"Jesus… Kenny! Did you just fart?" Stan asked as he rolled down all four car windows.

"Sorry." Kenny said, smirking.

"What the fuck dude!?"

Kyle jolted awake from the back seat after hearing the commotion. "What the hell guys?"

"Kenny farted."

"Jesus Christ Kenny." Kyle said, while heaving an exasperated sigh.

"Jesus I said I was sorry!" Kenny said as he grabbed a cigarette out of the carton he stashed in the glove compartment and fumbled with the lighter.

"Dude, put that out. I said no smoking in my car." Stan said, clearly aggravated at the blonde boy.

"C'mon, Stan. I'm jonesing. We've been in this car for 2 hours now and you haven't pulled over for a smoke break!"

"Fine then, I'll pull over." Stan said as he switched on his turning signal and merged lanes. He pulled the car over and motioned towards the door. "Get out."

Kenny rolled his eyes and jumped out of the small vehicle.

Stan turned the engine off as he and Kyle sat in silence.

"I'm going to go stretch my legs." Kyle said, after about 30 seconds of sitting and staring into space. Stan didn't acknowledge him. Kyle got out and stood beside Kenny as the two teens leaned against the car. Kyle stared at the cigarette resting between the fingers of the blonde.

"Can I have a drag?" The Jewish boy asked, mesmerized by the toxic object.

Kenny raised his eyebrows. "Uh… Sure?" He said, passing the cigarette to his red-headed friend.

Kyle stared at the cigarette for a second before holding it to his lips and inhaling. He immediately started coughing as the smoke entered his lungs.

Kenny laughed and reached over to take it away but Kyle quickly shook his head. "Do you mind if I finish it?"

Kenny shrugged his shoulders. "If you think you can handle it, be my guest."

As Kyle went to take another puff, the two teens startled when Stan slammed the car door shut and screamed. "Kyle! What the fuck are you doing, dude?"

Kyle grinned with a discomforting amount of pride. "I'm trying my first cigarette."

"Yeah I can fucking see that." Stan said as he grabbed for the cigarette in his best friend's hand. "Put that out dude."

Kyle pulled his hand away. "You're not my mother, Stan."

Stan's eyes widened "What? Kyle, c'mon put the cigarette out. It's not good for you."

Kenny scoffed. "Let the boy smoke if he wants to, Stan."

"Stay the fuck out of this, Kenny."

Kenny put his hands up in a surrendering position as Stan turned his attention back to his red-headed friend.

"What the hell are you smoking for?"

Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "I just feel like smoking."

"Give me the cigarette, Kyle." Stan held out his hand.

"No."

Stan ran his hands through his black hair as his anger finally boiled. "Christ! Fine then Kyle! Get fucking lung cancer for all I care!" Stan's face went red as soon as the words slipped out of his mouth. "Kyle… Shit, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Its fine, Stan." Kyle tossed the cigarette on the ground below him and made his way around the other side of the car, refusing to make eye contact with the other teen.

"Kyle-"

The red-head didn't answer as he shut the door and slid into the back seat. Kenny stared in stunned silence. "Is something going on that I should know about?"

Stan shook his head. "Everything's fine, Kenny. Just forget it." Stan said as he made his way back to the driver's seat. Kenny slid into the passenger seat.

Stan started the engine without saying anything. Kyle stared down at his hands in his lap.

The three teens drove in awkward silence for what seemed like hours before Kyle spotted a sign that stated the nearest liquor store being located at the next exit.

"Let's go get some booze." Kyle stated.

Stan and Kenny both glanced at him in the rearview mirror.

"What?" Stan asked.

"Take the next exit. Let's go get some beer and shit and we'll get a motel. Have a party or something."

Kenny clapped his hands together. "Yes! Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Stan shook his head. "We can't afford it."

Kyle quickly pulled out his wallet and opened it, showing his friends the many bills he had. "I got payed from work last week. I was saving it for a rainy day, but I say fuck it. Let's go."

"We're not old enough." Stan said.

"Kenny has a fake."

"Yeah, I have a fake." Kenny ensured.

Stan rolled his eyes. "I don't know what's going on with you Kyle, but I'm in desperate need of a drink so that's the only reason I'm agreeing to this." Kyle smiled brightly as Stan took the next exit and soon pulled into the parking lot of the liquor store. As Kenny stepped out and Kyle made an attempt for the car door, Stan grabbed his friend by the arm stopping his attempt to leave.

"Kyle. This isn't like you. Smoking and now drinking… Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine Stan! I just want to experiment a little… Who knows how much time I have left, right?" Kyle stated without breaking his grin.

The words hit Stan like a brick as Kyle got out of the vehicle. He was almost ready to collapse in tears, but Kenny interrupted this as he pounded on the window. "C'mon dude! Let's get some booze!"

Stan opened the car door and made his way into the store behind Kyle and Kenny. The three boys split up deciding to browse their designated aisles. Kenny went straight to the hard liquor, deciding on a bottle of Jack Daniels. Stan went to pick out a six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon. He smirked to himself thinking of Kenny's white trash family and how it was his dad's drink of choice.

Kyle was new to the liquor store and was unsure of what to pick. He never really drank before except for the occasional glass of Manischewitz wine his parents let him try at Passover. He eventually settled on a bottle of vodka. It would get him drunk pretty fast, and that's what he was hoping for. He just wanted to drink and temporary forget the pain he was going through.

It was tough and he couldn't lie to himself anymore. He was struggling emotionally. He was hoping that this roadtrip would help get his minds off things, but he was wrong. He couldn't help thinking about himself- in a month or so from now, after he starts his treatments, being bald and sick from the chemo. He'd be weak, have no motivation to do anything. He didn't want that. He wanted to go out with a bang. He wanted to die the fun way.

