The highway stretched for miles, and Adora didn't even know which state they were in anymore.
She held onto her heavy pack, putting one foot in front of the other continuously. She had to keep moving forward, no matter what happened. As long as she had Catra, there was nothing stopping this journey.
She looked over her shoulder to see her travel partner. Catra's eyes were cast down at the orange dirt path before her. She hadn't spoken in a while. Only a few words had been exchanged between them in the last few days after the incident at the bar.
They had been wary of walking next to highways, but now, it was the only path they had. They had seen a grand total of six cars fly by in the last twelve hours, and Adora was starting to wonder if the highway had any end. The heat was slowly getting to her.
Adora wondered how far across the state that word gets out. How much of South Dakota, or even the United States, will know that she and Catra are runaways? That they were about to be detained? That they were about to kill Catra?
Going home always seemed so simple after all this. But now, Adora had no idea what they'd do. Would the police in Atlanta know about what they did? Will they treat Catra the same? Adora had been thinking if she should even go home.
She knew she had a promise to keep to her friends. To herself. But she also knew that Catra was afraid. She could tell by her face, and her eyes. This wasn't so simple anymore. They were runaways. They were likely being hunted.
For now, Adora had to keep moving forward.
She had to finish this journey with the person she had been with for the last seven months.
Adora kept walking, but she soon heard only her own footsteps. She stopped, and turned to see Catra standing still, her eyes almost blank as she looked at the ground. "Hey. You okay?" Adora asked Catra, who almost looked like she was in a trance.
Catra's ears were ringing, and her whole body felt weightless. Endless tingles were going throughout her arms, her spine, her legs. Nothing made sense, and everything felt frazzled. She felt the wind blow pass her skin, and she soon realized she was falling forward.
"Catra!" Adora suddenly leapt forward, catching Catra by the shoulders before she could fall down. Catra's eyes suddenly widened as she felt Adora's hands on her shoulders, and she looked up into Adora's eyes. She saw the concern in them.
Catra looked up at her travel partner, and her heart spoke before her brain could render anything.
"You're…" Catra croaked out. "… Beautiful…"
Adora's eyebrows narrowed, and she slowly laid Catra down on her back, removing her pack. Adora noticed Catra's lips were incredibly dry, and she immediately unzipped Catra's pack, reaching in and pulling out her water supply.
It was empty.
"What the…" Adora looked to Catra. "Why didn't you tell me you had no water? I've got plenty to spare," Adora said, taking off her own pack and unzipping it, pulling out her own water bottle. She gently ran a hand over Catra's cheek, bringing the tip of the bottle to Catra's lips.
Slowly, Catra felt the cold liquid run down her throat, cleansing it of the dryness that had been building up the last few days.
"Come on, we're going to take a break here. You're dehydrated," Adora said as Catra coughed slightly, having her first drink in days. Adora looked down to her partner, and let out a sigh. "Catra… You told me you were fine. Why didn't you let me know you had no water? You'll die without it."
Catra, through her weakness, chuckled. "Exactly…"
Adora had no idea why her partner was saying these things. She reached down, placing her hand atop Catra's and stroking her palm with her thumb. "I can't lose you. I'd be terrified if I didn't have you. Please… Don't scare me like that. You mean a lot to me."
Catra looked up to the cloudless sky, and gazed upon the blaring hot sun. Her face was downcast into a frown. "Why…?" Catra asked.
"What?" Adora shook her head.
"Why do you care…? I nearly got you killed again… I've gotten you into so much shit… I…" Catra coughed before she could go on. Adora looked down to her partner, sighing as she ran her knuckles against Catra's dry cheek.
"Do you really feel responsible for what happened at that bar?" Adora asked. Catra couldn't bring herself to respond. "You did nothing wrong. There was no reason for them to harass you like that. I blame them. Not you."
Catra stared up at the sky in silence as she felt Adora's gentle hand against her cheek. Slowly, she brought her own hand up, placing it on Adora's. She titled her head, and gently, placed a kiss on Adora's palm. "I don't want to lose you…" Catra whispered, leaning her forehead against Adora's hand.
