Deep {COMPLETED}

t w e n t y - o n e

Ian Walker

Riley was supposed to come with me on Friday night, it was a four hour drive so we were going to go up and stay at the ranch that my cousins own, and then the wedding was on Saturday. But I was driving down the dry, empty highway alone, and the radio station was depressing me. I clenched my jaw and punched the power button and shut the radio off. I was going to drive in silence, and alone.

I had pictured it, all of it. We would go on this road trip together, she would probably wear something that drove me crazy the whole time. I would probably get us in a crash because I would be too distracted by her. She would probably light a cigarette and hang it out the window, tapping it on the car door. I would ask her for a drag of it and she would tease me with it just like she does with her lips. Then she would turn on some music, I would pretend to hate it and make fun of her, but I would actually love it. I would listen especially hard to the songs that she pointed out saying 'Oh this one's good!' like an excited little kid. I would bounce my head to the rhythm and listen to the words, memorizing them, making note of the ones that reminded me of her.

I glanced at the radio. It was taunting me. I cursed under my breathe and turned it back on, searching for a station, until I heard a song I liked. I stopped on one that sounded nice, but as it progressed, I recognized it. It was a song Riley showed me, the beginning was slow and quiet but then around the chorus it would get louder and more intense, even the lyrics got more harsh, but not scary. It was still a relatively quiet song. I hummed to it, and thought about her.

When I got to the ranch, it was dinner time. There was a huge house with all of seven rooms, enough for most of the family members to share rooms and stay a few days, at least the ones who lived really far. When I walked in, with my head hung, scratching the back of my neck, my mom let out a scream.

"Ian!" She ran up to me and hugged me wrapped me in a hug. My mother was a loud woman, she was everyones favorite person though, she loved everyone, and she showed it. I hugged her back.

"Hey mom, I missed you, how you been?" She pulled away but kept her hands on my shoulders, she was much shorter than me.

"I missed you too, and I would be much better if you visited me once in awhile instead of hiding away in that city of yours." I rolled my eyes teasingly.

"I saw you last month mom." She slapped me on the shoulder.

"Come say hello to your cousin, she's getting married tomorrow, can you believe it?" I shoved my hands in my pockets and followed her in the kitchen.

"I know mom, that's why we're here." She slapped me again with the towel she was holding.

"Don't be smart." All my family members were sitting around the table in the kitchen chatting with empty plates in front of them. They waved and greeted me, but mostly just continued their conversation. My cousin Emma stood up from the table and hugged me.

"Ian! Oh god how are you? I'm getting married tomorrow! Can you believe it!" I hugged her back.

"I know, mom said the same thing. How are you? Haven't seen you in ages."

"Well maybe if you came around more." I rolled my eyes.

"Mom said that too." She sat back down at the table and I stood next to her.

"So where's your friend? The girl you said you were bringing?" I took a deep breathe, I thought about everyone asking me this question, I rolled it over in my head a thousand times on the way here, I still felt like I would pass out.

"She couldn't make it." Emma looked at me, with curious eyes, but she didn't ask.

"It's a shame, I was looking forward to you bringing a girl to meet the family for once." I nodded, biting my bottom lip. The room got awkwardly silent, until my mom spoke up.