!’ No hugs. No nothing. Obviously you need to talk, so [b]talk[/b].”[/color] 

Val couldn’t help but scoff and roll her eyes. [color=D52759]“You really expect me to be all sugar on you after the little stunt you just pulled?!”[/color] she asked in outrage, her small hands balling into tight fists now.

[color=ff4500]“Oh my fucking god. Can you [b]say[/b] it?! Tell me what I did! The stunt!”[/color] He wanted to hear it from her lips before he argued his point. If she was going to have a titty attack because he was inviting their [i]whole[/i] crew not just her favorites then he wanted her to admit it. Admit that she hates literally every girl ever! 

[color=D52759]“Chloe?! Ava?! Reyna?! [i]Katie[/i]?!”[/color] Val cried out each name with fury and displeasure. How could AJ think for a single second that she’d be okay with this?! Chloe would be a reminder of how everything she wasn’t. Ava would try to fish around for details about her life that, frankly, she didn’t feel like sharing with judgemental strangers. Reyna was the vivid representation of how, even if you gave your 100%, the guy would always choose the pretty, preppy popular girl. And Katie… Katie was just someone she didn’t want to see or be around. 

[color=ff4500]“Woah, woah, woah. I thought that was your doing! Inviting Katie in spite of me. Sounds like something you would do. And you know exactly why—”[/color] No longer leaning on the counter, AJ hovered over her as she stared up at him. With hellfire in her eyes. Before he could explain the most LOGICAL reason he invited the rest, which for some reason she chose to be dumb to, to ignore, to not even consider everyone else’s happiness but her own, the voices of Emilia and Josie could be heard outside the RV.

Inviting Katie as a way of getting back at AJ was [i]definitely[/i] something Valeria would do... You know, if she had actually [i]known[/i] that the other girls would be showing up. Which, you know, he had purposely [i]omitted[/i] from her, like a backstabbing bitch. So- [color=D52759]“Why the fuck would I invite Kati- !”[/color]

She suddenly stopped speaking as a familiar, overly cheerful voice that she absolutely [i]despised[/i] slowly drifted in their direction from the outside. The short girl’s eyes widened and, if even possible, blazed with a bigger anger than before. [color=D52759]“You invited Crybaby too?! [i]Are you out of your fucking mind[/i]?!”[/color] Either this was some sick prank on his end, or he was working his hardest to make sure she was convicted of assault before they’d even left the parking lot. [i]Emilia Seger[/i]? [i][b]Really?[/b][/i]

Holy fuck. She was being so, being so… Val. So irrational because she didn’t know how to just [i]deal[/i] like him. Before speaking he put his hands together, placed them against his lips, inhaled, exhaled, before bringing his hands down and replying, [color=ff4500]“Let’s take a seat, [i]please[/i].”[/color] He could make this ten times worse, but he was trying to start things off on a good note. Was that so hard to ask for?!

Valeria vigorously shook her head. [color=D52759]“I’m not taking a fucking seat,”[/color] she spat. [color=D52759]“So spit it out.”[/color]

[color=ff4500]“Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I couldn’t tell you, and you know exactly why I couldn’t.”[/color] Because of [i]this[/i] but instead of her yelling at him, she’d stay at home and hate him for choosing others over her and herself for not going. 

[color=D52759]“So what: you’d rather get my hopes up spewing out bullshit about some unforgettable road trip, [i]lie to me[/i] about who you invited, and pretend that I’m just going to happily go along with it like some fucking Disney movie?!”[/color] she shouted back. 

[color=ff4500]“No, and I didn’t lie! I [i]withheld[/i] information. You could fucking try because this road trip isn’t about you and it isn’t about me. This is possibly the last time we will all hang like this for a long time. Some people wouldn’t even come if I didn’t invite everyone. And can’t you just, I don’t know, be here. With me. With Chris. With Nate. With [i]shirtless[/i] Leon. With all of us, without focusing on the ones you [i]hate[/i] for Christ’s sake.[/color] AJ wanted to throw in the towel, but he knew if Val didn’t first, he would cancel this trip entirely and that would be lame because everyone was already here. Rather than stand there and wait for her to reply, he sidestepped away and went to sit down, pressing on his temples when he did so.

[color=D52759]“Because those people aren’t my friends!”[/color] the brunette cried out, stomping her foot on the ground and blinking back the rush of angry tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. [color=D52759]“You, Sami, Chris, Nate, Leon, Ivy- you’re all my friends. But the rest of them?! Not a chance in hell!”[/color]

She took a deep breath, trying hard to keep her voice from shaking but failing to do so. [color=D52759]“What’s the point of being stuck for weeks with people you’ve fucking hated for years now, hmm? Where’s the fun in that, exactly? Because, frankly, I don’t see it, and I’m not going to be part of something that doesn’t make me happy!”[/color] she declared, turning on her heel and storming down the stairs of the RV’s exit.

Impulsive reaction, AJ got up, since she was speed walking with her tiny feet and already at the door, and took wide steps to reach her. Instead of grabbing her wrist, he saw her try to open the door, and instantly slammed his hand against it, above her head, to shut it close. Hulking over her now, after an unsettling moment of dead silence, he arrogantly pleaded, [color=ff4500]“For once, can you do something for ME instead of [b]this[/b]? Or is it really that hard for you to put your selfishness aside?”[/color] Damn. He shouldn’t have said that last part.

The short girl’s reaction was instantaneous. Without warning, Val raised her leg and kneed him hard between the legs. She watched with equal parts of regret and satisfaction as AJ, now momentarily incapacitated, shifted his attention from blocking her exit to dealing with his pain, and took the chance to escape. The young woman quickly unlocked the RV door, flung it open and rushed right out, past the group in the parking lot without so much as a second glance and in the direction of the school’s gates. Screw the trip, screw her things, screw everything. She’d call her brother to drag her away from this fresh hell.

Seconds later, trying to work through the pain but honestly feeling like he was going to pass out, AJ took a step down, only to miss the last step and fall on the ground. This was a fucking great start. Muttering, and completely out of breath, he signaled anyone who was watching to do [i]something[/i],  [color=ff4500]“[i]Stop. Her.[/i]”[/color] With those last words, he just laid on the ground, waiting for the pain to go away. [/color][/indent][/indent]