The End of my Life as I Know it

Chapter 2: Break the Ice

I couldn't stand the thought of being in the same car as my mother for the entire ride to Graceton, so I went with my brother in his black hummer. He had managed to convince our mother to let him drive there in it. I'm happy that he did, because now I can take the next couple of hours to be alone, well partially alone in my thoughts. Alek hated the idea of leaving our home just as much as me. I mean, who wouldn't when you had college reps looking into you for football next fall, and a lacrosse team to lead to the championships again? He'd been forced to leave during the middle of his senior year, and to say that he isn't happy about it is an understatement.

I glanced over at him to see if he'd relaxed at all since we've left, but he's still in the same stiff position. Gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles, a frown that almost looks like it been permanently carved into his face, and cold eyes that are only looking forward, and nowhere else. To see him like this only makes me feel worse. He's usually the one who brightens things up, makes me look to the bright side, but how am I supposed to do that when he can't even find the bright side himself?

I let out a quiet sigh and look at the dash. 12:15, it's been over an hour since we left and it's been dead quiet for the entire time. It's not an uncomfortable quiet, but it's becoming too much for me to handle, and I hate seeing my brother the way he is right now. So I do the only thing I can think of, I connect my phone to the car and scroll through my music for our favorite song. Before selecting it, I glance up at him to see if he's looking or even moved a muscle, but only frown when I see he's done neither of those things.

I take one last breath before selecting the song and almost jump out of my seat when it starts playing at full volume. I quickly turn it down before Alek can start yelling at me, only to let out a sigh of relief when I see that he's laughing at me and how petrified I probably looked. Then I see a small flash of recognition in his eyes as he actually listens to the song Animals by Maroon 5 playing throughout the car. He visibly relaxes and the smile finally reaches his eyes.

He turns to me with a devilish grin on his face, and I prepare myself for what's to come...

"JUST LIKE ANIMALS, ANIMALS, LIKE ANIMALS-MALS!"

I laugh and cover my ears as he belts out the lyrics, completely off key. But it's not long before I'm joining him myself.

"MAYBE YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN HIDE,

I CAN SMELL YOUR SCENT FOR MILES

JUST LIKE ANIMALS, ANIMALS, LIKE ANIMALS-MALS!"

We both start laughing at how ridiculous and horribly off-key we sound. I'm clutching my stomach and Alek wipes the invisible tears from his eyes so that he can focus on the road again.

"Hey Lyd," Alek calls me by the nickname he gave me when we were little and I couldn't pronounce my name. I'd say it all choppy and unsure if I was saying it correctly. Of course it didn't help that Alek would always laugh at me whenever I tried to say it myself. I'd try to say it in one swift word, but it always came out as 'Ly-dee-ahh'. He'd always correct me by saying the first syllable, Lyd, slowly. And I guess it stuck for him. I never complained, in all honesty I loved it when he called me that. It would always make me think of how young and stupid we were, and I smiled at the memories of us as kids.

I mentally shook myself, so that I could focus on what he is saying.

"Thanks for getting me out of my head, even if it was a very loud and kind of startling way. Haha."  He chuckles at the thought of what just happened all of 2 minutes ago. "I know that this move is hard on you too, and I should've been the one comforting you, not the other way around." He frowns at the end, and I can see the disappointment in his eyes and I want nothing more than to make it go away.

"Hey," I place my hand on his forearm and smile up at him. "You've always been there for me, and it's nice to know that I can do the same. Besides, from the look of you, you needed more cheering up than me. Plus, your laugh is sooo contagious!" I drag out the so to emphasize the sarcasm but also the truth to what I said. I look up at him and see that the disappointment is gone and he's back to his old self that I know and love.

Now it's my turn to put on a devilish grin, and Alek sighs knowing what's about to come.

"Oh god, someone help he." he says laughing to himself.

"DON'T TELL NO LIE-LIE-LIE-LIE

YOU CAN'T DENY-NY-NY-NY

THE BEAST INSIDE-SIDE-SIDE-SIDE

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!"

I pause for a second to catch my breath, knowing what is soon to follow.

"NO GIRL, DON'T LIE-LIE-LIE-LIE

YOU CAN'T DENY-NY-NY-NY

THE BEAST INSIDE-SIDE-SIDE-SIDE

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH"

We belt out the rest of the lyrics together, and the howl at the middle of the song. Once it's over we burst into laughter and settle into a comfortable silence listening to the rest of my play list as we finish our drive to our new home.

Hey guys, so I decided to make this chapter about the drive to Graceton. The next update will be soon! Let me know what you guys think so far! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter posted within the next couple of days.