Scenic Route And My Sisters Bestie

Writer's note:

a shorter, more lighthearted story to take a little break from my other series. Inspired by an audio written by u/hex_en.

"Hop in!" I call out, leaning over to push the passenger door open.

The girl on the bench startles, her blond hair catching the late afternoon sun. But her surprise washes away, replaced by a delighted grin. She springs to her feet and slings her bag onto my backseat in one swift motion.

"Roman!" she chirps, sliding beside me. It is my turn to get flustered when she plants a breezy kiss on my cheeks.

"Thanks for picking me up," she continues, undisturbed. "I've been dying to get back to your parents' lakehouse."

I clear my throat, forcing a chuckle.

"It's no big deal, Maddie," I say, glancing at her. Her blue eyes are fixed on me, ensuring my gaze stays on her face despite her flimsy tank top and shorts. Summer is here, alright.

"I wouldn't let you ride the bus when we live in the same city," I add as I pull the car back into the street's light traffic.

"A girl wonders," she takes on a teasing tone, tilting her head to the side. "I've been in school here for a whole year, and we've not hung out once."

Maddie's over-the-top pout softens the reproach in her words, soon followed by a crystalline giggle.

"I've been uh... busy," I mumble, tapping a distracted rhythm on the wheel.

"Sure," she says. I have to focus on the road, so I can't look at her face to confirm, but she does sound a little sad. The silence lingers for just a beat too long.

Truthfully, I've been avoiding Maddie ever since I found out she'd be attending the very college I recently graduated from.

"Anyway, we've got a whole road trip to catch up!" Maddie exclaims, back to the bright demeanor I remember from her years of hanging around my parents' place.

"Although," she adds with a sly grin, unrelenting. "There's not much I don't know about you. Paige might live halfway across the country, but we still tell each other everything."

"That's good," I say, shifting in my seat. "How is she, by the way?" I can't keep the guilt out of my voice. I should call my little sister more often, but we've never really been close--not with five years between us and me moving out so long ago.

"Oh, you know her," Maddie waves her hand. "She's stressing out over choosing the wrong major, about boys, her crappy big brother."

This time, she's downright accusatory. "When's the last time you saw her."

I have to think for a second.

"Last summer, I guess."

"Damn, your ex really had you on a tight leash. Both Thanksgiving

and

Christmas with her folks, huh?" she punches my shoulder lightly..

I wince at the mention of my ex-fiancée. Even Maddie can catch on to that.

"Too soon?" her voice softens. "I'm sorry. You know I can't shut up sometimes."

"It's all good. I'm over it," I say, more for myself than for her. I need to change topics. "If we make good time, we can get there before midnight. Then we'll have all of Saturday on the water."

I flash her a friendly smile to dispel the awkwardness. She nods thoughtfully.

===

"Well, you jinxed it," Maddie's blasé voice cuts through the engine's hum. Her legs are propped up casually over the dash.

"What are you talking about?" I glance at her, trying to mask my irritation.

"You, Mr. 'We'll get there before midnight.'" She pops off one shoe, then the other, letting them drop onto the floor with soft thuds. Normally, I'd object, but after hours stuck behind a pile-up, I can't bring myself to care.

"That was hours ago," I point out, willing to indulge her somewhat. I stretch my back, stiff from the time spent in the driver's seat.

"Luck doesn't care about mundane things like time," she retorts like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "It could be karma, though. You know, for all those times you were shitty to Paige and me back when you still lived at home."

"Come on, I wasn't shitty," I protest without much conviction.

Admittedly, I wasn't exactly the best brother. Especially when Paige had Maddie over. She was clingy and had an obvious crush on me back then, constantly following me around, fishing for my attention. As a teenager, the whole thing was... uncomfortable. Having someone I considered a little girl throwing herself at me was more than I could handle.

I glance over, ready to give examples of my sound, brotherly behaviors. But whatever arguments I have vanish when I notice the way Maddie reclines on the passenger seat, arms crossed behind her head, her chest thrust up at me. She's not a little girl anymore.

It takes me a second too long to refocus and finally meet Maddie's eyes. There's a knowing smirk on her lips.

"Well, that's definitely bad karma," she chuckles. "Ogling your baby sister's best friend."

I look away, gripping the steering wheel, wishing the line of cars in front of us would finally advance.

"Shut up," I snap, harsher than I mean to.

