Chapter 27: Big Plans For Exploration

The Shrouder Residence, The Histmare Gardens, Temperance, South Dakota....

Feeling the effects of what one could only describe to have been a junk food coma, Layla, Amy, Casey, and Derrick were lounging about Derrick's living room amid a mess of open boxes of snacks, empty soda cans, half drunk juice bottles, and crumbs galore. It was a good thing that Derrick's parents were out for the remainder of the night or there would be dire consequences for making a mess of their living room. It had been something of a good night for the lot of them aside from the grilling session about Layla kissing the older biker Brick Kenneally before his abrupt departure on business of Sheriff Tillman. The group had originally come to Derrick's place to work on their mutual class project as it was difficult getting everyone to schedule time to work on it and even worse was the lack of mutual space for the work to take place. Following a particularly grueling school session, Derrick had suggested they all come over to his place to do their work as they wouldn't be disturbed due to his parents leaving for the evening.

Amy had been the first to move following their collective short nap on Derrick's heavily polished and decisively shiny hardwood floor. Layla was second feeling the heaviness of her body becoming much too much for her as she elected to get back on her feet. Derrick was stretched out on the sofa with a can of spray cheese in his mouth. Casey began to stir as well finding it amusing how strange they all looked after taking note of the condition they were all in.

"Well we've destroyed all the snacks." said Amy with a yawn as she finished stretching her arms.

"And the living room." added Casey still grinning.

"Guess we better get to work cleaning it then we'll start on our project." said Layla dreading the clean up like the others.

Derrick continued to snore on the sofa before Amy gave him a swift smack across the chest and he sat up like a bolt of lightning and nearly fell onto the floor in his confusion.

"Get up sleepy head." said Casey.

"Yeah no way we're doing all the cleaning ourselves." said Layla.

Derrick shook off his grogginess and rolled his eyes.

"Thanks a lot Amy." he said annoyed. "You could have given me a heart attack."

The other girls couldn't help but laugh as Amy took a little bow as if she'd just put on a performance before a live audience.

Derrick narrowed his eyes at them and finally found his way to looking at the enormous mess they had made a few hours prior.

"Oh crap." he said taking note of the colossal undertaking that lay before them.

"Oh crap is right." added Amy. "Now help us get to cleaning."

Derrick nodded realizing that he actually had help to get to work on tackling the enormous mess and visibly calmed.

The four of them immediately set to work making their mess a thing of the past so that they could simply concentrate on the upcoming project that lay before them.

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Once they had finally tied the last bag of garbage and Derrick dutifully carried it down to the dumpster with Layla's timely assistance, the two of them had a few moments to speak before heading back into his parents' apartment with the rest of the group.

Derrick had taken notice of Layla not really being herself since meeting the older biker, Brick Kenneally.

"Are you alright?" he asked his voice showing ample concern.

"Yeah." replied Layla doing her best to reassure him.

"You sure?" asked Derrick still keen when it came to his usually unmatched observation skills. "Because you seem to be a bit down in the dumps."

Layla sighed.

"Should have known you would still pry." she said with a look of annoyance filed across her face, hoping to deter him from further questioning.

"Not buying the tough girl act, Sis." he replied knowing her all too well. "Now spill."

Layla sighed once more knowing all too well that he'd never let it go until she did.

"I don't know what it is." she said truthfully. "Maybe it's restlessness or longing...but I just feel like I really need to get out of this town....away from everything....no offense to you guys...but I just feel like I've been trapped her ever since my parents moved us here."

Derrick seemed to understand.

"Well, I guess kissing a biker whom had traveled cross country will do that to a girl." he said in jest despite actually knowing what she meant. He had been thinking of traveling once he'd been able to do so as well.

Of course, his delima was more due to wanting to put as much distance between himself and his parents so that he'd be free to live the life he wanted and not have the burden of his parent disapproving of his newfound sexuality.

"Ricky." said Layla knowing how much his childhood nickname annoyed him.

"I'm only joking...but you gotta admit, there is something almost romantic about taking off with a group of well experienced bikers and charting the world with them seeing the sights with none of the danger assuming they are all as protective and honorable as your Brick guy was where you are concerned." he added.

Layla shook her head, she wondered when he'd be getting back to that.

"I don't even know how to feel about him really." she admitted. "When we kissed...it was wonderful and strange like we were supposed to...like....despite being complete strangers, it was as if we sort of actually knew each other...and there was this pull that made it so."

Derrick had not known what to make of this as he pondered her words. His only experience with this sort of thing had been due to bad television and books. He barely had time to consider his own means of attraction to other boys but he often was well read and thus the girls seemed to entrust him with their secrets and seek wisdom of some sort from him on certain matters. Sometimes he'd be lucky enough to offer assistance but there were times, like this one where he'd been out of his element.

"I suppose you two are kindred spirits." he said making an observation. "Possibly due to your longing to travel and his apparent lifestyle choice to do so."

Layla nodded.

She couldn't argue that it did indeed have a romantic atmosphere about it, running off with the group of Howlers and seeing the world but then she thought of her father and how upset he'd be alone in their yellow house in the backwoods with only Brutus for company. She had always hoped to see the world one day and in her own time but as of that moment, she was more than content to hang about with her friends for whatever time they had left together before they each headed off to their chosen colleges and only kept in touch via the phone.

"Still, it's definitely a romantic notion if ever I heard of one." she said as she and Derrick finally reached the door to his parents' apartment.

She would see the world one day. No matter how long it had taken her to save up when working at the diner or elsewhere for that matter. The restless sprit that had been inside her would not be denied no matter how much she dreaded the fact that she'd have to leave her dear old dad and her close circle of friends behind.