"You won't. I promise," Adora responded. "You mean so much to me, Catra. I'm not going to let you go. And I don't blame you for any of the hard parts of this journey. I could've never come this far without you. I…" Adora's words caught in her throat, and she looked down at the ground.
And before she could get them out, she suddenly heard the familiar sound of a vehicle in the distance.
"Cops…?" Catra croaked, her hand shaking slightly as she heard the tires dragging against the road. She could barely move her head to look at the highway, so Adora had to look for her.
"No…" Adora shook her head. "It's just a van."
Slowly, Adora raised an arm and put up her thumb, trying to signal for a ride. Especially now, they needed to get somewhere cool. Having Catra in this heat any longer might do her even more harm. Adora had never prayed a day in her life, but now, she held onto some hope that this van would be merciful.
And her wish came true.
Slowly, the blue van rolled to a complete stop as the window on the passenger side rolled open. A woman with brown eyes and wavy, long teal hair sat in the driver's seat. "Is she alright?" The woman asked, pointing to Catra.
"She's dehydrated," Adora responded. "Please, if you can at least get us to the nearest town…"
The woman looked to Adora for a few seconds, before cocking her head to the side. "Where are you two headed anyway?" She asked.
"Uh…" Adora looked down to her partner, who gave her a small nod. "Alaska," Adora spoke, looking into Catra's eyes. After a few seconds, she looked back up to the driver. "We're headed to Alaska."
The woman looked at the road ahead of her and let out a long sigh through her nose, pondering for a few moments. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she decided the travellers' fates. "Please…" Adora pleaded, her voice choking up a bit. "She can't stay out here like this. Even if you take just her, that'd be fine. You can leave me behind. I just…"
"Adora, stop…" Catra put her hand on Adora's cheek, looking desperately up at her partner. "Don't say that…"
"Hey, uh, you two can quit being dramatic and all," the driver said with a smirk. "Look. I've got a shit-ton of room in the back of the van, and I'm on a direct route to Alaska anyway. Looks like your luck hasn't run out just yet."
Adora's eyes widened. "I…" She smiled down at Catra, before looking back up at the driver. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I… Thank you!"
"Okay, don't make a big deal out of it or whatever," the driver responded. "Name's Mermista. You should hop in before she, like, dies or something," Mermista said with in a dry tone.
Adora nodded, slowly wrapping her arm under Catra's back, another arm going underneath Catra's legs as Adora picked her up. Catra felt Adora's strength, and her eyes widened upon realizing that Adora was carrying her bridal style.
Slowly, Adora opened the back of the van to reveal a few cardboard boxes, but mostly empty room. Thankfully, one of those boxes contained plenty of water bottles as well, and the van had been thoroughly cooled by the A/C.
"You can use that water. There's plenty to spare," Mermista said, looking in the rear-view mirror at the pair. Slowly, Adora laid Catra down, sitting her up against the side of the van.
"Thank you so much. We're seriously in your debt," Adora replied as she grabbed one of the many water bottles. As Mermista put the van back into gear and accelerated down the highway, Adora gave her partner another water bottle.
Catra took the water and drank almost three quarters of its contents in less than fifteen seconds. Adora sat down next to her partner, bringing her knees up to her chest as she watched Catra finally hydrate herself. "You going to be okay?" Adora asked.
"Yeah…" Catra replied, her voice less hoarse. "I'm… I'm sorry. That was so stupid of me."
"Why did you do it? I could've given you my water at any time," Adora said, leaning towards her partner. Catra stared down at her feet, and she let out a sigh.
"Guilt."
"Huh?"
"Adora…" Catra looked to her partner, her eyes filled with sadness. "You've nearly drowned to death. You've been shot at. All because I dragged you on this stupid trip."
"You didn't drag me anywhere. I asked to come, remember?" Adora said.
