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A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm really getting into this story, so I hope y'all are too. Enjoy!

Chapter Four:

"She's been asleep for a while now," Matt commented as they drove home the next day, Coral asleep in the backseat, a blanket covering her tiny body. She looked so peaceful, those emerald eyes covered by the ever-so soft lids.

"Yeah, I know."

"Maybe she'll open up more when we get home."

"Don't count on it."

"You really shouldn't be just a pessimist."

"Why not?" Shannon demanded back softly, sick and tired of Matt trying to tell him what was going to happen. Shannon had been in custody of Coral for less than a day and he was already stressed. "She's acting like we don't even exist."

Matt sighed. "She's scared."

"Of what? Do I look like a monster? I'm not any less human than she is. I understand this is hard, it's hard for me too, you know? I just want her to open up some more." Shannon sighed in frustration, smacking his hands onto the steeling wheel. "Is that so hard to ask?"

Matt didn't answer but instead decided to watch Coral sleep again. She was truly a beautiful girl. Her style seemed hippie-boho-grudge, which was an odd combination but it seemed to work on her. In fact, she looked amazing in what she wore. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the stars in an open field and the color was magnificent. It was hard to see them though because Coral refused to even look at them… but Matt and Shannon both knew she was given the eyes of her paternal side.

"Wake her up."

"Why?"

"We're pulling into a rest stop. She needs to piss now. We aren't stopping until we reach North Carolina."

Matt frowned, rolling his eyes at Shannon's anger. Couldn't he understand Coral's fear? He didn't understand it, of course: he was a lot older and had much more experience than the younger Coral did.

"Coral," Matt whispered, shaking her. She stirred for a moment, opening one alluring eye slowly then closing it when she saw Matt staring back. "We're stopping at a rest area for some food and a bathroom. It's time to get up."

She mumbled something that sounded like "fuck this" to Matt, but he didn't say anymore. He watched her stretch like a cat, her blonde hair in a total bed-head fashion but you wouldn't know it. The girl seemed to be able to pull anything off. And without another glance at one half of the Carolina Crew, she took off toward the bathrooms, her hips swaying.

"She's a pisser," Matt said in a shocked voice. "But I like her."

"She's going to be the death of me," Shannon moaned, slapping the hood of his car. "I can't take this already! I've done nothing to this girl. I don't even know her. My father didn't find it important to not ever pick up the phone to call me I had a little sister. She's eighteen… I missed the first eighteen years of her life, Matt!"

Matt nodded sympathetically and wandered himself toward the large building. "Hey, I'm gonna stop at McDonalds before going to the bathroom. Want anything?"

He sighed, tugging on his ponytail. "Sure. Get me a coffee with a ton of sugar and a little milk. I'm gonna need it." Shannon grumbled the last line before taking off to the men's room himself.

"This is going to be a long day," Matt muttered to himself before too walking toward the massive building where other humans came in and out of.

Inside, Coral sat in the bathroom stall, weeping silently. Around her, winter vacationers mumbled profanities as she sat in there. She knew that some people actually had to use the bathroom, but there was no way she was leaving that stall. Maybe if she stayed in there long enough, the two fucking freaks who dragged her from home would forget about her and she could catch the next train to somewhere fucking else. Who was she kidding? She laughed silently, shaking her head.

"Shit, I need to fucking pee," said a woman with a thick Southern accent.

Coral rolled her eyes and stepped out, wiping her raccoon eyes as she did so. Everyone around looked at her curiously, but she ignored them and stalked out, knowing that her 'brother' wouldn't leave without her. By the looks of it, he'd be the type to just walk right into the ladies room.

She searched the crowd for one of their faces, but didn't see anyone. Maybe they did leave, she thought happily.

Then, she heard him. "Hey, Coral… Coral! Coral, can you hear me?" the dark haired one had been yelling. She rolled her eyes; he looked like a freakin' goof… not of the good kind. "Coral," he breathed when she turned around and he reached her. "Didn't you hear me?"

She stared at him, lips in a thin line and then she managed to shake her head. "No."

It was a cold line that left… Matt? she thought that was his name, speechless. Though, the freak quickly recovered. "Oh, well that's okay. There are a lot of people around," he replied quickly. "I got you a coffee, but it's in the car. Ready to go or are you hungry? If you want anything, I'll pick something up from Mickey D's."

