I was so uncomfortable, it was unbelievable. I never thought that I would be in this position…on Richard's lap. I knew I was tense and I could feel myself lean forwards as much as I could. Not only was I not comfortable physically, but the atmosphere was drowning in awkward silence. The man that I assumed farmed…or formally had farmed was driving us in silence. He every once in a while looked over at us and then refocused on the road.

"You look tense, are you okay?" The man asked me.

I knew that Richard was suppressing a laugh. He was loving this.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I half smiled at him.

The small space fell in silence, again. The hum of the truck's ancient engine was the only thing keeping me sane in all the quiet.

The truck hit another pump and the car jolted up. I slammed back into Richard.

"Now she's comfortable." Richard laughed.

I rolled my eyes and elbowed Richard.

"You are such a jerk." I whispered.

"So are you two meeting your parents or family elsewhere?" The man asked glancing at us.

"Oh, we aren't related, sir." Richard smiled.

"Oh, pardon me." He giggled. "You kids just seemed so close."

I thought that was bad enough, but I was so wrong…

"Well then, you guys sure make a cute couple."

I just about died. I wanted to yell "hell no" but I was too shocked and embarrassed. Richard saw my mortified look. His whole body was shaking with his chuckles.

"Yes…" He laughed. "Yes we do."

My mouth dropped open and I looked at him with hate in my eyes.

"You. Are. Dead." I mouthed.

He grinned and put his arm around my shoulder. I batted it away.

"So, are you meeting family in the next town?" Richard asked turning his head towards the man.

"Well, yeah. My daughter and her husband and their daughter are wait'n for me." He said smiling and revealing his teeth, or lack thereof.

As the two men struck up a conversation about stuff that was so trivial I completely lost interest by the third sentence, I stared down out the window at the road. It was like I was hypnotized. I stared, unblinking at nothing, just thinking. I wondered if I would miss my home in Azarath. I had friends but we weren't so close that I would miss them a lot. I had no family because my mom practically disowned me when I was 14. My dad was never in the picture and I had no siblings. I concluded that I wouldn't miss Azarath. There was nothing there but ruble, bombs, drugs, unhappiness, violence, and bad memories.

"Ow…" I gasped grabbing my ribs. A shot of pain rippled through me.

"What? What happened?" Richard asked sound genuinely worried.

"My wound." I managed to say between my teeth.

"what happened?"

"I don't know!" I squeezed my eyes shut trying to focus on something other than the pain.

"Is she okay?" The old man asked, looking at Richard.

"I think." He turned his attention to me. "I need to see it." He began to lift up my shirt. Y first thought was to slap him, but I knew it wasn't an act of him being deviant. I let him pull it up half way, just enough so he could access the bandage.

"The bandages are bled through. Maybe you did hurt yourself in that fall of yours."

"Don't joke. This hurts. It's not funny." I somberly said.

In spite of my demand, he laughed.

"I need to change it."

He started to unravel my bandage. I flinched.

"Did I hurt you?" Richard froze.

"No, not you, just the wound…" I said quietly.

"Do you have any bandages of any kind in this truck?" He asked the man.

"Sorry, son. But I think I have a T-shirt under that seat you might be able to use."

Richard moved me a little and then bent over to check ounder his seat. He pulled out a white T-shirt. He began to rip it into strips. I thought it would be hard to rip that fabric, but Richard made it look surprisingly easy.

"Hurry up. I don't want this to get infected." I said holding up my shirt so it didn't get bloodied by my wound.

"This should help." He said as he began to wrap the torn shirt around me. After the fresh bandages were fixed and put in place, it felt a lot better.

"Thanks." I said pulling down my shirt.

Richard grinned and sat back in his seat. I rolled up the dirty bandages and rolled down the window and throw them out.

I shifted so that I was half facing Richard with my back leaning against the car door. He looked at me and then turned his attention to the dashboard.

I watched him through my peripheral vision. He looked so stern yet playful…not to through in an unnecessary oxymoron.

Maybe, he wasn't so bad after all. He mostly meant well…he did kindda help me…

Oh what the hell was I thinking, he is so immature, and so annoying…I need to stop trying to sugar coat the reality.

Then I looked back at Richard just in time to see his eyes grow round. He shot forward trying to look out the front window, smashing into me.

"Ahh. Richard!" I yelled annoyed as the impact throw me back into the dashboard and hit my back unusually hard.

"What's that?" Richard asked hurriedly.

"What's what?" I asked rubbing my back were a bruise was forming.

"That!" He yelled, pointing.

I followed his horrified stare. I could barely make it out, but yes, there was something there. And it was NOT good….not at all.