The Royal Accident

“LIAM! Wake up!” I practically jumped out of bed when I heard Dad's voice echo throughout the room. I rubbed my temples and forced my eyes open, even though I was still super sleepy. “It’s road trip day, son! Hurry! We might get caught in traffic!” Dad yelled while busy packing stuff outside. Despite the slight pain in my neck, I couldn’t help but smile. This was one of those rare moments when it was just the boys heading out. When I came downstairs, Josh, Dan, Manny, and Tony were already there wide awake and clearly excited for whatever adventure we were heading into. “What’s the plan? Go crazy on the road?” I asked as I handed a coffee to Dan. “Of course!” Josh replied, holding up his action cam. “Look, it’s fully charged!” “Wait a minute, Liam,” Mom called out from inside the house. “Check if you’ve packed everything. I don’t want you forgetting anything, okay?” “Yesss, Mom,” we all replied in unison. As we organized the stuff in the van, the teasing began. “I’m riding in front!” Tony shouted. “Wow, you look like a celebrity,” Manny teased. “I’ll sit at the back so I can nap in peace.” Dan, as usual, was chill, munching on some cassava. I stayed quiet, checking the GPS and our route. I wanted a smooth trip. I wanted it to be fun. But deep down… I had a strange feeling something unexpected was going to happen. Before leaving, we all went to say goodbye to Mom. “Love, you sure about this? It’s just us no girls coming along,” Dad reminded her. “I know, that’s why you all need to be careful,” Mom smiled. “Especially you, Josh. Don’t cause any trouble.” “Don’t worry, Ma,” Josh replied, giving Dad a fist bump. “You can count on me!” Oh boy… famous last words. As we hit the road, the van was filled with laughter. Music blasted, stories flowed, and jokes kept flying. We weren’t even an hour into the trip, but it already felt like we’d been having fun all day. In my head, I thought, “I wish it could always be like this. Simple. Happy. Peaceful.” Little did I know… this trip wouldn’t be simple at all. And I had no idea… that on this journey, I’d meet someone who would change my world.