May 10th, 1999
Note: Anniversary May 15th
Just a 3-day road trip, they said.
What could go wrong, they said.
Well, you want to know what could go wrong on a three-day road trip? How about being stranded in the middle of nowhere while your boyfriend was mad at you? Yep, Leo was mad at her. Or… frustrated with her? All she knew was that she had gotten the silent treatment for the last few hours (trust her - she and her incessant talking about nonsense did not help her in that particular situation) and noooww they were stuck in the middle of nowhere Ohio at 11:47 PM - 7 hours away from their destination and technically just a little over 24 hours before her boyfriend’s birthday… and the bloody party she was planning him.
Oh didn’t you know? That was the reason he was mad at her - his birthday. Well… technically, he just didn’t know it yet. You know what… let’s just start from the beginning, why don’t we?
May 8th, 1999
“Ready to go?”
A soft smile met Adelaide’s lips as Holly jumped in her arms - clearly, their little puppy didn’t want either of them to leave. Maybe it was separation anxiety from the first time Addie left… and well… she didn’t really give warning to either Leo or Holly that time… LOOK IN HER DEFENSE SHE WAS UPSET and anyways, they were now past that. Though, the little rascal would be joining them in just a few days once Leo and she settled into his Hamptons estate.
Hamptons… yep, that’s where Leo was taking her. After graduating a few weeks ago, it seemed like a good time for a vacation and with her boyfriend having business to deal with in New York, it just fit. Though… knowing Addie’s… extreme fear of flying… (for good reason but that was another issue altogether), Leo offered to make a road trip out of it… and since Addie’s fear of cars was far less than that of planes, she wholeheartedly agreed. So now, here she was - sitting on the floor of Leo’s apartment playing with her darling puppy which was basically the same as helping Leo and Justin move luggage into the car… totally. Okay fine, it wasn’t but if the two men wanted to buy into the masculinity complex and do the heavy lifting who was she to deny that need?
“Butttttt she’s gonna miss me, darling.” Addie stated, a pout on her lips as she put the dog down only to find Holly running back into her arms. SEE. SEPARATION ANXIETY.
“Holly will be fine, she’ll have your brother to mess with until both Justin and Natalia join us in 4 days.”
“Mess with? HEY. I didn’t agree to that. I was told all I had to do was keep her alive.”
Oh did Addie not mention her brother would be joining her for the summer? It truly was becoming an entire Parker affair - which, if you ask Adelaide, was always an… interesting occasion. But hey, Leo would have business to deal with and Addie needed entertainment - hence the invite. Though, Justin immediately declined the opportunity to join them on the road trip because apparently being stuck with her in a confined space for over 5 hours was apparently hazardous to his mental state which she called bullsht on. Let’s be honest, Justin just wanted to have unrestricted sex with his girlfriend…ew… okay let’s not think about that. That, and, well he thought she and her fear of planes were crazy since he could get there within hours while they were taking days. BUT AT LEAST HE WAS BRINGING HOLLY SO HE WASN’T GOOD FOR NOTHING.
“ALIVE AND HAPPY, JJ. Both are a bloody requirement.”
“Oh… see If I knew that I wouldn’t have agree-… HEY STOP IT.”
Did Addie throw a pillow at her brother? Yes, yes she did. Take the might of her decorative pillow, Justin.
In annyyyycase. It seemed it was time to get started on this three-day road trip… and honestly… she was excited. It had been almost two months since the two had made amends and since then, their relationship had only grown stronger. Things were just… good and they were almost at their one-year anniversary since the two of them met at that art gallery: an anniversary that was apparently only two days after Leonardo’s birthday.
See… this was the exact reason that Adelaide Parker had a plan. 1. She knew that Leo had something planned for their anniversary, so… she obviously had to one-up him for his birthday which he probably didn’t realize she remembered. Yep, Addie had to do some digging to figure out when his birthday was and she had the date marked since the 3-month mark in their relationship. 2. She just…wanted to make sure Leo knew how much she loved him. Honestly, things were rocky a few months ago and this was just the right time to make sure he knew it. 3. And, finally, she wanted to make his day eventful… and not in the way her birthday was was eventful.
Suffice to say; Adelaide Parker had a lot to do, and not enough time (or space) away from her boyfriend in the next few days to do so… which is why it was a good thing she had a secret weapon in her toolbelt. Yep, Addie had called on one of her closest friends who just happened to be an amazing event planner (or soon-to-be event planner which was basically the same difference even if her friend would deny it) and booked her the first flight to the Hamptons. Honestly, Miranda was probably on a flight at the current moment and soon would be at her boyfriend’s place coordinating the entire thing with the unlimited budget Addie had given her.
