Two hours and twenty-eight minutes. She had two hours and twenty-eight minutes of uninterrupted silence. And honestly, those two hours and twenty-eight minutes were the least insufferable moments that Jade had ever spent with the gang.

Granted, most of the group had drifted off to sleep as soon as they had set course to Oregon, so it wasn't like there was much conversation to be had. After they feasted on sausage and egg sandwiches and hash browns from the local fast-food joint, the RV had fallen into an undisturbed bliss.

Cat and Robbie had quickly taken up residence on Beck's makeshift mattress, the former passing out on the latter's shoulder. Naturally, Robbie remained as staunch as a wall for fear of stirring the redhead beside him. Jade couldn't help but bark out a laugh when the boy nervously admitted that he needed to pee. (He ended up holding it in...she thinks.)

Meanwhile, André and Beck found themselves seated at the front of the camper. André was supposed to keep track of the GPS on his phone and look out for any upcoming pit stops, traffic jams, or obstructions in the road while Beck drove. But an hour in, the musician was slumped in the shotgun seat snoring placidly. This didn't surprise anyone, especially since André had volunteered to spend the days leading up to their departure planning every single detail to a tee. Without a look-out, though, Beck had adopted a slow-and-steady approach that would have put those elderly mobility scooters to shame.

Of course, that left Jade and Tori to awkwardly recline on opposite sides of the sleeper sofa. Fantastic.

Well, in all fairness, Tori had only made a few hapless attempts at conversation. They stopped altogether when Jade inserted her earbuds into her phone and turned on her personal playlist. It was fascinating how, for once, the usually sociable brunette struggled to break through the silence. Jade would occasionally peek up from her device and observe the slight crease between Tori's brows and the conflicted pout that graced her features. The sight reminded her of an attention-starved puppy.

So, the vibrating of tires against the interstate and the whirring of passing cars were the only noises that cut through the quiet. At least, that was the case until Cat's eyes fluttered open and she spoke the sound back into existence.

Everyone decided then and there that they preferred a sleeping Cat over an awake Cat.

"...Oh! I've been studying my geography for the trip, too! Did you know that there are two states called Washington?! There's one that's right on top of Oregon! I wonder if they're twins.'"

"There are so many things named after Washington. There are the two Washington states, washing machines, George Washington…"

"Cat," Jade gritted out. "Your luggage will be washed up along the river banks if you don't quit talking right now."

"Uh, you know, we could always put on some music," Tori interrupted a little too eagerly. "Jade, you were in charge of the playlist, right? Maybe we can jam out to some songs to pass the time."

"I second that," André murmured while recovering from a yawn.

"Alright," the goth exhaled, scrounging through the playlists she had saved on her Stripify account to share the link to André, who then connected it to the camper's radio. Everyone in the vehicle immediately recognized the riffs to the song and turned to Jade with an assortment of gobsmacked, impressed, and bewildered expressions.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! I love Dancing Queen!" Cat squealed.

"We are not listening to this! Skip the song," Jade groaned to the occupants in the front seats. A faint blush crept its way onto her normally milky white skin as she placed a palm on her temple.

"Huh? You said you wanted us to turn it up?" Beck asked. A cheeky grin threatened to take over his expression as the volume increased steadily. Jade sent her ex the most scornful look she could muster.

"I never pegged you for an ABBA fan," Tori remarked while nudging into the raven-head's shoulder teasingly. "I guess you never fail to surprise me."

"I'm not. That song's supposed to be on my mom's playlist," she replied moodily, but eventually added, "But good to know that I can keep you on your toes."

"You can dance! You can ji-i-ve! Having the time of your liiife!" Cat and Robbie harmonized together. Some fresh voices joined in for the following verses, and before long, most of the squad was shambling around the carpeted floors singing along to the 70s pop ballad.

It was stupid, the way their vocals effortlessly meld together and create melodies that accentuate their combined talents. And it was equally stupid when Jade caved to the pleading faces of her friends to perform a song that she didn't even like.