Maddie's hand lands on my arm, her fingers softly grasping my tensed bicep.

"Relax, Roman," she says with a small squeeze. "I'm only teasing you. I'm bored out of my mind."

I grunt. But her karma theory takes a hit as we can finally move again. But the pace is glacial, and my frustration with the traffic jam boils over.

"What are you doing?" Maddie asks, surprised as I take the next exit, letting the sea of red brake lights disappear behind us. "Do you know a faster route?"

"It's two a.m. We still have three hours to go," I reply, stifling a yawn. "I worked all day. I'm beat. We'll find a place to stay and get back on the road in the morning."

"Oh, sure," Maddie rushes to answer, taking her legs off the dash. She pulls out her phone. "Give me five minutes. I'll find us something."

Soon enough, she's guiding me through a maze of unlit rural roads, one hand resting on my shoulder and the other holding her phone with the map out. Outside, dark patches of trees succeed empty fields where the car's lights have nothing to reflect on.

With Maddie leaning next to me like that, I can't help but catch whiffs of the conditioner in her hair or the feminine fragrance clinging to her skin. It is pleasant yet strong enough to cover the remnants of our days stuck in a cramped, hot car.

We finally reach a small motel. Judging by the number of cars scattered across the lot, plenty of people had the same idea. The place is not exactly run-down, but I wouldn't stop there if I was not this tired.

"Drop me off at the reception. I'll get us rooms," Maddie says, already undoing her belt.

"Wait," I call out before she closes the door. I toss my wallet and she turns just in time to catch it. "I'll pay. I'm the one with a real job."

"Thanks," she smiles at me before closing the door.

I watch her dart across the lot and enter the reception building, her silhouette briefly outlined by the neon "vacancy" sign on the wall. I take this opportunity to text my parent, letting them know we won't be there until the next morning.

It doesn't take long for Maddie to return. She skips back to the car, giving me a wide, goofy grin and dangling a single keychain in my direction.

"We got lucky," she says, sliding back into the car. "We got the last room."

"Room?" I ask incredulously. "As in just one? We don't have the same definition of the word lucky."

"Yeah, well, it's better than sleeping in the car," she shrugs, unbothered.

A mischievous smile paints itself on her lips. "Besides, it wouldn't be a real road trip if we had proper sleeping arrangements," Maddie adds playfully, clearly enjoying herself.

Once again, I grunt, and we pull up to the room. It's nicer than I could have hoped for, even if it is furnished with the worst instance of motel decor, floral patterns covering almost every visible surface.

My relief is short-lived. There's only a double bed. Facing it is a large sofa with a tacky painting hung on the wall above it. An old TV is mounted high up on the wall near the door.

"Shotgun!" Maddie yells suddenly, making me start as she sprints to the bathroom, her bag dangling over her shoulder. Despite myself, I have to smile at her antics.

Sinking into the couch, I aimlessly flick through the motel's excessive collection of TV channels. The sounds of the different random programs barely cover that of the shower running.

A local late-night talk show host is rudely interrupted by Maddie, bursting out of the bathroom. I'm hit with a steamy mist even before she speaks.

"Your turn," she announces cheerfully.

I lazily get up from the couch, only to notice what she's chosen to wear. Her white T-shirt clings to her like it's made of tissue paper, damp from the steam and barely long enough to reach her waist. A sliver of her stomach peeks out above her pink panties, and the fabric doesn't do much to hide the stiff peaks of her nipples beneath.

Maddie's face is flushed as we stare at each other in silence. Even for her, this is a little daring. She bites her lips as my eyes finally land on her face.

"Didn't have anything better to put on?" I try not to sound like her dad, but she is starting to push my boundaries.

My stern tone riles her right back up.

"Sorry, I left my Victorian nightgowns home," she quips, folding one leg beneath her as she perches on the edge of the bed. "I didn't really plan for you to see my nightwear when I packed my bag. You can't blame me."

"Whatever," I mutter, locking the bathroom door behind me.

Inside, the steam-filled air is thick with the scent of her body wash, making me feel like Maddie is right there with me rather than on the other side of the wall.

Peering at my reflection in the mirror, I try to collect my thoughts. Maddie can't possibly still have a crush on me. She's just teasing me because she's bored. And it's not working. I'm not actually attracted to my little sister's best friend. Definitely not attracted to her. Hell, I've known her since she was in kindergarten.

