we're not on the map but we're on our way

2/3

They stand in the middle of the road, but they don't have to worry about getting run over. They are in the middle of nowhere, though the scenery is different. They are out of the deserts and plains, and now tall trees decorate the sides of the road. Still, civilisation is far from them as Jon wraps his arms around himself in the cold of the night.

"We're out of gas," Spencer replies.

Brendon turns around, kicking nothing at all, the top of his shoe grazing the asphalt under his feet.

"Out of gas?" Jon asks.

"I forgot to keep an eye on it," Brendon mutters.

"Shit," Jon curses. "Great," he then adds angrily.

"I'm sorry!" Brendon exclaims.

"That doesn't help us, does it?" Jon snaps. Brendon looks heartbroken, even in the dark, and Jon bites his tongue from yelling more. This is what he gets when he lets these kids drive. It was a stupid idea, the whole thing, letting Brendon or Spencer even come along. It was a stupid idea letting Ryan tag along. Jon should have kept to himself, but now he is out of gas, out of road, out of ideas.

They get in the car and sit there in silence. They will wait for the morning, for cars to go by, and hopefully they can stop one of them.

"Where are we?" Jon asks.

"I don't know," Brendon replies.

"What state are we in?"

"I'm not sure," Brendon answers, and Jon gives up.

Brendon tries to hide in the back, embarrassed and ashamed. Spencer sits on the passenger seat, and he has a small note in his hands. He keeps staring at it with a concentrated look on his face. Jon reaches over and snatches it from him.

"Hey!" Spencer protests.

"15 Spring Street, Delmont, Pennsylvania," Jon reads aloud. Spencer takes the note back angrily. "Is that the address of your girlfriend?" Jon asks in a mocking tone.

"Fuck off," Spencer says and shifts uncomfortably.

"Whose address is it?" Jon asks demandingly.

"None of your business."

"It's my car."

"A shitty car too."

"Yeah? If you don't like it, get the fuck out," Jon barks. "Get to fucking Delmont by yourself."

"You guys -" Brendon starts from the back.

Jon turns around. "Did I tell you to speak?" he snaps. "You, get out of my car!" he shouts at Brendon.

Brendon goes white as a ghost and stammers. "I- I-"

"OUT!" Jon growls. "I'm not a fucking babysitter!"

Brendon's eyes are wide and scared, and he grabs his messenger bag as he scrambles out of the back into the night. The door slams closed and Jon turns back around, breathing out and in steadily, and Spencer thinks he sounds like a bull.

"Shouldn't have done that," Spencer tells Jon.

Jon says nothing, but his hands curl around the steering wheel until his knuckles are white. Spencer keeps his eye on Brendon's silhouette outside, walking away from them into the cold night until Spencer can't see him anymore.

"His parents threw him out. He wouldn't tell me why," Spencer says.

Jon looks at Spencer, surprised, then turns back to stare ahead of them. "Shit."

* * *

In the morning, a jeep driving by stops and the driver has gas to give them. It's not a cheap thrill, but Jon bites his tongue and sucks it up. They get back in the car and start driving. After the first three miles Jon begins to worry, but just then they see Brendon, hitchhiking on the side of the road. Jon pulls over. Brendon looks at him with a frightened expression when Jon gets out of the car and walks over to where Brendon is standing. Brendon's stretched out arm falls to his side idly.