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

2/3

Spencer comes back, making both Brendon and Jon frown at him. He has changed clothes. He looks smart now, in black slacks and a dress shirt, and they wonder what happened to his jeans and hoodie.

"Dressing to impress, Spence?" Jon asks with an arched eyebrow.

"It is some girl he's gonna go see in Pennsylvania," Brendon pouts. They're at the border, only a few hours away now, and Spencer has put on better clothes, is making an effort. Brendon's comment is playful, not actually jealous, but there might be a genuinely jealous undertone to it, one that worries Spencer and Jon both. They don't want Brendon to get too attached just because they all are fucking each other. Or rather, Brendon is being fucked by them.

But Spencer shrugs it off. He's going to walk away before the sun sets, leaving Jon and Brendon behind for good.

* * *

The sun sets and Spencer is still with them. The car is parked on Spring Street, Delmont, has been for the past twenty minutes. It's a tiny place, Delmont, just a small town in between bigger places, existing, trying to convince the locals to stay there and not move to the big urban centres. There is hope in Delmont, the flowers outside the supermarket say. There is a future to be lived in Delmont, the Welcome Council of Delmont says.

Jon thinks it's the most depressing place he has ever had the misfortune to come across, and that is saying a lot.

The men in the car are silent. Spencer keeps staring outside, at the house numbered fifteen. It's a small, white house with a car on the driveway. There are kids' toys outside, a tricycle lying on its side, and Spencer keeps staring. His hands are shaking, his face is white, and he keeps fixing his collar like it could make a difference. It's not the picture perfect suburbia imprinted into the average American mind because the paint on the house is peeling and the car on the driveway has rust spreading from one corner, but Spencer doesn't mind.

Spencer has been preparing for this moment for months. He is finally here and his blood is rushing in his ears.

"Well?" Jon asks at last. Spencer turns his blue eyes to look at Jon. "Are you gonna fuck off or are you gonna sit there forever?" Jon asks. He doesn't mean to be rude, but often he just comes across that way.

"Just wait," Spencer says, and his voice might break down slightly. Even Brendon is holding his breath, even though he has no idea what is going on.

A car passes them and turns to the driveway of the house they are all looking at. Spencer inhales and swallows hard and lets out a shaky breath. A woman gets out of the car, probably in her early forties. She has bad skin and a bad haircut, washed out blonde hair, and she gets out of the car, carrying a plastic bag. And just like that, in a split second, Spencer is on the move. He gets out of the car, and he forgets to say goodbye to Jon and Brendon, but that is the last thing on his mind.

He throws his backpack on his shoulder as he crosses the empty street, and he is fighting off a smile and he is fighting off tears because he doesn't want to come across as an emotional nutcase.

"E-excuse me," he calls out and catches the woman's attention. She turns to look at him with piercing blue eyes. "L-Laurel Madison?" Spencer says and he doesn't mean to be stuttering, but he can't help it.

"Laurel Stevens now," the woman replies slowly, calculating. "Madison's my maiden name."

Spencer breaks into a blown away smile because this is her right here.

"Can I help you?" she asks with a frown.

Spencer lets out a small, helpless laugh. He just stares at her, his eyes soaking in every detail, the sound of her voice, and his heart is rejoicing. "I - " Spencer starts, but no words come out. He has travelled across the country to be here, he has lived this situation in his head a million times.