How did I fall for you?

The Trip Home

I wake up to mom shaking me.
"HONEY GET UP, WE'VE GOTTA GET ON THE ROAD!!" She says frantic, trying to get loaded up, and on the road before checkout time.

"Alright, alright. I'm up." I say, tired and startled.

We step outside in the freezing west texas wind, dragging our bags to our car, dogs on leashes.
Loading up the car, we hope in, and hit the road.

Now no longer on a time crunch, we stop lesurely, exploring the local areas, and stopping at cool truck stops on the way home.

Lots of knick knacks, snacks, and clothes later, we were finally home. I slid the key into the lock and opened the door.

I dropped my bags in my room with a sigh of relief. I was finally home, anxiety washed away by familiarity.

Before mom could say a word, I ran out the door, and jumped in my friends car. I may have been 17, but I still couldn't drive. I yelled out an "I love you." To my mom and grandma, and headed to a bon fire. We lived in a small county called vandzant. I hailed from the tiny town of grand saline texas, the former name of jordan saline, the town known for Morton salt mines, and the annual salt festival.
There wasn't much to do except sit in pastures, drink, play music, and chat around a fire with good friends and good company. That's all us small town folk knew.

After a night of drinks and laughter, my friend and I headed back to my house, and sat down on the couch with my mom. Jokes and laughter erupted from the room, and the night grew short.

We headed to bed. My friend was going to stay the week with me, so we decided to stay up all night giggling about old memories, and stupid inside jokes. After all we had known eachother for years.

Beatrice and I had grown up together. Or parents were practically family.

My feelings of joy and happiness slowly faded into a state of sadness as the approaching reality struck me with an arrows strength.

Beatrice and I knew despite the chances of me moving, we would always be friends, though she knew it'd be tough on me, as I had just climbed out of a deep depression. We had just lost our close friend, and I had finally gotten back on my feet again after his death. I explained that I was terrified of being ripped from my normal, and being kicked off the latter back down into the hole I had worked so hard to get out of. I was scared. I was hurting, and though I was happier, I still hadn't gotten all my grieving out from losing someone so close to me.

We pushed it aside with an agreement to live in the moment and forget about what was about to come.