𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙢𝙪𝙩

Kissing in her car again

The sun had gone down behind the mountains in the horizon, the moon and some lonely streetlights were the only source of light in the area. You were walking on broken cobblestones back to your hometown after having stepped off the last train.

Behind you the sound of an engine roared, and headlights shed light on the road in front of you. The car pulled up beside you, the window got rolled down, and an unknown voice called out, "get in, let's drive."

You turned to look at the person you had mistaken for a stranger, a gorgeous woman with darkened blonde hair, with her red plumped lips tugged into a gentle smile. You knew her all too well, and you recognized her almost immediately by how her eyes would kind of disappear when she flashed a smile.

Her voice had clearly matured and gotten raspier with time, and her hair was darker and shorter than before. You got in and sat in the passenger seat feeling like a teenager again. Remembering all the times she had kept her guitar in the backseat and cheap beer in a cooler bag for when you escaped the town together for a little while.

"So... how have you been?" you asked her even though you kept up with the books her so-called friends wrote about her life, that never knew which smile she was undoubtedly faking, but you certainly did.

"I've been okay... I guess. What about you?" she asked back, flashing a smile after she had lied through her teeth.

"I've been good, got my degree, so life's been great actually. Speaking of, there's a lot of mud on your truck tires..." you informed her like she didn't know the dirt roads became muddy after it had rained.

She cleared her throat and glanced over at you, "you're celebrating Christmas with your family again, right?" she asked rhetorically, remembering all your traditions like she was the reason they exist.

"Yup... and I guess you are staying with your parents... since you're here and not in L.A," you said back, trying to keep the conversation going.

"That's right... but I'm just staying for the weekend," she said and avoided your gaze.

"Seems like you don't want to be celebrating here... you got someone waiting for you back home... or?" you asked her, scared of the answer.

"I like that you said someone, like you doubt it would be a boy," she answered, letting out a chuckle.

"What? We both know you're far from straight, Tay..." you said back giggling like old times.

"That's true... but no, not a boy... or girl for that matter. I've been single for a long time now," she informed you, as she focused on the road.

"I'm surprised-" you blurted out only to be cut off by her, "wait what, hold up, you believe everything that the media says about me?" she asked back studying your face for answers.

"No, I'm surprised that someone as beautiful as you are spending your nights alone..." you answered with a cheeky grin.

"I must, if I want to be able to save my reputation," she said lowly.

"Oh, come on, you can't be serious... you still care so much about what others think of you?" you asked disappointed and glared at her.

"I can feel your eyes on me, but yes, I do... I care about what people think, and it's exhausting," she answered and let out a sigh.

"I think you're amazing. But that clearly doesn't matter to you," you said slightly annoyed.

"It does matter, but it's you... so I don't know..." she said not knowing how she'd escape this argument.

"Okay, so your first love's opinion about you doesn't matter, but an old grumpy man's opinion, who lives on the other side of the world matters?" you asked her, while getting more and more irritated.