Twenty Øne Reasons to Live

Chapter Twenty-Five

My Point of View 

I woke up screaming, then getting a hand slapped over my mouth, and shushed. Then I was interrogated, kidnapped, and shoved into the back of a dirty old van. 

Okay, okay. So maybe I'm exaggerating just a smidge. What happened was- there I was fast asleep when some yellow-haired maniac and his quiet, kind, sweet, respectful best friend come barreling into my room in the middle of the night. So, like any normal human would do, I start screaming and so the annoying one with the tattoo sleeve covers my mouth with his hand and harshly starts to shush me...

Soooo, like any normal human would do, I licked his hand in which he them violently whispered about for the next minute and a half repeating the words 'Gross gross gross Kirsten gross!' , while the nice one sat next to me and patted my back while saying quietly, "I'm tired, too..." 

I looked towards my window, and it was dark out. "Josh," I said sternly. "The sun is not awake yet. That means we should not be awake yet!" 

"We're already a bit late, Kit..." Tyler said, softly. 

Groaning I rubbed my eyes. 

"Let's gooo!!!!! I'm so pumped, man!" Josh exclaimed, basically skipping around my room. He laughed and then started grilling me with a whole bunch of random questions I could barely understand right now. 

"He's....a little excited," Tyler told me, honestly seeming a little annoyed by Josh's bubbly-ness. 

XxxxX

It took me five minutes of demanded alone time to wake up (or at least partially) enough to speak in a somewhat pleasant manner. They'd have to give me another good ten if they wanted smiles and full sentences. 

I was finishing packing my "Fun Bag" (the bag I have with me in the vehicle that has all forms of entertainment that might be needed on a trip), when Josh sat next to me, and it seemed like he had chilled out a bit. 

"Do you have your toothbrush?" 

"Yep." 

"Toothpaste?" 

"Mhm." 

"Deodorant?" 

"No, Josh I figured I'd just use yours!" I said in a moody sarcastic tone. "Yes I packed deodorant!" 

"Plenty of clothes?" 

I snapped my fingers while saying, "Ahhhh, you know, I knew I forgot something!!" 

He ignored the jab. "Any medicine you might want or need?" 

"You don't have to play parent you know, Josh. I'm almost seventeen years old, I can pack an overnight bag." 

"...Anything relating to your gender-" 

"Ooooookaaaayyyyyy, go back to the toothpaste, please!" I said, putting my boot on. 

"Sorry, sorry! Uhh, your pain killers?" he asked, now embarrassed. 

"Actually, no, they're downstairs I think." 

"HA!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "See? I just saved your life!" 

"Hardly," I replied, 'crutching' down the stairs as quietly as humanly possible. Tyler was already waiting for us outside. I grabbed my meds and he headed towards the door. 

"You sure you have your toothbrush?" 

I turned around, and hugged him, dropping the only bag I could carry. He dropped the rest and returned the hug. "Yeah, I have my toothbrush. Thank you." He was doing this because he cared so much. I think he was a little worried to be 100% responsible for me for such a long time, and I don't blame him.