Right?

I sigh and get into the shower, thankful for the water's ability to wash away the grime and confusion of the day. Clad in a fresh T-shirt and shorts, I get out of the bathroom.

Maddie, sitting against the headboard with her bare legs stretched over the covers, perks up.

"Get in. It's actually super comfy," she taps an empty spot on the mattress with an inviting smile.

"I'm crashing on the couch," I said, cutting her enthusiasm short and moving to pick up an extra pillow.

"What? Don't be silly. It's no big deal," she tries at first, but seeing as I'm already walking away from her, she redoubles her effort. "Just because it's the setup of, like, every rom-com doesn't mean anything

needs

if we share a bed!"

I hesitate, tempted to incline, the prospect of the night on a couch not entirely appealing. But then, in a classic Maddie move, she has to push things too far.

She flops on her back, spreads herself across the bed, and begins to speak in a dramatic voice.

"The nubile heroine and the stoic hero find themselves in a bed," she writhes languorously over the mattress. Her thin top and pink panties highlight her enticing, sprawled curves as she contorts herself. "The forced intimacy is too much, and despite their reluctance, the two friends..."

I cut her tirade short with a sharp tug on the covers, yanking them free from under her in one fell swoop, sending her to tumble against the pillows and the headboard.

"I'll pass, thanks," I say in a dry tone. "Pick your brain up out of the gutter."

Maddie whimpers in mock protest and gets back into all four, giving me an incomparable view of her body.

"Afraid of girl cooties at twenty-four, how 'bout that," she pouts. "Besides, I'm not the one walking around with a big boner." With that, she sticks her tongue out at me.

I look down and notice the bulge in my shorts. Crap. Maddie cackles as I settle for the night on the couch.

===

"Wakey, wakey," a soft voice pulls me out of my sleep, accompanied by a gentle brush of my cheek.

I groan and open my eyes, only to find a face stuck right in front of mine.

"Jesus, Maddie," I sigh, recoiling in surprise.

But she's already walking away, giggling, only wrapped in a towel with her damp hair stuck to her shoulder. She drops it as she enters the bathroom and, to my utter lack of surprise, does not close the door, clearly enjoying her effect on me.

"I let you sleep as long as possible," she explains from the other room. Even with the door open, I can't see what's going on in there from the couch. "But I think we should get going."

I rub my face, trying to shake off the sleep--and the image of Maddie's bare back seared into my brain. The motel room is already bathed in the morning sunlight. She's probably right. We need to move on if we want to spend the afternoon on the lake.

"Are you hungry?" I call out as my belly rumbles.

"Sure, can you find a spot? I need to finish my makeup."

Twenty minutes later, we're checked out and wandering through a food court. Maddie darts ahead of me, her light summer dress swaying with each step. She stops at a fridge and bends over to grab a bottle of orange juice from the bottom shelf. The fabric of her dress clings to her curves, leaving little to the imagination.

And I'm certainly not the only man in there to get an eyeful. Some middle-aged guy gets an elbow to the belly from his wife to get him to stop looking at the spectacle.

Maddie notices my gaze on her as she gets up and holds out the bottle.

"Want me to get you one, too?" she asks with an innocent smile, tilting her head.

"I'm good," I grunt back, tearing my eyes away from the outline of her chest with some difficulty. She's going braless again. A part of me hopes she's not making a habit out of it. Only a part, though.

I pay for our trays, and we sit down at a table. Maddie can be quite pleasant to be around when she's not trying to rile me up. Her bright energy is infectious.

"So, how's college life?" I ask between two bites of my breakfast burrito.

"S'alright," she answers, still chewing on a piece of bacon. "Maybe a bit too much partying. Feels a bit vacuous, honestly."

I can't help but laugh at that.

"What?" she demands, her eyes narrowing as she swallows. "What's so funny?".

"Nothing," I shake my head, grinning. "You should enjoy it. Life comes at you fast. These days, if I go out on a Saturday, I'm completely out of commission on Sunday."

It's Maddie's turn to bark a laugh at my answer.

"Don't be so dramatic, old man. You make it sound like you're forty... or a thousand."

I roll my eyes. "Just wait until you get your first real job. Then, you'll see."

"I guess..." She stays silent for a moment, a pensive expression passing over her face. "We should hang out when we get back," she finally says, glancing up at me with a small smile. "You know, do something low-key on a Sunday. I think I'd enjoy that."

