Highway to a Haven

Chapter Three: Road Trip

When I said I was ready to hit the road, I was not anticipating spending the next hour in the passenger seat of a beat-up red truck that sounded like it was going to break down every time we drove up a small hill. I don't really know what I was expecting, though. I guess everything was moving too fast earlier to fantasize.

With the exception of Oliver begging to go to the bathroom every five minutes, the car ride was relatively quiet. I think everyone was too busy taking everything in to care about breaking the ice. But, after having adequate time to process, I felt it was time to get some answers.

"So, why me?" I asked Reese. It was a vague question, but he knew exactly what I meant.

"Why you? What do you think, Ellie?" he responded.

"I don't know why, that's the whole reason I asked you."

"Well, I'm kind-of in love with you."

What. Talk about emotional rollercoaster. I wake up to find out my nightmare was reality and the world was basically ending, and now the guy I've had a crush on since middle school just said he's in love with me.

In that moment, I should've said "I love you, too." But, I'm bad at the whole communication thing. So, what does awkward Ellie say?

"Oh."

Dangit, Ellie. The boy you've been in love with for forever just admitted to loving you, and you said 'oh'. Welp, no turning back now.

I could tell he was hurt. I mean, he literally just confessed his love for me, and all I had to say back what 'oh'. Now I know what my friend meant when she said she'd hate to be a guy who had a crush on me. It's because I'm so harsh and awkward.

"I need to pee," Oliver's usually annoying comment ended the awkward silence. Thank goodness.

"O, buddy, you just went ten minutes ago." Reese responded.

"Oh yeahhhh." Oliver replied, sounding as though Reese just made some scientific breakthrough.

Reese rolled his eyes, and we both giggled. "Kids these days," he said.

"I guess that's one of the perks of being an only child," I joke.

"Speaking of family, you said you'd explain why you totally abandoned yours. Start talking."

"Right, so they aren't exactly my family."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm an orphan. My parents died in a plane crash on their way back from Peru."

"Oh, Ellie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... "

"It's fine," I interrupt, "I was little, so I never really knew them."

"It's still sad, though."

"Yeah. So anyways, those people were the relatives of my foster parents. They're really only 'raising' me for the government check. That's why I didn't have any trouble leaving them."

"Dang," Reese chuckled.

"What?"

"I thought you were just some heartless person who was willing to leave their family to die."

It wasn't incredibly funny, but it was the funniest thing both of us had heard all day. We started dying laughing.

I happen to glance at the road, and see a small figure in our path. It was hard to see because I had been crying from laughter, but it looked like a kid. 

"Reese, stop!" I scream.

"What," he says, still laughing. "Oh. Oh! Oh my gosh!" he slams on the breaks, his expression no longer quite so happy.

"That was close."

Sure enough, there was a little girl in the road. And if Reese had stopped any later, she would've been a dead kid.

The girl looked terrified. Her bright blue eyes were wide, and her blonde eyebrows were higher than Bob Marley.

She appeared to be about the same age as Oliver, maybe a little younger. Her blonde curls were messy, and her face was covered in dirt.

I immediately hop out of the car to see if she was okay. Luckily, she didn't have a scratch.

"What's your name," I ask.

"Pppiper," she quietly responds, her lip quivering.

"Hi Piper, I'm Ellie. We're going to keep you safe until we figure out where you came from, okay?"

She nodded.

Reese opens the back door of his truck, and directs her to the seat next to Oliver. He buckles her in, and then we both head back to our seats.

"Piper, this is Reese and Oliver," they're going to help keep you safe, too.

Oliver sneaks a quick glance at Piper, and quickly turns back to look out his window.

The car is silent for about fifteen minutes. I figured it'd be good to let her settle in before bombarding her with questions.

"Piper, do you like music?" I ask.

There was no response. I look in the mirror to see both of the kiddos sound asleep.

"I wish I could fall asleep that easily," I whisper to Reese.

"I know right; kid life is so much easier. You can take a nap, too, if you want. We can take shifts driving." He whispers back.

"That sounds like a plan," I mumble, already drifting off to sleep. The sun had barely started setting, but I was tired. Today had been a long day .