TWO: Max's POV

We had been driving all day and it was now eleven forty-five. It was pitch black out and I was crashing. I decide to call my dad.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Dad," my voice cracks from lack of use. I hadn't even cranked the radio for this trip so far.

"Can we stop? I need to sleep, I'm crashing. Fast."

"Sure, no problem sweetie. Just be careful, we'll pull out on the exit. Find a motel to stay at for the night, okay?" he asks.

"Sounds good. See you in a bit." I hang up. I decide to turn the radio up slightly, needing sound. I feel lonely. Then I spot Serena's box next to me and hit the power off button on the radio.

I pick up my phone and dial Serena's cell phone.

"Hello?" she answers groggily on the third ring.

"Hey!" I exclaim in a bit of a better mood at hearing my best friends' voice.

"Hey," she sounds a little more awake. "Max, it's…" she pauses, "twelve forty-five in the morning."

"What?" I look at my satellite clock. "It's only eleven forty-five," I'm confused.

"Satellite clock?" she asks.

"Yeah?" I'm still quite confused.

"You're in the next time zone over," she explains.

"Ooh! I'm sorry, I didn't even realize." I apologize. Whoops.

"It's okay. So, how are you? Have you slept at all yet?" she's more awake every second.

"Nah, but we're pulling off the highway at the next exit to find a motel or something because I'm crashing, fast." We laugh a little.

"Yeah, driving and crying put together excessively can really take it out of you." I can almost see her smiling warmly at me.

"So I've heard," I grin slightly. "Ooh, shit, my dad's pulling off the exit. I got to go. I'll call you tomorrow. Well, later today. Okay?" I try to be quick.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye," she surrenders talking to go back to sleep.

"Bye," I hang up and put my phone into the cup holder in the center below the radio.

I slow down behind my dad and flick on my left blinker just as he has and pull out behind him. We slowly make our way down the road until we spot a place called Lea's Bed and Breakfast. I flash my lights at him, signaling that this seems good for the night so we pull in and get ready to go in. I pull out my icy blue duffle and slowly fill it with Serena's pillow, my baby blankies, my teddy bear, and my bathroom stuff in the charcoal black bathroom bag before climbing into the back to find the clothes box with my pajamas in it.

I pulled out my black guy sweats and icy blue tank top and stuffed them into the bag. I was unsure of the temperature outside, so just in case, I pulled my black blanket around my shoulders before stepping out to meet my dad before heading inside.

"I'm sorry, we are closed," the lady at reception says.

"Oh, sorry," I mumble, turning back towards the door.

"Moe! Give it a rest, don't go, you are welcome here tonight. We have an open room, just for the two of you." Another lady walks into the room.

I turn back around to face a tall, blond haired, blue eyed woman who looked very motherly and kind.

"Thanks," I say, following her up a flight of stairs and down a hall. Our room is the last door on the left.

"Breakfast will be served at nine. Feel free to shower or watch television or anything you wish while you stay. It will be thirty dollars for the night plus ten dollars for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. See you at nine." Lea whispered quietly to us, as not to wake any other sleeping guests. My dad and I nodded before I headed for the shower.

"Max," something shakes me. "Max, sweetie, wake up." My dad's voice registered in my mind. I slowly open my eyes, sadly coming back to the present. Why did he have to wake me up? I was with mom, at our new mystery house, and we were decorating, unpacking our belongings.

"Are you okay?" my dad asks as I walk out of the bathroom. "You're awfully quite," he observes.

"I'm fine; I just had a dream about mom. I'm alright," I turn back to the bathroom and dab my eyes with a cold washcloth before re-applying my black eyeliner.

"Ready to leave?" my dad asks as I walk back into the room. I nod as I re-stuff my duffle bag and follow him down the stairs.

"Leaving so soon?" Lea appears behind us.

"Yes, we really must be going, we're driving all the way to Rhode Island, you know." My dad informs her.

"Ah, I see. I come from Connecticut, myself. Born and raised in East Hartford."

"I see. I've only been east a few times before, once for work, once because a close friend of mine passed on, and another because I traveled cross country before coming back home." They continue their conversation.

I nudge my dad to let him know that I'm going to the car as I wrap my blanket around my shoulders. I quietly open the door and let myself out of Lea's Bed and Breakfast.

I start my car and throw my duffle behind my seat before grabbing my CD from Serena and popping it into the player on the dash.

I'm settling into my seat, waiting for my dad to pay and come out when the first song starts to play, and I can't help but sing along and miss Serena as I plunge into memories of life in Grays Harbor.

The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting

I sing, flashing back on all of my memories of me and Sam. After the short 'honey moon phase' of us, we fought a lot. It was a great day when we didn't fight. Towards the end he became abusive, and when my dad found out, he kicked Sams' ass.

I was fourteen and haven't been in a relationship since. I was truly scared, and I still am to be quite honest.

This is not what I intended, I always swore to you I'd never fall apart.

I continue to sing, thinking about the phase after Sam was out of my life in the most ways possible. I'd never intended to be all messed up by him or to have to have my dad intercede in the situation. The ordeal almost landed him in prison for ten years. We had a good lawyer; he only had to serve two of those years.

I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start.

My stereo continued. I plunged into my thoughts of how his abuse was my fault. I'd failed, but, I still loved him. It was a hard fight to battle.

Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you, over again, don't make me
change my mind, or I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true, because a
girl like you is impossible to find, you're impossible to find.

The chorus poured out of my speakers and my mouth as I sang along and thought about Sam and I, and my father.