Ice Cream Adrenaline

4

The walk to the Canadian border wasn't too long. It was cold, sure, but that didn't matter. Alex was determined to find Nick. Paul and Bob were devastated about their foreign soap opera.

Meanwhile, Nick was crossing the Canadian border on a touristy Niagara Falls boat. Secretly, he wanted Alex, Paul, and Bob to show up. He missed his friends, but at the same time, wanted to be nowhere near them.

//UNKNOWN//: I'm on a touristy Niagara Falls boat come here if u want

Alex saw the text, and mentally he responded, but he honestly just forgot.

"Guys, change of plans. Nick's headed to Canada through Niagara Falls."

"Well... We better get there then!"

•••

The boat was lonely. The cross into Canada wasn't as easy as Nick expected. His friends didn't show up, and he didn't know if he was happy or sad about it. All he knew was that he was cold, wet, and tired of life.

The train for Winnipeg leaves at 1:30. I can make it. Alex and the guys can make it.

And then, Nick tried to find the train station.

Alex, Paul, and Bob also took the boat to Canada. They all ended up soaked, but definitely less sad than Nick. Actually, Alex wasn't sad at all. He thought of this adventure as, well, just an adventure, and not Nick's somewhat suicidal escape that he caused. Alex didn't think that he caused any of this.

//UNKNOWN//: I'll give you a hint, I'm headed up to Winnipeg. see you there?

"He's in Winnipeg. Let's go."

"I got it." Paul started googling trains to Winnipeg, "there's a train leaving at 1:30."

"We can make that. Let's get out of here."

•••

Nick was huddled in the back of the train, his hood pulled down over his eyes. He quickly glanced out the window, hoping to see Alex. The train still hadn't left. There was time.

They're all thinking, oh, who's that crying kid? Is he lost or something? And, well, I'm very lost, but that's what I want to be. I never ever want to go back. I like this sense of anonymity. Luca never even knew my name. Okay, I did leave her a note that said my name on it. I'm so lost that I don't even know who I am. Should I make a fake name and pretend to be from Slovakia? No, that's lame. I'm lame. Why did I even run away, anyway? And how lucky was I to have my wallet and my passport? And how nice is Luca for giving me all of this stuff? If I want to be with Alex so badly, why did I run away? I bet he doesn't even like Eleanor! I bet he doesn't even like anyone! Someone take me out! Haha, references.

Nick smiled, although secretly he still wanted Alex and the guys to show up. All of his positive reinforcement couldn't stop that.

"You sure he's not in here?"

"Yeah, we've checked everywhere."

Nick looked up. He saw Alex, Paul, and Bob walking back to the front.

//UNKNOWN//: I'm in the back. I'm here.

Alex came running back, sliding into the seat next to Nick.

"You okay, little dude?"

Nick was still facing the window, not answering. The train started moving.

"Well, I'm here, if you need me."

Nick smiled and looked up at Alex, removing his hood from over his eyes.

"I-I need you, Alexander."

"So we're going with full names now, Nicholas Augustine McCarthy?"

"Sure, Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley."

"Huh, you're cute."

"Yeah, sure."

"So, when are you giving up on this?" Alex laughed, punching Nick's shoulder playfully.

"Uh, I don't know..." Nick crept away from Alex.

Why isn't he showing me any affection? He wanted me to get on this train so badly, and....

Nick was back to facing the window. Alex wanted to say something, but he knew that it was better to leave Nick alone for now.

•••

Nick slipped into the crowd after the train had stopped in Winnipeg, leaving Paul, Alex, and Bob lost and confused. And apparently, he had managed to get tickets for a flight to Juneau, Alaska.

Let's just say that Nick planned ahead, and no one knew this.

//UNKNOWN//: alaskaaaaaaaaa >:-)

"How did we lose him so quickly?! We have to get to Alaska. We have to. Now." Alex hissed, pacing up and down the sidewalk.

"Can we just give up on Nick already? He'll come back eventually. We could just go home and wait for him, or maybe get the cops involved. It's not worth it to walk up to Alaska because there aren't any flights." Paul sighed, stopping Alex.

Bob had to choose a side, because if he didn't, he would end up alone in Winnipeg.

And for that reason, he was the new support group. Since Nick was gone, Alex and Paul needed someone seemingly happy and willing to help to rant to.

But they weren't ranting, they were persuading. They were trying to get Bob to stay with them and not the other person ranting at the same time.

"How about we all just stick together and stop trying to stay right on top of Nick for a while? You guys are my best friends, wait, no, my only friends, and I can't leave either of you. Alex, we can make it up to Alaska over the next few days. There's no need for an immediate flight to Juneau. Paul, Nick's our friend and we need to find him. It might be annoying, but we can't go home yet. Fair enough?"

"That's... A great idea, actually!" Paul agreed excitedly.

"No. We can't let Nick go so easily."

"Alex, we have to. He'll just run further away if we stay on top of him."

"No."

"That's... Not the right answer."

"I said no."

It's like we're dealing with an angry toddler here!

Paul thought to himself and laughed quietly.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Well, technically, yeah."

"Don't do that."

"You're kind of acting like an angry toddler."

"Well you're acting like a disgusting trash elf!"

"Dude, we're still trying to find Nick, we're just letting him think for a while."

"He could die out there, Paul."

"You said that. But, he won't. He's smart."

Meanwhile, Nick was hitchhiking across Alaska.

He wouldn't call it hitchhiking, but he was catching rides to the northwestern edge of Alaska, where there were only 55 miles between the US and Russia.

"Listen... This might sound really weird... But can I get a ride to Russia...?" Nick asked the latest driver, hoping for a good answer.

"Yeah, actually, I can get you there REAL FAST!! Call me the captain, alright, kid?" The driver responded excitedly.

"Alright!"