Across the Maps

Chapter 35

I gaze around, sprinkles of water clouding my vision. The cool metal railing is clutched in my hands as I look around. Lit up restaurant signs light up the city with reds, oranges, blues, and yellows. Unlike every other day, it's quiet. Only a few cars tread down the mostly vacant roads, and very few people roam the sidewalks. As I watch the quiet city, a peacefulness comes upon me.

Tonight's the last night here. Tomorrow we fly home. Home! The word almost feels unnatural when I say it since it's been so long. All the things I have secretly been longing for; my bed, my room, my family. I've been missing all that from the very beginning, but now I don't want to leave. I've gotten use to staying up late, watching the lights and the stars, sightseeing with Mom and Cole, and going to book signings. I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back to the normal life.

In two weeks, school starts again. School, where I don't have many friends. School, where I am piled up with homework. Ugh, just the thought of it annoys me.

I sigh, taking everything in. Closing my eyes, I recall all of the amazing adventures I've had this summer. So many good memories.

After a little while, I decide to go in. Sneaking around as quietly as I possible can, I tip toe through the living room, down the narrow hallway, and into my room. After running a brush through my hair a few times, brushing my teeth, and changing into comfortable fuzzy blue shorts that hug my hips just right and a dark plain purple shirt that's three sizes to big that it droops down my body and goes down to my knees, I plop into bed, exhausted. Closing my eyes and tossing a few times to find the right position, I fall into a merciless deep dream.

****

I wake up, my body sweaty and sticky. I sigh as I realize I must have had restless sleep last night. I throw the covers aside and stand up. Coughing lightly, I tread into the bathroom and run a shower. When the water warms up, I step into the large sleek tub, surrounded with colored tile, the water running down my body. I stay in the shower for a long time, just standing there, letting the scorching water pound on me. But finally, I shampoo and condition my hair. After remaining in the shower a little longer, I shut the knob off, ring my hair out, and grab a hotel towel, which I absolutely love. They're so soft and big; I love them more than our own.

I quickly tread into my room and change into white jean shorts with a sparkly belt, a brown shirt with large white wings splayed on it, and chestnut brown sandals with blue gems dotting the top of them.

I dry my hair and curl it, which takes around an hour. After applying some mascara and blush, I trudge into the kitchen, where Mom sits at the table, a dark green mug in her right hand and her phone occupying the other. He hair is messily put in a low ponytail, and for once she isn't wearing any makeup.

"Hey," I greet. She lifts her head up and smiles at me.

"Hey sweetie," she exclaims.

"Whatcha doing?" I question, ambling over to the small wooden table and sitting down in one of the chairs.

That's another thing I miss, our table and chairs. The hotel tables are too small, too frail, and too uncomfortable. They feel like I'm sitting on a jagged rocks.

"Oh nothing really," Mom replies, clicking her phone off and setting it down. "Just checking my email."

"Oh, that's cool." I exclaim just as Cole parades in. His dark hair is slightly wet and he wears a plain dark blue shirt and blue jeans. He smiles at me as he plops down in the chair beside me.

"Hey," I grin.

"Hey, what's up?" He questions.

"The sky," I shrug nonchalantly, and Cole rolls his eyes.

"That's not what I meant," Cole states, and I let out a small laugh.

"Yeah I know," I smirk in a mocking tone. "So when do we leave?" I ask Mom.

"Soon," she pauses, scratches her pug nose, and then continues speaking. "We'll find something to eat on the way. You should probably pack. We'll leave around eleven thirty."

We both nod and then head to our rooms to pack, which takes a little while since I have to have everything in perfect order. I fold clothes and then neatly place them on top of each other in my duffle bag. Afterwards comes my cosmetics stuff. I place them in the little nooks and crannies of my bag. Finally, after twenty minutes of neatly organizing, I am finished and decide to saunter next door into Cole's room to peek at what he's doing.

His room looks similar to mine. A large bed is placed in the corner, the sheets and comforter looking like it was just in a massive hurricane. A small black sofa sits in a corner near a widescreen television, which is mounted on the gray wall. His large brown suitcase is flung open on the bed, clothes and nick nacks scattered everywhere.

Cole packs things in his suitcase disorderly and messily. I stand at the door, watching him and scowling as he hastily piles stuff in. He finishes a few minutes later and somehow manages to zip it up.

"Done," he comments and turns to look at me.

"You know if you would have folded your clothes it would have been a lot easier...and a lot neater," I exclaim, trying to hold back my need for organization.

"Yeah, I know," he replies. "But it's fine."

"What if you need to find something or-"

Cole cuts me off, a smirk appearing on his face. "It's fine. Just leave it."

"But-" I argue, not ready to give up.

"Forget it," he commands and I roll my eyes annoyed.

"Fine," I huff. "But when you need something and have to dig through all of that to find it, I'll be the one laughing."

"Okay," he shrugs. "But just know that that's not going to happen."

"We'll see," I smirk. "We'll see."

****

An hour and a half later we sit on Mom's private plane; Mom in a white leather chair and Cole and I stretched out of the soft couch.

I sigh as I gaze out the small window, and a small laugh comes out of my mouth, a sad laugh, a broken laugh.

"What's the matter?" Cole asks, his warm breath on my cheeks.

"Nothing," I sigh. "It's just I remember the beginning. You know, when we were just starting to leave for the tour."

"I remember that," Cole whispers into my hair. "You use to be scared of heights."

"Yeah," I stifle a little laugh. "You helped me not be scared."

"That does sound like me," Cole jokes. "Cole, the famous hero. Always saving damsels in distress."

"Yeah sure," I grin. "More like Cole, the guy who is very disorderly, likes to eat...a lot, and makes horrible jokes."

"You love my jokes," Cole points out and I giggle.

"Yeah sure."

He smiles and then we are both gaze out of the small rectangular window between us.

"This is really it," I exclaim sadly, placing my hand on the window seal.

"Yep," Cole replies. "This is it. We're going home."

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