"Um, at about 1:00. So, I guess we should leave now." Susan replied.
"Brandi, what's wrong?" Grace asked her redheaded friend, who was sitting on the couch. She had a strange look on her face, and her green eyes appeared troubled.
"Huh? Oh, uh, nothing. Sorry, was kinda lost for a moment, that's all." she replied.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot that you've never met them. Don't worry, ya'll will get along great." Susan said, patting Brandi on the shoulder.
'Boy, I hope so.' Brandi thought as she followed her two friends outside.
"Justin, is that your bag?" JC asked his curly-haired buddy, pointing to a large black suitcase that had just turned the corner of the baggage conveyor belt.
"Yeah!" Justin replied, lunging for it. He yanked it off the belt, forgetting how heavy it was. The weight knocked him flat on his butt, as the bag landed on the foot of the person standing nearby.
"Ouch! Geez, what do you HAVE in there, bricks?!?!" Joey asked, pulling his injured foot from under the suitcase. He winced as he put his full weight onto it, "Great, now you've broken it. And on the first day of our vacation, no less."
"Hey man, sorry. I didn't realize that you were right there - or that the stupid thing was so heavy." Justin replied, throwing his hands up defensively.
"Okay, okay, enough guys. Come on, we're supposed to be looking for Grace and Susan." Chris broke in, helping Justin get up, as Lance added Justin's bag to their pile.
"Hey, is that them?" Lance asked, nodding toward two dark haired girls who were heading toward them.
"Yeah, but who's the redhead?" Justin asked, staring intently at them.
"Probably their friend who they live with." JC answered, not looking up as he counted their bags.
"Hey guys!!!!" Grace said, running up to them, followed by her two friends. She and Susan gave each of the guys a hug.
"This is Lance, Chris, Joey, Justin, and JC. Guys, this is Brandi." Susan said, introducing them.
JC looked up and straight into a pair of stunning green eyes. Brandi smiled shyly at him, as she said, "Hi."
"Uh, um, hi." he stuttered, taking in her hip length, curly auburn hair, fair skin, and amazing smile.
"Wow, looks like JC made a new friend.", Chris commented, making them both blush.
"Alright, stop it. Ok, we brought my car, and Brandi has her Jeep. So, we can split up, and all go to our house. Then, after you guys do whatever you have to, maybe we could go do something." Grace said.
"Yeah. What do you say we all go out to lunch, then just kinda cruise around? We can show ya around a little." Susan added.
"Sounds good to me." Lance replied.
"Yeah, me too." said Chris.
"Yup." Joey agreed.
"Come on, I'm hungry." Justin replied, picking up his bags - carefully this time - and heading toward the main entrance.
Everyone else followed him out the door, then Susan led them to the cars.
"K, how do you wanna split?" Grace asked, "How bout Chris, Joey, and Susan come with me, and then JC, Justin, and Lance can ride with Brandi."
"No arguement here. Let's just go so that we can eat." Lance said, piling their suitcases into the back of the Jeep.
After the bags were all in, and Susan, Chris, Grace, and Joey had all gotten in the car, Justin turned to Lance. "Why don't we take the backseat? We can, uh, watch the bags so that they...don't fly away."
Lance nodded knowingly as JC smiled gratefully at them, then they got in.
As she started up her car, Brandi glanced over at JC. When she saw that he was looking at her too, she blushed and looked down.
"Do you guys want some music on?" she asked, looking at Justin and Lance in her rearview mirror.
"Yeah, sure." they both replied.
"You can just switch around 'till you find something you like." she said to JC, finally daring to look him in the eye. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, trying to ignore the funny feeling in her stomach.
Brandi followed Grace out of the parking lot and down the road. The only sound in the Jeep was that of the changing radio stations. JC finally stopped when he heard a jazz song come on over the speakers. Almost as a reflex, Brandi turned it up. Without realizing it, she started to sing along with the song. About halfway through it, they braked at a red light. She glanced over at JC and saw a mixture of amazement and awe on his face.
"What?" she asked, turning the radio down.
"Nothing. It's just..well..you." he replied.
"What's that mean?" she asked, stepping on the accelerator as the light turned green.
"I've never met anyone else who could sing this whole song, especially like that."
"How could I not? It's great."
"I know, but most people just can't. And you sing so.."
"Oh, I can't take credit for that. Grace has been teaching me, and helping me out - a LOT."
"But still..wow."
Brandi didn't have time to reply as she pulled into her driveway and turned off her car. She got out and helped Justin and Lance unload their bags, leaving a confused JC sitting all by himself.
