Where You Belong

Getting Even

The steering wheel was gripped with white knuckles, a still-angry Lexi trying her best to ignore the pirate that was so blatantly staring at her from the passenger seat. Her inner thoughts were a mess of wanting to kill him and telling herself to let it go. She's was supposed to be the better person right? She sighed, feeling angry once again.

God, the man was impossible! One second he was cooperating nicely, the nice he was picking her up and throwing her outside to sit in the rain because she told him what to do. Maybe Law was used to being in charge and not taking orders from anyone, at least in his world. Maybe that was why he was acting that way...Still, it was no excuse to toss your gracious host out into the rain.

Nana had stayed silent so far, just staring out the window with a hardened look in her eyes. Every few minutes or so Lexi would look in the rearview mirror and check up on her. She didn't seem to move the entire time, besides swaying back and forth from the bounce of the truck. Lexi's eyes softened, wondering what all this felt like to her.

Her grandmother had been sick for so long, she couldn't remember a time when the old woman hadn't seen the world through tormented eyes. It must be strange, living in a world where everyone appeared to be your enemy.

Her mom and dad had warned her to be careful of Nana's 'episodes.' As a child, Lexi hadn't quite understood what that had meant. All she remembered was playing war with her in the backyard, learning how to bandage fake wounds and getting to try out crutches for the first time when she was seven.

The rumbling of her tires jerked her attention back onto the road, where she was drifting over to the edge. The rumble strips vibrated the vehicle, and she pulled them back into a straight path down the highway. The shock had sent a surge of adrenaline through her body, and everything felt on edge, tingly, and hypersensitive.

"Distracted?" Law questioned, an eyebrow raised. She shook her head, not wanting to talk to him right then. Hoping music would help her troubled mind, she slipped a CD from the holder and pushed it into the slit, pressing the play button when it had loaded.

'She packed my bags last night, pre-flight. Zero hour, nine a.m. And I'm gonna be hi-i-igh as a kite by then.'

Lexi sighed in content, letting the piano notes and smooth singing distract her from her troubles.

A year ago, she wouldn't have imagined her life to be this stressful. Sure, college she expected, but all this? It was too much for her...why couldn't her life be normal? Like Brittany? Much as she liked her friend, she truly and honestly did envy her. Her life was perfect; money, many friends, an easy time of it in college, and no mentally ill relatives that she had to take care of full time.

'What am I doing with my life anyways? After college...then what?' She thought, feeling a tinge of fear at all the unknowns. Graduating from college had been a goal for a long time. Now that it was within reach...Lexi stalled, or at least felt like that's what it was. What good was a degree gonna do her? Get her a job so she could work for the rest of her life?

'God, just stop thinking for a second and relax. Let the music take you...' She let herself focus on the lyrics, making sure to watch the road carefully.

'And I think it's gonna be a long long time till touchdown brings me down again to find, I'm not the man they think I am at home, Oh no no no.

'I'm a Rocket Man...Rocket Man, burning out his fuse up here alone.'

"This is what music sounds like in your world?" Law inquired, shattering her up-to-that-point peaceful thoughts. She gave him a glare, sighing deeply.

"There are so many different bands and genres and singers, music is so diverse here." Was all she said, hoping he'd drop the subject.

Unfortunately, Law didn't quite understand her version of 'cooling down' after being angry.