Chapter Four

Grow Up Already

Drake and Ava, after visiting various bars and clubs all night stumbled into her hotel room, both very buzzed. Ava being 21 got in legally, Drake used his fake ID that he and Trevor used back home. The non-impared Drake would have gone back to his suite knowing Josh would worry when he woke up to him not there, the impared Drake didn't. He was going to score with another older chick tonight, he didn't care what Josh thought, when it came to girls Drake never cared about Josh's input. He was the one having sex wasn't he?

"So Drake you going to play me that song?" Ava cooed as she sat on Drake's lap.

"In the morning I don't have my guitar with me." He explained as he gently kissed her. One thing led to another and like so many times before both their clothes were on the floor and he was under the covers with a girl he didn't care about.

He knew all the right things to say and to do. He knew how to tell a girl she was beautiful, that he loved her, that she was the only one for him. All bull, he knew the complexities of women. He knew that they needed to feel secure and be reassured that he wouldn't hurt them. Yeah right, he always hurt them.

After finishing he lay there on his back, Ava's head on his chest, blonde hair cascading, warm breath on his skin, yeah he liked sex...a lot, and apparently he was good at it. He was the master of seduction, a real James Bond, except that he didn't go around saving the world afterwards.

He could feel the hangover comming on, he kissed the top of Ava's head and fell into a deep sleep.

Josh awoke the next morning to find an empty unmaid bed next to his. Normally Drake would just fuck a girl then sneak back, in the wee hours of the morning. He rarely woke up to an empty bed across from his. He got up and moaned.

"Where the hell is he? He's so dead when he comes back." Josh muttered under his breath. "We have to be on the road by noon and here it is almost 10."

Josh went into the bathroom and started the shower.

Drake woke to Ava's arms around him. He carefully unwound them and got up and put his clothes back on. Sure he thought about leaving her there, no goodbyes, no acknowledgement of him even being there, but he knew it was rude. He wrote her a letter, at least she'd have some proof that he was there last night, that her sex story had some validity to it.

Ava,

Thanks for showing me a good time in Vegas. What happened here will really stay here. Call me sometime

cell: 886-4852

Love,

Drake Parker

So she'd call maybe, hell if something happened between them down the line it'd be one of those awsome stories he could tell his grandchildren of how Grandma and Grandpa Parker met, but the chances were slim. She'd probably sell it on EBay once he was famous.

Josh got out of the shower and put on his clothes. There were trying to hit Arizona today, if they were lucky they'd make it to the Grand Canyon.

Drake walked into their suite and lay down on the bed. His head was killing him, he'd taken some Advil at Ava's place but pills rarely helped with hangovers.

Josh heard him walk in and went over to him, furious that his brother would do that to him.

"So how was the sex last night Drake? You use a condom and everything?" Josh asked, the tone of his voice rising.

"Josh don't talk please." Drake moaned putting his hand over his head.

"Fine,but when you're over your hangover you bet I'll be talking." Josh stated as he finished getting ready.

Drake hadn't unpacked so he had a few minutes to relax. Josh was pissed that Drake made him check out because he didn't want to say anything to Ava and that Drake had been too hungover to drive.

They'd been on the road for hours, passing nothing but dry, baren dessert. Josh was beginning to feel tired and worried that he might fall asleep. In the past three hours there'd been only one lone pick up truck on the road they were one and they'd stopped at a gas station about 20 miles back.

Josh thought he was having one of those mirage type moments when he thought he saw steam comming out from the front hood, but he was brought back to reality when the check engine light came on and the car sputtered then stopped. Drake was asleep in the next seat, no doubt sleeping off the hangover. Josh pulled over and unpopped the hood. He checked the oil, it was good, checked the transmission fluild, good, checked the water cooler in the radiator...but burned his hand trying to unscrew the cap but figured it was fine.

Drake woke up to see the hood of his car open, smoke emitting from underneath it and Josh nowhere in sight. Drake opened the door and hopped out, the mid-afternoon sun beating down on him, he wondered how anyone could live like this. He saw Josh standing over the hood.