He wanted to die.

Kyle shook his head. "No. You don't." He thought to himself.

Yes you do. A voice said from somewhere inside his head.

A sudden hand in his shoulder made him jump out of his thoughts. He turned around to see Kenny facing him. "You ready to go?"

Kyle nodded. "Yeah."

"Is that what you picked out?" Kenny asked, motioning to the bottle of vodka in the red-head's hand.

"Yeah… I guess."

"Didn't take you for a vodka guy." Kenny said as they made their way up front where Stan was already waiting in line. The raven-haired boy narrowed his eyes as he noticed Kyle's choice of drink. "Vodka?"

Kyle shrugged. "Why not?"

"Whatever, dude. Just don't drink that too fast."

It was their turn and the three teens put their bottles on the counter. The attractive blonde cashier looked at them suspiciously. "You got ID?"

Kenny nodded, handing over his fake. "We're all 21."

The girl studied the card in her hands. "You don't look 21."

"Yeah, well we get that a lot…"

The girl rolled her eyes and handed Kenny back his card as she ran the items through the scanner. "That'll be $62.94." She said.

Kyle mouth almost gaped open in shock. Alcohol was expensive…

Kenny paid the cashier with the money that Kyle had given to him when they entered the store. As they waited for their change Stan looked at Kyle, noticing his pale face. "You alright?"

Kyle quickly nodded. "Yeah of course. Just didn't realize how expensive it would be."

Stan chuckled. "Yeah it adds up."

The cashier gave Kenny the change as the three boys exited the store and made their way back to the car. Stan got back in the driver's seat, starting up the engine. Kenny opened up the bottle of whiskey he bought and took a swig.

Stan grabbed the bottle from him. "Put that away! I don't want to get pulled over!"

Kenny rolled his eyes. "Fine. But let's hurry up and find a motel. I'm ready to get drunk."

Stan pulled out of the parking lot. "I saw a motel not too far back. I'll head towards there. It looks pretty run-down, so hopefully it's cheap."

Stan frowned as a buzzing sound was heard from the cup holder next to his seat. "That's my phone, Kenny can you check that?"

Kenny nodded and grabbed the phone, reading the call display. "It's Wendy." He announced.

Stan groaned. "Ignore it. I can't deal with her right now."

Kyle sat quietly in the back seat as he vaguely heard Stan mumbling to Kenny about his relationship issues. But, Kyle wasn't really listening. He was too distracted by the thoughts in his head. He was going to die soon anyways, so why not do it himself, right?

He could do it… He could find a painless way. There were a lot of options. He could stop taking his insulin, he could slit his wrists, he could take pills…

Kyle all of a sudden felt sick at his intruding thoughts.

"Stan, pull the car over."

"What? Kyle-"

"Now!"

Stan obliged and pulled over to the side of the road. Kyle practically sprinted out of the back seat and clumsily fell onto the dirt below him, heaving and gagging. Thankfully, no puke actually escaped his stomach. He hadn't noticed that both Stan and Kenny had exited the car as well, nervously staring at their friend on the ground.

Stan bent down beside the red-head, gently placing a hand on his back. "You're feeling sick?"

Kyle nodded.

"Do you want us to turn around? Take you back home?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Stan. I'm fine. I just felt… carsick, I guess."

Stan and Kenny grabbed the teen by the arms, helping him off the floor and back into the car. There was an awkward silence before Kenny decided to speak. "I know something's going on."

"Nothing's going on." Kyle argued.

"I'm not stupid." Kenny said.

"Kenny, everything's fine."

"Everything's not fine. You two have been acting weird this whole trip- especially you, Kyle. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I just don't understand why you're keeping secrets from me. I'm your friend too…"

Another silence followed. Stan moved his hand to start the car again, but Kyle stopped him by breaking the quiet awkwardness that filled the vehicle.

"You're right, Kenny. There is something going on. But, I'm not ready to tell you yet."

Kenny pursed his lips. "But Stan knows?"

Stan nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"Yet you don't want to tell me? Am I not your friend?"

"No Kenny, you're absolutely my friend! One of my best friends, actually! I just, I can't tell you yet, Ken. I'm not ready, and I don't think you're ready to hear it either. I don't want to hurt you."

Kenny laughed, though it seemed almost sarcastic. "You're sparing me? You're afraid of breaking me? You think I'm fragile?"

"Kenny-"

"No, it's fine. I get it. You and Stan have an unbreakable bond. I'm just the third wheel here."

"Jesus Christ Kenny, that's not it…" Stan interjected.

"Well I just don't understand why you can't tell me what's-"

"Cancer."

Stan and Kenny both shut their mouths as the words escaped Kyle's lips.

"What?" Kenny asked.

"It's cancer." Kyle repeated.

Kenny's face paled. "Are you… Are you serious?" Kyle nodded. The blonde boy looked to Stan for confirmation as he nodded as well.

"You have cancer?"

Kyle nodded.

"Then what the fuck are we doing here on a road-trip? You should be in the hospital Kyle!"

"I wanted to do this, Kenny. I'm not ready to start the treatments yet. I'm not ready to face the truth yet."

"Fuck…" Kenny said his voice cracking as he spoke.

"I know."

"Fuck. Kyle, I'm sorry."

"It's fine Kenny; let's just enjoy the rest of the trip, okay?"

"I don't know if I can… Not after finding this out…"

"Kenny, please. I wanted to do this trip as one exciting thing to do before I have to face reality. I didn't want to tell you so we can have a good time. Can we please try and have a good time?"

Kenny ran his hand over his face. "I guess we can try-"

"Thank you, Kenny."

Stan started the engine. "Let's go find a motel. I think we all need a drink."