Breathing In

5

"AIEEEEEEE! You can't catch us suckers!" Char laughs loudly and I stick my hand out the window as we pass another group of highschoolers headed the same way as us. We met them not even 5 minutes into our trip, and have been driving with them ever since.

"Hey! Do y'all want to stop up here for a gas beak?" One of the boys in the front of the car says in an obvious southern drawl.

"Sure!" Josh yells back, and I can see just by his face that he is enjoying driving with another group, who honestly, we haven't even seen unless you count inside of closed car windows.

As we pull up to a beat-up, run-down, piece-of-junk gas station, I wonder if they have any gas that isn't from 90 years ago. One of the girls from the other group, who I have heard been called Marissa, voices my thoughts.

"Y'all sure this here is safe? They may not have gas here that ain't from 300 years ago." Marissa says.

"No, we'll be okay." Char says, and I nod along with Josh. We climb out of the car, and I am hit with another cold blast of air. A thin sheet of snow already covers the ground, and I sigh as I realize that we are almost home. Texas doesn't really have much snow, even in the winter, but as we head north, I feel even more cold bite me.

"So, what are your guys' names?" I ask, anxious to start a conversation to distract from the cool wind.

"Well, this here is Marissa," The first boy points to the girl, Marissa, "This is Eduardo," he points to a tall, lanky, pale boy who smiles like he uncomfortable with his face.

"Ahem.." A voice coughs from behind. Somehow, it seems familiar. As he steps out in the light, the first boy says;

"Oh yeah, I'm Victor, and this is-" All at once, I see him.

"Ashton Hall. I should've known..." I say. Victor looks surprised, but Ash just looks smug. He's wearing his signature black jacket and converses. His hair is thrown across in a seemingly careless, but no one knows more than me how much time he puts into it. When your best friend has an older brother...

"Little Rebecca. Long time no see." Ash says. "Let me guess, you're off to Curtis' funeral as well"

We are all shocked into silence when he says that, and when he puts his arm around Marissa, I finally understand.

Ashton really gave me the idea for leaving. If it was not for him, I never would've even known that such a thing as a private high school existed. When James and I were going into 7th grade, Ash was sent by his dad to a high school, called something like Summit Intelligence Academy.

"What are you doing here, Ash?" I ask. I thought he was back with the family, or studying with them at least.

"Me? Well, I took a page from your book and begged to go to college." He said with another smirk. Those smirks were starting to get annoying.

"What about your family, Ashton?" I ask again. Did he never consider how much they may have needed him?
"Family, Ash? And, who is this here girl? Do ya'll know each other?" The guy, Victor, says. I glare at him.

"We're having a conversation. Or can't you tell?" I ask him, my voice low.

"Nah, little Ecco. I'll answer his question." Ash says, and I see a flash of nervousness in his eyes.

"Yeah..." I say sarcastically, "I bet you will. I'll just answer them for you. Ashton Hall has a younger brother, a father who worked on the cure for cancer, and a sister who stays at home, dying, because he isn't there."

"Wait, Ash has a brother?" Eduardo says. He grabs the arms of Victor and Ash and pulls them away. In hushed voices, they start to argue.

Marissa looks so uncomfortable, I try to start a conversation. "So, were you guys headed over to Curtis'-"

"Yeah." She says, and cuts me off.

"Do you have a problem with me?" I ask, defensively.

"Yeah." She says, and stalks off to join her friends.

"Well, we could all go, unless you want to stick around..." I say. I feel so empty, unguarded, that when Josh's warm arm covers mine, it comes as a welcome relief.

"Let's go. Do you want to tell us..." Josh says. I know from his eyes that he is concerned.

"You don't have to, Beccs." Char whispers. I know she means the best, but I feel like she really wants to know.

"It's okay, I'll tell you. Ash was James' brother, and I thought he was back with his family, who needs him." I say. They both nod in understanding as we climb into the warm car.