The clouds outside were a bright white, nearly blinding. The sky was a brilliant blue, making everything seem to light up with a renewed sense of life. Everything passed in a blur, no match for the speeding minivan.

“Why’re you going so fast?” I ask from the middle seat, not taking my eyes off the scenery outside.

Joshua sits beside me in the other middle seat, watching Rick and Morty with the car’s tv. “Who cares. Fast is fun.” He says before sticking an ear bud back into his ear covered by his long dirty blonde hair. I stick my tounge out at him and don’t respond. Boy just turned thirteen but acting like he’s been one all his life.

“I’m gonna laugh when you crash this car and we die. And then I’m gonna be sad, cause we’re gonna be dead.” I tell Mom, who’s texting with both hands and steering with her knees. “Eyes on the road, old lady!”

“Who’re you calling old?” She asks, glancing up to study the road for a moment, then going back to her phone. “Your school thought I was a student, so I don’t wanna hear it.”

“Well that’s cause you don’t know how to dress like an adult.” I smirk, taking in her leggings and sweatshirt. “You look like half the population of Gardner.”

“Except for that hair.” Kenzie says, looking at Mom’s pink and purple and blonde hair sprayed with hairspray to make it look better. It looks like crunch cotton candy to me. Kenzie just turned seventeen but acts ten. I feel more like the oldest most days, but then again, there is only eighteen months between us.

“My hair’s great. What are you talking ‘bout.” Mom drawls, finally putting down her phone and focusing on the road.

Jackson’s in the backseat, fast asleep. His head sinks and flips around at every turn, making me wince. He was gonna hurt when he woke up. The little curls on his head bounce with an energy he seems to have lost hours ago. The little snoring sound he’s making is causing me to smile.

“Where are we going again and when will we be there?” I ask impatiently, studying my chipping blue nail polish. My eyes travel outside again and I press my finger on the window button. I stick my head out like a dog would and laugh. The sudden burst of wind makes my hair fly around my face in a furious brown tornado. The cold stings and burns my face, but it feels nice.

“S’wrong witchu. Roll that up.” Mom says, then uses the main control to roll my window up and lock it.

“What? That was awesome. Where are we going??” I lean forward and rest my chin on the side of Kenzie’s chair and look at Mom.

“An adventure, obviously.” She states, a smile playing on her lips. I eye her suspiciously before leaning back and resting in my seat.

“Fine. Onward and yonward then.”