The car sped down the desolate highway. The sun was shining off its blue exterior as it raced past the barren fields of dead grass on either side. The back window was obscured by large suitcases and duffel bag packed with belongings. Inside, four girls dressed in sweatpants resided, just like they had for the past three days. Three of the girl were fast asleep as the sun rose over the horizon.
"Ugh, where are we?" Hanna asked sleepily, turning from the backseat to Emily, who was driving.
"I think we just passed into Nevada." Emily said, smiling.
"Nevada?!" shrieked Hanna, "Wow, Nevada."
"What about Nevada?" asked Emily.
"It's just, you know, the farthest we've ever been from home." said Hanna thoughtfully.
"I guess." said Emily, "Should we wake them?" she asked, referring to Aria in the passenger seat, and Spencer across from her on the back seat.
"I'm awake," muttered Aria sleepily.
"We're in Nevada," said Hanna cheerfully, "Ugh I need coffee."
"We'll stop at the first place we find," said Emily.
Hanna leaned back in her seat and sighed, "How long will that be?"
"Maybe an hour or so," and Hanna groaned.
"Hey, look on the bright side, we're here, in Nevada or wherever, we're safe." said Aria turning around and smiling at Hanna.
"Should we wake her" Aria asked, turning to Spencer.
"No, let her sleep," said Hanna, remembering their last night in Rosewood.
They were standing in the dark. The car was stuffed with belongings, the things they absolutely needed for the rest of their life. No one said, but they all knew they were never coming back. Caleb stood with them, holding tightly onto Hanna's hand, tears in all their eyes. As they turned to leave he spoke up.
"Listen, " he said, "Listen. You girls are the strongest people I have ever met. You deserve everything in the world. You are beautiful and strong and you deserve to be happy. So be happy. You're all amazing."
Then he hugged each of them, kissed Hanna's forehead and helped them into the car. They pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. And drove away.
But as they passed The Brew, Spencer spoke up.
"Wait. Stop. I'll be right back."
"Uhh, we're coming with you." said Emily.
They approached the back door to the loft of the Brew. Emily Aria and Hanna held back as Spencer climbed up the metal stairs to the door of the loft. She knocked hard on it. It swung open.
"We're leaving," she said, straight faced and simply, "Running away."
"And why are you telling me this?" asked Toby taken aback.
Spencer gaze hardened, "Because I don't break my promises."
"I'm sorry," Toby said almost too quiet to hear. But she hear it. She spun around, and for a split second pressed her lips to his. A familiar fire ran through both of the bodies, before she pulled away.
"Goodbye Toby," she said, smiling sadly as she and the others turned and climbed back into the car...
The sun had fully risen now, a bright spot in the clear blue sky. Emily pulled the car into a 24-hour diner, and Hanna nudged Spencer awake.
"Come on, Spence, time to get up. Coffee."
Spencer sat up, "Coffee?" she said, smiling.
"Yeah," Emily called from outside the car, "Coffee."
The four girls piled into the diner and each ordered a cup of coffee. They sighed as the caffeine ran through them, ignoring the coffee's bland taste. After that, they piled back into the car, Hanna at the wheel.
"Do you think we'll be there today?" asked Aria, now settled in the backseat with Emily.
"Maybe," said Hanna, "I hope so."
As the car pulled out of Rosewood, passing the sign, the four girls all sighed in relief.
"So where are we going?" asked Aria turning the wheel slightly.
Hanna spoke up from the back, "I want to see the ocean."
"Not the Atlantic," Emily cut in, "The Pacific. California."
"California sounds nice," Spencer sighed from the front seat.
"California it is," said Aria, pulling onto the highway.
With the sun high in the sky, the four girls pulled out of the drive through of some random fast food place.
"I think we're almost there." said Spencer excitedly, as she looked at the signs that dotted the almost empty highway.
They pulled off onto a main street, still empty, the black tar gleaming in the mid-afternoon sun. They drove straight down it, passing small shops and coffee places, and little houses built for two, when they pulled to a stop.
"Whoa."
The ocean laid before them, a deep blue lull, crashing and shifting, an yet, remaining exactly the same. Without hesitation, they parked the car and leapt out towards the ocean, tossing off their shoes and running straight into the waves. for hours they splashed and played in the waves, until their shoulders were peeling with sunburn, and their voices were hoarse with a laughter they hadn't known in a long time.
They then walked along the beach, still laughing, singing songs, wincing at their sunburns and marks from being pummeled by the waves. they came upon an old white house, for sale, with a peeling exterior, but inside, was the perfect home. They contacted the owner at once, and by ten that night, the house was theirs. It had five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a huge living room and kitchen. There was a pool out back and you could hear the ocean from it.
They didn't bother with unpacking their things or going to the store. They simply washed off the sand and dirt, and walked into town for pizza. Many would have thought it strange, four beautiful, but sunburned girls sitting at the 24-hour, with pizza and burgers and fries and shakes spread around them. they laughed and talked well into the night, until the clock struck midnight.
They walked along the water's edge home, the blue waves quietly lapping at their feet. they were all holding each other's hands, content in their company.
"I thought I would be scared," Spencer's voice sounded out of the dark, "It's midnight, we're walking, I thought I would be scared."
"Me too," said Emily.
"Yeah, but it's not scary out here." said Aria.
"We're not in Rosewood anymore," sighed Hanna, with relief.
"Yeah," said Emily as they climbed the wooden steps to their new front door, "We're home."
Home is not truly a house, or even a place you can find on a map. Home is simply being with the people you love, and those who love you.