Disclaimer: All characters, etc., belong to their owners...yep...just wrote this story here.
Right, might update tomorrow as I'll have time inbetween classes to write.
Chapter 4
The sun was setting as Drake drove. He knew it would be dark soon. He'd be tired too. How was he going to make the drive? He carefully checked his wallet to make sure he had enough to get him gas and coffee for the rest of the trip. Eventually, even the drive thrus of the fast food restaurants would close. He'd have to go with what the gas stations claimed to be coffee from then until morning. If he stopped, Josh and Mindy would get married without him, and then he had no idea what he would do.
Drake pulled into the Inside Out Burger and stopped at the drive thru. If he didn't get something to eat now, he never would. He had no idea when he was going to get to Vegas. Josh and Mindy were already about twelve hours ahead of him. He knew they were waiting, but for how long would they wait? Drake wasn't taking any chances. He'd get his food and be off again. If he couldn't bring Josh home, he didn't know what he was going to do.
Drake simply ordered a burger and fries. Nothing that would complicate things and make the drive longer. He needed to get to the chapel as quickly as possible. It wasn't because he didn't like Mindy; it was because he couldn't stand to see Josh jump into something this quickly. Why was he doing it anyway? Drake thought back to the note Josh had left him. Josh claimed he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Mindy. Of course, Josh also said Drake could not understand that feeling. Then he expected Drake to understand. If it wasn't for the fact that Josh was his brother, Drake would probably have stayed home thanks to that remark. Come on. Of course Drake would understand someday. What was wrong with the things he was doing? There was nothing wrong with playing the field. So what if he had had nearly one hundred girlfriends already? He'd find someone someday. No one ever stayed together past high school. There was no point in prolonging the inevitable.
He really wanted to know what Josh meant by that, though. Drake shook his head. He needed to concentrate on driving and being there on time. Drake was growing worried. Josh hadn't called him, and no one was able to reach his or Mindy's cell phones. What if something had happened to them? What was their idea not having their cell phones turned on?
As Drake was thinking this, he heard the ringtone of his phone. He glanced down at the display. It was Josh. Finally he tries to contact someone.
"What the hell are you doing?" Drake asked as soon as he answered.
"Well, hello to you too," Josh replied. He knew Drake wouldn't be happy about this, but he hadn't been expecting that. "I'm sorry if you don't agree with what we're doing, but..."
"I'm not talking about that. Oh, we're going to have a long talk about that, but first, why would you not call anyone to let us know you're okay? Did you know Mom and Dad were talking about calling the police?"
"I left you a note."
"I know."
"I guess I should have figured it would have taken you a while to find it."
"Hey!"
"Well..."
"No more insults. What is the idea not telling anyone that you're fine? A phone call at any time would have helped."
"We didn't want any interference."
"Then why did you call me?"
"Because I wanted to know if you were going to come," Josh responded quietly.
"Josh, of course I'm coming," Drake replied.
"Thanks, man."
"Right."
"What's the matter?"
"Isn't this a little fast?"
"What?"
"You only just graduated."
"So? I want to be with Mindy for..."
"The rest of your life, right. How do you know that?"
"I know you don't get it..."
"Oh, right. I couldn't possibly understand, right?"
"Don't take that so personally. You know what I meant."
"That I can't feel that human emotion," Drake replied.
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"You know, you're always playing the field and don't go out with one girl very long..."
"So I don't know what love feels like? I don't know what it feels like to be with that special person?"
"Well...you really don't Drake, the most you date a girl is a month."
"So? Is that a crime?"
"No, of course not. You're obviously not in love if that's the route you take."
"Because I wouldn't know what it feels like."
"That's not what I said."
"That's what you're implying."
"Drake, I don't want to argue this with you."
"Well, too bad."
"Could you stop acting like you're five?"
"Could you stop insulting my intelligence?"
"I'm not insulting your..."
"Yes, you are. You've done it for a long time, and I'm sick and tired of it."
"I didn't start this, you did."
"Josh, I'm really trying to stay cool here."
"I'm not trying to stop you."
"Josh..."
"Drake, would you just..."
"I'm hanging up," Drake said, and he snapped his phone shut. He pulled over on the side of the road and rested his head against the steering wheel. He sighed. How did Josh know how Drake felt about love? It was true, he'd never been in love, but that didn't mean he'd never understood the feeling of loving something so much that it became part of your body and soul. Wasn't that his music? Wasn't that his heart even if he didn't want a serious relationship right now? To say that Drake never understood the power of loving something was an outright lie. It was the times like this when he felt his guitar was his only friend--the music his only lover. The rhythm and melodies were infatuating, and the chords he played only reinforced the feelings he had in his heart for his songs.
He did love something...it just wasn't a single person, and that wasn't a crime to wait for the one person you'd spend your life with. In fact, more people should do it. There'd be less divorce, less spliting up, less broken hearts, less domestic violence. But here Drake was getting off track. He was on his way to Vegas to meet up with Josh and Mindy. He had a decision to make. He could either go home or continue on his way. For a moment, his every intention was to turn around the moment he got the chance and go home. However, he felt compelled to keep going. He glanced up at the road ahead and started his car again. He wasn't going to turn around. Josh was his brother. He couldn't let him down.