A/N: So this chapter is kinda short, but if I had let it go further, it would've gotten way too long. Again, it's centered around the OC's, but I think you'll still enjoy it. The next chapter will be pretty big, and I might be bringing back some stuff from the past, so be ready for that. And if there are any mistakes, I'm sorry. I'm kind of in a hurry.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you might recognize.
"Got everything?" Ryan asked, resting her hands on the edge of the hatchback. Alex grumbled an unintelligible response, but his sleepy nod was enough of a response. She shut the trunk with a tired but content hum before shuffling her way to the driver's seat. she fell in just as Alex shut his door. Once she'd started the engine, he turned his body in the seat, his long legs pulled up to his chest.
"You sure you can drive?" he asked when she yawned. She nodded, and he sighed, letting himself fall further sideways with his left ear and shoulder pressed against the seat. Within moments, he was fast asleep. Ryan glanced at him, chuckling slightly at how his nose would whistle with every exhale. She fought to keep her own eyes open, turning the radio on low enough that she could hear without waking her companion on the short drive to the seemingly always-open diner. Pulling into an empty parking spot, she put the SUV in park, leaving it on with Alex inside.
"Mornin' Reggie," Ryan greeted, clearing her throat of its sleep-induced rasp as she fell into one of the few bar stools empty of old truckers and early morning regulars she had come to recognize over the years. "Taking over for Margaret today?
"Hey there, Ryan. It's been a while," Margaret's oldest son responded as he poured coffee with one hand for another seated customer, simultaneously wiping down the counter with the other hand. "And yea, I told Ma I'd take the morning shift to train one of our new cooks," he pointed to a scrawny boy attempting to fry up a batch of hash browns. "So, what can I get ya'?"
"Just two homestyles to go. I've got Alex half-conscious in the car."
The man nodded, turning his back to her as he reached for one of many coffee pots brewing in a line on the back counter. After he had handed her both cups and she had paid, they bid each other goodbye, and Ryan left the joint, the bell above the door ringing out behind her. As she slid into the driver's seat, she rolled her eyes at Alex's sleeping form. His coffee in the cupholder and hers in hand, she drove out and away from the tiny but busy Florida diner for the last time in 2013.
It was mid-morning by the time Alex had finally woken up, but he remained curled up on the seat while attempting to swallow the disgustingly cold coffee. Ryan glanced at him with tired eyes, chuckling when he shuddered at the taste before turning her attention back to the only kind-of-familiar roads running through Northern Florida.
"We should have just flown," he remarked, reaching to put his empty cup in the trash bag tied to the back of his seat.
"We say that every time we take a road trip, yet here we are," Ryan replied, Alex chuckling in agreement. A silence fell over them once more, the radio's static hum being the only sound. Alex watched the driver with what began as simple, sibling-esque affection but quickly morphed into concern and slight curiosity.
"Hey Ry?" he asked, trying to get her attention.
"Hmm?" she responded, looking out the window on his side as she made a turn.
"What do you think of Serena and I?" He was genuinely curious about her opinion of the girl he had grown so close to in the short time since Christmas.
"What do you mean? I pushed you to talk to her, didn't I?" she reminded him, a barely noticeable tone of defense crossing her voice.
"I know, but... You've been against all of this- this love stuff- since I've known you."
"Alex..." She sighed, keeping her attention strictly on the road. "Alex, I've also always wanted you to be happy. My own opposition to the whole falling-in-love thing doesn't have any business messing with your happiness. If you think you've found it, who am I to tear you down?" She met his glance as she asked this before returning her eyes to the road when she didn't get an argument in response. He sat back, a little shocked as he processed her response. Watching her closely for a moment, he spoke up once more.
"Do you love Carlos?" He was blunt. Ryan nearly slammed the brakes at the question.
"What the hell?!"
"Do you love Carlos?" He repeated the question, pushing himself upright in the chair.
" Alex, you know I don't." She kept her eyes focused on the road as she pulled onto the interstate.
"I think you do," he pressed on.
"Since when do you think?" Ryan retorted, her usual snarky attitude returning. Alex rolled his eyes, unfazed by her tone.
"Ever since you forgot how to," he counted. "You keep pushing him away when you know it's what you want."
"I don't want anything, and you damn well know that." She was getting angry.
"No, you just don't want to accept that you're falling in love," he informed, not backing down.
"I don't fall in love." She gritted out each word, her hands wringing around the leather of the steering wheel, knuckles going white.
"How long do you plan on telling yourself that?" Alex inquired, quirking an eyebrow. "It's human nature. You can't help it."
"Fucking go back to sleep. It's too damn early to deal with your shit."
"I'm fresh and awake, and you're stuck in a car with me for the next 40 hours or so. You can't avoid this conversation."