Her genuine tone catches me by surprise. But before I can come up with an answer, a booming voice calls out behind me.

"Maddie?"

I turn to find an older couple walking toward us, their faces full of warmth.

"And Roman, too," the woman says, delighted.

It takes me a second, but I finally recognize Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, who own the cabin next to my parent's lakehouse. Most of my childhood summers were spent playing with their grandchildren while they sat on the porch, sipping iced tea.

"Hey!" Maddie waves happily at them. She's been invited to the lake often enough that she probably knows them better than even I do. "Long time no see!"

"Where are your parents and Paige?" The rotund man asks while shaking my hand.

"They're already waiting for us at the lake," I say.

"We got stuck behind the pile-up on the highway," Maddie adds. "We managed to snag the last room at the motel across the road."

"You two are traveling together?" Mrs. Johnson's tone is unashamedly curious, the kind of probing only older women can pull off without batting an eye.

I open my mouth to answer, but Maddie beats me to it, her smile turning sly. "Yep! Just the two of us," she says brazenly.

I catch her self-satisfied expression out of the corner of my eye and hurry to clarify. "Maddie's going to college in my city. I'm giving her a ride."

"Ah, I see," Mrs. Johnson replies, though her raised eyebrow suggests otherwise. "Well, isn't that nice of you."

"I heard about the pile-up on the radio," Mr Johnson continues, oblivious to his wife's subtext. "You kids got unlucky. We live so far away that we always stop here on our way to the lake. But you don't really need to get back on the highway from here."

"Really?" I ask, genuinely intrigued.

"Yeah," he says with a nod. "There's a back road--it's faster and a lot more scenic. It

is

a bit tricky when you're unfamiliar, but if you follow us, I can guide you."

I glance over at Maddie. She shrugs, her message clear:

Your call

.

"Sure, that'd be great."

Mr. Johnson looks down at his watch. "Let's meet in the parking lot in twenty."

===

Scenic my ass.

The back road is actually just an itinerary through a maze of ricketty country roads. My car takes a beating and I can hear every part of it creaking under the exertion.

Mr. Johnson, for his part, drives like he missed his calling as a rally pilot. Somehow, I manage to keep up with his little burgundy sedan, even as it weaves through the twists and turns like it's on rails.

It's for the best, too, because when I asked Maddie to check earlier, she confirmed there wasn't so much as a crumb of cell service out here. If he were to distance us, we'd be stuck here for a while.

I negotiate a particularly tricky turn when Maddie finally decides to pipe up.

"So you've not seen anyone since your break up?" She asks innocently.

I'm taken aback by her question but can't really take my eyes off the road.

"Uhm, it's only been a month."

"Still on the rebound then?" Her tone is more insistent. But I don't answer, refusing to indulge her. So she continues. "I could be that rebound, you know."

My jaw drops, and for an instant, it hangs loosely, swaying with every turn of the road.

"This is really inappropriate," I answer, as short as I can.

Maddie ignores me. "It makes sense. We'll be away from civilization at the lakehouse with not much else to do. I could be your lake-girlfriend. I see how you look at me."

"I'm sure Paige would love for me to sleep with her best friend of fifteen years," I say, doing my best to keep the mix of astonishment and irritation out of my voice.

"She doesn't have to know," she counters back, more serious than I've ever heard her. "We could sneak around. It would make it even hotter."

"Maddie..." I begin, but the words stick in my throat. What am I even supposed to say to that?

The road finally smooths out, and I breathe a small sigh of relief--until Maddie leans closer, her breath warm against my ear. Her hand brushes my shoulder, light and deliberate.

"I could pretend to be all naive," she whispers. "You could teach me so much."

I swallow hard, shoving the images she's conjuring out of my head. "Get back in your seat," I order weakly. "And stop messing with me."

"What are you going to do? Stop the car? We'd be lost for days," she taunts, pressing her lips softly to my cheek. The touch is fleeting but electric, igniting something I desperately try to ignore. "Besides, I'm not messing with you. I'm serious."

For the first time, I turn to look at her. Her face is maddeningly calm, her expression unreadable. How are these words coming from the same angelic face I've known since she was a kid?

"I could be your good little girl," she continues as I focus back on the road. "I'd be so obedient. So impressed to be with an experienced man." Her hand drifts lower, caressing my chest.