I awake from my not-so-peaceful slumber, wiping the "sand" from my eyes, I see the sky is dark. To my left is my stepdad, and I can tell he's itching for sleep. Smothing almost fruity enters my nose, and my eyes dart to the Monster Energy Drink, realizing this was the source.

Leaning my head back, I feel the cool air escaping for the AC press against my neck. Closing my eyes again, I try to guess what time it is. I make up a random time, and without makng any attempt to move my head, I look at the dashboard clock. 8:48, it reads. Remembering the MapQuest link, I recall that we should be "home" in a long four hours.

Home was not there. Home was not North Carolina. Home was Missouri. My head began to spin remembering the current day's events. The last school bell rang. School was out for summer. My classmates begin to whoop and shout for joy as they raced from the classes and darted for the buses. AS for me, a limp began to form in my throat. I clutched the book i was reading close to my chest and reluctantly walked out of my class. The hallways were an absolute hellhole. Teens full of summer pumped veins violently shoved past me as they tried to escape.

When I finally made it outside, only one tear had shed, which I had quickly wiped away with my free hand. Spotting my best friend down the hill in which I was standing on, i called her name. She didn't respond. Again, she spun around, surprised, and until her eyes met mine. She started to run up the hall in which I was standing on as I carefully made my way down. About halfway down, we met, and hugged. I couldn't stop the tears that were coming now. Somewhere off in the distant, I heard the bus honk. Knowing I had to go, I looked at my friend.

"Bye Stephanie." she tearfully said. Her usually bright brown eyes were now dull and sad. Sadness shot through me, as I gave her one last look, and started running for the bus. My feet pounding hard, I boarded the bus, and shortly we drove off. I was leaving it all behind.

"You okay?" my stepdad interrupted my trance.

"Yeah," I said, surprised at myself for being able to talk after recalling this fateful day.
Looking straight ahead, I see nothing but highway. My heart was already aching for Missouri. I needed to go back. I needed to see my friend again. Tell her how much I'd miss her.

But it was too late now. Propping my feet up on my seet, I hugged my knees and stared at the empty road ahead, as my tears welled up behind my eyes.