"I can damn well try."
They exited a Burger King somewhere just out of Phoenix the next evening, Alex sliding into the driver's seat with Ryan coming in on the other side. Once they'd settled back in, Ryan pulled herself up into the same sideways-curled position Alex had assumed the previous day.
"So," Alex began once they'd pulled back onto the interstate, "what are you going to do when you see him tomorrow?" Ryan groaned at the question, burying her face in the back of the seat.
"I thought you dropped this, like, seven states ago," she mumbled into the upholstery.
"I warned you that you couldn't get away from it," Alex reminded with a smug glance in her direction.
"How many bones do you think I'd break if I jumped out right now..." Her voice trailed off as she uncurled and turned her body to the window to survey the road and the possible impact of tumbling out.
"Probably most of them," Alex informed truthfully.
"Damn..." she muttered dejectedly under her breath.
"Ryan, why can't you just give him a chance?" he asked.
"He's not the problem and you know it." She brought her legs back up the her chest, laying sideways like before. Eyes shut, she rested her head mid-back on the seat.
"Fine," Alex sighed, knowing to drop the subject for the time being. "Go to bed; you were driving all day, and we still have a good five and a half hours left."
"Ry." Alex shook her slightly until her eyes opened, confused. Her expression made him laugh softly. "Come on, babe. We're here." He smiled when she nodded sleepily, pushing her door open and stumbling out. As they gathered their luggage along with the trash that had accumulated over the two days they had been living in the car, they heard a door slam before a shrill yet familiar screech rang out followed by a much deeper voice.
"Babe, try not to wake the neighborhood." The voice belonged to a tall blond figure that chased the loud brunette down their driveway.
"Oh fuck off, Chris!" she yelled back before attacking Ryan in a hug.
"Jesus Christ, Mia," Ryan choked out, the wind having been knocked out of her by the shorter girl. "Release," she requested, patting her on the head. With one final squeeze, she complied before squealing again at the sight of her younger brother appearing from behind the SUV.
"Lex!" She hollered before all but attacking him, wrapping her legs around his waist as he steadied himself, dropping his duffel to the pavement and wrapping him arms around her.
"Hmm, hey Mia." Alex smiled warmly as his sister kissed his cheek.
"I missed you." She spoke against his shoulder, the sound muffled and soft.
"Missed you too, sis. Why don't we head in?"
"Mkay," she agreed, laying her head down on his shoulder. Alex waited for her to let him go, chuckling when she didn't.
"You want me to carry you, don't you?" Mia nodded with a big smile. "Baby, I have to get my bag."
"Chris will take it," she stated matter-of-factly as she glanced over at her boyfriend who had been attempting a conversation with a half-asleep Ryan. He nodded, stepping forward to grab the duffel off of the ground.
"Thanks, man," Alex said, following Chris into the house, Mia wrapped around him and Ryan trailing closely behind. Once they'd reached the living room, Mia jumped off of her brother, immediately slinging an arm around Ryan's shoulders.
"So the guest room is ready for you, same one as last time. Get some sleep; we all need to be up early tomorrow to get shit done."
"Making your guests work?" Ryan asked with a smirk, more awake than before.
"Damn straight I'm putting your asses to work. Now go, shoo," Mia commanded, hitting both her brother and faux-sister on their behinds.
"Going, going," Ryan laughed, shouldering her duffel and backpack once more. "G'night."
"Night," Alex said, leaning forward to kiss his sister's cheek. "Night, Chris."
"Good night," the couple called out as Alex and Ryan climbed the stairs to their room. Alex fell onto his side of the king-sized bed, not bothering to unpack or wash up out of exhaustion. Ryan, not wanting to wait until the last minute, set up the few thing she knew she'd need before using the restroom and brushing her teeth. Once she was done, she settled into her side of the bed with her laptop. Clicking around subconsciously, she found herself on Carlos's twitter and smiling.
TheCarlosPena: Closing in on a great year. Many amazing things coming! Cant wait to spend time with some special people. Have fun and stay safe!
She favorited the tweet before shutting her laptop and placing it on the floor. She leaned over the edge of the bed, rifling around her backpack until her fingers brushed over the bronze latch of the leather journal she had gotten from James. She pulled it out, looking for the one paper she kept folded inside and with her at all times. Reading over it calmed her nerves, and she sighed before tucking it back into the journal, removing her glasses, and shutting off the lamp.
A/N: So yea, minor shit went down ahah. I hope you enjoyed it even though it was kinda shitty. I hope you liked Mia (ESPECIALLY YOU. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE). But seriously, thank you guys so much. I'm almost at 100 reviews, and I really think we can get there after this chapter, so Follow/Favorite/Review!