"Come on guys, this is gonna be fucking awesome, and we got a meet and greet!" Gerard yells from the front seat, a grin on his face as his hands grip the steering wheel and he looks back at me.

"Shut up man," I laugh, scratching the back of my head and blushing a little as Pete gets in beside me and Patrick packs in the front bedside Gerard, stealing a kiss from the young boy. I roll my eyes and look away with an uncomfortable sigh.

"Do you have everything, loves?" I hear Mama call from the front door. I look up to see that she has a brown sack in her hand and I roll my eyes slightly at it.

"Yes, Mama," Gerard laughs, rolling down the window to greet her and grabbing the bag in the process.

"Money?"

"Yes."

"Food?"

"Yes."

"Tickets?"

"Yes, Ma," Gerard laughs, then with a sincere smile he adds, "We have everything. It'll be fine. It's only a week and I'm nineteen."

Mama smiles down at him and after a moment, sighs and kisses his cheek, then comes to the back and kisses mine.

"Have a good week. Call me every night do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma," Gerard and I reply in unison, a humiliated voice.

She laughs a little and waves as we pull out the drive, Gerard guiding us down the road and with one last goodbye, we're off to Seattle.

***

We leave on the 27th and our plan is to arrive sometime tomorrow. We'll stay until the fourth and start driving back the next morning. Just in time for the surgery.

Sadly, it's still the 27th and we have a 13 hours drive ahead of us. Patrick and Gerard are taking turns driving because they've both got their license. Pete and I, on the other hand, are going into our Junior year next year and while we've been learning, we still have yet to get our license.

So now here we are, 17 hours into our trip. My seatbelt is unbuckled and I'm laying across Pete's lap despite the fact I was reluctant at first because... well... I don't know exactly. I mean... god I don't know how to describe it. He's so cool and I really like him. In the first five hours, he talked about his family and his friends and how his life was before he came to Chicago (he used to live in Vegas). He talked about photography and he seemed so passionate about it and it made me happy because it was just cute. How he would smile and look away as if he was seeing something I couldn't and it was just so beautiful. He's beautiful. And Patrick told me he's also gay.

I mean, I don't think I'd be able to actually have a relationship with him. If... if the lump really is cancer and I really am going to have to go through chemo, I couldn't bare to have someone who likes me in that way by my side. It would just be too painful. Too scary. I'm afraid of what would happen if I really did... die...

I bite my lip and risk looking up at him. Short, black hair, brown eyes gazing contently out the window, muscled arms. It's so much better than me with my own short, black hair and my brown eyes. His actually fit him and me? Well, I just look like a soggy potato. I guess my jawline's okay.

"Have you ever been to Seattle before?"

The question is just barely over a whisper and I can't believe I'd ask it in the first place. I should be asleep, it's 10 at night, but Pete doesn't seem to mind.

"No, but I've wanted to go for a while for my photography." He replies, then looks down at me,

"How about you?"

"It's third on my bucket list," I smile right back.

"Cute," he chuckles.

"Cute?"

"Yeah, cute." He smiles.

"What's cute?" I frown.

"You, your bucket list," he replies, and after a hesitant moment, weaves his hands in my hair, "It's all very cute."

"Oh." I reply, blushing slightly and looking away. It's not very often that anyone makes me flustered like that but apparently Pete's special like that.

"Yeah." He smiles.

"Okay, Lovebirds." Patrick says from where he's driving in the front. I blush, flustered again, "We've talked and we're staying at a motel tonight. It's kinda old and shit but it's cheap. Gerard and I are sharing a bed and you two are sharing a bed. No arguments, you understand?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," I reply. Pete nods to Patrick and soon enough, we're leaving the car, most of our bags in the trunk besides our toothbrushes

***

So Pete and I bunk that night and... not gonna lie it's a little awkward.

I stay to my side and he stays to his for most of the night but somewhere in there, I must have shifted and I wake up with my arms wrapped around his chest and what's worse is he's already awake. Watching me with a small smile.

"You're adorable."

"Shut up." I growl.

"I don't shut up, Baby," he chuckles, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"Oh my god, Pete, what the fuck." I laugh, pushing him away, "Go get dressed and take a shower. You smell like shit."

"Okay, babe."

"We're just friends, Jesus Christ, Pete." I yell as he sashays to the bathroom.

As soon as the door is shut, though, I can't help but smile to myself softly.

I grab my notebook from my bag and pull out the pencil in the rings on the side.

2. Go on a road trip