The Road Home

Jace checked the time on his car’s dash, and climbed out of it, leaving the door open.

“Just like the Devil… leaving people waiting.” Scotty shook his head from his spot sitting in the passenger seat. “This is a sign from the universe to leave her ass! Please!”

“Dude, for the millionth time, I’m not leaving her behind.” Jace shook his head. “Even if she is 20 minutes late.”

“Nearly thirty.” Scotty pointed out unhelpfully.

Jace pulled out his phone to see if she’d texted, which she had not. Then, as if he’d summoned her, his phone started ringing. He was so startled he almost dropped it, but he kept a grasp on it, and pushed the answer button.

“Hazel, hey. Where are you?” Jace asked.

“Waiting for you.” she said impatiently. “I just got to the academy doors and you’re not here.”

“What? Hazel, we’re in the parking lot. Been waiting 20 minutes.” Jace said.

“Do you not want me to look good for this trip?” Hazel’s voice came incredulously.

“You always look good.” Jace said, confused.

There was a silence on the line for a moment before she replied.

“Yes, of course I do. Now, are you and your infuriating friend going to come get my bags or not?” Hazel demanded.

“Bags plural?” Jace frowned.

“Yes, obviously.” Hazel replied and Jace could practically hear her eyes roll.

“Right… uh, yeah. You’re at the entrance out to the parking lot?” Jace checked.

“No, I’m in fucking Timbuktu.” Hazel replied sarcastically. “Of course I am!”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll be there in a minute.” Jace said, and he hung up. Jace climbed into the car and closed the car door.

“Please tell me we’re leaving her.” Scotty crossed his fingers and tilted his face up to the heavens hopefully.

“Nope. She’s at the other end of the parking lot with a lot of bags apparently.” Jace said.

“She got them that far, she couldn’t cross the parking lot?” Scotty muttered as Jace pulled up the car to see Hazel standing there next to three pink suitcases, two black duffel bags sitting on top of them, and despite all that, she still wore a purse and had a handbag in her hand. Jace let his eyes rove Hazel’s body, not very subtly either. She looked really good today, though, after all. She was in a tight ruby colored dress, one that was quite short, revealing all of her smooth flawless long caramel legs. Her black hair was elegantly flowing down her shoulders, and she wore a pair of expensive looking shades along with some fairly sizable jewel earrings that sparkled in the sunlight. Jace also couldn’t help but notice how incredible Hazel’s caramel tits looked in that dress, gently pressing together to create incredible cleavage.

Surprisingly, Zack Ravers was also standing there, holding the pile of luggage upright.

“Zack?” Jace asked in surprise, getting out of the car.

“Hey, Jace.” Zack nodded, and Jace nodded back at his roommate.

“I needed somebody to carry my stuff down.” Hazel waved a hand towards Zack. “Can you tip him?”

“I don’t need a tip.” Zack assured Jace. “I was just visiting Dana and AC one last time before Founder’s Day break, and I came out of my room to find Hazel struggling with all her luggage.”

“I was not struggling.” Hazel said crossly. “Jace, forget what I said. Don’t tip him.”

Jace and Zack shrugged at each other. Jace popped the trunk, and Jace and Zack started trying to cram all of Hazel’s luggage into Jace’s trunk.

“Hazel, do you really need all of this stuff? For a week?” Jace asked incredulously.

“Of course I do. If I didn’t need it, would I bring it?” Hazel put her hands on her hips, and Jace chuckled.

“I guess not.” Jace said, as Zack hefted the last suitcase up. Both boys looked into the very full trunk, and decided it might be easier to just stick it in the back row than keep playing Tetris with her luggage.

“Thanks for the help, man. At least some friends are helpful.” Jace said loudly, glaring at Scotty, who made very exaggerated ‘can’t hear you’ gestures from inside the car that had two of the doors open.

Zack laughed. “It’s no problem. I’ll see you after the break.”

“Yeah, see ya. Tell Heather I said hi, too.” Jace nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hazel’s head turn sharply towards him.

“You know she’d rather hear that in person.” Zack smiled.

“Yeah, I do. Uh, I gotta get going though.” Jace said quickly.

“Yes, he has very important commitments.” Hazel said frostily.

“Yeah.” Jace said, looking at Hazel. “Very important.” Her expression was unreadable and her eyes were hidden by the shades, so he looked back to Zack.

“Seems so.” Zack smiled. “Later.”

“Later.” Jace nodded, and Zack walked off towards the boys’ dorm.

“Jace, why is there a rodent in my seat?” Hazel asked loudly, and Jace and Hazel both turned to look at Scotty.

“Me?” he asked. “First come, first serve. Maybe you shouldn’t be half an hour late.”

“Jace, I only sit in the backseat of a car if it’s a limo.” Hazel folded her arms under her breasts.

“I’m not moving!” Scotty declared. “You absolutely cannot make me move.”

———

Jace glanced up in the rearview mirror to see Scotty looking very grumpy in the backseat. Shifting his gaze sideways, he saw Hazel had already made the passenger seat home. His glovebox was currently home to her purse and handbag, the latter of which he’d realized was basically a case for her sunglasses.

She had her phone in his cupholder, was checking her makeup in the sun visor mirror, and had put one of those scent things on the vent almost instantly. Why she carried one around with her was a mystery, but Jace did have to admit his car smelled much better at the moment.

