Dimitri and I are currently sitting in his car, driving back to California. We spent the past two days with my Dad and when I was absolutely sure that he was going to be okay, I agreed to go back. It was my Dad that convinced both Dimitri and me, 'cause none of us would like to leave him. Well, mostly I didn't want to leave him, I think Dimitri is more worried about going back, because of everything we have to solve. And he knows that he has to talk, like really talk.

We had to leave my hometown because of school. If it wasn't because I want to make my Dad proud by actually graduating and having success, I would've just said to hell with it. But I can't do that. I need to catch up on all the work when we get back and find someone, who I can borrow notes from. Under normal circumstances, I would just have asked Dimitri, but I can't since he hasn't been there either and we would probably still be fighting at that point. I'll just find something out when we get back.

"How long till we're there?" I ask Dimitri.

"A couple of hours. We are stopping at a gas station in a couple of minutes. I need to fuel the tank."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me; I'll transfer some money for the gas when we get back," I tell him.

"No, you will not," Dimitri simply states.

"Dimitri, come on. Gas costs a lot of money and you've driven so many miles because of me."

"I do not care, I will not accept the money from you," he tells me sternly.

He's so stubborn.

"Fineee," I 'give in', but I'll transfer some when I get back anyway. Dimitri doesn't have to know that though.

Finally, we arrive at a small gas station. My bladder is about to burst, so I jump out and run inside. I yell to Dimitri that I'm going for a piss, so he knows where I am. As quickly as I go inside the bathroom, I am out again. Dimitri's standing at the cash register with some snacks and sodas. I walk over to him and hand him some money.

"Stop it," he says annoyed.

"You pay for the gas, I pay for the snacks," I tell him.

He sighs at me but takes the money nonetheless.

We pay quickly and scurry back to the car, there is a long way ahead of us. I feel my eyes slowly closing but I try to keep them open.

"Go to sleep, Ruby. I will wake you up when we get there," Dimitri tells me and the sleep takes over.

*****

"Ruby..."

"Ruby, wake up," a voice whispers in my ear. My eyes slowly open and meet Dimitri's.

"Hi," I saw with a groggy voice.

"Hello. Come on, we are here."

I get out of the car and grab my bag from the backseat. It doesn't occur to me that we aren't on campus until we're standing in Dimitri's apartment.

"Wait, why are we here?" I ask him. All I want to do right now is take a shower and jump into bed. It's already dark outside and I'm so tired after these last few days.

"Well... I thought you wanted to talk," he answers, but it comes more out like a question.

"Dimitri, I'm so tired and I just want to sleep," I tell him honestly.

"Oh... uhh, you can sleep here if you want to, and then we can talk in the morning?"

"I don't know, Dimitri..." I hesitate.

"Oh come on, it is not like we have not tried it before. I will stay out on the couch if you prefer," he pushes.

"Fineee, but I'm taking a shower first."

"Whatever."

How is there already bad energy around us? I thought we were doing good. I sigh and walk inside Dimitri's room. I don't have any more clean clothes, so I grab a big t-shirt of his and find some new underwear in my bag. This will have to do it for tonight. I don't have morning classes tomorrow, so I can go back to my dorm and get everything ready.

I jump in his shower and try to wash away the last few days. Small tears fall down my cheeks as I think about how wrong things could have turned out to be, with my father. I would've been broken. And I really hope Dimitri and I can work this out, because I honestly miss him like hell. Even though we don't get along sometimes.

I pull myself together before stepping out of the shower. I quickly throw my clothes on and then jump into Dimitri's bed. Ah, it even smells like him... not that I'm smelling his sheets, 'cause that would be weird.

I can hear Dimitri walking around out there, so I yell, "Goodnight Dimitri," and make myself comfortable in the bed.

Dimitri yells a small goodnight back and then there's silence. He's trying to sleep too and I don't blame him. He's been driving for 7 hours straight.

*****

My mind won't shut up. I can't stop thinking about what Dimitri is going to tell me. I'm not gonna sleep before. It's been like 45 minutes since I went to bed, but not one eye has been closed. I don't think Dimitri is asleep either. I keep hearing him toss and turn out there.

I give up and get out of bed. I have to know now, so I can get some sleep. Just as I open the door from his room, I'm met with his face. I let out a small scream.

"What the hell, Dimitri. Don't give me such a shock," I tell him, holding a hand to my heart.

He looks at me shocked too before a small smile takes over his lips.

"Not funny," I tell him and open the door wider for him to come inside his own damn room.

We sit down on the edge of the bed and don't look each other in the eyes.

"Sooo, what did you want to talk about since you were coming in here?" I ask him.

"What were you doing, when you were about to come out there?" Dimitri fires back.

"I asked first," I say just as childish as I am.

But when he doesn't respond to me, I tell him, "I have to know. I'm too curious for my own good and I won't get an eye closed tonight unless I know. Will you please tell me?.. everything."

There's silence for some time before he lets out a loud, long sigh.

"Alright, I will tell you now then. Uhhmm, so it all started with my sister."