They did sound pretty good, though.

"Oooo! See that girl!"

"...watch that scene!"

"Diggin' the dancing queen!"


At hour six, the smell of strong coffee roused Jade from her position on the camper couch. She wiped the sleep from her eyes, only to be ambushed by the sight of Tori inserting two beverages into a cup holder between their seats. The cup next to her had a fountain of steam billowing from the vent on the lid.

"We stopped at the gas station," Tori explained. "Everyone is still picking out goodies for the rest of the ride. I think Beck said that he was getting you a soft pretzel."

Jade lunged for the container of coffee wordlessly.

"Hey, who said that was yours?" she heard the singer vainly complain.

Jade took a long, greedy swig from the drink in spite before biting back. "It's called sharing the wealth, Vega. Besides, you don't strike me as a 'black with two sugars' kind of gal."

"You'd be surprised," Tori scoffed, eying the coffee in her hand and confiscating it with a vindictive grin. She sipped some of the dark liquid and immediately recoiled from the bitterness. Jade shook her head in amusement as her rival exchanged it back for her own iced hazelnut latte.

"Surprised that you can't handle undiluted coffee? Not in the slightest," she asserted with a breathy laugh. "Are you sure you didn't just mix some creamer and sugar in a cup?"

"Moving on, " Tori narrowed her eyes sharply. "Seems like that's another coffee on your tab."

"I never asked you to get it for me, you know. You bought it of your own volition, so I don't owe you anything," Jade declared pointedly.

"Not even a 'thank you?' Or any display of gratitude at all?"

"Well, I normally reserved gratitude for people I actually like, so…"

"Ouch, I'm wounded," Tori drawled with a vague semblance of a smile. "And here I thought you came on this trip just to hang out with me."

"Well, that's a pretty conceited conclusion to draw," she quipped while swirling the remnants of the coffee in her Styrofoam cup. Subconsciously, though, the statement made her feel more uneasy than she cared to admit.

Why did she tag along on this escapade? She was convinced that it was partially out of boredom. After all, most of her friends would have probably deserted her for some wild and wacky adventures in Oregon with Tori. It's not like she wanted to be left alone, wedged between two homes and two sets of families during fall break. At least the company here would be consistent, and she could be surrounded by individuals who consistently wanted her.

Like Tori, who was apparently so excited by the prospect of Jade coming that she had asked her personally during their outing that week.

She just couldn't wrap her head around it. What about this trip made the brunette uncomfortable with the idea of the gang coming along? She'd mentioned that she was afraid that they'd be weirded out, but then why specifically did she want her there too? Tori had to have assumed that Jade would exploit her insecurity about it, but yet the way that she gazed at her showed a degree of trust that she hadn't expected.

Did she think this trip would alter the course of their relationship? And if so, would it be for the better or for the worse?

She decided on a (not so) straightforward answer. "I can see why you might think that, though. For reasons I can't understand, you invited me along. And for reasons I don't want to understand, I accepted. I guess that's something we'll just have to figure out."

The singer swallowed a lump in her throat. "Yeah, I guess we will."


The second half of the ride was arguably faster than the first. By this point, everyone adjusted to the periods of quiet that filled the gaps in their discussions. When they weren't engaging in pointless banter or games, Jade found herself watching the world whirl by through the window. The surroundings would gradually morph as they passed through various regions, and she'd be reminded of the stretch of land that now existed between her and Hollywood.

When Beck, André, Cat, and Robbie had filed into the camper, Jade requested to trade seats with André and occupy the space next to Beck. No one had objected, although she sensed some stray looks as she maneuvered into the passenger's seat.

The silence was comparatively easier this way. When she and Beck were in a relationship, they had relished in the quiet. They would lounge in the RV, Beck tousling Jade's then-tawny hair while the goth drafted the next scene for her script. There weren't any words to be spoken because their presence together communicated all that it needed to. At least, they assumed that was the case.