"What the hell happened?" Drake asked worried that his car had finally given up on him.

"Don't know." Josh stated. "All I know is we're stuck in a 100 degree dessert, with nothing to drink or eat, waiting for a car to drive by. And Drake the last car I saw that passed us was three hours ago."

"Where's the nearest gas station?" Drake asked. Maybe they could walk, they did have nalgenes full of water.

"20 miles that way." Josh said as he pointed behind the car. "We can walk. Sure beats sitting here waiting. If we see someone while we're walking to a gas station it's at least better than waiting for someone. We'd be killing two birds with one stone." Drake said as he pulled the two nalgenes, Josh's backpack, and a few extra tee-shirts out of the car. "Take this." he said as he threw a nalgene at Josh. Drake took out sunscreen and put on and tossed the tube to Josh.

"Drake, why the hell are you acting so mature?" Josh asked as Drake started walking in the direction of the gas station.

"Josh, I have things to do, I'm not dying in a dessert. Lock my car. I don't want anything stolen."

"And all this time I thought he was growing up." Josh sighed as he locked the car and placed the keys in his pocket.

They continued on down the dirt road, sun blazing over head, drinking water sparingly, well Drake was Josh wasn't.

"Josh save your water." Drake yelled at his brother as he noted Josh's half empty nalgene.

"I don't care what you have to say Drake just like you don't care what I have to say." Josh retorted like a five year old. Drake was pissing him off, well so was the heat. If he wanted his water, Josh would have his water.

"This is about Ava isn't. Josh I told you, I don't care what you think about what I do with girls. My sex life is my sex life." Drake stated matter of factly.

"It's more than Ava Drake. You promised that you'd teach me how to get a girl."

"Josh, it's not my problem if you're girlfriend is an Alien and doesn't want to go past first base with you. Most girls I know want to go past first."

"Most girls you know have venerial diseases."

"Do Not. Josh this is so way more than Mindy. We're going to die if we don't get to that gas station and if you don't shut up or tell me what's really wrong I'm going to kill you and eat you." Drake yelled as he turned around to face his brother.

"Kill me with what and cook me with what?" Josh asked holding out his arms indicating that there was nothing for Drake to do either with.

"Well whatever." Drake stated as he turned back and continued walking.

"Drake Parker you know what you are?" Josh yelled as his brother stopped. "You're nothing but a self-centered, womanizing, jack ass, slacker. No wonder you didn't get into College." Josh continued. "You suck Drake, you suck. You're the worst brother anyone could ever have."

"Oh yeah? Well I don't care Josh, I don't care. I never cared about you, ever. Everything I ever did for you was because I had to." Drake yelled even though it was a lie. "Josh Nichols you can go fuck yourself because no one else will do it." Drake screamed as he began to walk, he broke into a sprint knowing he'd regret it later, he wanted to be out of Josh's sight.

"Drake Parker I hope you die and go to hell." Josh shouted one last time as he watched his brother run off. Surely he hoped he didn't die. He knew neither of them had meant any of what they'd said.

Once Drake looked behind him and didn't see Josh anymore he slowed down into a walk. His shirt and hair were soaked with sweat. He took of his shirt and placed it into the backpack. Being sure to put sunscreen on his bare skin. There is nothing worse than a sunburn in a desert. He took a few sips from the nalgene. It was about a quarter full. He knew that a person could live 3 days without water, but someone as skinny as he was in a freakishly hot desert, chances weren't that high. He knew what he'd done to Josh last night was't right. But he got them a sweet hotel deal didn't he?

Drake looked at his watch, it was almost 2:00, he knew a person could travel 20 miles in a day, it wasn't that hard, plus Josh could have overshot the guess as to where the Gas Station was.

Josh walked back to the car, he'd stay there and wait for someone, hopefully Drake, to help him. He tied a white shirt to the antena of the car and he lay down and went to sleep despite the grueling heat and his own hunger.

