Fire and Rain [🗸]

21. philly steaks and rayne campbell

dedicated to mahi who mentions me in stories that i always miss 💞

***

"FIRST ON THE LIST is getting our hands on some Philly street food."

The Greenport Gang is all congregated in Azul and Sadie's hotel room. Azul's on a spinny chair, Sadie, Josiah, and Elliot are sprawled over either of the two beds, I'm sitting on a pillow on the ground, and Zahra is seated on the floor next to me.

I still haven't gotten used to the entire kissing Zahra thing, but somehow, the feeling has gotten more familiar to me, especially given that we spend minutes on end kissing last night. We ended up sprawled on the floor between our beds because Zahra had said that she had felt hot, and it resulted in us  talking into the night like we did when you were younger. 

Except this time, there were soft silences when we would just look at each other, or moments when we'd give each other foot-nudges or hand-tugs. It's different in all the right ways possible, and it's still hesitant from both our ends, but I don't mind it.

Either way, this morning, we regrouped at Azul and Sadie's room to go over what the plan was for today. Josiah has a little list of suggested activities, and his first item sounds like a pretty solid one.

Splurging on the street food every where we go has to be in the top three best aspects about the entire road trip. 

"I hear they have good-ass cheese steaks here," Azul says, and Josiah nods.

Elliot rubs his hands together. "We've got to scope our options then."

Josiah types on his phone for a few moments before suggesting a place. "I hear Pat's King of Steaks is good."

"Promising," Sadie says, adjusting her skirt before offering each of us a grin. "So, we heading over there?"

Josiah glances at all of us as if he's trying to read our expressions. He must be satisfied with what he sees because he nods and claps his hands together. "Let's go then."

We each rise to our feet and Azul glances at Josiah. "Nothing else on the schedule?"

Josiah exhales a laugh as I tie my shoelaces and everyone prepares to head out. He does little jazz hands. "I don't know. I decided to settle with a loose schedule. Guess we have to adventure."

"Damn, who are you and what have you done with Josiah?" Azul asks, swinging their arm over Josiah's shoulder as we all make our way out of the room. "This is so rebellious of you."

Josiah side-eyes her. "I didn't say no schedule, I said a loose schedule."

Azul just does that cackle of theirs. "Still," they say with finality as we make our way down the stairs and out of the hotel where the sunlight is shining on the pavement. 

Josiah slips his phone out of his pocket, pulling up a map so we know our route to Pat's King of Steaks.

The sunlight is almost calming. It brings me back to that day on the ferry. I practically bask in it as Zahra and I walk side by side after the group, Azul pointing out random set-ups or bugs that she sees as we make our way to the cheeseteak place.