The forgotten Stories

II

Three hours of me driving and it's two o'clock. I pull into a McDonald's parking lot and try to wake up Aria. I shake her. Nothing. Pinch her arm. Nothing. I turn the music up. Nothing. Finally I gave up.

"Aria wake up!" She opens one eyes looks at me than closes it. She grabs her phone and, with her eyes closed, calls her mom.

"Hey mom." ... "yeah we just stopped at a..." She opens her window take a whiff and closes it. "McDonald's ." Umm ok not weird at all. "Yes mom I'll call you when we get somewhere." Aria sighs. "Mom she's fine tell her parents we are fine. And no we haven't seen anything magic yet." She nods her head. "Ok mom bye love ya." She hangs up and drops her phone back in the cup holder. "Get me buffalo chicken tender basket with cheese curds and cherry Pepsi." I give her a weird look. I shrug than get out. I walk into the McDonald's and head to the counter.

"Hi, how can I help you." A older lady about forty asks.

"I'll get two I'll get two cheeseburgers with fries." She types in the order.

"Anything else." She smiles. I smile back.

"No this is it." She nods and asks for my money. I hand her the $15 I owe her. She smiles before handing me my number and soda cups. I go to the soda machine and fill up both cups with Barq's. I put the lids on and grab straws I go wait in line to pick up my order. As I'm waiting though a notice a guy about my age looking at me. He is wearing a red and gold jacket with a griffin on it. I roll my eyes and look away from him. He narrows his eyes at me before walking closer to me. He hands me a sticky note than basically ran out of the restaurant. I stuff it in my pocket.

My number gets called and I head back out to the car. I throw Aria's food in her lap jolting her awake. She looks up at me. She narrows her eyes before opening the bag and taking out the contents and stuffing fries in her mouth. I roll my eyes before opening my burger. I turn the car on and drive back on the road. Suddenly i remember I had that sticky note in my pocket. I reach in to get it. I hand it to Aria and ask her to read it.

"Um it has two numbers on it and it says, "Top number is Drake's, bottom number is Mason's. Meet us at Texas Roadhouse next town over", with a griffin." She looks at me like I know something.

"I swear I know nothing. This guy in a letterman jacket shoved it at me than ran off." I shrug. She adds the numbers into her phone. "What are you doing?"

"Adding the numbers. The griffin represents something. I just don't know what." I glance at her.

"I don't know."

"Ok how about this. We go meet them. You decide if they are trustworthy, then they join us on our little adventure." I sigh.

"Fine, But if they kidnap us I will kill you." I threaten her with my finger.

"Alright. Come on we are almost there. Go on this exit." I pull off and head towards the Texas Roadhouse. I pull in the lot and park. We get out and lean against the back of the car. I see the same guy I saw at McDonald's walk over to us with another guy. And holy cow is he hot. I check him out and don't even try to hide it. Once I get to his sculpted face I notice the cold expression he has. He glances my way and I swear I saw his lips tilt into a ghost smile. Aria next to be is practically smooshed against the car trying to make herself look smaller. She is way to shy.

"Glad you decided to meet us." The guy in the letterman jacket says.

"What do you need." I say getting to the point. The taller, more attractive guy smirks.

"We know you are on the same mission we are. Mainly because we work with you brother—" the taller one says pointing to Aria. "And he sent us to join you guys. So yeah." Me and aria look at each other. I shrug.

"Sure but if you try to kidnap me I will stab you." They both chuckle. They nod their heads. "Ok so introductions, I'm Karter, 18 and this is Aria also 18."

"I'm mason, 22." The taller one, or mason says.

"I'm drake, 20." The shorter one says.

"Good now let's go. We are taking my car so get your bags and put it in the storage." The grab their bags and stuff them in the storage compartment I'm my car. "Alright everyone. Get in the car." They all do as I say and get in the car. Aria riding shotgun and the boys in the back. "Ok we are heading to Florida to go to a preserve there so everyone get ready for the drive." They buckle up and Aria throws back some snacks. I turn on the car and we are on our way to Florida.

————

It's been about four hours and we still have a few more. Everyone is sleeping and I wish I was. When I look I'm the mirror I see Mason's eyes staring right at mine.

"Do you want me to drive for a bit?" I shake my head, but my body decides to betray me and yawn. "Maybe I should drive the rest of the way." I nod and pull over. I hop out and start to go to the back seat. "Wait." I turn to look back at Mason.

"Yes?" He points to Aria, who is sleeping with he head laying on her shoulder. "What about her?" He points to her than Drake. Realization hits me. "Ohh." I go over to Aria's side I tap her shoulder and take her hand. She lets me guide her, still asleep body, to the back seat. I slide her in next to Drake and they rest each other's heads on each other. I giggle and get comfortable in the front seat. I lean against the window on my arm and before I know it I'm already falling asleep.