Drake walked for to him what seemed like days. He finally reached that Gas Station Josh mentioned by 6:00. By then the desert had cooled down dramatically and Drake was pretty cold in only his track jacket.

The sign for Joe's repair and dinner didn't lie. A few big rig truckers were sitting by a bar watiressed by a young, vivacious brunette who everyone called Tay.

She couldn't have been older than 18. Drake sat down at the end furthest away from the truckers. Ever since that pool incident he stayed clear of anyone that fit that sterotype, big, bukly, lots of leather.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked as she pulled out a paper pad and pen. Drake noted that she was wearing a zero gravity shirt and light jean shorts that showcased gorgeous legs.

"Anything, I've been walking in the desert all day." He moaned as he placed his head on his arms.

"Papa, one large burger combo." She yelled back into the kitchen. "It's seems as though you found the right place. Why were you in the desert anyway?" She inquired.

"My car died. So I walked back to the gas station my brother passed." Drake explained, he picked his head up when he got to Josh. "Shit..." He breathed. He'd left Josh in the desert. Hopefully he decided to walk back to the car.

"Don't worry bout it, when you've finished eatin' I'll drive you back to the car. Name's Taylor, everyone calles me Tay." She said as she held out her hand for Drake to shake.

"Drake Parker." He said as he shook it.

"Now what can I get you to drink?" She asked as she pulled out a glass and filled it with ice.

"You got Dr. Fizz?"

"Sure do." She said as she grabbed the soda hose and filled his glass to the top. That soda and burger were the best Drake had ever eaten his his life. He was worried about Josh though, what was he doing for dinner? Hopefully he found Drake's stash of Candy under the back seat. It had Megathon bars, Futternutters, BoboBees and much more. Drake was certain that anyone could live out of his car.

Taylor cleared away Drake's plate, then hung up her apron as she yelled back to her father, "I'm taking the truck dad, some kid needs his car fixed."

"Here, let's go." She said as she grabbed a jean jacket off the hook near the door and took the keys out of her pocket.

They climbed into a pick up truck and Drake watched as she drove the thing down the road. He was never attracted to any girl who could hold her own before. He liked the kind that were girly and needed a guy to do things for them. Hell he almost broke up with a girl because she could take down a football player. But Taylor was something different, maybe it was lack of brain cells from being out in the sun all day, or maybe he was finally getting over himself and realizing that girls who were "fast" weren't the best. Maybe Josh was right when he said that the only girls Drake dated had venerial diseases.

Drake fell asleep somewhere between 8 and 9, only to be woken up again by Taylor gently shaking his arm when they reached the next gas station in Topock Arizona he was stunned to see his car sitting there.

"Seems as though your brother had the same idea." Taylor said as she turned off the ignition. She noted Drake staring at her and quickly added. "I'm just going to see if you guys are okay. These thugs here might charge you an arm and a leg for what's wrong with your car."

They got out of the truck and went in the dinner to see Josh sitting there eating.

"Josh!" Drake yelled as he ran over to his brother. "Sorry about what happened back there. I didn't mean any of it." Drake spilled as the look on Josh's face didn't change when he saw the girl Drake was with.

"You fuck her too?" Josh asked under his breath.

"No. She did this out of her own kindness." Drake said. "Josh I'm sorry what else do you want from me?" Drake pleaded. He hated it when his brother was mad.

"I want you to change Drake. I want this trip to be between us. I want us to bond okay."

"It's a deal."

"Knuckle touch?"

The two touched knuckles and made up with each other like they had so many times before. Josh doubted that Drake would actually change. He highly doubted it. He knew three days down the road that he'd be back to his old self.

"Boys, If you're looking for a place to stay I know a pretty cheap motel thats a few ways away. I can take you there and drive your car back to my place fix it for a deal if you want." Taylor offered. Chances like the one she was about to have don't come around often out in places like these. She needed a change of scenery and it came in the form of a gorgeous looking boy and his brother, who wasn't too bad looking himself.