"Someone turn on the radio!" shouted the girl in the backseat. She crossed her arms and Ethan stifled a laugh at how tough she did not look, contrary to her opinion.

"Okay, let's see." He turned the seek dial on the car radio and found the popular music channel. As luck would have it, it was playing "22" by Taylor Swift.

"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling twenty-two! Everything is gonna be alright if you keep me next to you!" the girl sang enthusiastically.

"For God's sake, Ethan, shut it off," moaned the other passenger, Ethan's girlfriend Lucille.

Instead, he turned it louder. The car sped past a sign that read Aspen, 20 miles. "Come on, Luce. Just let her be a kid." To be honest, Ethan hated having his kid sister along, but he still loved her. On the other hand, this was just supposed to be a trip between him and Lucille, but when his foster mother and father told him they were going on a business trip, he either had to bring Chloe along or stay home. Two hours of argument later, here they were. Even now, it was uncertain if Ethan or Lucille was more teed off.

Ethan turned a curve and faced the mountain ahead of him. "That's so cool!" squeaked Chloe from the backseat.

"I bet you never saw the mountains before," he chuckled. "I've only seen them once myself."

Lucille leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You're so cute," she whispered in his ear.

"Eww, gross!" Chloe squirmed in the backseat and Ethan laughed heartily.

A truck zipped past their small car and he cursed suddenly, jerking the wheel. "Cheese sandwiches!" He amended, remembering that Chloe was listening. Fortunately for him, she was too focused on the near-crash to pay him any mind.

He drove silently in anger as the highway cut into a forest. Tall pine trees graced the roadside and eased his fury. Chloe had her little face pressed against the window, taking in the splendor. "It's so amazing!" She marveled.

He turned the Seek dial on the radio to his favorite station and Lucille muttered in protest. The jamming tones of Guns 'N' Roses sent him to a headbanging mood.

Lucille gripped her boyfriend's arm and hissed, "This is not safe."

He pushed her hand off his arm and dismissed it. "I'm sure we're gonna be just fine."