Cherry tries not to admire Sean while he sketches out the market, but she knows she's failing miserably. She picks the paint off the table, flicking it from her nails. Her eyes still seem to wander over to the teen, marveling at the concentrated look on his face. He bites his lips slightly while he furrows his brows, wanting to sketch out the market perfectly. He's even able to add Chris' suggestion of a zombie attack on the market.

 She forces herself to look away, feeling embarrassed at how she's acting. The vendor's words still haven't left her mind, and the thoughts roaming her head make the blush stay on her cheeks. But when she looked at him, she didn't see any blush on his face. It's not a big deal to him. She needs to relax. That's what she tells herself. Some of the thoughts still linger when she feels a tap on her hand.

 "You okay?" he asks. She stares for a moment, finally noticing a soft blush on his cheeks. But that's due to the cold, she tells herself. That's all.

 "Yeah. Just waiting to go," she says, giving a shrug.

 "Yeah, me too. Let's see if Daniel and Chris are ready to leave." The two get up from the table, about to walk off to find the two boys, when a voice gains their attention.

 "Found what you were looking for, city boy?" The two turn, spotting a girl playing a guitar for tips. "And city girl," she adds, nodding her head to Cherry. The two teens give each other a quick glance before walking over to the girl, seeing as she's around their age. Cherry admires her for a moment, her dreads and piercings matching her hippy vibe very well.

 "Yeah. Something for my little brother," Sean says.

 "You bought your brother something? Out here?" she snickers lightly. "Damn. Poor kid." Cherry scrunches her face, the girl noticing. "Sorry, I'm just a grumpy old gal. Me and my friends have been crashing here for the week," she goes on. "Nobody gives a shit about us. I can tell you're not from around here."

 "Now we are."

 "Kinda," Cherry adds.

 "That sounds... complicated. Drama?" she asks.

 "You have no idea," Cherry says with a shake of her head, Sean giving a hum of agreement.

 "What about you and your friends?" Sean asks. "Road trip?"

 "Not really," she grins. "We kind of hop from place to place. We hunt for little jobs here and there."

 "Must be a long ride."

 "It's alright. We hop on trains. Gives us time to rest."

 "That sounds wicked."

 "Fucking cool," Cherry agrees.

 "You have no idea," she laughs lightly. "It's free and so fucking fun!" She pauses for a moment. "Well, unless you get caught or fall, but... we've been lucky so far. That's the best. Nobody tells us what to do. No corporation owns us."

 "And get to see so many cool places."

 "Exactly! Next stop is Humboldt County, California!"

 "Stoner break!" Sean laughs, elbowing Cherry.

 "Stoner heaven," she adds with a smile.

 "Not even close. We actually got work over there." Before the teens can respond Daniel runs over, squeezing himself between the two.

 "Guys! What are you doing? I picked a tree with Chris! It's all crooked, like an old witch!" Daniel badgers on before noticing the girl. "Oh, hi," he waves at her. "Who are you? Your hair looks so cool! Is it a wig?" he asks, not giving her a chance to answer.

 "Well what do you think?"

 "I don't know but it's really cool! I'm Daniel! What's your name?"

 "Well hi, Daniel. I'm Cassidy. I dig your superhero outfit."

 He leans towards her and whispers very loudly, "I'm on a secret mission with my friend! It's very dangerous!"

 "I can tell! I hope you get your mission accomplished!" She glances at the two teens. "And what's your names?"

 "Oh. I'm Sean, and this is Cherry. I thought I told you."

 "Now you did."

 "Sorry." The three look over, spotting a guy walking over, a dog trailing behind him. "Went through some shit with the guys. How much you make? You ready?" he asks Cassidy. He also has dreads and piercings, plus a couple of face tattoos. It takes him a moment to notice the trio, but a soft smile forms on his lips when he does. "Hello, pups. I'm Finn." He eyes Sean and Cherry while Daniel pets the dog. 

 "Dude, you stink," Cassidy sighs, getting up from her seat.

 "Have you checked your hair? I think it just twitched," he snorts.

 "Hey, never too careful! Who knows what may crawl out of there?" Sean says, getting a gentle elbow from Cherry.

 "She looks nice, stupid."

 "Whoa-hoa, the boys join forces! You're already perverting him, Finn! At least I got Cherry on my side," she scoffs, packing up her guitar.

 "Sorry. I know people from the suburbs are you thing." Cherry has to bite back a laugh at his words.

 "Are you kidding?! You want to talk about scoreboard, hotshot?" She elbows Finn in his rib before tossing her bag on her back.

