What does "THE FAULT IN OUR STARS" mean to you?

What Shapes Us - Chapter 2

By FireFlyGalaxy

Chapter 2

"So where are we going on this wacky adventure?" Gunnar asks through the sausage he made himself.

I think for a minute, munching on a biscuit. "Wherever we want to I guess," I shrug. "Mom is still at Bryan's. She'll probably head back around eight, unless she decides to spend the weekend at his house. We can just assume the latter until we are told otherwise," I smile. I give Gunnar a few minutes to walk back to his house to get ready. I finish our sack lunches and go to warm up the car.

"Ready to go?" Gunnar announces more than asks as we simultaneously plop down in the car. I rev the engine, but the car quickly dies. We look at each other for a minute, both royally pissed off at my 1997 Honda Accord. "So you're getting a new car soon, right?" Gunnar grins. I give him a look that quickly shuts him up as I begin turning the key again. This time, the engine revs to life. I give him a smirk and we quickly back out of the driveway.

"Text my mom and tell her we are skipping school and not to worry. It's an R and R trip. She should either say it's okay or be too engulfed in her stupid boyfriend to care. Either way, let's get this show on the road." We both smile as I accelerate down the road to God knows where.

* * *

We quickly pass the main roads and outskirts of town and are left to the great long stretches of the Arkansas farmland. I glance over at Gunnar to see him peacefully asleep. Smiling, I continue the drive until we hit Texas.

"Wake up, sleepy head," I practically scream as we come to a stop at a gas station. Gunnar bolts awake, almost hitting me. I have a short fit of laughter as he frowns, trying to wake up.

"You brought money, right? That catnap made me hungry."

"When are you not hungry," I taunt as I hand him a twenty. "Get me something, too!" I wink as he hops out of the car in the most dramatic fashion he could muster in his state of half-consciousness.

I proceed to use my mom's credit card to fill up the tank. I genuinely hope we don't end up in some cannibalistic society in The-Middle-Of-No-Where, Texas.

Gunnar returns shortly after carrying two bags: one with six Mountain Dews and the other filled with assorted snacks. He looks almost giddy with excitement. "Can I drive?" he manages to say through a half chewed honey bun.

I look him dead in the eye. We both know he only has his permit due to excessive laziness and a lack of a car. He just looks so happy, an extremely rare occurrence.

"Wreck my car and I'll wreck you," I giggle as I toss him the keys, breaking the tension I created with the stare. He practically does a dance as he gets into the driver's seat.

"Which way?" he says as he pulls to the main road.

"That way to Arkansas," I point to the direction we came from, "and that way to cannibal country, Texas. Your call." With no hesitation, Gunnar quickly turns opposite of Arkansas and guns it.

"And away we go," he smiles.