Elements

24. the stretch

The sun starts to come up and the stars fade from the sky as the clock now reads 6:53 am when I feel a hand on my shoulder, it's Aaron ready to switch places with me.

He grabs the wheel and I slip out of my seat as the car starts to decrease speed, he hops in the seat quickly regaining speed as I stand in the cabin and look at the empty seat beside Jesse and the more comfortable option back in the open space beside Sam. I walk to the back and slowly lay down beside him when he shifts quickly towards me, startled.

He relaxes when he sees me then looks up at the driver and sees Aaron and doesn't seem overly concerned.

"Sorry" I say for waking him.

"Your good" he says with a grin as he lays back down on his back beside me.

It doesn't take long before I feel tired again and I can't keep my eyes open.

•

I wake to a low conversation in the cabin and I turn over to see Jesse, Aaron and Sam talking about something while Malek is still sitting in silence watching the road from the passenger seat.

"I have to pee" Jesse says

"So do I" I say and everyone looks back at me realizing I'm awake.

"Okay" Aaron says and after a couple minutes there is a pull out and we all take turns going to the washroom, Sam wouldn't go unless I stood outside the vehicle because he didn't trust Malek not to drive away while he was inside the rest stop.

We where quickly back on the road but I already want to have access to a shower, this is going to be a long trip.

We switch around drivers again and Sam returns to the wheel again.

"Maybe you should sleep back there if you want to drive tonight" I say to Malek and he looks up at me then rolls his eyes before getting up out of his spot and moves to the back of the cabin to lay down. I swap into his now empty seat with Sam as I start playing with the radio.

"He's kind of a dick" Sam says looking into the rear view at him as Malek sinks into the bed

"He was the same way to me when I first met him" I say grinning. "He's not that bad though" I say looking back at him

"Never thought I'd hear you say that" Jesse says and I grin

"Can I ask why you 4 where kidnapped?" He says looking at me.

"Probably shouldn't tell you, for your safety" I say and he nods to himself

"We're just different and they knew it" Jesse says as if that helped him any

"Why California" Sam asks looking at me

"I don't know" I say honestly. Maleks got a plan I suppose.

"My grandparents are waiting in Seattle for me, I was headed out there. I'm going to have to tell them I'm not coming at some point" he says and I nod. "That means at some point that guy back there is gunna have to give me back my phone"

"He will" I say. I didn't know he took his phone too but that was smart.

We sit listening to some 80's count down on the radio as we pass over into Utah.

The ride was boring but not as boring as being in that prison. Eventually me and Jesse started a game of eye spy that Aaron and Sam got involved in when it came around to supper. The five of us have already eaten all of Sams food he had packed for himself so we had to find a store.

We pull off the highway in the next city as Sam finds the first Walmart and pulls into the parking lot. I feel bad for wasting this kids money but we have no options.

"Sam comes with me" Malek says getting up from the bed.

"Is it a good idea for you guys to be in public?" Sam says offering to go alone but Malek ignores it and opens the door.

"You better not leave me here" Sam says looking at me.

"I won't let them leave with out you" I promise

We sit in the parking lot actively looking out the windows at the cars keeping a close eye out for any suspicious vehicles.

Not to long passes when we spot Sam and Malek walking back to the van before hoping in the back.

They drop the bags as Jesse grabs one and looks through it while I take the other one sorting through the ramen, bread, snacks and what not before putting it in the tiny pantry aswell as finding shoes and flip flops.

It's starting to get dark now and Malek takes the wheel, throwing it in drive as we leave the parking lot to get gas before getting back on the highway.

Aaron and Jesse make some food for us while we drive, I lay back in the bed while sam sits up front with Malek.

The sky starts to fill up with stars when Sam throws back on the Christmas lights then smiles back at me.

I grab the blankets and pull them up around me as we drive, staring out the back window at the cars and road.

•

I wake to the feeling of someone crawling into bed with me, I turn over to find Malek as he wraps his arms around me.

I look at the front of the van and find Aaron driving with Jesse in the passenger seat and Sam sleeping on the small couch. I look up at the dash and it says "2:04 am"

"I missed you" I whisper looking back to him as I wrap my arms around his neck pulling him into me

He secures his arms around me as he shuts his eyes to go to sleep. I move my face to his chest as I listen to his heart beat and even breathes, sliding my hands down from his neck to around his torso.