Live in Color

eighteen - copper

Even though it takes quite a bit of argument between the two of us, Jericho agrees to being picked up by me for school tomorrow. After that it's the weekend, which he claims he's hoping will give him time to figure things out and either find himself a way to come home or at least a free place to stay at.

I set my alarm clock slightly earlier for Friday morning, knowing I'm going to need that extra time to drive from the motel and to the school without making both of us late. I murmur a good morning to Jude, who has refused to sleep anywhere but my bed, and lethargically make my way out of bed.

Once I've showered, brushed my teeth and gotten dressed, I grab my backpack up off the floor and drag myself downstairs. I attempt to say hello to my mom who is making pancakes in the kitchen, but am interrupted from the intense urge to yawn. My mom laughs at my struggle, looking up at the clock, "You're early, honey."

"I know," I say once I get the yawn out of my system. I reach for the plate of pancakes my mom offers me, thanking her.

"Any reason?" she asks. "You could've slept in another forty minutes."

I begin to cut up my pancakes in small pieces, just as I like them. I try to sound casual as I say, "Jericho is staying in a far part of the city for a couple of days and doesn't have a car, so I'm picking him up this morning."

My mom purses her lips, obviously hesitating with asking me another question. I know why she's so nervous to push on the subject of Jericho- during those three months after the rejection, just the slightest mention of soulmates made me snap. Even after the break in, when Jericho and I really began to grow closer, I never mention him first to my mom.

She bites down on her bottom lip, finally working up the courage to say, "Oh, really? How are you two... doing?"

"We're okay, mom. Just focusing on being friends and getting along."

"Okay," my mom mutters, putting the last pancake on the plate and turning the stove off. "But is it- do you feel as if- is it easier?"

I furrow my eyebrows, "Easier to be his friend?" My mom nods, looking relieved that I caught onto what she was talking about. I think about my answer a little before saying, "I guess... yeah. We haven't been fighting and are kind of learning how not to push each other over the edge while asking about things while still learning more things about each other. So I guess it wouldn't be wrong to say it's easier to be friends with him." I bite my lip, "But then again, I don't think it was ever really hard. Soulmates are naturally fit to have complimenting personalities, it was just a matter of getting over the barrier of the grudges we hold over each other and our- well, mostly his- pasts."

"I'm proud of, Natalie. I'm glad you're thinking about this situation in a mature mind and you're understanding why things are going the way they are."

I snort, "Oh, don't make me sound that great, mom. I'm just playing it by ear at this point. I don't want him to hate me and I don't want to hate him."

"I don't think he can hate you, nor do I think that you can hate him."

I shrug, choosing not to answer her. Instead, I quickly finish up my pancakes and head to the car. Texting Jericho that I'll be there in twenty minutes, I head off, leaving myself alone with my jumbled thoughts.

When I finally reach the motel, I whip out my phone and text him that I'm here. Leaning back in my seat, I examine the building. Its stone that looks as if it were at some point white, but has now faded to something close an a yellow, is stained, especially closer to the ground. The windows are foggy and dirty, bird crap on some of them. The sign for the name is only half lit, making the name look more like 'MTL' rather than 'MOTEL' in the morning sunrise. The grass around is all either dead or untrimmed and uneven.