"Well, then we never should've gone," Catra moped. Adora's eyes widened as she gasped slightly.
"Are… Are you saying you regret all this?" Adora asked.
"No! I mean… I just…" Catra ran a hand through her rough hair. "Fuck, Adora! I made a promise to keep you safe and you've nearly died twice now!"
"It hasn't just been my life in danger all the time! Are you forgetting that you were also getting shot at?!" Adora said with a desperate voice.
"My life doesn't matter!" Catra cried.
"Yes, it does! You were the victim in that situation, not me!" Adora replied in a louder tone than she intended. She heard her voice echo across the van, and she looked to see Mermista staring at them through the rear-view mirror. She kept her thoughts to herself as Adora sighed. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have yelled."
"… It's fine," Catra replied, taking another drink of water. "… I've just… I've felt so shit these last few days. Thinking about all the trouble I've dragged you into. And despite all of it, I haven't even told you a little bit about myself. About where I come from."
"That doesn't mean you should intentionally dehydrate yourself," Adora pleaded, but Catra didn't give a response. Adora sighed and kept silent for a while, but slowly, she placed her hand over Catra's. "You know… If I was given another chance… To go on this journey with you… Even with all the danger and everything we've gotten ourselves into…"
Adora took a breath. "I'd do it all over again in a fucking heartbeat."
Catra looked over to her partner. "Why…?" She asked.
Adora looked into Catra's eyes. "Because then I'd get to spend all those days with you once more."
Catra gazed into her partner's eyes, and soon felt her eyes glance down at Adora's lips. More than ever, in this moment, she wanted to take Adora's lips with her own. But she held herself back, and she instead looked down at her own feet.
Catra stayed silent for a few moments as the van rocked around slightly, until eventually, she leaned her head over and nuzzled it into Adora's shoulder. Adora brought an arm up, holding her partner close as Catra let out a sigh. "Tennessee," Catra suddenly spoke.
"Huh?" Adora raised an eyebrow.
"I was born and raised in… Tennessee. The state directly above Georgia," Catra said. "My mother's name was Shadow Weaver. And she's the reason I ran away from it all."
Catra looked at the lines of D's and F's on her report card, and yet she didn't feel a thing.
The end of another semester, and all she was looking forward to was sleeping in the next morning. She walked along the gravel path, looking at the orange sunset as she approached the house she's lived in all of her seventeen years of life.
She was thankful to see her mother's car was nowhere to be found in the garage. Even if it meant a few minutes of peace, it made all the difference. She took her key from her bag, entering the rather small house.
As she placed her school bag by the front door, she let out a sigh, wondering what to do with the report card. Obviously Shadow Weaver wasn't going to be happy. That was an understatement. Instead, Catra simply scrunched it all up and tossed it in the bin.
She didn't care about her results. She didn't care about much of anything.
She climbed up the stairs to her bedroom, littered with trash and cases for video games and movies. She flopped back on her bed, pulling her phone out of her pocket and going through her social media feed.
Much like most days, there weren't any notifications for her. She was almost invisible at school. And in life.
A few posts were from her classmates, happy at completing another school year, getting ready for parties and the like. Seeing posts about parties reminded Catra of one she went to last week. And someone she had met there.
Catra opened her messages, and clicked on her text messages with a girl named Lonnie. The latest message was from last night. 'Last day of school. You happy to be out of that shithole for a few months?', Catra had written to her. And yet Lonnie had simply left her on read, just like she had with the last five texts Catra sent.
Lonnie was in Catra's class, and yet they never talked much until they ran into each other at a party the previous week. Catra sighed, frustrated at the lack of response from Lonnie. In a moment of anger, Catra typed out a message.
'You can tell me if you don't want to talk. I thought we could have something more than a one-night stand but I guess I'm not worth jackshit to you or anyone.'
Catra's thumb hovered over the send button, but eventually, she shook her head, deleting the message. Maybe it was her own fault. Maybe she expected too much from someone she slept with and then promptly left first thing in the morning.
