“I don’t think you’re a dick, I just. Hell Tyler, I don’t know, ok? I just have never been in a relationship. I constantly feel like an inadequate dork, who is just following the cool guy around. I keep waiting for you to realize what a super freak I am and run as fast and as far away as you can get.”
He glanced at me and his hand grabbed my thigh. “Savanah, I’m not going anywhere. I know exactly what a super freak you are, and I am not running anywhere.”
My vision blurred slightly, stupid emotions, maybe I did like them better all bottled up tucked deep in the abyss. “Ok.”
“So, can we just enjoy our road trip?”
I smiled, trying to hide my tear as it escaped the edge of my eyes and rolled slowly down my cheek. “Sorry.”
“I’m sorry. Let’s just forget the whole thing, ok?” His hand moved back to the steering wheel as he changed lanes.
I took his distraction as an opportunity to wipe my cheek. “So, what do you want to listen to?”
I dug my phone out of my bag and pulled up my small playlist.
He scoffed at me, shaking his head, “You are not going to have anything on your flip phone.” He reached down below his seat and grabbed his phone, “Here, passcode is 2310”
I typed in the passcode and scanned through his music. It wasn’t far off from what I would have expected. He had play lists for workouts, batting practice, homework, and chill. I clicked on the chill list, and he instantly made a face.
“Yuck. This is like go to sleep music, try Home Mix.”
I clicked on it and heard the ancient twang of country music. I tipped my head towards him. “Really? Country? I would have never guessed.”
He shrugged, “It’s a mix of all the songs Mom and Dad always had on.” He laughed, “There is a couple 80’s hair bands in there, my mom was gonna be Joan Jett when she grew up.” He grinned that small little grin I loved.
“Do you miss home?” I hadn’t really contemplated how a normal kid must feel. I always couldn’t wait to move so my grandparents could actually retire and enjoy their golden years. I never considered what normal families must feel like with a kid away at college.
“Yeah, I do, but school’s good. I mean I miss stupid stuff, like Sunday morning when mom would make breakfast, or the backyard BBQ’s when cousins would all come over to hang out. But really, that is all different when you get out of school anyway.” He shrugged, “You grow up I guess.” He turned toward me, “Do you miss home?”
“Kind of, but my grandparents needed time to just be retired and relax together. I worry about them more than I do anything else.”
We chatted about everything and anything for miles. He took an exit, and I realized we’d been driving for several hours.
“Where are we?” I asked, looking out the window, trying to find a sign.
“Pendleton.” We stopped for snacks, and a restroom break, and within ten minutes we were back on the road again.
Within an hour, I started seeing signs for Yakima. My pulse quickened while I began to panic. “Do your parents know I am coming?”
“Why?”
“I just didn’t know if they knew about me at all.”
He nodded his head, “Yeah my parents know I have a girlfriend, yes they know you are coming with me, no they are not going to be around.”
“Oh? Where are they?”
He smiled, “They are skiing with some friends this weekend.” His grin looked off. There was more right below the surface. More to this story than simply skiing.
“What? Why aren’t you telling me something?”
He threw his one hand up and chuckled, “It’s just mom wanted to cancel the trip, and dad absolutely refused. He kept texting me saying, ‘Don’t worry, I will make her go,’ like I was worried about it somehow.”
“Does your dad not want me to meet her?”
He laughed again, “No Savanah that is not it. My mom can be a bit overwhelming. He shrugged, “He was honestly trying to save me. He’s is sure she will scare any decent girl I ever bring home off.”
“Well that’s not very nice. Your dad should have a little more faith in her.”
He grinned, “I’ll tell him you said that.” He squeezed my knee. “Besides, it is almost the end of ski season, he is not open to missing the last few days they can go.” He looked at me, reading my question. “I know, the season lasts longer, but as soon as our baseball season really gets into full swing, they’re trying to come to as many games as they can.”
I smiled thinking what a different life we lived growing up. How we were sitting here together seemed so odd to me.
“What?” He asked.
I shook my head, “Nothing, I’m just excited to get to meet them.” And I truly was. The fear seemed to dissolve, and I could picture it. Sitting at baseball games with his parents.
“Good,” He blushed slightly.
He took another turn, “Wait, I thought you lived in Yakima? We are leaving town now.”
“I did, but I didn’t live with my grandparents. That was you,” his smile curved in that way that showed only the one dimple and made my stomach flip. I reached over and put my hand on his knee. He looked at my hand and put his on top of it.
We drove in silence past fields that would be covered in crops if it wasn’t the dead of winter. The open spaces reminded me of home.
We turned into a long gravel road and I pulled my hand
