Again

Chapter 45

About halfway to Zac's mystery destination, Kayla rolled down her window and allowed the cool night breeze to blow through the car. Her already wild curls flailing around playfully. Zac reached out and turned up the radio, the familiar chorus of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" blasting through the speakers. They sang along, the grins on their faces wiping away any tension that may have been lingering. After a terribly off key chorus, Zac turned the radio down slightly, and began to roll down his own window. Kayla looked over, and took in her surroundings, "Really?" She asked Zac.

Zac looked over at her, a genuine look of confusion on his face.

"You talk me into this mystery surprise and we pull up to Taco Bueno?" she asked, sarcastically.

"Well," Zac began, as he turned the radio off this time, "A - this isn't the surprise. And B - if memory serves me right, we'd have ended up here after your burned the burgers anyway, so...." he finished as he shrugged his shoulders, a slight grin playing on his lips.

Kayla opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the blaring voice coming from the restaurant's speaker box. She cut her eyes at Zac as he laughed, before turning his face and beginning to speak into the black box. Kayla listened as he took it upon himself to order for her, opting to keep quiet about it. They advanced through the drive-thru of the restaurant, paid and waited for their food in silence. Once they'd gotten their food, Zac drove into the parking lot and pulled into a space. He rummaged through the bags, carefully checking to make sure they'd received their entire order, before he folded the bag up and placed it on the seat behind Kayla. He turned his attention to her next, "Okay, now it's time for the surprise. Well, actually I never said it was a surprise, those were your words," he warned, "but still, you gotta close your eyes."

"Why?" Kayla asked suspiciously.

"Because then otherwise you're going to ruin it," Zac replied. He straightened out his body and shifted the car into reverse, "Seriously," he said, as he looked over and saw that Kayla's eyes were still opened.

Kayla let out a deep sigh as she rolled her eyes, and then closed them, "Happy?" she asked.

Zac smiled, returning his attention to the car. He turned the radio back on, turning it up only slightly this time, and began the drive to his next destination.

Kayla felt the change from the highway to an unpaved road. She felt as the car slowed down and swayed from side to side as they made turn after turn. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see in a minute. Just keep those eyes closed," Zac replied.

Kayla could hear him moving, before she heard the sound of a door shutting, "Don't open them yet!" she heard Zac yell, his voice faint, as he came around to her side of the car. She waited patiently as he reached her door, and pulled it open. She felt him reach over and unbuckle her seat belt. The warmth from his hands radiated for a fraction of a second before she felt him grab her own from her lap. He maneuvered her, then tugged slightly as she removed herself from the vehicle. "Careful," he whispered as he shut the car door and placed his hands on her shoulders. He guided her a few steps, before he stopped her. He cocked her body a little to the right before he joined her side, "Okay, you can look now," he said, his voice low.

Kayla opened her eyes, squinting them slightly as they adjusted to the dark. She heard the familiar lull of insect nightlife as she moved her eyes around her. She took a step forward, her body taking in the familiar surroundings, allowing the memories from years past flood through all of her senses. She turned her face back towards Zac. He rose his eyebrows at her, as she smiled, and gave him an impressed nod, "You did good," she said as she turned her body forward again.