Aspen has been traveling for four hours. Though her parents try to contact her when she leaves the house, there's no point responding. Nobody understands Aspen, except her boyfriend, Ronnie, who loves her. Aspen knows this because he tells her all the time. Her parents hate her boyfriend. He says, when she turns eighteen, he'll marry her.

"Are we almost there?"

It's a six and a half hour drive to Anchorage. Aspen has never been to a cosplay convention, though she's wanted to for years. As the youngest, Aspen's used to getting what she wants; she was always her parent's favorite child, and it's not a secret. But she's overprotected, especially by her father, who treats her as a baby. Her mother, who doesn't trust her, thinks she's staying with her best friend for the weekend. Instead, she's sitting in the passenger seat of a man her parents hate, all dressed up for a convention. Aspen's father hates to disbelieve her. Ever since she was a little girl, all Aspen has to do is flutter her eyelashes, and she gets anything she wants.

Ronnie smokes weed while he drives, which makes Aspen uncomfortable. "Just about." He's mature and independent, and he pays attention to Aspen like nobody ever has. They met a year ago, at a party thrown by an older student at the high school, when Aspen was still on speaking terms with her sister. Juno's too sensitive. Nothing ever stays secret forever. "You still down to stay in a hotel tonight?"

When Ivo still lived with her, Aspen participated in vandalism with him. He'd take her to semi-isolated areas to spray paint walls, or slash tires, or pull out flowers from strangers' yards. She supposes this is where her thrill-seeking nature stemmed from. Ivo is a good criminal. He's spry and smart, and never gets caught. They don't speak anymore. This, says Aspen's mother, is for the best. She has mixed feelings about her cousin, anyway. She has mixed feelings about many things. When her mother found out Ivo was gay, she forbade the children from associating with him, for fear that his choices would influence them. Before moving out, he blackmailed Anika into giving him a hundred dollars. Ivo's choices have influenced Aspen - just not in the way her mother thinks.

"Of course."

The truth is, as much as Aspen loves Ronnie, she's intimidated by him. He's eighteen years old, and lives alone in a one-bedroom apartment, which she's been to several times. Sometimes, he makes her fear for her safety: by punching walls or shouting at her. Afterwards, he always apologizes, and Aspen always forgives him. "My mom is calling me. She probably got a call from my teacher, again." Today isn't the first time Aspen snuck out of school. Her father, who has caught her sneaking out of the house multiple times, equipped the home with an alarm system. Ivo, who hates technology, taught her how to bypass the security system in exchange for a hundred dollars. He never does anything out of the goodness of his heart. Most of the time, Aspen doubts he has any goodness in him at all. When she leaves after dark, she's always sure to be home by morning.

"Here," says Ronnie, after parking outside the convention center. "Have a puff before we head inside."

When they met, Aspen was struggling with bullying at school. Ronnie, who works at a liquor store, made her feel safe and heard, and spoke to her every day. "My parents said drugs rot your brain." It's cold. The car windows, which are frozen shut, contain a thin layer of frost. Ronnie has a criminal record, and a lot of tattoos. Aspen is forced to see him in private, when her parents aren't around. She's smarter than them. Parents think they're always right.

"It's just pot." Ronnie frowns, holding the joint in front of her face. "You're always so uptight when we go out. You'll ruin the whole day if you don't smoke." Ronnie can be harsh sometimes, but he does everything for Aspen's own good. She takes a few puffs before following him inside, adjusting the black wig of her costume.

The last time Aspen spoke to her sister, Juno was still living at home. Since moving out, she's become different. Aspen is expected to pity her, the way her whole family pities her. The last time they spoke, Aspen told their parents about Juno's abortion, and Juno swore to never speak to her again. Aspen isn't really sure what Juno expected; surely, a minor can't do something morally wrong and expect to get away with it. Abortion isn't illegal in Alaska. In the eyes of Anika and the family's religion, it's just like killing a person.

The convention center is large, and Aspen has never been here before. According to Ronnie, it's 200,000 square feet, filled with cosplayers and anime merchandise. Some of Aspen's friends, with cars of their own, made plans to meet her. "Don't wander off," says Ronnie, taking Aspen by the arm. "We both know how anxious you get in public." He's always charming in public. She looks older than she is, so nobody really ever bats an eye at seeing them together.

Aspen doesn't like smoking weed. She feels alert and motivated, but it's not natural. To her, the idea of doing drugs is more exciting than actually doing them - and Aspen is a minor, who shouldn't even be smoking in the first place. Her relationship with Ronnie is complicated. Some days, he treats her as though she's a child and needs protecting. This is the way Aspen's father feels about her, too. Some days, Ronnie expects her to be an adult, and make adult decisions. Sometimes he wants to have sex, and makes Aspen feel guilty for being hesitant. She was raised to believe that sex is for marriage, but also that it's her job to be subservient to her future husband. In two years, she'll marry Ronnie anyway, and then she won't have to say no ever again.

"Aspen!"

Just inside the entrance of the convention center, Aspen's best friends appear, all dressed as characters from Naruto. "This fit slaps," says Kylie, looking Aspen up and down. Her friends have met Ronnie before: and, like everyone else, they know only what he shows them. "Sup, Ronnie."

