Someone to Stay

Mountain People

Bertha turned out to be a car.

I know.

A car.

It was funny to me that they named their vehicles, but I wasn't about to question it if it gave me a ride. All the long hours of walking were exhausting and not to mention the hot sun, so I was very grateful that Jorge found a way to get us a car. The only problem was that it was a little small for us. There was about Nine of us that would have to fit in a six seater car.

"I call shotgun," Newt quickly says as we reach the truck. Clearly he didn't want to be squished in the back with the rest of us. Smart.

Jorge got in the driver seat and Brenda in the middle seat in between Jorge and Newt. Now there was the rest of us. Minho, Thomas, Frypan, Aris, Teresa, and me.

Great, I thought, this will be soooo comfortable.

Thomas sat behind Newts seat, Frypan right next to him. Then Aris and Minho. Teresa and I stood outside trying to figure out how to sit, with these big teenage boys.

"Sit on Thomas' lap," Frypan suggests to Teresa, so she does. "YN you can sit on Aris."

I snort, "Fry I'll crush him."

Frypan chuckles. Aris gives me an awkward smile.

"Sit on Minho then," Frypan tells me.

"Fine," I give in, being the last person in the car, right behind the drivers seat, on Minho's lap.

"Gee thanks for offering yourself up Fry," Minho remarks as I try my best to get comfortable in the tight space.

Newt glances back, slightly frowning at the situation. I roll my eyes, grinning.

"It's just a car ride Newt," Thomas jokes. "Besides you did this to yourself by getting the front seat."

Frypan, Minho, and Aris chuckle.

"YN make sure he keeps his hands to himself," Newt demands. I giggle.

"Don't worry shank," Minho wraps his arms around my waist, just to piss off Newt.

"Wow I'm flattered," I sarcastically say.

"You kids are funny," Jorge grins starting up the car.

I didn't like him at first, obviously, but I'm glad we set aside our differences and became partners? If that's what you call it.

I looked out the window. All I saw was sand, rocks, sun. It made me sad. It seemed like there was nothing here. What if the Right Arm didn't actually exist? What if we came all this way for nothing?

Newt seems to notice my worried expression because I feel a hand touch mine. Sure enough it's Newt's. His arm is reaching over Brenda's short seat. I squeeze his hand and kiss it lightly.

"Here we go again," Minho sighs. "Guys do this on your own time please."

Newt shakes his head, grinning and lets go of my hand.

"You shanks need to stop ruining our moments," I say to all of them.

"in case you haven't noticed YN, this is a shucked up world we're living in, not Romeo and Juliet." Frypan snickers.

"Haha," I sarcastically laugh. "Maybe if you guys had girlfriends you'd be less bitchy."

"Oooooo," Minho looks at Fry, "she went there."

"Very funny YN," Frypan chuckles.

Thomas grins at me. He mouths 'badass.'

I flip my hair dramatically to show that I've won this argument.

Minho grunts from behind me. "I'm still here shank." He reminds.

"I know," I smirk, then lean back against his chest to get more comfortable. Well as comfortable as you can get with 6 people in one aisle of a car.

Newt gives Minho looks as I try not to grin. Damn this is really pissing him off. His fault I laugh in my mind. He's the one who wanted shotgun instead of sitting with me.

"Mama Noot's mad," Minho whispers.

I burst out laughing. The others heard him too and we all laugh at the nickname.

"Never call me that again," Newt rolls his eyes. "Immature shanks." He sighs.

This causes us to all laugh again.

*******

A few hours later, we've reached the mountains. The problem is, the road is blocked off by a bunch or broken down cars.

Jorge is the first to step out. "Well, looks like we're on foot from here hermanos. Vámonos." He pulls on his backpack and waits for the rest of us to get out of Bertha.

I find Newt and give him a cheeky smile.

"You and Minho always tease me," he pouts like a kid.

I giggle. "It's cause your easy to piss off."

"I am not!" Newt fights back.

"Yeah and I'm pregnant," I sarcastically say.

Newt's eyes go wide, "what?!" He almost shouts.

"Oh I thought we were naming things that weren't true," I hold my own hand, acting innocent.

Newt grabs my hand. "Your such a tease," the blonde boy tells me.

"But you love me," I walk with him.

"Yeah I do," Newt looks over at me.

"Ready?" Jorge looks at us. I realize they were waiting for us the whole time.

"Yeah sorry," I blush, slightly embarrassed.

"Good," Jorge leads the way through the abandoned road.

We keep walking for a few minutes when we suddenly hear bullet sounds nearby.

"Get down!" Jorge demands. "Take cover!"

Newt quickly drags me behind a car. We sit with our backs to it.

The bullets go off again.

My heartbeat quickens.

"Is everyone alright?" Thomas stands after we don't hear more bullet sounds.

"Yeah," we all answer in unison.

"Anyone know where those bloody bullets came from?" Newt asks. No one answers because no one knows.

Suddenly more bullets sounds come, only they sounded closer to us this time. We duck down again.

"On the count of three run as fast as you can back to the car," Jorge says.

What kind of plan is that? I ask myself.

"One, two," Jorge doesn't get to three because he's interrupted by a feminine voice.

"Drop it!" The girl speaks. "Get up all of you!" The girl demands.

We do as she says and we all stand with our hands in the air. I see two girls, one has brown hair and tan skin. The other had blonde hair. Both have scarves covering their faces and guns pointed at us.

We all make our way to them, never dropping our hands from their sight.

"Oh my god Aris?" The girl with dreadlocks speaks, dropping her gun.

********