It wasn’t too far a journey from the Academy back to his house, only about thirty-five minutes, and it was a pretty quiet drive. Scotty was sulking in the backseat, Hazel was engrossed in whatever it was she was doing, and Jace was just nodding his head to the radio as he drove. Fortunately, Hazel hadn’t messed with his radio station. He didn’t mind anything else she was doing, but nobody turned off his music.

The only hiccup in the drive had been when Scotty went to roll down his window and Hazel had almost tore his head off.

“Do you know how long it took me to get my hair looking like this?” she had demanded.

“Like what? It’s just straight!” Scotty had exclaimed.

“Can you drop him off at the nearest street corner?” Hazel had turned to Jace immediately.

“Or her, maybe. Then we can throw her bags full of human sacrifices at her and drive away.” Scotty had suggested.

“Hazel, I’m not kicking out Scotty, and Scotty, I’m not kicking out Hazel.” Jace had said decisively and minus some probably very rude mumbling from Scotty, that had been the end of the argument.

Jace turned into his neighborhood, and smiled happily. Founder’s Day break was always welcome. It wasn’t too long after the school year started, but long enough to feel like a very needed vacation.

“What are you smiling about?” Hazel asked quietly, and to Jace’s surprise, she didn’t sound judgmental, just curious.

“Oh, just happy to be back home.” Jace shrugged.

“Oh.” was all Hazel said, and she looked out the window. Those shades really did make her expression ten times harder to gauge, Jace thought to himself.

Jace turned the car into the driveway, and he could see Hazel sizing it up.

“I know it’s nothing fancy, but-” Jace started, but Hazel shook her head.

“No, it… it seems nice.” Hazel said.

“Hazel Hightower, was that a compliment?” Jace asked with a grin.

“Ugh, don’t make me regret it.” she said and made a gagging motion with her finger. Jace chuckled and got out of the car, walking around the front of the car to come to the passenger door, where Hazel was examining her nails and making no motion to open the door. Jace opened said door for her, and made a big exaggerated sweeping gesture with his free hand.

“My lady.” he said in a posh voice, and Hazel climbed out of the car, a smirk playing at her lips.

“Why don’t you always greet me like that?” Hazel patted his cheek, walking towards the front door. Jace chuckled to himself, and closed the door, following Hazel towards the house. She turned in confusion.

“What are you doing? Did you forget something?” she pointed to the trunk.

“I’m gonna say hi to my mom first, Hazel. Your bags can wait.” Jace said, and he couldn’t see her eyes, but something about her body language screamed that she was rolling her eyes.

“Fine. Let’s say hello.” she said exasperatedly.

“You didn’t open my door?” Scotty called after Jace and Hazel, and Jace grinned over his shoulder, giving Scotty the bird. Scotty lifted his own hand up, middle finger raised, and the two best friends grinned at each other.

Jace knocked on the door, and it was opened after a minute by Danielle Holland.

“Jace! Hazel! Welcome!” Danielle exclaimed happily, and she stepped forwards to hug Jace. Jace squeezed his mother tightly, feeling her very large breasts squashing against his chest. His mother was dressed in a white tank top and dark blue cotton shorts, and from the way her hair was pulled up, he figured she had been exercising or cleaning. Other than those two very specific scenarios, she always wore her hair down.

“Hey, Mom.” Jace smiled, and Danielle kissed his cheek. Then Danielle turned towards Hazel and gave the girl a hug as well. Hazel was very clearly not expecting this, but she awkwardly patted Danielle on the back.

“Yes, hello, Dani.” Hazel said in an odd voice, a little less firm than usual, Jace noticed. She cleared her throat. “You, um, have a lovely home.”

“Why, thank you.” Danielle smiled.

“Mrs. H!” Scotty exclaimed, coming up and giving Danielle his most charming smile.

“Hello, Scotty.” Danielle said in a tolerant voice which made Jace chuckle.

“I can’t wait to spend a week here with one of Prism Bay’s sexie-” Scotty began, but Jace cut him off.

“Dude!”

“What?! It’s true! Your mom’s a MILF.” Scotty said, and Danielle laughed.

“It’s so nice to hear I still make teen boys go crazy over me.” Danielle winked one of her teal eyes at Scotty, who nodded emphatically.

“Oh, absolutely. Everyone who’s seen Jace’s mom agrees, you’re top tier.” Scotty said.

“Why are we talking about this?” Jace demanded.

“Because you didn’t listen to me when I told you to dump him off on the side of the road.” Hazel poked Jace in the chest.

“Maybe I’m second guessing that decision.” Jace joked.

“Hey!” Scotty protested.

“There’s still time.” Hazel said eagerly.

“Clearly we have some disagreements.” Danielle clapped her hands together, laughing.

“Yeah, Dana’s not too pleased either.” Jace admitted to his mother.

“I’ve heard, trust me.” Danielle said amusedly. “Hazel, come on, I’ll give you the tour while Jace and Scotty unload the car.”

“Oh, thank you. It’s so nice to have a woman who knows what she’s talking about around.” Hazel said, pleased. Danielle led Hazel inside, leaving Jace and Scotty to glumly unload the car.

Jace opened the trunk, and went to grab one of Hazel’s pink suitcases, when a voice began talking.

“Please! Let me go! The evil witch captured me!” exclaimed a high pitched voice.

“Scotty, shut up and grab a suitcase.” Jace shook his head.

“What? Oh, that wasn’t me. Must be one of the kids she has locked up in there.” Scotty shrugged innocently, standing up from his position crouched behind the car.

“It’s gonna be a long week.” Jace muttered as he hefted the suitcase.