Phoenix Drop University: Road Trip!

Chapter Six: Lonely Road

It was dark now, the road long and barren, Aphmau had fallen asleep in the passenger seat, Mia, mumbling in her arms, awake and fighting sleep, but she would soon lose.

Aaron kept his eyes on the road, Katelyn driving behind him, they needed somewhere to rest, a motel, hotel, the gear in the back would take too long to set up in the dark.

The radio was static, it's volume low to let the girls sleep. So he hummed to himself.

The road stretched on, seemingly endless, the dry red clay of the ground flying by.

Memories of days past ran through his head, in the rare silence he got lost in his own thoughts.

Aphmau, Drake, Mia, What School would be like when they went back next year, He expected to be stressed, but he wasn't, as long as he had them by his side, everything was fine.

Finally a building rose slowly on the horizon, a small two story gas station with a motel on top, he sighed in relief, finally a place to rest.

He pulled into the small parking lot and woke his slumbering girlfriend, She yawned and in her sleepy stupor, twitched her ears and flicked her tail.

"We're at a motel, I'll get us a room, stay here." She nodded sleepily and Aaron opened the storefront, the Bell jingling.

A wrinkled old man with a long pointed nose and long silver hair, and glasses perched on the tip of his nose.

The brown eyes of the man were kind, and he smiled as Aaron approached the counter.

"Hello young man, how may I help you?" He clasped his hands together like he had just finished a rousing speech.

"Two rooms? My family and I have been driving for awhile, and I don't know how long my daughter is going to tolerate the truck." Aaron asked kindly, the man nodded and handed him two keys.

"Don't worry about payment, we'll work it out in the morning. Rest well friend." Aaron said his thank yous and called for the rest of the group who all looked exhausted.

He handed Travis a key and took Aphmau's hand to lead her and Mia into the room on the upper floor.

It was old, but not dirty or unkept, it was clean and quaint, a large bed with a warm quilt draped over it, thick brown carpet and creame colored walls, there was a small kitchen area and a couch, but all they were worried about was the bed.

Mia was placed gently on Aaron's chest as they curled into a ball of warmth, Aaron holding Aphmau close as they sighed in comfort.

"I love you." Aphmau said, half-asleep and devoid of cognitive thought.

"I know you do." Aaron responded sarcastically, pulling her and Mia even closer, cuddling them all.

"I love you too."

He drifted off into sleep, his family tucked in his arms.

In the other room Travis had dove into bed, while Katelyn hesitated.

"What's wrong Baby?" He asked, his face going red at the words.

"N-Nothing!" She tucked into bed beside him, her face extremely red, and He pulled her closer, his warm breath on her neck.

"Calm down, I know you're worried about it, I already told you I'd clean up my act for you." Somehow this didn't make Katelyn feel any better.

"Did we go to far? Are you even ready to take on that kind of responsibility?" Travis sighed, and rolled his hands down her back.

"I don't really have a choice now do I? Heheh... I'm ready yes. I really want this with you." He stopped his hands over her stomach and sighed.

She smiled a little, and leaned into him, settling into an uneasy sleep.