I just told Nicholas Arson that he could drive me across country.

No.

No. No.

Oh hell no.

And it was all because he could pay for the gas. There were days I just needed a wallet full of hundreds. Anything to keep my gas tank full and my head free of Nick's voice.

Curling my fingers around the corner of my pillow, I threw it as hard as I could. The puffy thing got about four feet before it hit the floor. Or rather, softly tapped the floor and sat there. With a frustrated grunt, I tangled my fingers deep into my hair and pulled, " kill me now."

That night, i didn't dream. But if I had, I was afraid I would have dreamt of the nightmare soon to come.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Angel, rise and shine." A rather rich voice cooed in my ear.

I sat up with lightning speed.

Smack!

My forehead collided with Nick's, and I pulled back slowly. Eyes squeezed shut, I groaned and rubbed my forehead. His hand flew to his beanie, his brows drawing together. I could tell by the shocked looked on his face, that that stunt wasn't in his plan. Then my eyes flew open, " why the hell are you in my room!? My house!?"

He continued to fix his beanie as he said, " Your door was unlocked." He groaned, and muttered, " you have a hard skull, Angel."

Shoving him off my bed, I threw off the covers and reached for my phone, oblivous to the fact I was in short shorts and a white cami. My eyes went even wider when I saw the time, " it's six in the morning!"

His crooked smile spread across his lips, one side quirking up higher then the other. I huffed.

" I thought we should get an early start." He explained, with a shrug. I continued to give him my dead stare. Then my features fell, my shoulders slumping down, " we're leaving today."

" I get to decide when we're leaving?" He tilted his head.

I punched him hard in the shoulder, " you ass, you just woke me up at six. Of course we are! Plus..." I sighed, in defeat, " We shouldn't waste any time."

Nicholas watched me for a second, and grinned, " I've never been right with you before."

I huffed, " Don't be flattered." I looked at him, then my closet, then at him, " you need to leave. now."

" you're kicking me out?" He said, his bottom lip pouting slightly.

I rolled my eyes, " Not my house, you idiot, my room. So I can change."

" I won't look, I promise." He said, crossing his fingers.

" Out!" I demanded, pointing towards the door.

He quickly stood, straightening to at least 6ft. Holding his hands up in defense, he smiled, " yeah yeah, sorry." He winked, before walking out and shutting the door behind him.

I shuffled into a pair of white shorts, and a black AC/DC shirt. Digging around for my old converse, the red they once were faded to a greyish pink, I let out a distressed sigh. Nicholas's voice came from the other side of the door, " we don't have time for self pleasure right now, Angel."

" Asshole!" I yelled back, " I can't find my converse."

" Excuses, excuses."

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my converse and shoved them on. Opening the door, I let out a breath and said, " you all packed?"

He nodded, " all my stuff is in the car."

I sighed, and gave him a thumbs up, " Way to be prepared."

Searching around my room, I put together enough clothes to fill up a suitcase, and a duffle bag. I didn't really wear makeup, but whatever I did wear was put in a pouch on the front of my suitecase along with my iphone charger and lady products. At this point I honestly didn't care if Nicholas saw. I also didn't care when he saw me fold my panties into the suitecase. When I finished raiding my bathroom and night stand drawers, I looked at my finished product, " okay. now I need food."

Grabbing my bags, I shot Nick the glare of a serial killer when he reached for my suitcase, " i'm not a wimp, Arson."

" and i'm not an asshole.... why don't you just call me Nick?" He asked, raising a brow.

" Becasue you'd like that." I ran downstairs and grabbed a bagel, slathering cream cheese on it. I figured he'd have snacks and anything we'd need. When we walked outside, I was greeted with an old school hippy van, painted blue and white. I shot him a confused glance. He only smiled, and motioned for me to go inside. I was baffled. It was like a mini home inside, " Where'd you get this?"

" My aunt let me borrow it. figured it be more comfortable then my little piece of junk." he answered, simply.

I could almost hug him. But that would be one of the most horrid things ever done in my lifetime, " and the gas?"

" Don't worry Angel, I got it covered."

I swallowed hard, and tucked my stuff away. He was standing right behind me when I turned around, " jesus." I gasped.

" No, it's just me." He replied, a smirk touching his lips. I narrowed my eyes at him. he then continued on to ask, " anyone you want to say goodbye to?"

" Do you?" I asked. he didn't answer, just shook his head. I gave a nod, " Neither do I. Let's hit the road."

He moved to the drivers seat, and fired up the engine. It actaully sounded pretty good, a nice purr for something of that age. I collapsed onto the sofa, " Hey Arson?"

I could feel the smile on his face. My skin crawled with displeasure, " Yes Angel?"

" How do you plan to pay for all the gas?" I honestly didn't know. Nicholas never seemed filthy rich or broke. He always seemed like he was in that small grey spot inbetween.

