Growing Pains | BOOK 2

1:2

April 12th, 1994. 5:03 P.M.

My initial enthusiasm to the road soon faded into a pure abundance of boredom. We've been packed into this car for around ten hours now, this stretch of highway seemed to go on forever. All that could amuse me was Dallas, except he wasn't in a real chatty mood, having not slept properly. He always got this way when tired, I don't blame him, because I wasn't feeling particularly magnificent at this very moment either. My legs felt like jelly, all numb but jiggly at the same time. I moved my vision to the teetering souls in the next cars over.

Everybody on this highway has a different agenda and a place they need to be. I began to wonder if anyone else was on the run from family members, or even the law. The girl in the red car besides us had a small dog in the backseat, it jumped around and scattered its claws on the windows, behind her in blue an elderly man covered in dirt, probably coming home from work. Then I started to wonder what they thought of us. Could they tell we're in a stolen wagon? Or have escaped from being murdered by the hands of a raging sister?

I chuckled at the sight, only to realise how loud I actually was when Dallas rotated his head his head in bewilderment, "You have to tell me if you've completely lost your mind." He mocks, between glances at the road. I playfully hit his upper arm, he flinches away, "It's true. You know what they call a crazy person on a road trip?"

"What?" I asked, "What do they call a crazy person on a road trip?" I was so intrigued and wanted to know desperately. He pauses, until I whined for the answer, "Please tell me..." he exhales a breath into an amused smile, "A crazy person."

"God!" I yelled, furrowing my eyebrows, grumbling and sliding down the chair like a child does with my arms crossed. He always does this to me. It kind of made me love him even more. My stomach began to make rumbles and gurgling noises, "I'm hungry." I complained. Dally knows by now I'm going to revert to a baby unless we get something to eat. He pulls off the highway's main road, then down another until turning into the parking lot of a night spot.

It's all lit up with neon signs. The parking is a large gravel lot with a bunch of cars and trucks. Even though it's barely the dinner rush, it's already pretty crowded. I climbed out of the car and followed him inside. This was exactly like Dally's roommates bar but bigger and flashier. He'd no doubt fit in, I just wondered if I could.

He plops down at an open booth. The place was really hip, with a dozen pool tables with crowds all around them and a cloud of their own smoke. A large bar is filled with all sorts of people, many of the tables were filled. The air is thick with cigarette smog, I wondered how any could breath in here, "Let's check what we've got." Dally says, emptying his pockets onto the table. He feels the velvet box but leaves it inside. I decide to do the same. We ran off in such a rush that we didn't have time to grab nothing.

In the middle of the table laid a roll of cash, a lighter, a button, a fake id and a little zip lock baggy of something white, no doubt powdered fun for Dallas. He quickly shoves everything back into his pocket before the waitress made it over to our table. She drops down two menus and asked for drinks, then left. I scan over the menu, before she arrived back, "What'll you be having?" she asked. I ordered for him, thinking I could read his mind and all, "A medium rare steak for the gentleman and a pasta for me." Dally gave me the look, like don't dominate me sort of look. "Sorry." I apologise, averting my gaze to the table, "Well at least you picked correct."

She returns to the table, carrying an arm loaded with plates and drinks. She sets down a whiskey straight up for Dallas and a water for me, along with the food. We scarf it down within minutes. He leaves for the bathroom; I watch him squeeze his way past people on the dance floor until he's out of sight. I kept on thinking about us. Was this all for a reason or would we be friends forever... I still didn't doubt the way he looked under those strobe lights was out of this world. I hoped he felt the same.