Down The Highway

Chapter Forty-Nine

Walking down the highway for the millionth time, with my books wrapped around my arms, I sighed. I flipped my hair to get it out of my face considering that it was blocking my sight. My face was pointed into nothing else but the road in front of me. Three more minutes and I am back home. In years that I have been walking here in St. John Street, I have made predictions and estimations on how long or how short would I get to a certain place. It depends on where I came from.

The strong wind blew my hair away. Little pieces of snow came falling from the sky above me. My all-time most favorite and most loved season is coming. Snow. I hugged my books tighter while I used my other hand to hold the strap of my bag and avoid dropping it on the ground full of pieces and crunches of snow. I should start wearing thick clothes, bonnets, and socks.

Luckily, it's not that cold yet. "Hey," I heard a familiar voice behind me so I looked back. "Oh, hi Shawn!" We were the only ones there and I don't know why I chose to call him Shawn instead of calling him by his real name. His hair is back to blonde, the style of it like how I first saw him.

He noticed me staring at his hair which has caused him to come and ask me, "don't you like my new hairstyle?" Golden. I like it, but the fact that it reminds me of the first time I saw him, I don't like it that much anymore. "No, it's good. I like it. That brings out the real you. The one I met years ago today," I smiled and turned my back at him.

I knew it would lead to an endless conversation again, he isn't toxic or a war freak but I am. I know that I keep on making everything a big issue though they are not supposed to be. "How was your day?" There was I, again. I almost started another fight. See! My subconscious reminded me. "It was good" at least this time, I obeyed her and her suggestion on not to be rude and start another useless fight.

"How was yours?" I knew he would answer it was good.

"Good but probably not as good as yours" I rolled my eyes.

"How can you say that? Have you seen how my day went?" I noticed how the smile on his face immediately got replaced by a thinking face which tells me that he is just thinking about something. I hope it is not me.

"I just stumbled on the staircase of our school five times, then lost three of my pens, got this stain from the food I ate at the cafeteria last lunch, and what hurts the most is that I lost my wallet which was containing one hundred dollars. Luckily, I don't have all my money in there," he stated as I stare at his eyes which were staring at mine. The eyes that became the reason for Dylan and I's break up.

Even if we went into a breakup, it feels like I am not missing him that much. It's not like how I missed Travis when he left London and never saw him again here on this St. John Street. Maybe because my loved ones are making me feel okay and helping me relieve.

But no. Because if so, then why didn't I feel the pain I felt for Travis before?

Is it because I didn't love Dylan as much as I loved Travis?

Speaking of the almost angel...

Dylan passed by me as I saw how Travis looked at him with his eyes almost as small as the snow falling to us. He examined him but he just kept his wide eyes on the road like he was not seeing us beside him. I wonder where he is going with the car keys in his hands.

I looked at Travis behind me who turned out was not looking at Dylan anymore. I took a sigh while I kept on walking. "Umm, Jade" I heard him talking nicely like how he always did. "Yes?" I asked back. To nice to say that I am being grumpy today.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Dylan got out of my sight but I didn't care even if I know I should have. Is it over yet? Is it official? We're done already? I don't even remember how we started. "Go ahead"

I heard his deep breath behind me. "Can we go out tomorrow?" The same question he asked me years ago. "Aren't we out yet?" I remember saying that before for the same person and at the same place. "No, I mean out for dinner, lunch, or snack or something," he sincerely looked up at me with a nervous smile. He didn't confirm that he was nervous but I was able to sense it underneath his shining smile.

"Okay? What is that for?" I looked at his hand on my shoulder as he immediately removed it. Realized that I was being more than serious.

"I need to tell you something, really important. So please let me" I rolled my eyes sarcastically, hoping I didn't offend him by that.

"Why does it have to be on a date? You can tell me you love me right now," it was a joke, but on the other hand, it wasn't.

"It's not a date," he said as sarcastic as how I spoke earlier.

"Then what is it?" I started to walk slowly since he started to do that thing too.

"It's, umm... it's, a.." he seemed speechless. Which made me think that I was right.

"See, if you don't have anything to call it, then it is a date," I laughed and he laughed nervously. It was cold but he was sweating. A sign that he got nervous.

Travis? Nervous for me? What is that?

"Well, maybe we can go tomorrow. I'll see you then. Pick me up, you know my house," I assumed he does since he has been there once when he picked me up. When he wasn't hiding under the name of Shawn yet.