Savannah

15

Chapter Fifteen: Part 1: On The Road With Him EDITED (925 words)

The drive to Granville, Cedros, was quiet as Meriam sat in the front seat of Aarav's Ford pickup. Her head and eyes downcast, she fought back the tears. One time, she just let them fall, turning towards the roadside so he couldn't see. She didn't care to talk or even look at him. It didn't matter how much she liked him; she was in no mood for his friendship, let alone what Agatha called romancing. Agatha's words, romancing our friends at Savannah, evoked feelings of impurity, humiliation, and hurt within her. Should she be in Aarav's van or even associating with him, she wondered? Yet, she liked him and regretted Agatha learning of their friendship. She realised she harboured two contradicting emotions at once, likeness for him and disgust at Agatha's idea of romancing. The more she considered it, the more she questioned whether she was crazy or confused.

Now and then, Aarav glanced at her and she kept turning away, feeling ashamed. She always enjoyed the scenery driving through the lush countryside, towards Granville and back. Today, she'd become blind, as worry led her mind astray, so much so that she didn't hear when Aarav spoke to her.

"... you want one Meriam?" he asked, parking near a roadside portable stall called Karl's Barbeque and Grill in Bonasse, a Village before Granville.

"What?" she said, wiping a tear from her eye.

He looked at her, his eyes soft. Looking into them comforted her.

"Hey, doh let Agatha bother you. You did nothing wrong, it's her. She's always angry." He said it as though making love to the words.

"I... left Elaine to go to my room to pack. It was my decision to leave her, but Mr Bastian,... he told Agatha that he told me to pack, but it's not true. He lied to save me. It's not right."

"Still, it's not yuh fault. You had to pack for home."

"I know... I shouldn't have stayed that long in my room."

He was silent for a while. "Well, it's in the past now. Don't let it spoil your day. Just be careful with Agatha. She even gives Bastian a hard time." He said, smiling, his voice still soft.

"How yuh know she gives him ah hard time?"

"He complains sometimes," he said, looking at her, his eyes gentle.

"Oh." she said, growing calmer. He could soothe her pain with just a look in his gentle eyes. She wished she could hug him.

"Want something to eat? Have you eaten?"

"No, I haven't, but not hungry," she said.

"Yuh could eat it later."

"Okay."

He exited the vehicle, walking towards the portable barbecue stall on wheels near a parked white trailer van in front of a non-operational bar. A young couple sat on a bench beneath a shed in front of the bar. Meriam leant on the passenger front seat, gazing at him with admiration as he talked to the woman behind the stall. She reflected how the negative feelings she'd harboured, dissolved after they'd spoken. She was glad to know him and didn't give a pig's foot what Agatha said.

Not long afterwards, he came back into the vehicle and handed Meriam her barbecue, placing his in the back seat. He sat in the driver's seat and drove towards Granville. Meriam was in better spirits. Fifteen minutes later, they entered Granville.

"Wanna go to the beach?"

"Okay."

"When last you been to the beach?"

"Last weekend."

"With who?"

"My sister Bani and niece Talia."