- Max -

It was morning, and we were rolling across the road again. We were awfully quiet, none of us spoke the entire trip for a while now, especially dad. He would brought something up to lighten the mood, but he is just pale. My brother, well, he's rather hushed. He was not saying any word since we drove off from the motel, and leaving Nathan with his old man behind. I think that is the reason why Andy's been off lately, since last night. Yet, I'm still concerned about what he said, "I think you should ask him that yourself."

It keeps bothering my mind like, what does he mean by that? Is my brother having problems that I don't know about? It was intriguing that I was starting to worry about my brother, and I realized... how rough I was on him. This was so new and confusing for me, Andy is my little brother, yet, I'm the one who's not helping him... and then there's Nathan in the way, my counterpart. Come to think of it, he really is my opposite, it is so easy for him to look after Andy, and how come I can't do that to him?

I looked behind my sit to check on him, he was doing not that much. He was glancing at the window, watching the road passing seconds by seconds. He was feeling down now, it makes me uneasy.

"Andy." I called his name. He didn't respond. I breathe deeply, so I wouldn't get irritated that easily, and why would I do that actually?

"Andy?" I repeated, this time with the sound of concern, then he faced me. He was so... low-spirited.

He wasn't smiling at all, his eyes were pale, his hair was messy, and he looked so exhausted; what happened to him?

I moved closer to Andy from my seat, and patted his hair, looking at him with worry.

"Hey, Andy. Are you okay?" He stared at me, not talking back, not even saying a word.

Then, I moved my hand towards his cheek now, giving him the look that I want answer right away. Not the typical glare I often give him, I don't wanna be mean to him right now.

"Andy, is there something wrong?" I asked again, this time, sounding a bit worried now.

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and removed it from his cheek, preventing me from comforting him. My eyes widened, I looked at him surprised.

"I'm fine, Max. Don't touch me." he said, roughly in his voice.

I did not do anything, I just stared at him. I was speechless of the way he answered me, he was upset of something. I wanted to know what was bothering him, yet he said do not touch him; I think I won't go any further, considering we might argue in front of our dad, so I returned to my seat, and looked at the road once more.

- Andy -

Ugh. As if you care, Max. Seriously, you need to stop acting like you care about me, we both know you wanted me gone, he didn't said anything after I laid off his hand away from my face, and that's a good thing for me. I turned to the windows again to look at the view, ignoring him.

Then, I noticed a sign on front of us, junction; that laid words are left and right turn. Well, I've been waiting for this... Max.

I noticed my dad picked the map up, and giving it to my brother.

"Well, here you go navigator. Just follow my route on the map, son." Dad instructed, I seriously doubt that.

"Okay."

I heard my brother unfolding the map to reveal our marked destinations, I could still see the false direction, "Tch." I whispered.

As we Max was checking the map, we passed another sign pointing two places, California to the left, and Idaho to the right.

"Here comes our junction." dad pointed out, as he was driving a bit faster, I crossed arms as I wait where this scene goes next.

"Okay, Max, now this is it; left or right?"

My brother couldn't progress his words, as I watched him shaking on his own sentence, but I could still hear the word "left" from his mouth, how unpredictable.

"Come on, Max!" dad now demanded to let him speak.

"LEFT!" he yelled, as dad turned to where Max directed it, the car scraped on the centers to the right from where I was sitting.

The, everything went quiet once again, I heard my brother sighed.

I glanced at our dad, and he looked a angry now, now you've gone and done it, Max. I remained silent after all of that, I picked up my bag and took out my game boy to pass the time, as I listen to their conversation.

"How about a song, dad?" Max suggested, I only heard our dad growled.

"A game? A game! Yeah! Yeah, a game! Okay, uh..." pffft. wow, Max.

"Man, or woman?" I heard another growl from dad.

"Man? Man! Okay, uh... Walt Disney-!" suddenly, dad steered the car to the right, making me drop my game boy, and he stopped the car on a scenic overlook.

Dad gets out of the car, but his seatbelt was still intact, but he managed to loosen it, and slammed the door against me and Max. I let my eyes followed where he went, at the stone wall at the edge like looking at the view.

I let my face make a frown look, I understood what my dad is feeling right now, I crossed my arms and look at the opposite direction, not Max, why would I?

I heard my sighed, cause now he realized that dad is on to him.

"Andy?" he murmured my name, my eyes widened as I glanced at my front, to see Max was already looking at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "What?"

"Do me a favor please... go to dad, and-"

"No."

"W-What?"

"You heard me; no"

"But, Andy-

"I don't wanna do it." now, I sound like I'm a bit annoyed.

"Andy please!"

"Max, I already told you; no!"

"Andy, I swear-!" and that is where I lost my cool.

"You swear what? Max, I am getting really sick and tired of your threats, it is really getting old. Don't you have something new to make me feel afraid? And, I already told you, I don't want to go to dad, and talk to him, if you're going to ask me again; you know what I'll say next." I finished as I turned away from him, I don't wanna talk to him any further, he didn't say anything, I left him surprised. Well, it is my first time talking back to him after everything he did.

And, I'm glad that he finally shut up.

- Max -

I... I don't... did he just... how could he...

I have no words to say to him, I am speechless, and shocked. I never heard those words come from him before, it's as if I'm talking to another version of my brother. This is so confusing for me, am I... really threatening him? I didn't know... how come I'm starting to realized it only now? Why am I feeling this way?!

I didn't want to continue after he replied back, I just... let him be. I loosen my seatbelt and got out of the car feeling guilty of what I did.

I slowly walked towards him, and tried my best to think of what I'm about to say.

"Dad, listen, about my directions." then, he turned his back on me, ouch.I flashed to the other side.

"Will you listen to me? I gotta tell you have something, dad!" I finally pleaded.

"Why bother? I'm probably too stupid to understand anyway, right?" he replied a cold and harsh tone.

Now, I'm really starting to feel guilty, but I gave up, "Oh, forget it!" is all I could say.

I went to the back of the car, and kicked the wheel. I leaned at the hatchback, thinking what I should do. My dad, and my brother hates me now, especially Andy... what have I done?

Then, I felt something moved, my back was losing balance, and I fell to the ground. That's when I saw the car is rolling forward away from us!

"Hey, hey, hey! The car!" I yelled.

"What? Now, you want to drive too?" Oh, come on, dad!

"No, dad! THE CAR! LOOK!" I exclaimed at him, making turn his view at me.

"OH, THE CAR!" He finally yelled, as I did.

I was about to sprint for the car, but I heard my dad called onto me.

"Wait, Max! Where's your brother?!" He questioned. That's when I realized... he's still inside the car, I left him there. I turned back at the moving car, my eyes widened. I began to worry, as my heart started to race even faster, making me nervous... I left him there all by himself. Andy is in the car... MY LITTLE BROTHER IS IN THE FREAKING CAR!

"Andy..."