Catra had always sought connection, but at the same time, she was afraid of it. She was afraid of fucking things up and ruining everything. She always found it easier to leave at the first opportunity. And yet she still wanted that connection. She knew it was contradictory and hypocritical.
Catra hated the way her mind worked.
Soon enough, Catra heard the front door open. She knew who had come home. She put her phone on charge, and waited in silence. She hoped that maybe, just maybe, she could have a few more moments of peace.
"Catra! I know you're up there! Get down here!"
Catra cursed as she heard Shadow Weaver's grating voice.
She knew this talk was coming sooner or later, so she stood up, going out of her room and down the stairs to find her mother. People always told Catra she should be thankful to Shadow Weaver for adopting her when no one else would. And Catra always wondered if she should agree with those people.
"Where is your report card?" Shadow Weaver asked.
"I don't know. They didn't give me one," Catra shrugged. "Why does it matter? You know I failed everything anyway."
"Are you sure you didn't receive one?" Shadow Weaver asked, narrowing her eyes. The way she did it always sent chills down Catra's spine, but she simply crossed her arms, avoiding her mother's eye contact.
"I don't know what to say. They just didn't give me one…"
"You know I don't appreciate you lying, Catra," Shadow Weaver said, placing the crumbled-up report card on the bench. Catra immediately felt a shockwave of fear throughout her body as she looked at the card.
"… You're just going to be disappointed anyway. Like you always are," Catra sighed, looking down at the ground.
"You're right. I am," Shadow Weaver responded. "But perhaps I'd be a little less disappointed if you spent your time studying… instead of sleeping around."
Catra's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. "How did you…?"
"It doesn't matter how I know," Shadow Weaver hissed. "You told me you were participating in a study group last Friday, and I gave you the benefit of the doubt. But not only did you attend a party I specifically ordered you to avoid, you also went ahead and spent the night in bed with another woman."
"Did you go through my phone?!" Catra accused her mother. "That's my privacy! You can't read my texts!"
"I am your mother, and I'm allowed to know as much of your life as I please," Shadow Weaver suddenly stood up. "I only do it out of concern for you."
"Concern? Concern?! You call going through my phone fucking concern?!" Catra shouted.
"I don't want my daughter sleeping around like some… harlot!" Shadow Weaver yelled back, and Catra could only laugh, shaking her head.
"So now you're slut-shaming me! Fucking fantastic! I feel so much concern from you!" Catra said with a sarcastic grin. "What's next? You're going to out my sexuality to my entire fucking class out of 'concern'? You fucking snake!"
"I do not care who you love, I care that you're wasting away your life when you have so much potential!" Shadow Weaver shouted. "Catra, if you would just listen to me and understand my viewpoint…"
"I understand plenty," Catra spoke with venom in her voice. "I understand that your version of perfection is a straight A, good little girl who never raises her voice and does everything you say. I understand that you can happily go through my texts and judge every single life choice of mine, but the second I try to question your parenting, I'm suddenly the bad daughter! I understand that you will never fucking love me for who I am! I understand that you spit in the face of what it means to be a parent!"
Shadow Weaver could only stare at Catra as she panted. Catra felt tears welling in her eyes. "… I am simply trying to support you in becoming the best version of yourself," Shadow Weaver explained.
"You mean the best version that you want me to be," Catra responded with sadness. "You don't give a shit what I want. You never have. You never will."
And with that, Catra left her mother behind and stormed back upstairs. She simply wanted to hide the tears from her mother, just like she always has.
Just like she always will.
"My mother… She wanted to control me. People always told me I was ungrateful to her. She raised me. She gave me a home. That's what they always say. And it's not like they're wrong… They just…" Catra sighed, cuddling closer to Adora. "They don't understand."
"You wanted to be yourself, and your mother wanted you to be a different person. She berated you and invaded your privacy," Adora said. "I understand why you were so angry with that household, Catra."
"… Thank you," Catra sighed. "After that school year, that's when I started skipping… And that's when I realized that the life others wanted for me… It wasn't the life I wanted for myself," Catra said.
