Road to Anywhere (boyxboy)

Chapter 2: Changing the course

"You aren't thinking of Raphael are you?"

☆

"Why are we running like naughty kids?" Oliver huffs breathlessly as he and Morton race down the street. 

Morton glances over his shoulder, before turning a corner into a side street. He leans against the brick wall, trying to catch a breath. "Chef… he scares me." Morton manages to say. "He told me before they left for their adventure that the book shop was Clark's baby, so it was also his baby. Plus I still see him as a teacher." 

"Aren't we all the same age?" Oliver questions as his hands rest upon his knees as he tries to regulate his breathing. 

"It's the teacher -student vibe I get." Morton tries to explain. "Anyways, I'll give him time to get over the fish before I go back for my stuff."

"So now what? That was my lunch I had to throw away." 

"Our lunch. I paid half." Morton reminds him. 

"Whatever. I'm still hungry." Oliver complains. 

Morton feels in the pocket of his jeans for his wallet, pulling it out and looking inside. "Lucky for you, I have enough to get something else. What do you fancy?" 

"I think I want cake now. Chef said, 'cake'. Now all I can think of is cake." Oliver pouts. 

"You are such a spoiled brat." Morton laughs, shaking his head. "Ok. Let's go for cake."

***

"Y'know… our problems might just be over." Oliver says with a mouthful of black forest gateau filling his cheeks, making him look like a chipmunk. 

"Yeah. Cake can do that." Morton says with a laugh as he takes a more conservative fork of sponge to his mouth. 

"No, not the cake. The job offer." Oliver rolls his eyes. "We will have a blast working together, I know it." 

"I guess." Morton replies, not seeming to be too overjoyed by the news. 

Oliver takes a napkin to his mouth, clearing some frosting from his lips, seeing that Morton still seemed to have the world on his shoulders. "Hey, what's up? If it's about a place to stay in the meantime, you can stay at mine. I'm sure my mum won't mind." 

"No, it's not that." Morton smiles weekly, "it's just… " he leans a little closer to Oliver, as if he were divulging a secret. "It's something Chef said."

"What… about the fish? The beach sex? What?...don't tell me it's the teacher vibe... you aren't thinking of Raphael are you?" 

"Shit! No!..." he lowers his voice, realising the shrillness.  "Nothing like that." 

"Then what?"

"I don't know how he phrased it exactly, but he said something about the beauty of not knowing what comes next. Knowing I will be working in a book cafè for the rest of my life somehow doesn't fill me with excitement." 

"Then say no. You don't have to do it." Oliver shrugs. 

"It's not that simple though is it. People like us can't just say 'I don't like this life' and go and get another. We don't have a bank full of money like Chef does." Morton slumps back on his seat.

"Are you sulking?" Oliver half laughs. "Now who is the spoiled brat?" 

"No. I'm just saying." Morton mumbles.

"My cousin is in Costa Rica right now with her boyfriend. They are working at a cat sanctuary. They get board and food and stuff, plus they get paid too. If you really wanna do something crazy, you can." Oliver points out.

"I don't like cats and I don't have a passport."

"You're missing the point Morton. Think about it. Maybe we could do it y'know, go on a little road trip. But just not abroad. It will take a few months for Clark to sell, so what are we gonna do in the meantime?" 

" 'We'. You said 'we'." Morton says, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes 'we'. It's my idea and you have already pointed out I am as sad as you are." Oliver laughs. 

"Ok… so let's just say I agree to this. Where would we go?"

"Anywhere. That's the point. We just get in the car and drive." Oliver says as if it's that simple.

"And who's car Oliver? I have a pushbike, you take the tube everywhere."

"Ok ok. Maybe we need to find a car, but it can't be that hard. We just need something to get us from A to B. It doesn't have to be a convertible like Chef's." Oliver picks up his phone from the table and begins to tap. "I can lay £300 on the table right now towards a car." 

"Wow!" Morton says with sarcasm. "Just give up Olly." He shakes his head. "I told you, people like us…" But he is stopped by Oliver offering over his hand. 

"I have a deal. I bet you I can find a car for £300 and if I do, we are taking ourselves on a little road trip." 

"And if you can't?" Morton says, not taking his eyes from the outstretched hand. 

"If I can't. We will just forget it and I will bend the knee and say you're right. Do we have a deal?"

Morton nods, chuckling with amusement. "That, I would love to see. Deal."