Winter's Tree

32 - Beginnings

Heat haze distorted the top of the next hill as the mid-summer sun baked the pavement.

Allison pushed her glasses up to wipe the sweat from the bridge of her nose. The AC in the car hadn't worked since last summer and she couldn't afford to get it fixed so she had to contend with sweating.

In the passenger's seat, Mel seemed oblivious to the heat, her dark, curls bouncing as she wobbled her head to the music. At least the radio worked.

"Oh, come on," she said. "Lighten up, Allie. It's summer, we have a car, we have music. It's fun. Remember fun?"

Despite herself, Allison laughed. Mel had an infectious spirit and Allison had never been able to resist her, even when it meant moving halfway across the country to attend a college she didn't care for in a State she didn't like. A year later, she still missed Austin, though it didn't feel like home anymore with her parents living in Boston. Neither did LA. She was a tree with roots.

Her laughter turned into a shriek as the sound of a loud bang reverberated through the car like a gunshot. The wheel jerked in her hand, followed by a rhythmic rocking that would have been comical if she wasn't so terrified. The sound of rubber flapping against pavement reached her ears, and she pulled over to the side of the road.

Getting out of the car, she swore as she saw the damage done to her front tire. Completely Blown. She must have run over something sharp. The passenger side door opened and Mel climbed out. She tilted her dark sunglasses up as she came around the front of the car to assess the damage.

"Well, that's a bust," she said.

"No, shit," Allison replied.

"Oh, don't get cranky," Mel said. "It's not the end of the world. We'll just call a tow truck."

***

It took forty-five minutes for the tow truck to arrive.

Hungry, hot and thirsty, Allison couldn't help but snap at the driver as he swung down out of the cab of the truck. "Took you long enough."

He eyed her cooly, but only said, "Do you want to pay now or later?"

She flushed and opened her mouth to frame a quick retort, but Mel elbowed her in the ribs and she bit it back. Rubbing her side, she shot her a dark look.

"He's cute," Mel mouthed, and Allison rolled her eyes in exasperation.

She glanced towards the driver again though, and this time, she let herself really see him. He was stony faced but the hard lines gave way to a soft, full mouth and his steely grey eyes were framed by eyelashes long enough and dark enough to make any girl envious. Why was it men always had the good lashes? The name sewn onto his blue, button up work shirt read Evan.

He caught her looking and raised one brow. There was something in his expression that felt familiar to her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She sighed and made to approach him. Better to apologize now before her overcharged her.

Before she opened her mouth, though, he reached into the cab of his truck and pulled out a bottle of water. Wordlessly, he held it out to her. She took it, and as she did, her fingers brushed his and she knew without knowing how, that she had come home.

A/N

That's it guys! I survived the Open Novella Contest! To those of you have made it this far, thank you so much for sticking it out!! You're support has meant the world to me! To the ONC admin team, thank you so much for all your hard work and for allowing me to be a part of this.
Final word Count : 22,514