Something Different

Chapter 14

'Buckle up, Donna. Kansas is a far, far way from here.'

'Ugh. It's already 2 pm.'

'Mhmm, by the time we reach, it'll be 8.'

'Oh, great.'

Sighing, Donna shut her eyes in a desperate attempt to fall asleep. It didn't work.

'Ugh, how am I gonna kill 6 hours, Alex?'

'I dunno. Put on some music.'

'Fine. What do you wanna listen to?'

'Anything from my playlist. Duran Duran, Pink Floyd-'

'Rock, basically. Cool.'

She clicked the play button, and Pink Floyd started playing.

As she gazed out of the window, the music filled her ears. The lyrics rang in her ears.

'So, so you think you can tell

Heaven from hell?

Blue skies from pain?'

The lyrics hit hard for Alex. Everyone she'd met in high school and college tried to console her, saying they understood the pain she'd been. They didn't understand shit. They didn't know what it was like, to see someone you love do the wrong things, but not have the courage to stop them.

Her eyes got watery. The road in front of her blurred. She shut her eyes and pushed back those tears. Tears didn't help. They didn't help any more than a murderer saying he was sorry.

'How I wish, how I wish you were here

We're just two lost souls

Swimming in a fish bowl, year after year.'

Donna glanced at her. Obviously these songs brought back memories too strong for Alex to handle. But she didn't pause the music. 'Sometimes', she thought to herself, 'sometimes, facing the pain helps more than suppressing it.'

Alex's thoughts wandered. Her parents... they were the ones that ruined everything. Was it possible to hate and love someone so much at the same time? She didn't know.

'Donna, should we-',

She glanced at Donna. Donna's eyes were shut, and her head lolled sideways, moving with the motion of the car. Her head slowly slid towards Alex's side. Gently, Alex nudged her head towards the head rest.

'Nevermind, then.' she smiled.

Her heart felt heavier with every mile she drove. What was she doing? Donna knew what she wanted to do in life. She had aims. Goals. People to live for.

She saw a gas station nearby. She got out of the car and refilled the tank. The station looked so much like the one she and Donna had met at.

There was a slight shuffling sound in the car as Donna woke up.

'Hey, we reached? Is it 8?'

'Nope. It's still 5, and we're exactly halfway through.'

'Oh. Let me drive, Alex.'

'You sure?'

'Yeah. I can see that you're tired.'

'Alright.' said Alex, a little bit relieved.

Alex paid for the gas, and both of them switched their seats. Alex eased herself, and sighed contentedly. She gave Donna a small peck on the lips.

'Night, Donna.'

'Night Alex.'

With that, Alex shut her eyes, immediately falling asleep.