Pick a place, any place in the world.
That is where I would rather be right now, instead of stuck inside of this damned truck with my mom's one-night stand and her toy. The problem is, now I'm not sure which one was which.
The fields are passing by quickly outside my window and soon I find my nose pressed against the glass. I missed this scenery. Me and Dad didn't get out much after the divorce. It was nice to have alone time, I'll admit that, but too much alone time can drive you insane. I don't hate my Dad, I really don't. I'm just tired of him pressing on and on about if I am okay or not. If I wanted to talk to him about it, I would, but I'm not. Besides, what would I say? That I walked in early from school one time, and caught Mom and Mark screwing on the sofa? That I know the truth about my mother cheating on him and that it's been kept from him all this time? People don't just randomly get a divorce because they feel like it. She got one for a reason. One that's not my father's fault.
Yeah, no way. Especially if he realized that "softball" accident was Mom hitting me for threatening to tell him. He's already hurt by this, and knowing this new information would drive him to the edge. There will be a time and place for that, but nothing has felt right yet. In fact, I hate my mother a lot more than I would let on, I suppose. There was no reason for that bitch to hit me.
At least she's out of the picture now. I need a mother in my life, but not a whore.
I shift back into my normal posture, and notice that my Dad and Mark are conversing, and it's already getting heated. I have to tune in.
"Where do we go, Mark?", my Dad screams at him. He's probably not actually mad at Mark, just worried. So am I. "Calm down, John. I know a friend who has a cabin near Calmest Reservoir. He's got a lot of food and guns, so we should be okay there. I'll pull up the directions on my phone's GPS."
Great, why can't we just dump Mark off somewhere in the middle of the road? Ah, screw it, I'm never getting away from that asshole. I sit silently and look out the window again to avoid conversation.
☠
I slowly open my eyes and take in the vast forest around me. Jesus, how long was I asleep? I turn my head to the front of the vehicle and realize no one is in here. It takes me a moment to actually wake up and realize the vehicle isn't moving in the first place. I see a cabin to my left.
Before I can ponder about where the hell I am, Mark walks out the front door of the giant cabin towards the vehicle. I can see the outline of my dad's head inside before the door shuts. I decide to hop out and take in my surroundings.
I always have loved the smell of the outdoors. Something about it just intrigues me; the way that everything in life can smell boring but once you are outdoors it all fades away. The smell of pine, the scent of the flowers, it's all very heavenly and serene. I can see why in a situation like this, coming here would be a great choice.
Of course, it's Mark's friend, so it doesn't make the location ideal. But it does feel nice to have a getaway.
"Enjoying the view?" Mark asks me, and I jump in surprise not realizing he had been beside me this entire time.
"Sure," I reply, and hastily grab my things out of the back of the truck. "See you inside."