The Day They Left | Ongoing

9

Dylan

         Days passed, we've made it to Utah and reached Salt Lake City. We all agreed to go to Ohio where my grandparents used to live. I can finally see my old friends if they remember me. I hope.

        Maybe if my parents are gone, my grandparents are alive. They're old enough to know.

        Danny has been distant with us. He doesn't talk much, or doesn't put effort in the conversations. I don't know whether he's mad at us for the video Charlie recorded or the prank at the gas station.

          Danny and Charlie are best friends, but he isn't talking to him at all. He's been completely silent since we got to Utah.

          Danny and I aren't close like Charlie and him. We do play football together, but that's only when season has started.

         I decide to shrug it off. People have their bad days.

         Carter has been getting closer with Selena and Noah in the bus. I knew he had friends, but they seem like they had a rough start when they came over. Carter looks like he's been into Selena for a while.

         I figured out that Noah is Selena's brother. They did seem like best friends, but they're so close to each other. They're all they have.

       Everyone is sitting at the picnic table eating sandwiches. Via sits across from me so she can play footsies with me. I'm next to Zoey feeding her off of my meal.

         "Danny?" I try to get his attention. He's been on his phone for a while. That's where his nose is most of the time. Charlie and Danny would take turns driving the bus.

         "Hey, why aren't you talking to us?" I question him. Everyone looks over at him.

       Before he can say anything, Rikki comes out of no where. Danny stands up to join his side. Charlie and I drop our sandwiches and walk over to Rikki.

          "You got something of mine," Rikki says. Something? Via is somebody, not something.

         "Sir, I'm sure you meant to say somebody. She's not a thing." I get closer to his face. "Respect her." I spit in his face.

         Danny walks over to Via and pulls her out the picnic table. Charlie betrays his own best friend and punches Danny in the face. Via steps back and takes the little kids into the bus. Carter fights back, but this is too much for him.

         "Don't fucking touch her, asshole." Charlie shouts. Danny is on the ground bleeding out of his mouth. Charlie spits down at him. "Don't you ever lay your hands on her again."

            "Sounds like you need to leave, Rikki," I scoff at him. "Or you'll end up just like him by me." I threatened him.

         "Sounds like you need to grow some balls." He barks back.

           "I have mine, but I'm sure yours have been cut off. Pussy."

          "Whatever," Rikki laughs it off and pulls Danny up. They're both standing up looking at us. "I will come back, don't you worry!" he laughs. He starts walking away from us to his car.

          Danny tosses the bus keys at Charlie's chest. He spits back on the ground and follows Rikki into his car.

         Charlie's face is red, he's full of anger inside. Before I try to pat his back, he walks away stomping. I give him space to cool down, so I check up on Via and the kids.

          I walk into the bus and everyone's face has terrified written all over their faces. "How are you guys? Are you okay?" I race to Via to check if he left any marks. "He didn't hurt you?" She shakes her head.

        "Dylan, who was that?" Zoey asks. She's so innocent and kind.

          I strut down to my knees, "He's a bad boy. We don't want to be around him." I explain the easy way to her.

         "What the hell happened?" Carter questions us. I look at Via for the answer.

          "I broke up with Rikki the night our parents disappeared," she pauses.

          "Is that why you came running to me crying?" I remember the moment. Before I pulled in the parking lot, she was talking to Rikki alone. "So not only you didn't tell us, but you lied to me?" I never expected Via to lie to me or keep things from me. She stays silent.

       Expect the unexpected.

         I walk out the bus with Zoey and check on Charlie. Zoey runs up to Charlie and gives him a hug. She hands him Mr. Bear to cry on. He smiles at her. Charlie picks her up with Mr. Bear in her arms and tickles her. Her laugh is contagiously cute.

      He walks up to me and gently puts her down next to me. "She's a keeper," he laughs. Charlie is fine again like nothing happened. Like he didn't just lose his best friend to an asshole.

        I bring Zoey back into the car and buckle her up. I hand her a small bag of gold fish so she can snack up during the ride. Charlie hops into the bus with everyone else.

        I look back at Zoey from the rear mirror. She's looking back at me with her innocent blue eyes. I take the keys out and hop out the car. I open her door and bring her out with the rest of the stuff. I take everything that's important in the car, especially the papers and keys.

           I take our bags and hold her hand. Everyone is staring at us while we get into the bus. I see Via looking down sadly at her rings trying to avoid eye contact with me. I walk pass her with Zoey and sit next to Carter.

         I had to leave mom's brand new car behind. We'd be wasting more money and gas. It's not like our parents are going to come back.

          I watch Zoey play with Mr. Bear. It used to be mine, but I gave it to Carter and he gave to to Zoey. Dad gave it to me when I was two years old. It was my favorite thing in the planet, now it's Zoey's.

           Charlie starts the bus to continue our adventure to Ohio. I close my eyes and I'm off to sleep.