Kelly and I had known each other since we were both eight-years-old when she and her family had moved in next-door to mine. Separated in age by only a few months we had struck up friendship almost immediately.
We had been in the same classes throughout school and in our pre-high school years spent many long hours playing together.
Naturally as time moved on Kelly lost most of what you would probably describe as tom-boy tendencies and we hung out less. However, we remained friends and continued to enjoy each other's company frequently mostly either playing video games or catching a movie together.
There was never anything romantic between us and we both dated other people. Well to be precise Kelly dated other people and I tried my best, largely without success, to elicit any attention I could from the opposite sex.
At the end of high school we both applied to the main college in our home town and were accepted. Kelly was going to study psychology while I would be taking a history course.
Before I go on I probably better describe Kelly. She's only five feet tall and has dark blonde hair cut at just below shoulder length, blue eyes and a pretty face that lights up when she smiles which is something she does a lot!
As you'd expect from someone so short in stature, Kelly has a slight build with one exception - her boobs. These are a whopping 34d and, despite their size, are perky and firm looking and of course tend to draw a great deal of attention!
Anyway back to the story. It was a couple of days after graduation and Kelly and I were at her house watching DVDs and chatting about the future.
College was still three months away and we were both a little stuck for ideas on how to spend the long summer ahead. There was of course the option to get a job to save up money for college but neither of us was overly keen on that plan.
Then Kelly had the brainwave that would eventually change our lives and our friendship forever. "Road trip," she suddenly said out of nowhere.
"What?" I replied.
"Read trip," she repeated with a broad smile on her face. "That's what we should do. The classic college road trip."
"Ok Kell but first of all we don't have a car and secondly we're not at college yet!" I replied.
"First of all Phil you're such a geek," my friend responded playfully. "We are almost in college and we can get a car from my uncle. Come on Phil we gotta do this!"
Caught up in Kelly's enthusiasm, I put aside my initial reservations and said, "Ok but we need to plan it properly."
"Yes, yes Phil we will. But let's not wait. Let's go see my uncle now and get going," Kelly replied.
This didn't sound like we would be planning anything properly but I knew better than to argue with Kelly. Once she decided to do something she did it. Spontaneity was her thing plus a road trip sounded like a fun idea.
Without any further discussion we headed off on the short walk to the second hand car lot that Kelly's uncle Dave Randle ran.
When we arrived Dave was smoking outside his office. Kelly bounded straight up to him and grabbed him in a big hug. "Uncle Dave!" she said with a beaming smile.
"Hey Kelly," he responded, "What brings you over here?"
"We're going on a road trip and we need a car and I thought my favourite uncle could help us out," said Kelly finally releasing him from her bear hug grip.
"Who's we?" Dave asked having failed to spot me standing a few feet away.
"Phil and me," Kelly replied.
"Hi Mr Randle," I said with a nervous wave.
Dave and I had met a few times but I had failed to make a great impression and I got the sense he was not exactly my biggest fan.
The car dealer nodded his head in response to my greeting then took Kelly by the arm and led her into his office.
I stood outside waiting while I presume Dave was questioning Kelly as to why she wanted to go on a road trip with, not only a boy, but a boy like me.
After about 10 minutes my friend bounded out of the office clutching a set of car keys. "Come on," she said with a grin.
I followed as Kelly skipped across the lot stopping next to a rather battered looking blue Sedan. She opened the car's unlocked door and dropped into the driver's seat.
"This is us," Kelly said enthusiastically.
I decided not to ask what her uncle had said to her in his office and simply walked round the car and got in the passenger seat. I barely had time to close the door when Kelly started the engine and set off.
"I knew Uncle Dave would come through for us," she enthused, "I don't want to hang about. Let's go home, tell our parents the plan, pack and head off."
"What happened to planning things properly?" I asked.
Sighing, Kelly replied, "There's that geek again Phil. It's the summer before college. Be spontaneous!"
Caught up once again in my friend's enthusiasm, I said, "Ok Kell."
To my surprise both of our sets of parents raised no objections to our road trip. I suppose they thought we were 18 and had been pretty responsible in the past so they trusted we would be sensible. This parental vote of confidence boosted my morale and by the time Kelly and I had loaded up the car I was as really looking forward to the trip.
Promising our folks we would keep in regular contact and be back in no more than a week we headed off on our adventure.
"So where too first Phil?" Kelly asked as we reached the freeway.
"This was you're idea and you're driving Kell," I responded still giddy at the prospect of having such freedom for the first time.
"Spontaneity it is then!" Kelly retorted with a sly smile as we headed at speed for the interstate.
The next few hours were uneventful as we drove along chatting more about road movies we had seen than we did about the actual trip we were embarking on.
"I'm getting hungry and a bit tired," Kelly suddenly remarked. "What'd say we stop at the next diner to eat and at the same time we can ask for directions to the nearest motel?"
"Ok," I replied as it dawned on me for the first time that we had not discussed sleeping arrangements for the trip ahead.
It was only a couple of more miles until we came across a diner called the Cosy Coffee Cup and pulled in. Making our way inside it instantly called into question the validity of its quaint name.
The diner had 10 tables with chairs, four booths along one wall and a number of high stools at the service counter. The decor looked like it was something from a bad 70s movie and there we some funky looking stains on the furniture, carpet and ceiling.
Despite this we were hungry so decided to stay. Taking one of the booths we noticed we had drawn slightly unfriendly stares from the five or six truck drivers who were the only other diners.
"This place is a bit weird," I said in a hushed voice.
Kelly chuckled, "Yeah but don't sweat it Phil. We're on a road trip remember and anything goes on a road trip."
I was not sure I had signed up for anything goes but before I could reply the waitress arrived.
"What ya having?" came the less than welcoming query from the waitress who was in her 50s and almost as dishevelled as the diner.
"What do you recommend?" said Kelly brightly.
"Honey I recommend you order something, eat, pay up and go," came the terse response.
Clearly taken aback but remaining unflustered Kelly said, "Two cheeseburgers, fries and cokes."
With a grunt the waitress scribbled on her notepad and wandered off.
"Nice atmosphere," I joked.
"Yeah service with a smile," Kelly replied with a giggle.
The food arrived quickly and was actually quite good considering. Finished with our meals we headed for the counter to pay.
We agreed to take it in turns to pay for food and when we got to the counter I offered my credit card to the waitress.
"Nope," she said shaking her head and pointing to a tiny sign below the cash register which stated the diner accepted cash only.
