FATE

68. Road Trip

BROOKE

What's the funniest thing about trying to get over a breakup?

Somedays, it feels like you're okay and you're finally letting go of them. it doesn't hurt as much and you actually feel better. Then you wake up one morning, it's the first thought that comes to your mind- and then the tears start blurring your vision again.

I scroll through the pictures on my phone all over again. They're pictures Hailee and Carmen took with their phones of Jonah, Francis and I in the small lake we found during the hike. In one of them Francis grins at the camera as Bruno floats away from him. I'm talking to Jonah, completely unaware that the picture is being taken and he's staring at me, a serious look on his face but there's a small smile on his lips.

I swipe to the right, it's a video and I hit play. My earphones fill my ears with the sound of splashing water and breeze.

"Jonah! It's getting late!", Hailee yells from behind the phone.

He blows a kiss at her and turns back to face me. I remember the moment perfectly. Under the lake, he has his arm around my waist and he places a finger under my chin.

The sound of Bruno's barking fills my air as Jonah whispers to me. The video doesn't capture what he says but I know.

"I love you okay?", he says softly.

I chuckle, "okay"

I turn off the phone screen to avoid crying again.

"Hey, what are you doing?", Drew asks.

At the other end of the couch, Andrew sits with his gaze on his phone. He's been coming over often for a while now and sometimes, we don't even talk. We just order pizza to eat and watch tv. I appreciate Drew's presence a lot. It makes me feel less alone than I usually feel and one good thing about him is, he doesn't ask too many questions. He just does his best to distract me from the things I'm feeling and it works sometimes.

"Nothing", I drop the phone on the couch, "why?"

"Today", he slips his phone into his pocket and smiles at me, "we go out"

"Out?", I cock my head, "what do you mean, out?"

"Just to the store down the street, you know the one I saw you in front of the other day?"

I nod.

"Yeah, well, I want to go get something for my mom", he says, "and you are coming with me"

I groan, "I don't think I want to do that Andrew"

"Why not?"

"I don't know, I just don't want to"

"I've let you stay indoors and yearn for how long?", he asks, "today, you do something different"

"There's nothing wrong with staying inside and yearning"

He rolls his eyes, "right", he trails, "so are you coming or not?"

I pout, "fine"

Another thing about Drew- he's very hard to say no to.

The sidewalk is hot as Drew and I walk down the neighborhood. The sun shines brilliantly, its rays stretching wide in the sky and there a few trees planted in front of houses on the sidewalk. They sway in the warm breeze, their leaves- dark green and full. The warmth from the sun clutches onto my skin and suddenly, being outside and breathing fresh air doesn't seem so bad anymore. If anything, it's refreshing. I'm glad Drew made me come out.

The neighborhood is almost quiet, even during the day. Houses are lined up on both sides of the road. They all looks somewhat the same, just painted differently. All the people act the same too. They're always smiling, for some reason, majority of them have dogs and they seem preppy.