Fireworks

38

I'm not sure how long I drive, but I get halfway to the state border before turning back around. I end up in the parking lot of Vinnies. There are no cars anymore, aside from one that I'm pretty sure belongs to Vinnie, and the broken open sign is flashing in the window. I stare inside at the empty diner for a while before pulling out again and driving to the 7/11 down the street and stopping there. Even though I have three-quarters of a tank, I fill it up the rest of the way and then sit in my car for a bit longer.

How pathetic.

I try to calm myself down, saying I can just sleep in my car for the night and then go to work in the morning, but I'm panicking. I have nowhere to go. I don't even know my dad's address, and I'm not asking for it now. That's too close to giving in to my mom.

I could ask Isa to stay at her place.

Yeah, Isa would let me stay for a couple nights, right?

I pull out my phone and pull up her contact. I pause on it, though, staring at her profile picture. I hesitate. I hesitate some more. I click on the call button.

It rings out and her voicemail picks up.

Okay, then, Isa may not be an option for tonight.

I pull out of the gas station and drive by the Fireworks tent. I could stay in the parking lot unnoticed, right? I glance at the clock. It's close to 1:00. Bill would be on nightwatch, and I'm sure he's a few beers in by now. He wouldn't notice my car, right?

He definitely would.

I drive back to 7/11.

I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. I didn't think this through.

My phone lights up with a text, and I grab it.

Arlo: I'm pretending my feelings aren't hurt you didn't call.

I stare at the text for a moment before clicking the call button under his name. I don't give myself time to think about it.

It rings once before he picks up. "Well, well, well. Should have just asked me to remind you, I would have done it."

I swallow and glance at myself in the mirror to make sure I look okay, as if he could see me. My eyes are wide and irritated from crying. My nose and cheeks are pink. My hair no longer in its braid. I wince.

"Hello?"

His voice snaps me out of it, and I steel myself before saying, "Hey. Sorry, I guess I couldn't find a good time to call."

He's quiet for a second before he carefully says, "Okay. Are you alright?"

I let the question hover for a second before saying, "Physically, yes. Kind of." I look around me at the empty gas station. Does stranded qualify as okay? I guess I always could go home, but... that doesn't feel like an option right now.

"Kind of?" he repeats, voice unreadable. "That's not promising. What about emotionally?"

I blink. "Honestly, not that hot."

He laughs and I hear shuffling on the other end. I wince. "Sorry, were you asleep or something?"

He pauses. "I texted you."

I blink. "Oh, yeah. Duh. Sorry."

He's quiet for another second and I pound my forehead. Now is not the time to screw up your romantic life, too, Hadlee!

"Are you okay? What happened?" he repeats, this time sounding more concerned.

I shake my head. "I mean, I don't know. It's kind of a lot, but basically I told her, and she made me call my dad, and now she wants me to move out. I didn't want to pick between my parents, so I tried to reason with them, but my mom doesn't want me to live with her anymore, so I left and now I don't know what to do." I say in one breath, squeezing my eyes shut.