For Every Missing Shade

Entry 25

I called Emma as soon as I woke up.

She answered the phone in her usual voice. "I hope you showered because I don't know if we're going to get too many opportunities to do that once we leave."

"I'll get back to you on that one. When will you be ready to go?"

"Right now, waiting for your okay."

"I'll hop in the shower soon and you can leave now."

"I'll see you in 15 then." I could hear her smile on the other side of the line.

I hung up and raced into the shower for a quick rinse and put my duffel bag at the door.

I walked into the kitchen to say goodbye to my parents.

"We just want you to be safe," they both agreed.

"Don't worry, I want to stay alive just as much as you guys want me to."

My dad chimed in. "This is a big thing we're letting you do, and we want you to act like it. This is a grown-up trip so you can't treat it like a child would."

"I will try my best, don't worry."

"You need to call," my mom said.

"I will."

I hugged both of them goodbye and checked the door right as Emma entered the driveway. I walked out into the yard and she unbuckled her seatbelt and ran out of her car. She caught me in an embrace as I dropped my luggage on the ground.

I felt like I hadn't seen her in weeks. "I don't know why, but I think I forgot until now how much I missed you these past three days."

"You're such a baby," she said into my shoulder. "But also me too."

Immediately, it was September. The leaves were changing, the sun was shining brighter than ever, and we were skipping school so we could drive around.

I don't know her yet, but I've filled my mind with more than enough fantastical thoughts to be in love with her already. She is beautiful, mysterious, out of my league, and already changing my life.

I snapped back to December and backed out of the driveway. "You know if I'm going to drive, I'm going to need to know where we're going."

"Ah Israel, that's where you're wrong. We're going to take this trip as we take life: one turn at a time."

She led me through town until we got onto a westbound interstate.

We started a game of would you date someone if...

"Hmm, let's see," she said. "Would you date someone if they were a cat person?"

"Eh, I don't know," I said, exaggerating my disgust. "Do they hate dogs, or do they just like cats?"

"They like some dogs. But they're picky."

"Well, we might not make it to moving in together, but I'd give 'em a shot."

"Good answer. Okay, your turn."

"Okay," I said. "Would you date someone if they were obsessed with learning how to play the bagpipes?"

"Do I need to listen to them practice?" she asked.

"How else are they going to learn? Feedback is very important."

"Oh man," she said. "That is the type of conviction I could only imagine admiring from afar. Respect the dedication though... Would you date someone if they identified every type of tree you passed by?"

"Oof..." I responded. "I consider myself an environmentalist, but there are a lot of trees. I'd get tired of that real quick."

"Wow, can't believe you'd say that," she shot back. "I knew you hated the trees. What would the Lorax have to say about that."