Love, Ross // r.s.l.

Seven

One Month Later

It's been a full month since my incredible entrance into Ross' car. A month since we spent a day in San Francisco.

A month on the road. It only properly hit me this morning that it was a month when I was watching the sunrise from the Dodge. It was a strange feeling of nostalgia and general happiness.

I pushed open the map of California across the dashboard and leaned forward. "Where could we go today?"

"Well" Ross inched closer to the map. "We can take a good drive to one of my favourite places"

"Yeah, where is it" I smiled. Today he's been sort of off, zoning out very easily and just generally strange.

"I'll drive, you just chill" he grabbed the car keys. "You'll need the energy for later"

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind" he shook his head and got onto the main road. I stuck to my phone, avoiding conversation.

It was incredibly strange to be like this, maybe something happened.

"Nothing's happened, I just have something important to tell you" he finally spoke, hours later. I noticed we were just getting to a park.

After we parked the Dodge, we found a sunny spot to sit.

"Cut the tension- what's up?" I sighed.

"I don't know how to begin" he sighed heavily. "Okay, please only comment when I'm finished"

I nodded and stared at him. He fiddled with his hands nervously before taking a deep breath as he stared around. I have never seen him so out of place.

"It began a month and a bit ago today, remember that night I went out with Nick?" I nodded. He called off one of our Netflix nights for that. "Well we- we didn't go into LA, we actually went to the outskirts of LA to meet a group of people..his gang"

I was about to speak when he cut me off. "I was just in the car waiting for him as he spoke when they suddenly jumped him. Then I found out Nick had spent the money they earned God knows doing what. But I got out and there was a gun beside my foot and if I hadn't stepped in Nick would have died so- I shot one of them"

"Oh my god" I could just about speak properly.

"Listen, listen- I aimed for his arm but he moved as I shot him and.. I shot him in the neck" he face palmed. "And I shot the gang leader's little brother..and paralysed him"

"Ross how-"

"T-They told Nick that they will get me and will not hesitate in killing me" he explained slowly. "Hence why I was so distressed when I asked you on the road trip"

It was like someone had their hand clamped tightly around my neck, preventing me from breathing or speaking. It was difficult to take all of this in.

Ross was the kind of person to get into trouble; but nothing like this. Ever. Even when he was arrested for getting into a bar fight last year, nothing came close to this.

"When-whe-" I inhaled, articulating words slowly. "When was the last time you saw these people?"

"The day I asked you on this road trip" he lit a cigarette and laid down. "They can kill me today- in a few years. I don't know"

"Don't say that, please" I pulled my knees to my chest. "I would never cope-I just"

I stood up and ran a hand through my hair, tears already streaming down my face. I didn't want to seem like an idiot, sobbing so I distanced myself to a nearby tree. My forehead pressed against the trunk of the tree as I wailed as quietly as possible.

A hand touched my back softly. "Don't be like that, we'll make it out of this"

I was bound to complain at any time but that didn't stop me from walking into his arms and holding on to him for dear life. Inhale his scent whilst I could.

I don't quite recall how long we stood together for but it was long enough for my legs to hurt. For the whole time, he continued to play with my hair in order to calm me down but that didn't stop what flew out of my mouth.

"You're an idiot" I whispered. "You shot a man, boy- whatever. You shot someone and now their family is hunting you"

"They won't find me" he sighed. "I'll make sure of that but if so then-"

"Please" I yelped. "Don't say that, don't ever say that again!"

"Okay okay. I won't" he kissed the top of my head. "It's 3pm, do you want to eat something?"

"No" I wiped my tears and he gently tickled my sides. "Stop"

"How do you manage to look stunning even after crying?" He smiled. "I look like a swollen potato"

That forced a laugh right out of me. "You're a dork"

"Wait, wait" the camera reappeared again. "There we go, if only you could see how the sun is hitting you in the face- stunning"

"Ross stop, you're too nice"

"But it's true. So, I have just told you everything you need to know and we overcame a while of tears but"

"It's sunk in, and from now on we are not only road tripping- we're runaway....ing"

"Oh my god"

"I couldn't think of anything else okay"

"As you can see, crying burns off brain cells so avoid it as much as you can!"

He shut off the camera with us both laughing like SpongeBob and Patrick. I couldn't erase the goofy smile on my face.

Ross extended his hand to me. "You and me?"

I held his giant hand with both of mine. "You and me"

fluffy aF