Rescued.

Alex and I settled ourselves into the U-HAUL, anticipating the long drive to our new house with a twelve pack of Dr. Pepper. "I think we'll be good on the beverage front..." Alex trailed off, I followed his gaze with a nod of agreement.

"I think so, too. And!" I threw my fist in the air, pulling my backpack up from where is rested at my feet, "I brought snacks and manga and music and my travel drawing case!" I tapped my trusty backpack and smiled.

"You certainly came prepared."

"Mm, I could have been a Boy Scout." I agreed with a laugh.

“I don't think you have the right parts to be a Boy Scout.”

“Title 9.” I pointed out, "What do you want to listen to?" I asked, plugging my iPod into the portable speakers since these moving trucks weren't caught up with the times.

"Hmm. I trust your judgment, you pick." he answered.

I scrolled through my countless songs in debate. I wanted something we could sing along to, something to really put us in the mood for the long drive ahead of us. "Got my first real six string, bought at the five and dime!" I sang as the song started.

"Played it 'til my fingers bled, it was the summer of '69." Alex continued to sing. Our duet lasted the entire song, and large smiles grew on our faces.

"Goodness," I leaned back smiling, "summers really are great, you know....and road trips." I smiled, and began to flip for another song as a slow one started, "got it." I smiled as The Ataris' cover of Boys of Summer flooded the tiny cab of the large truck.

"I can see you, your brown skin shining in the sun, you got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby!" Alex and I belted out as the chorus came in. There was nothing like listening to the feelgood old rocker music to get you in the mood for a long drive. And, I already had the next song picked out.

Our sing-Along lasted until my voice got tired, which was about thirty minutes into our drive. I sat back against the seat, yawning. "You know..." Alex began, "...I want to have a little talk with you."

Usually, I was pretty good at keeping the other languages that I knew from slipping into my vocabulary, but in surprise, I let slip a high pitched, "bwohyaah?" which is Korean for 'what is it?'

Alex knit his large eyebrows together before I explained, "don't get so defensive, I just want to hear some of your opinions."

"like...20 questions?"

"but more than just yes or no questions." Alex corrected.

"Okay, but I get to ask you some, too."

"Sure." Alex agreed, "Which is better, dogs or cats."

"Dogs. Sorry Train." I muttered as an afterthought, "which do you prefer, it being quiet or loud around you?"

"Depends on my mood." he answered. This game went on for a while more and we started getting into deeper topics.

"Do you believe in love?" Alex asked, eyes flickering to me for a split second before back at the road.

"Certain kinds." I answered, and started to ask my next question.

"Which kinds?"

"I don't believe in the 'true' love kind of love. Like...you know, love love." I tried to explain.

"Why not?" Alex asked.

"Hey! I get to ask questions, too!" I interjected.

"Why not?" Alex pressed.

I heaved a sigh and pouted before answering with a shrug, "I just...believe humans are too fickle to fully understand it. We change and we grow apart. I just haven't seen solid proof of so-called love, so I'm a skeptic. Sure, I would like to believe that there is someone out there for me who will love me forever, but then there's the problem of me not being able to promise the same thing, you know?" I shot off, trying not to sound too cynical. "Sure, they stay together, but I think it has more to do with comfort and stability than love, they end up becoming really great roommates." I finished, staring at my hands in my lap.

"That....is probably the most cynical thing I have ever heard you say..." Alex mentioned, a slight frown on his face.

"I'm sorry, but you wanted to know." I frowned as well, the mood around us shifting to gloomy. This was going to be an awfully long ride if it continued like this. I stared out the window now, watching meadows and fields go by as we passed. We were both silent as we thought things over. I wondered why he wanted to know my opinion on love, it's not something you really talked about with someone. I mean, besides really really close friends. Maybe Alex was trying to make us get a little closer, like Makahla and me? I shook my head, not thinking that was it. But, then, what was it? I leaned my head on the window, stealing a glance at Alex in the process.

He looked about as troubled as I felt, but why would he? It was just my opinion...and it was on something silly like love.

I couldn't help but mentally chuckle at the irony of it all, talking about not believing in love with my boyfriend who wrote a song we sung together about the girl not believing in love. I sighed, closing my eyes for a sad little nap.

When I woke up, we were stopped and Alex was out filling the gas tank. I stretched my neck out and hopped down from the truck, stretching my legs. "Do you want anything to eat or snack on, Al?" I asked, feeling a bit awkward at the mood still surrounding us. "I really only brought candy." I made an attempt to joke, giving him a small smile.

Alex smiled at me and motioned me to come over there. I stepped close, wondering what he was going to do, and was a little surprised, I'll admit, when he gave me a kiss on the lips.

"I'm sorry for bringing down your mood, Sarbear, your answer just threw me off." He apologized, leaning his head against mine.

"Even I have a dark side, Lex. You saw a bit of it the other day in my room." I pointed out to him.

"I know..." he trailed off and I could see reluctance and hesitation in his eyes. What did it mean? Instead of saying any more, he kissed me again, this time for longer. I wrapped my arms part way around his neck, playing with the ends of his getting too long hair.

"What do you want to eat?" I pulled back suddenly to ask him.

"Babe, it's still breakfast time."

"But I'm hungry, and that usually means you are, too." I poked his stomach and he laughed.

"Sounds about right." he nodded, "We'll go in together, just one moment." he said. We waited until the gas tank was full and then paid, marveling at the total our gas came to.

Alex and I linked our fingers together as we walked into the store, looking around for some reasonable breakfast food. We came out with fruit, yogurt, and Alex got a Rockstar energy drink for a beverage while I stuck to Arizona Watermelon fruit juice.

"Those things will kill you, you know." I pointed to the drink in his hand.

"You sound like my mother..." Alex trailed off.

"She is a very smart lady." I nodded, swinging our hands back and forth, bag in the other hand.

"Mm, so are you!" Alex said adorably and kissed my cheek.