She's Got A Way

Chapter Six: A Day On The Road

When Frank and I returned to the motel with snacks galore, we wasted hardly any time before leaving. By the time we got back Gerard had made any least twenty of those mini waffles, which we ate before we left. Mikey probably forgot half of his belongings, considering the fact that Ray and Frank had to practically drag him out of bed to pack up. We were in the van in less than an hour.
Ray got in the drivers seat and froze. "Why is this seat so wet?" He asked trying to stay calm yet looking straight at Frank and I.

"Because it's raining." Frank shrugged.

Mikey piped up. "I don't think it's water, Ray." He snickered.

"Wow Mikey, very mature!" I fired back.

Mikey yelled back at me but Ray instantly silenced him. "Violet please tell me this is just rain!" He was hovering above the seat.

"It's just rain you dirty - minded assholes!" I laughed.

Gerard turned to Lyn-Z. "What did he think it wa-"

Lyn-Z patted him on the shoulder. "That's another conversation for another time, babe." Gerard shook his head and leaned back against the wall of the van.

Once we finally started driving, the rain began to increase. It pounded against the windows while thunder shook the sky. Since I hated thunder with a burning passion, I pulled the strings on my hoodie and laid down on the bench. Frank sat on the other side, talking to Gerard about some concert venues they were trying to book. I stared up at the gray ceiling, trying to distract myself from the claps of thunder. I thought about how the thunder wasn't all bad, because to have thunder you almost always need rain. And I now had good memories of rain from dancing with Frank. Just as I was beginning to forget about the thunder, an enormously loud boom shook the ground. I clung to the bench so hard that my knuckles turned white. Frank must have noticed my distress.

"Hey," he muttered.

"Hm?"

"Come here." He opened his arms and I crawled across the bench where Frank was laying down. I laid down next to him on the bench, but since it was only about two feet wide I had to stay as close as possible to Frank. I didn't have an issue with that. Frank wrapped his arms around me and pressed my forehead to his chest. I could smell his familiar yet comforting scent of firewood and cheap cologne. I sighed, finally content. Another clap of thunder came and I stiffened. Frank rubbed my back and I relaxed again. Opening my eyes slightly to look at him, I wished that every day could be like this.

"What state are we in?" I asked after we had been driving for about five hours.

"We just crossed over into Ohio." Ray responded.

"Only Ohio?" Mikey groaned. "I thought we would be in at least Illinois by now."

"Do you even know how time works?" Ray questioned.

"I don't know." Mikey mumbled as he sunk deeper into his seat.

I noticed Gerard getting more and more fidgety. "Okay, that's it," He said, leaning forward. "I need to get up or at least do something. I'm gonna go crazy just sitting here."

"Same," I agreed. "Ray, let's pull over at the nearest rest stop."

"Got it." He responded.

We got to the surprisingly nearly empty rest stop in a few minutes. I would have been more comfortable there if it wasn't in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't like the big rest stops you find with donut and pizza shops. It was small, smelled like cigarettes, and held a few hobos who looked just as lost as I did. The whole thing was like a mini 7/11 with maps and bathrooms. "I have to take a piss!" Mikey sprinted to the bathrooms.