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46

"Jason, Hurry up or I'm going to regret bringing you home again!" I yelled through his one bedroom apartment. "If Sam complains about us being late then I'm blaming you!" "Sam likes me better than you!" Jason yelled from his bedroom.

"Tell me about it." Finn muttered to himself while scrolling on his phone. Jason didn't pack obviously, so now he was running around like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to throw all his shit in a suitcase.

It was finally Christmas break and I couldn't be happier. It was time to forget about everything and live like I was in high school all over again. As per usual, we were picking up Sam and bringing him home because he didn't have a car at College. It was the day before Christmas Eve and there would be a ton of traffic. I-95 was going to be hell on earth, especially once we reach Jersey. Then it will be stop and go all the way to Groton. Usually we would try to beat the rush hour traffic, but it didn't matter on December 23rd. Every hour was rush hour. Just getting from College Park to Hopkins would take an hour and a half.

There was a loud bang from Jason's bedroom. "Jason I swear to mother fucking God!"

"Oh shut up! This is how I feel every morning trying to get you two idiots out the door!" He yelled across the apartment again. A second later his figure appeared from his bedroom pulling his blue suitcase behind him. "Finally." I groaned in relief and prayed to God with my hands. If God was real, that is. I wasn't a religious person but I definitely swore to God a lot. That probably won't fair well if he's real. Oh well.

"Asshole." Jason muttered while grabbing his keys off his dark granite island.

"I can feel the holiday spirit just radiating off you two today." Finn remarked sarcastically while standing from the beige couch, twirling his car keys around on his lanyard like a typical douche bag.

"Well I'm sorry if I'm stressed out. Al's flight lands in half an hour and we haven't even left yet. Baltimore is 45 minutes away. Not to mention that I fucking hate traffic." I grumbled while exiting the apartment. Finn followed behind me and then Jason, who locked his door while Finn waited for the elevator. "How did we get stuck playing chauffeur for everyone we know?" I asked rhetorically.

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"Because a flight from Austin-Bergstrom to Baltimore International is $200 cheaper than Austin to JFK or LaGuardia. Besides, either way Al would need a ride and both her parents can't get out of work." Finn remind me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Three additional people we had to drag home for winter break. Kill myself.

I couldn't help but scoff. "You know what? Al is going in my car. There is no way I'm going 5 plus hours with Jason or Sam. I might purposely crash."

The metal doors to the elevator opened and we all stepped in before I hit the close door and the first floor buttons. "If you're so worried about time, why didn't you leave before us?" Jason asked, taking note of my refusal to let the door close on its own.

I turned to my left and glared at him, past Finn who stood in the middle. "If you are going to the same place as someone from the same original destination, wouldn't you leave together?" Jason shrugged and I groaned again. "You know, I used to wonder why you didn't have a girlfriend but know I know why. You're insufferable."

This was going to be the longest ride of my life.

***

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"Have you talked to Chris lately?" I asked when I got out of my car and locked the doors. We were walking in to the airport to pick her up instead of making Al replace us in a carpool area.

"No. Not really." Finn's mouth frowned a little as he slipped his hand into mine. Jason was walking a foot ahead of us, doing whatever he was on his phone. Who was he texting? We are his only friends. "I don't know. He's been distant. I don't think Sam's heard from him either. Sucks. He was my best friend for years now it's like we're just acquaintances."

I don't know what was going on with Chris. He hadn't spoken to me since September when he congratulated me on the trial. I feel bad for Finn though. We were all best friends but Chris and Finn were like the two inseparable brothers; kind of like Sam and I were.

I suppose that's what happens when you get into the real world. Friends come and go.

Jason held the glass door open from us. I took it in my free left hand and held it open as we walked through. Inside the airport was busy. People bustled around everywhere, searching for their rides home. Christmas time was rush time in places like this.

There were some Christmas tinsel decorations hanging on the high ceilings but nothing too fancy. My eyes scanned the crowd; or tried too. I was too short to see over all the people to try and spot a blonde girl an inch shorter than me. That was like replaceing a needle in a haystack.

Six foot three Jason wasn't much help either because he had no clue what he was looking for. That left it up to Finn. I'm sure being six foot two helped him with that. I was used to feeling small but between the two tallest men I know and a crowd of grumpy travelers, I felt like I was zero foot nothing.