Alex Pov
John and I have been on the bus since around five this morning. If we gotta get out of the state, we outta do it fast.

We planned on going to Arizona, it's pretty far from New York and it'll take one or two days for us to get there by train and bus.

Maybe longer, but that doesn't matter none. As long as we get out of New York, and we get real far, we're good.

We did think about going to Canada, but we would need passports for that, and most likely get caught.

We wouldn't be going into Phoenix, the capital of Arizona. We're going to Flagstaff, a city just outside of Phoenix.

It's not that bad of an idea.
I sat next to John, and a lady in her mid twenties, early thirties.

I can't pinpoint how old she is, but she's definitely older than me.

John was asleep at my side.
It was around midnight, but the light of car head lights and then changing traffic lights shined through the windows of the bus.

"Hello," The lady said, smiling.
"Yo," I replied, drumming my fingers on my leg.

"Since we're going to be on this bus for quite sometime, we should get to know each other. Maybe talk a bit."
She suggested.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. My name is-" I cut myself off.

I can't give her my real name.

"Parker Woods." I said.
She smiled.

"I'm Angelica Schuyler. Nice to meet you Parker." She said.

Schuyler.
Where have I heard that name before?

"Tell me about yourself," She said. Why is it that when people say to tell them about myself, I forget all and everything I've ever done?

"I'm nineteen, and I'll be twenty in six days," I said.

"Ooh! Happy almost birthday!" She exclaimed quietly, trying not to disturb the other passengers.

I smiled.

"Thank you. I..uh..went to Afghanistan for a little over a year and then went to college for a bit afterwards." I said.

If she asks, 'Was it pretty in Afghanistan?'

I will
lose
my
shit.

"Wow! Were you a solider, doctor, or a general or anything like that? I don't know too much about army ranks."
She said.

Well thank god she assumed it was the army. I woulda lost my shit.

"I was an on field doctor."
I told her.

She nodded.
John started to stir and he rested his head on my shoulder, smiling softly in his sleep.

He's like a fucking cat.
Now I can't move or else I'll go to hell. He's really handsome though, and that's enough for me.

"You know each other?" Angelica asked.

"Mhm. He's my boyfriend."
I said, rubbing his arm.

She didn't say anything.

"You're not homophobic are you?"
I asked, sighing softly.

If she is, this long ass bus ride is going to be fucking awful.

"No! Not at all, just..
you two look really cute.
I love seeing gay couples in public.
It always warms my heart."
She said.

I smiled.
John started to move around again.

"Hey," He hummed, his eyes barely open.

"Yes John?" I replied.
"Your shoulder is not comfortable whatsoever." He said.

I snickered.

"How's your wrist feel?"
He lazily asked.

"Still hurts like a motherfucker but I think it's very slowly healing.
Very,
very
slowly."
I said.

He nodded.

"Imma go back to sleep now. And you better not open that cut or I'll fuckin...
do somethin'.
Nighty, night."
He said mockingly.

I rolled my eyes as he curled back up in his chair and started to fall asleep again, his head on the window.

"What happened to your wrist?" Angelica asked.

I have a few options here.

-Tell her I escaped prison- bad option.

-Tell her I cut myself-another bad option.

-Say the cat did it-ridiculously stupid option.

"I um...cut it." I said.
She scoffed, smiling though.

"Well duh. You've got bandages on it." She said.

I realized I had pulled up my sleeves without thinking before John and I even got on the bus.

"It's not that big of a deal," I told her, pushing my sleeve down.

She slowly nodded.
Angelica yawned, shifting in her seat.

"Nice to meet you Parker."
"Same to you Angelica."

She closed her eyes and started to go to sleep. I looked past John, and out the window.

I looked to the dark sky, unable to see stars because of all the buildings.

Arizona here we come.

With nothing else to do, and being relatively tired, I followed pursuit of John and Angelica and slowly fell asleep.

~•~•~•~
Should I make an art book?
I'm considering it, but I don't think anyone will read it.

Your friend,
Your best friend,
Your brother,

~S.SGlasses