Adora held Catra closer as she spoke. She knew this was raw to Catra. What she described was one of many incidents with her mother.
"When I met you… I had been away from home for about five months. I lived by myself in that apartment. I was alone… And I thought I was happy," Catra said. "And I think I was. For a while. But I was really just happy to be away from that house… I… I still needed that connection. That bond with someone else."
As Catra spoke, Adora noticed a bright light in the front window of the van. She looked up to see that Mermista was driving through a town, and going pass buildings, malls and streetlamps. They reflected onto Adora's eyes.
"… When I met you, I was afraid," Catra admitted. Adora turned back to her. "I was afraid that I was going to fuck everything up like usual. I'm still afraid that you hate me for everything I've put you through. I'm… I'm not good at long-term connections. And yet I still want them."
Adora had never seen Catra this vulnerable before. The cracks in her voice combined with how much she shrunk down. Her shoulders were hunched and her jaw was clenched. Adora slowly reached out and brushed her fingers along Catra's hair, putting a strand behind her ear.
"People are… complex. I get where you're coming from," Adora whispered. "But meeting you has been the best thing that's ever happened to me. I want to be around you for the rest of my life, Catra. You've helped me in so many ways. You've… helped me finally discover who I am."
"… I have?" Catra asked in a quiet voice.
"Yeah," Adora smiled. "I've been meaning to tell you for a while now. I'm… I'm a lesbian, too. You've… helped me realize that now."
Catra looked up at her partner as she smiled. "Adora… I'm so proud of you," Catra replied.
"And I'm proud of you, too," Adora responded. "Hey, maybe we can go to a Pride Parade when we get back?"
"Yeah…" Catra said with a faint whisper. She smiled as she spoke, imagining the possibilities. After this trip was over, there was so much she and Adora could do. So much for them to discover about life and the future.
As Catra thought about this, she suddenly felt a tear stream down her cheek.
"Hey… Catra? Are… Are you okay?" Adora asked as Catra soon felt an endless amount of tears begin to stream down her smiling face. She covered her mouth with her arm, and soon enough, Adora heard Catra break into bitter sobs. "Hey… Hey…" Adora whispered, wrapping her arms around Catra's shoulders and rocking her gently.
"I'm sorry…" Catra choked out.
"What for? You've done nothing wrong…" Adora whispered, but Catra shook her head.
"There's… Something else I need to tell you…" Catra sniffled. "The reason I've been so hesitant to go back home…"
"What is it…?" Adora asked, stroking a hand through Catra's hair.
"… Shadow Weaver found me."
"… What?"
Catra looked to Adora with tear-filled eyes. "The apartment in Atlanta was rented under my name. And she was able to track my phone until we destroyed it in Texas. She's smart. I'm sure she knows that I'm responsible for your disappearance. She knew about my journey, and I'm sure she's figured out exactly what's going on," Catra explained.
"… No…" Adora whispered.
"I'm so sorry, Adora… I'm… I'm so sorry…" Catra sniffled, but Adora simply held her closer. "I know she's waiting silently for me in Atlanta… I know that once I get back, she'll… She'll take me away… Back to Tennessee…"
"Stop…" Adora whimpered, holding Catra tighter.
"I'm so fucking sorry…" Catra held Adora back. "… I swear I'll cherish these days we've had."
"Don't say another fucking word…" Adora suddenly sobbed. "I won't let her take you. I won't lose you. I can't lose you."
"I wish it was that simple, Adora…" Catra replied. "But I made a promise to bring you back. So when we get home… We'll say our goodbyes and… This will all be the best memories of our lives…"
Adora couldn't even respond anymore. She simply hugged her partner and let the tears flow. Catra felt her soul being hurt every time Adora let out a sob. She knew that this had been coming since Texas. But she never wanted to hurt Adora like this.
The truth was always painful. But now, this journey had a new goal for the two of them.
To create the best memories they could, before it all crumbled away.