 "Whatever. Let's bail."

 "It was nice you, Sean, Daniel..." she pauses her words, bowing slighty, "and Cherry." Cher tips an imaginary hat in response.

 "Stay out of trouble, kids! Hope we see you on the rails someday!" Finn says, giving them a wave before the two walk off, their dog trailing behind them.

 "I miss Mushroom."

 "Me too, enano."

 "Me three, mi amor."

Cher is positive she fell asleep on the drive back because she had to wipe the drool from her lip. She only awakens when Daniel and Chris hop out of the truck bed. She watches for a bit as the two play in the yard, throwing snowballs at each other. She moves to get out before noticing Sean and Charles sitting in the car. Her sleepy thoughts think she can get another minute or two of sleep, so she curls back into herself and closes her eyes once more, the boys' laughter lulling her asleep.

"Seems like she's exhausted," Charles laughs softly, looking over his shoulder. Sean follows suit, looking back to spot Cherry taking a nap. A small grin forms on his lips before turning back in his seat as Charles continues. "I'm glad you guys came along. It's great that Chris found a new friend out here."

"Yeah. He dumped me like a rock."

"Seems like you made a new friend too." He pauses before asking, "What's her name?" The teen's brows furrow.

"You mean Cherry?" he questions, pointing his thumb in her direction.

"Come on, don't play me! That cutie you were talking to by the market."

"Oh. Yeah, she was cool. I guess..." He glances back at Cherry. He feels the words bubble up inside him, unsure if he should admit it out loud. A few beats of silence pass before he blurts out, "I kind of have my eyes on someone else." He watches as Charles glances back at Cherry before a smug grin forms on his face.

 "Does she know?"

 "I don't think so. Maybe?" he questions before letting out a groan, covering his face. "I can't tell. It sucks."

 "Has she gone out of her way to help you multiple times?" Sean pauses before humming a yes. "Does she have like a nickname she calls you?"

 "Yeah, but she does for everyone. Daniel has his own, too."

 "Okay. Let me give you a tip that worked for me, okay?" Sean nods his head, waiting patiently for the advice. "Look at the little things. How she reacts. Like, let's say you and a friend are having a footrace. Does she stare at you or your friend? Does her face turn red when she spots you staring?" He lets the words settle before continuing. "When you notice the little things, I promise you'll spot the big picture. That's how I met my girl." Despite the sincerity in his words, Sean can also hear their shakiness. And as he looks over at the man, he spots a quiver in his lip. He wipes his eyes roughly and forces a smile on his lips. "Sorry. It's been a rough couple of years."

 "Yeah..." Sean thinks of biting his tongue but goes against it. "Chris talked to me." Charles' eyes widen. "He said that sometimes you lose it when you're drunk."

 "Oh fuck," he sighs, covering his face with his hands. Sean takes a moment, hoping to find the right words.

 "Maybe you should get some help," he says slowly. He feels like he's walking on eggshells. "Maybe don't handle this alone."

 "Shit." Charles drops his hands on his lap, and Sean can spot the tears in his eyes. "Maybe you're right. His grandparents... my wife's parents offered their help. They want Chris to go live with them. I haven't replied yet." He looks off into the distance, eyes glossy but distant. "Maybe I could send him away for a bit. Give me time to get my shit together."

 "Might do you both some good," Sean adds.

 "I know I got to do better. I can't let this shit define me. Everyone goes through something, like your grandparents. Life hasn't been easy for them. But they're always there for us. For Chris." He takes a moment to breathe, letting out a deep sigh. "They seem like good people."

 "They're so nice. But yeah, they have their own problems, too."

 "Sorry for bringing that up."

 "It's cool. I just hope they don't stress out because we haven't come back."

 "Yeah." He wipes at his eyes roughly. "We should get you guys home. Don't keep them waiting." Sean hums in agreement before opening the door of the truck. He's only halfway out before Charles calls his name. "Thanks."

 "For what?"

 "Your honesty. I'll try my best to be a better dad. For Chris." Sean gives him a small smile before stepping out into the snow. He's about to shut the door before Charles adds, "Don't forget what I said about her. It's the little things that make the big picture." Sean pauses, mumbling the words to himself before shutting the door. He moves to the end of the bed, seeing Cherry leaning against it, asleep without a care. He has to bite back the smile that wants to form.

 "Cher." He shakes her gently, and she simply groans. "Mi cariño~" he sing-songs. Her eyes flutter open almost immediately. He notices the tint of red in her cheeks while her brows furrow. "Time to go inside."

 "I hate you sometimes," she groans. 

 "I know."