The Girl Who Wrote The Dating Manual

chapter seven

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Dedicated to Janelle07 for the totally fabulous trailer! Watch it it to the side if you're on the website, or up the top of the chapter if you're on the app. I love it so much; thanks lovely! x

Also, as a side note, it is now winter break for me, which means more updates!!! Yay.

Enjoy, guys.

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"Okay, so we have rocking tunes, snacks and gas money. Did I forget anything?" Ava asked as she maneuvered the bends of the cliff towards the cabin. We'd only been on the road twenty minutes, and were just making it out of the college's suburb. All around, the trip was expected to be five and a half hours, and we'd left at ten-thirty, hoping to be there at four.

"I think we got it," I replied, settling further into the car seat and stretching out my legs.

Ava leaned over and turned on the music, blasting out the car playlist she'd compiled the night before. It had a mixture of pop and acoustic, and hopefully would be enough to tide us through the long journey.

"So, give me a rundown," I said as she drove yet another curve up the mountain. Down below was the sparkling beach packed with people, the aqua water glistening in an inviting manner. I guess in Florida, winter means nothing to anybody. "Who's going to be there, how long are we staying, and what's the plan?"

"My parents, aunts and uncles are going to be there," she said. "As well as my cousins. Jamie, my grandparents and us. That's it."

"How long are we staying?"

"Thirteen days," she replied. "We leave in two Fridays' time to spend the rest of the weekend getting drunk."

"Ever the role model," I replied.

"That's also your birthday weekend," she told me. "So I thought we'd head back in time for your twenty-first."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did. We can't exactly get hammered at the folks' place," she told me, turning onto the southbound highway.

"What's the plan?" I asked, pulling out a packet of gummy bears.

"I don't know. We'll probably head into town one day and check out the stores, we'll go swimming in the lake, spend quality family time." She shrugged. "You know how my family is."

"Okay," I said easily. I was pretty content just to stick with the family and go with the flow. It was supposed to be a relaxing holiday, and I had a feeling it would be just that.

She stole some gummy bears out of the packet and shoved them in her mouth, gobbling them attractively. I found myself cringing at her as I watched the masticated candy roll around her mouth. She turned to me and frowned. "What?"

I shook my head grimly. "Nothing."

She shrugged and changed the subject. "So, you and Jamie seem to be getting pretty close. I mean, coffee, the bar, ice skating..."

I laughed. "Jamie. He's like the brother I never had."

She cringed. "Ouch. Bro-zoned."

"There's no such thing as 'bro-zoned,' Ave," I told her. "But you don't have to worry about anything happening between me and Jamie. We're just friends. I don't date people and you know that."