Sticks and Stones

The Long Drive Home

CHAPTER 2

We left the hotel early, after taking advantage of the continental breakfast of course. We grabbed coffee for the road, yes we all drink coffee. It's a morning necessity. We also like tea, hot or cold. Sweet tea in the summer is the best. Mom said they don't have sweet tea in California, just something called iced tea. A true crime if you ask me. Guess I'll get used to it.

Chase loaded all of our things in the back of the crossover and climbed in back. It was my turn to ride shotgun. I put my iphone in the middle storage compartment for later. Chase and I just got them. Jack had always said no to a phone but when he came home with the news we were moving across the country, he gave us these to soften the blow. A bribe. Not an unusual tactic of his.

Mom climbed in and put on her seatbelt "We have exactly 26 hours and 15 minutes to make it. By my calculation we should have 1 hour and 15 minutes of stopping to eat and restroom breaks. Oh, I forgot to add gassing up. So food will be drive through not sit down, unfortunately" she said while pulling out onto the highway. She turned on the GPS and reset our final destination.

I reached over and found a station on our satellite radio. We all three love music, any kind of music. I got my singing talent from my mom. Pearl came on by Katy Perry. I feel like that song was written just for my mom. I sang along and my mom joined in, giving me a knowing look now and then.

"Pearl"

She is a pyramid But with him she's just a grain of sand This love's too strong like mice and men Squeezing out the life that should be let in

She was a hurricane-cane-cane-cane But now she's just a gust of wind She used to set the sails of a thousand ships Was a force to be reckoned with

She could be a statue of liberty She could be a Joan of Arc But he's scared of the light that's inside of her So he keeps her in the dark

Oh, she used to be a pearl...Ohh Yeah, she used to rule the world...Ohh Can't believe she's become a shell of herself 'Cause she used to be a pearl

She was unstoppable Moved fast just like an avalanche But now she's stuck deep in some man Wishing that they'd never ever met

She could be a statue of liberty She could be a Joan of Arc But he's scared of the light that's inside of her So he keeps her in the dark

Oh, she used to be a pearl...Ohh Yeah, she used to rule the world...Ohh Can't believe she's become a shell of herself 'Cause she used to be a -

Do you know that there's a way out, there's a way out there's a way out there's a way out

You don't have to be held down, be held down be held down be held down

'Cause I used to be a shell Yeah, I let him rule my world my world, ohh, yeah

But I woke up and grew strong And I can still go on And no one can take my pearl

You don't have to be shell, No You're the one that rules your world, ohh You are strong and you'll learn that you can still go on

And you'll always be a pearl

She is unstoppable

The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. The night came and we were right on schedule. Chase tried to get mom to let him drive. "I have years of video game driving experience mom. I am better than good, you should see the points I get" he pleaded.

"Um..no. I also remember seeing you play that game where you run into all of the people and crash into buildings. Seriously, not going to happen but nice try!"

"You're supposed to hit everything in that game." he tried.

"Still no." she winked in the rear view and he shook his head in defeat.

I must have dozed off at some point. I had switched with Chase at our last stop. I had my headphones on and my iphone in my hand playing Fighter by Christina Aguilera.

"Fighter"

[Spoken:] After all that you put me through, You think I'd despise you, But in the end I wanna thank you, 'Cause you've made me that much stronger

Well I thought I knew you, thinkin' that you were true Guess I, I couldn't trust called your bluff time is up 'Cause I've had enough You were there by my side, always down for the ride But your joy ride just came down in flames 'causeyourgreed sold me out in shame

After all of the stealing and cheating you probablythink that I hold resentment for you But uh uh, oh no, you're wrong 'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do, I wouldn't know Just how capable I am to pull through So I wanna say thank you 'Cause it

[Chorus:] Makes me that much stronger Makes me work a little bit harder It makes me that much wiser So thanks for making me a fighter Made me learn a little bit faster Made my skin a little bit thicker Makes me that much smarter So thanks for making me a fighter

Never saw it coming, all of your backstabbing Just so you could cash in on a good thing before I'd realize your game I heard you're going round playing the victim now But don't even begin feeling I'm the one to blame 'Cause you dug your own grave After all of the fights and the lies 'causeyou'rewantingto haunt me But that won't work anymore, no more, It's over 'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture I wouldn't know how to be this way now and never back down So I wanna say thank you 'Cause it

[Chorus]

How could this man I thought I knew Turn out to be unjust so cruel Could only see the good in you Pretend not to see the truth You tried to hide your lies, disguise yourself Through living in denial But in the end you'll see YOU-WON'T-STOP-ME

I am a fighter and I I ain't gonna stop There is no turning back I've had enough

[Chorus]

You thought I would forget But I remembered 'Cause I remembered I remembered You thought I would forget I remembered 'Cause I remembered I remembered

[Chorus]

★★

I turned off the music, I heard my mom yelling "Hey guys, wake up! We're almost to the new house. Oh, I forgot to tell you the lady that sold us the house lives next door. I really like her. I might actually have a friend here. He can't say no to neighbors, he wouldn't want to look bad" she said with a nervous grin.

"Mom, it's 9:15" this means he won't be happy.

"I know" she said gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter.

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A/N. Hey guys! I know this one isn't that event filled. It's really just filler for the next one. I am going to wait to post another chapter until I get some comments so I know someone besides me is reading this.