The long road home.

Fast car.

It's pretty hard to feel awesome when you're cruising in a car for hours on end and soon I get fidgety, I try the radio, but it can only pick up some strange horse racing channel so I give up and turn it off.

I try to focus on what is outside the window, but it doesn't take me long to get bored, there is only so much desert country one person can take, I try to start a conversation with Sofía but after getting no replies to my questions I take a look in my mirror and realise that she is in dreamland, damn them En ninguna thingy -ins. I wriggle in my seat uncomfortable and wishing I could fall asleep like that.

"Hey Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"How long do you think until we make it to the border?"

"Maybe another day, it shouldn't be far I mean remember how warm it was today?"

"Yeah," I say smiling; "I love the heat."

He nods, "Mmmh, me too."

I suck on my lower lip, I have something I really want to ask Sam but I'm unsure if I should, I stare out the window and see a flock of birds fly past.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

I'm still unsure, what if he takes it the wrong way?

He turns his head.

"Why did you come on this trip?"

It's almost as if the hairs stand up on his neck, "I guess I just wanted to get away for a bit, you know see the world while I still can."

I shake my head, "Come-on Sam I know that there's more to it than that."

"Aimee, just don't ask."

"But you get to know everything about me, I mean I don't even know where you live and I'm sure it won't even be that bad, please Sam."

He reaches his hand out and squeezes mine, the cool of his skin feels good, and I'm almost tempted to drop it. "Aimee," his voice sounds pained; "I wish I could tell you..." He turns his head so that I can't see his eyes, "...and I promise that one day I will, and then you'll understand why."

I shake my head, "urg now I just want to know more," the look on his face makes me change tack, I go for a little humour. "Come-on Sam did you rob a bank or something? Get harassed by a girlfriend?" Sam smiles, then idiot that I am I upset him again; "Did you fight with your parents?" Instantly he stiffens and then slips his hand out of mine, "Sorry," I say trying to apologise hoping that he'll look at me, but Sam just stares ahead.

"Just don't talk about it okay?" Sam's voice is brittle.

By Seven P.M. I'm really hungry and quite worn out; It's amazing what sitting in a car all day can do to a person and I can only imagine how Sam is feeling; Sofía on the other hand is full of life. After our fourth game of eye-spy I beg Sam to find us somewhere to sleep; we are halfway through some town I forgot the name of when Sam pulls into a hotel that doesn't look too pricy. None of us even bother to un-pack instead grab a few clothes and pile into the foyer, a young guy at the desk barely looks up from his cell-phone as we enter.

I pay a $100 and we get a room with four beds so at least this time we won't have to share. Sofía cooks while Sam and I sprawl out on two chairs and watch T.V; there isn't anything on so we just channel-surf until dinner is ready. As always Sofía's cooking is exquisite, after dishes we sprawl out on the beds and play another one of Sofía's weird card games.

The sky is pitch black and I just start to yawn as the steady beat of a song moves up the stairs, there's a knock and Sam opens the door.

Standing in the doorway is a really good looking guy with ripped muscles and styled hair carrying a speaker; he smiles and scans the room, "Hey there we're just having ourselves a little party and I was just..."