Coral made a face. "I'm a vegetarian and I don't eat fast food." Her voice was husky and it interested Matt so.

"Oh, fine, that's okay. Let's go then."

Let's go to hell, she thought miserably.

Inside of the car, Matt's mind was whirling over the cold shoulder and impression Coral was leaving on his mind. She was acting like a huge bitch, but there was something about her that made him intrigued. Coral was something knew to the group that none of them had experienced before and it would be an interesting ride to see how she would adjust.

"Here's your coffee," he said finally, handing it to her.

She eyed it carefully as Shannon pulled out of the parking lot, a look of pure anger on his face. "What kind is it?"

"Uhm… it's just black coffee. I brought milk and sugar with me though, so you could mix it how you like."

"That's not what I meant, is it decaf?" Coral asked suspiciously.

"No," Matt said slowly, turning to look at Shannon. "I told you she'd want decaf, ass."

Shannon rolled his eyes. "Drink it, Coral. It wasn't cheap."

Coral shrugged herself backward, still staring at the cheap fast-food mug. "I don't think it really matters if it was a dollar or five. You're both rich."

Shannon nearly lost it when she said that, slamming onto the breaks and pulling over. He flipped around as quickly as humanly possible. "What did you say?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I said you're famous. You have money. Don't you think I was curious to see who I was going to fucking live with?" Coral asked loudly. "I don't want the fucking coffee. It's not like it was his last five dollars or anything. Shit."

Shannon's eyes turned to a darker green, something that only happened when he was extremely pissed. "You spoiled little bit—"

"Its fine," Matt said, quick to stop the fight. "I bought decaf for myself. Do you want that one, Coral? It's black too."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Fine."

Slowly, Shannon rolled around and put his right hand to his temple, while Matt watched quietly. He knew how his friend got when he was angry and didn't know how to calm him down when the problem was still gloating in the backseat.

Only what seemed like ten minutes later, Coral was asleep. Matt watched her for a moment, seeing the empty coffee cup on the floor. She must have chugged it… Matt thought, with a shake of his head. Finally, he deemed her asleep and turned to look at the more-calm Shannon. "Shan?"

"What?" he still spat out.

"You can't be mad at her."

"Why not?" Shannon said back, in a more freaky voice. "She's an ungrateful little—"

"She's not. She's just—"

"Stop giving me damn excuses, Matt. The girl damn well insulted you and you're still fucking sticking up for her. She's being a bitch, just like I thought she would. It's not how you act, even a fucked up freak like me knows that. Shit—"

"I'm not condemning what she's doing, Shan. All I'm saying—"

"I don't—"

"Stop interrupting me!" Matt nearly yelled.

"Sorry," Shannon mumbled back.

"Anyway," Matt said with a pissy look of his own. "All I'm saying is give her a break. I know you did too, but she just lost her father. She's younger than you are and by the looks of it, your father was all she ever had. The girl is damaged."

Before Shannon could reply, another voice spoke up. "I'm not fucking damaged, you fucker." Coral happened to wake up, apparently. She glared at the both of them from the back, her eyes narrowed into slits. "And I'd appreciate if you don't fucking talk about me when I'm oh… five inches away? I wasn't asleep, asshole."

Even Matt was taken back by her icy tone. He had thought she was being cold before, but the tone her voice held this time was down right artic. "Sorry…" Matt murmured. "I'm just trying to make amends here—"

"Don't," Coral hissed.

"I guess I won't from now on, if you bothers you."

"Good, because it does."

Upfront, Shannon stayed quiet, but was ready to turn around and slap the young girl's face off. If it hadn't been for his upraising and how he was taught to never hit a woman, Shannon would have… and hard. Because Coral wasn't just being difficult, she was being plain unbelievably separated from what seemed to be Shannon's world. And even if what Matt said was true, it was no excuse, not to Shannon. And he was willing to make that statement out there, no matter how badly it was going to hurt Coral. It wouldn't be in the car, oh no. He wouldn't cause her that kind of embarrassment. Later, Shannon thought as both Matt and Coral stared out the winder. Definitely later.

A/N: Oooh, Coral's a total beyotch! Hmm, what will happen next? I put a picture of her up on my profile under my stories list. Check it outt!! :) Read and review please!! :)