The Senior Trip

Chapter 30

Asher

What's crazy about a country road at night is the way it suddenly falls dark and you can't make out even an inch in front of you. The blackness snuck up on us quickly. There hasn't been a car down the road since we started walking. I know our pace is slow because of the heat, but we must be way out there for the world to be so far away.

"Do you think they know we're gone?" Harper asks.

"I don't know." The whole thing was so chaotic there's a chance we are lost in all the mayhem.

"I can't see anything," she says.

"Me either. We should probably get off the road." Our feet stop shuffling down the dirt path. I listen for animals just in case, but we hadn't seen one in while as we walked so, I think the farm land is behind us. My legs are aching and my head hurts from lack of water.

"We're going to have to spend the night out here in the dark."

"We are," I agree.

"In the field," she adds.

"Didn't see a hotel," I tease.

"With the bugs," she acknowledges.

"It's just one night. As soon as the sun comes up, we'll get back on the road."

The dry grass crackles beneath our soles as we head into the darkness even further. I think of snakes and other predators, but there's nothing we can do about it, so we push on.

"Let's not get too far from the road," I tell her. Her small hand wraps around my wrist. I feel relief. My shoulders relax slightly knowing she's connected to me. I don't want to lose her out here. And sure, we're right next to each other, but I don't want to take chances.

I stomp down some of the unruly grass at our feet and sit down. Her hand is still holding tightly to my wrist to I reach for it with my other hand and take it from my skin, holding her hand in mine in the dark. I tug her down gently. "Come sit."

"I can't stop thinking about what might be beneath me," she whispers.

"Why are you whispering?" I ask with a chuckle. "Afraid to wake the creepy crawlers?"

"Stop it!" she laughs. "But...maybe."

I lie back and tug her towards me. "Here, you can use me to stay off the grass."

It reminds me of the survival stories where the friends are stuck out in the wilderness and have to huddle together to stay warm or they'll die. Only, we aren't freezing, and she isn't my buddy from the team or something. When her body falls onto mine it is soft and curvy. She fits perfectly against my chest.

"Thanks," she says, rolling mostly onto me. Even her leg wraps around mine until only a small sliver of her side is in contact with the ground below us. I tuck my arm beneath her the best I can, scooping her against me. A weird thought crosses my mind. I want to kiss her head. The position is intimate and comfortable and feeling like I'm protecting her is making my heart pound quickly in my chest.

When her hair falls into my face, I reach for it with my free hand, twisting it slightly and dropping it back over her shoulder. I can't see her face even though it's so close, but I feel her head shift and know she has looked up at me.

I want to stay awake. I don't want to fall asleep yet. Her head moves again, and she settles into me deeper.

"Promise me something," she says quietly.

I'd promise her anything right now. She thinks I'm the strong one in this scenario, but with her draped across me I'm completely powerless.

"If I snore you won't tell anyone."

My chest shakes with laughter.

"I mean," she says, "I know I NEVER snore, but I'm really tired and the air is really dry and...."
"I won't tell a soul" I assure her still smiling.

"You're a good friend," she says. Her chest heaves with a big sigh and then just as quickly she falls asleep.

"I wait as long as I can, feeling the weight of her against me and the sound of her sweet breaths. But somewhere in the darkness sleep overcomes me and my own eyes shut. My breathing is synced with hers and the last thing I remember is tucking my fingers around her hip so my hand wouldn't slide of her in the night.