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He doesn't let go of her hand in public. Aspen suspects this is because he likes others to know that she belongs to him. She likes it, feeling protected. When she lived at home, her mother used to tell her she was too immature to date. Juno would say this, too, but what does Juno know? She's only a couple of years older, but acts as though she has years and years of life experience. "When you're dying," she'd say, always playing the dying card, "you look at life differently." Aspen thinks her sister just looks for excuses to act superior.

"I'm hungry. Let's go get some lunch."

William and Kylie are the same age. They have a crush on each other, but neither will say anything. Every time Aspen pressures one into making a move, they always act embarrassed and change the subject. In the main area of the convention center, Aspen and her friends stop for lunch. Aspen feels anxious and self-conscious, as she usually does in public. Ronnie has a tight grip, and doesn't dress up, claiming that cosplay is kid's stuff. Still, he was the one with the idea to come today.

"I don't like your friends."

It's loud. Aspen has great hearing, but even so: if she doesn't stand very close to people, it's hard to hear them. "Why not?" She doesn't have many friends. As a kid, everybody got along with one another. Life doesn't seem so simple anymore. Her parents would never believe this, anyhow, if Aspen brought it up. It's believed that a teenager can't have worries, or struggles, or anxiety - Aspen has no job, and she's certainly never experienced the stress of adulthood in the way older people have. So it feels wrong to complain, because it's true, Aspen doesn't know what it's like to struggle. Her mother, certainly, would point this out without hesitation.

William and Kylie sit in the corner, chatting about their cosplay costumes. Aspen has been watching anime since she was twelve years old. This also was around the time she met her best friends. Ronnie glances over, and then touches Aspen's wig. He's gentle, when other people are around. "They're childish. You're mature, and you get along better with older people, like me." He has a point. Since meeting Ronnie, Aspen has grown up rather quickly. She's been exposed to things most girls her age haven't, and that probably makes a difference. Some days, she feels very adult, like she could be living on her own and working every day. But other days, she has to ask her mother how long to boil an egg.

"You think so?"

Ronnie has pet names for Aspen. Most of the time, he never calls her by her actual name. Juno says this is suspicious, but she's never been in love, so she doesn't understand. "You haven't noticed?" Aspen's friends giggle; they sit close by, and didn't ask her to join them. Ronnie says nothing else about them, but eats in silence.

"No matter how badly you want to believe otherwise, you're still a child. And, until you graduate high school, you'll be treated as one."

Aspen fights with her mother a lot. It's always something with Anika. Her parents have been married for twenty eight years, although they really should not be married at all. Aspen was taught that divorce is wrong - but sometimes, it feels a lot less wrong than living your whole life in misery. On a day when Juno still lived at home, when she was newly diagnosed and becoming the new favorite child, she was once again watching her mother and her sister argue. Juno never stood up for Aspen. At times, Aspen wonders if what she did was too harsh. It's too late to take it back now.

Aspen stood in the living room, taller than her mother, but looking up at her father. "You guys torture me on purpose. You want me to be miserable! You don't understand our relationship!" She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, scowling at her parents, who never seem offended by this. "When I'm eighteen, I'm going to move in with Ronnie, and you can't stop me."

Juno snorted. Her father stood, towering over her. "Over my dead body."

Aspen was never very good at keeping her emotions in check. She was angry with her parents, and angry with Juno. Aspen was supposed to be the favorite child. Since Juno's diagnosis, all Aspen's parents could do was dote over her. "When I'm eighteen, you won't be responsible for me anymore, so I can do whatever I want. I'm going to get married and never talk to you guys again." It was strange to fight with her father. All of her life, Aspen had her father wrapped around her little finger. One day, he became disappointed in her, and now things aren't the same anymore. "Why do you hate me?" Parents are supposed to want the best for their children. It feels to Aspen like her parents don't want her to be happy.

Juno normally keeps to herself. At the time of this argument, she sat in the kitchen, eavesdropping like the nuisance she is. "He's too old for you!" Juno said, as if anyone had asked her. "He's an adult man, and you're a teenager!"

"So?" Aspen's hands were balled into fists at her side: not to punch something, just a sort of reflex to frustration. "Honestly, just shut up, Juno. Nobody asked you."

People pretend to be weak to get attention. Juno does this all the time: acting as though she can't stand, or like she's about to be sick, so that people will take pity on her. When she seized - or pretended to seize - at the table, Aspen's mother ran to her side to tend to her. "Don't be rude to your sister, Aspen. Honestly, I don't understand why you can't be more like her."

When Aspen was fourteen, Juno told her a secret and made her swear to take it to her grave. Aspen had promised, because that's what sisters did. But people change. "You want me to be like Juno? Okay. I'll go have sex with a random guy, and then kill the baby he puts inside of me. Then I'll be just like her." Aspen knows this wasn't fair. In Alaska, there's no requirement for parental consent when it comes to abortions. Juno had a boyfriend at the time, and it wasn't entirely her fault. Still, she'd chosen to engage in something sinful, and everything has consequences.

It was quiet. Aspen looked forward to the fallout. Juno stared at her, a type of hatred in her eyes usually reserved for only worst enemies. Aspen regretted saying this, but it had already been said, and words can't be taken back. Ivo would probably be proud of her for this betrayal. Ivo isn't somebody a decent person would aspire to be like.

Not moving from the table, Juno didn't blink. She spoke in a voice that didn't sound like hers, that was throaty and hoarse. "I hate you. I'm never speaking to you again." And, always true to her word, she didn't.