Words complicated things. 'I love you,' was a statement that had to be choked out because the phrase held lofty terms and conditions that they were afraid they wouldn't meet. How long is love expected to last? What happens if it isn't indefinite? What if what feels right to him doesn't feel right to her? What if what feels right to her doesn't feel right to him?

They never really broached these issues. Instead, they ignored the tension that underscored their relationship, letting it bubble underneath the surface and trickle into their conversations. They disagreed, they fought, they made up, and they enjoyed one another's company for a little longer until the next argument ensued. It was a vicious cycle that they escaped at the beginning of senior year when they had both ended things for good. The break up was civil, and pretty soon, the silence returned to a healthy one. 'I love you' also became an expression that was shared between two friends who deeply cared for the other. Nothing more.

Jade shifted around in her seat to get a good look at the passengers in the back. Robbie was showing off one of his favorite graphic novels and explaining the complicated backstories of the characters to an engrossed Cat, who was quick to comment on the designs of the costumes. Meanwhile, André and Tori were proposing ideas for new songs. The goth picked up on a few verses that were being tossed around; she was fairly sure she heard something about 'stage lights' and 'glistening nights.'

Beck forced her out of her trance by declaring that they'd just crossed the Oregon border.

"We've got another twenty minutes of driving, so I'd suggest everyone get their belongings together before we reach the cabin," he reminded the squad amidst their cheering. Everyone returned to their conversations with renewed spirits.

The actor then addressed Jade directly. "I bet you'll be glad to get out of this RV."

"On the road, in the mountains, what's the difference? I'll have to put up with you nut jobs anyway," she offered a curt smile in response while her fingers thrummed on the vehicle's center console.

"You didn't have to come," Beck retorted with equal levels of skepticism and curiosity.

"I'm aware of that," she maintained as her eyes trailed off towards the road determinedly. "A place like this is bound to have some sort of rich history. And where there's history, there's likely some dark, twisted material to uncover too. I wouldn't pass that kind of opportunity up."

"You know, something tells me you're not here to just gather inspiration for your writing. There's another reason, isn't there?" Beck pondered aloud, glancing briefly between the aspiring director and their friends in the back of the camper.

"And what reason could you possibly be referring to?" she asked warily.

He paused to focus on the frenzy on the road before offhandedly mentioning, "What was happening with you and Tori earlier?"

"What does that have anything to do with…" Jade's expression morphed in realization as she hissed out quietly, "You think I came because of her?"

"Did you?" he questioned her back. At this, she let out an inaudible sigh.

"If I did—which I didn't—," she began with excessive caution. "Then it'd only be because of how sketchy she's been acting lately."

"I haven't noticed her acting any differently."

"That's because you-!" she clamped her mouth shut before she could finish voicing her thoughts. She was so tempted to leak out, 'You didn't see the way she was behaving when we were out Tuesday morning', or even 'You don't know her like I do,' but she swallowed her words morosely.

"I just get the feeling that she is, okay?" Jade finished through clenched teeth. "There's something disturbing her, and I can't have that. That's supposed to be my job."

"So you came to find out what's wrong with her?" Beck deduced with the amused raise of a brow.

"Ew, when you put it like that, it almost sounds like I like her or something," the goth recoiled. "But no. I just need to know if Sweet Sally Peaches is being as genuine as she's led us to believe."

He shook his head. "Okay, so say that there was something off and you ended up finding out about it. What would you do with that information?"

"I…" she hesitated as her gaze bounced between the phone in her lap and the mountainous terrain outside the RV. She'd nearly forgotten that they'd exited the interstate and would pass through a few clusters of rural towns. "I'd find a use for it."

Beck hummed in acknowledgement. "I trust you Jade, and Tori does too. You won't take things too far."

"Right," Jade nodded resolutely.

She let her head rest against her shoulder while their tiny trailer sped towards their destination, suddenly unbothered by the distance between their home and this nondescript town in Oregon.