" I told you not to worry about it Angel." He threw his batman beanie at me, " Right now, i'm gonna get you to your grandmother and that's my final decision..... and Angel, if you even touch that beanie the wrong way I will turn this van around and kick you back into your house."

A wicked smile spread across my lips, " I make no promises."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The road stretched in front of us, long like an endless ribbon used on repunzel hair. The trees on either side of the road blurred faintly as we passed. I focused my eyes on one, then watched it blur as I moved to the next.

For lunch, we had stopped at a small cafe called Toast. It was cute, but utterly quiet while I was with Nick, a hardly enjoyable silence. Then, for dinner, we munched on snack food. The silence was a light weight on my shoulders, like a blanket. There were no words that needed to be said. All I needed was to get to my grandmothers, and to get her back.

There was no tension really, just the folds of silence that warmed me more than the long sleeved AC/DC shirt I wore. That night, we pulled off the road and onto a little tourist strip, a place in the road where one would park to take pictures. Nick pulled himself out of the driver's seat, and weaved his way towards me. He was rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes were trained on the floor, " Hey Angel?"

" hm?" I said, looking up at him with a bored expression.

" There's only one bed."

I bounced on the sofa some. It was comfortable, but it was to ichy for me and to short for the either one of us to lay on. The floor had a thin layer of carpeting, but it wasn't anything you would sleep on, unless you were asking for a month's worth of back aches. And I didn't want to make him sleep in the drivers seat, no matter how wonderful the thought was. Sometimes you had to be the stronger party.it was either I man up, or we were taking shifts on who was going to sleep in bed at what hours.

I needed a full night of sleep. Frowning, I muttered, " Don't cuddle with me." I then continued to add, " if you do, that batman beanie will see the worst of it's days."

He gave me a salute, a hint of fear in his gaze, " yes ma'am."

Rolling my eyes, I walked into the room and dug around in my bag for something to sleep in. I settled for a blue pair of sweats and a white cami. With a sigh, It turned and left the bedroom, saying, " Your turn."

He pulled his shirt up over his head, the beanie coming off on the neck hole, tousling his black hair. I turned away quickly, averting my gaze from his toned frame. A knowing smile spread over his lips, and he proceeded to say, " You can stay or go, Angel. I don't mind."

I shot him the gaze of satan himself, and flipped him the bird.

Sauntering down the hallway, I fell on the couch and waited. I crossed my harms and started counting backwards from one hundred. Just as I was getting to the fifties, Nicholas opened the door. His figure was covered by a black t-shirt, grey sweats, and black socks. His dark hair was tousled and messy, in a way I sadly had to admit, he rocked. He smiled, " all done."

" that's nice." I said, giving a small clap, " it's nice to know you can finally dress yourself."

He rolled his eyes, " you're kind of a bitch, you know that?"

" I'm well aware." I grinned, and shrugged, " But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Shaking his head, he turned into the bathroom and broke out a toothbrush. Jogging to our room, I went on a scavenger hunt for my toothbrush in my bag. For toothpaste, I came up short, " dammit."

" yeah Angel?" He called from the bathroom.

I sighed, " I forgot my toothpaste."

" Good thing i'm not as dumb as I act." He looked at me threw the mirror, and waved a tube of toothpaste in the air.

" I am not sharing toothpaste with you."

" I don't think you have a choice. Unless you want dog breath. In that case, don't breath on me. or near me."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Clutching my toothbrush in my right hand tightly, I marched to the bathroom, grabbed his toothpaste, and proceeded to brush my teeth. While I was scrubbing, I noticed the small victorious smile on his lips.

I jabbed him with my elbow.

" Shit!" he cursed, taking a hop to the left.

I smiled, " sorry." and continued to brush my teeth. I was amazed when he didn't spit his excess paste in my hair. I would have, if he had spit first.

I took in a gulp of water and swished it around in my cheeks. He followed suite. sadly, I finished first and had to spit it out before him. Again, he avoided my hair. We obviously didn't have the same mindset. Then, I set my toothbrush down besides the sink and sighed, " What kind of toothpaste do you have?"

" Um... Sensitive and Whitening? why?" Nick asked, raising a brow.

" Do you have sensitive teeth?"

He looked at himself in the mirror, " well, not horribly sensitive, but enough to where I prefer the toothpaste for it."

" I see."

" why do you ask?"

" Because your toothepast is fluffier than mine." I frowned at myself in the mirror.

His low chuckle made me turn my head, " you are unbelievable Angel, unbelievable."

Rolling my eyes, i turned, and headed towards the bedroom, " Whatever."

Falling onto the left side, I reminded him, " No cuddling."

" I got it." He replied, laying on the right side. I pulled the covers up over my shoulders, and clicked the lamp beside me off. When his light went out, I was left in darkness. Snuggling my head into my pillow, I drifted off into a thankfully dreamless sleep.