12 hours later: ~ 7 PM
“You know darling, I have to say that I’m pretty surprised you’re not tired of me yet. Justin would never willingly sit in a car with me for three days, and by this hour he’d probably be clawing his eyes out” There was a soft smile on Addie’s lips as she looked over at Leo who was concentrating on the road, though at her words, she found him moving his right hand to grab hers only to place a kiss on it.
“Well, I’m not Justin.”
“Thank bloody god for that. I don’t think I’d be dating you if you wer…”
“Not what I meant, Addie.” A soft laugh left his lips as he turned to face her for a moment, only to turn back to face the road.
“I know, let me tease you wanker”
“Only if I can too.”
“You? Tease me? I don’t think you have it in you.”
“Oh really?”
“Yep, I’m un-teasable. I’m like a bloody rock. You can’t faze me, darling.”
“That’s not what you were saying last night when I brought my lips to your th-”
“HEY” Addie felt her cheeks reddening at the… well not so pg-13 route this conversation was going down. That is not the type of teasing she was talking about. He was totally cheating.
“You’re saying I’m wrong?”
“No…but that’s not relevant”
“Not relevant? So you wouldn’t want me to do it again when we get to the hotel roo-” as he started saying that, Addie found his hand moving to her thigh and if it was possible, the red in her cheeks darkened even more so.
“You, Mister, need to keep your hands to yourself and on the wheel and… I… I - I need to pee.”
"Thoughts so.
OH, THE IMMEDIACY OF THE SMIRK THAT MET HER BOYFRIEND’S LIPS AT THAT. Was she changing the conversation with that last sentiment? MAYBE. But did she need him to smirk at it? No, no it was totally unnecessary. Though whether her words were true or not, Addie found Leo pulling off the highway and soon, towards a gas station. When he stopped, Addie gave Leo no warning before wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him in for a kiss - one which, if the two weren’t currently in a car in a public location, probably would have led to… well… you know. Though, within a few seconds, she pulled away without warning and a similar smirk meeting her lips as she quickly muttered “byeeee” and made her grand escape. What? He deserved that after making her blush… though… honestly her exit would have been far cooler if she could remember how to open this bloody passenger door. Instead, she uttered her bye and found herself struggling with the bloody handle… which, of course, was followed by her boyfriend laughing. Again.
Great.
“OKAY You can stop laughing now love and help me? Please - I do actually have to bloody pee.” Addie sighed, to which she found him bringing his hand to her cheek to pull her back for a sweet kiss, before he pulled away and leaned over her side to click a button and open the door. Look - technology wasn’t her thing, they had been over this and Leo just had to go and get a new car that didn’t have easy regular door handles. Okay… yeah, him getting a new car was technically her fault too seeing as she crashed his last one… but that was irrelevant okay?
After using the loo, Addie found herself navigating towards the snacks as Leo filled the tank. At this point, she pretty much had her hands filled with every American candy that caught her intrigue which became only slightly problematic when her new mobile started ringing. It was something her brother had gifted her so that he could be in contact with her 24/7 - which, unsurprisingly happened after her accident. But honestly, she didn’t mind - Adelaide actually kind of liked the idea of being able to call someone from anywhere.
“Hello? Sh… hold up fck.” Addie sighed as one of her bags of chips fell out of her hands.
“Addie?”
You know how when one thing falls out of your hands and then you go to grab it and another thing dislodges and falls too? Yeah… that was happening and Addie was basically trying to prevent a catastrophe though when she heard the voice on the phone, she immediately dropped everything and placed her hand on the phone.
“Miranda? OH MY GOD MIRANDA. Did you land? How are you? Is anything wrong?”
“No no everything fine. I just got to the estate. Are you sure your boyfriend wouldn’t mind me staying here while I plan the party? I don’t want to be a hassle…”
“No trust me darling everything’s fine. Settle in, we’ll be there in a few days. Now… what do you need from me in the meanwhile?”
If only she hadn’t said those words: perhaps then, things wouldn’t have slowly unraveled over the next few days leading to… well… the fight. A fight that neither of them could exactly run away from seeing as they were stuck in a car. Though those words were, indeed, said… and nothing could stop what was to come over the next two days.
To be continued because I’m tired of writing for now