Cat & Drew's Whirlwind Adventure

13. Pursuits of Happiness

If nothing else, I at least deserve credit for being resilient, a few weeks later and I'm right back to getting into the groove of things. The pressure at home continues to build with mom pushing harder for the therapy I said I would think about, and my whole dynamic with Cat has just been, I don't know, off. She swears she's not mad or anything, and I'm tempted to believe that because it doesn't seem like one idiotic comment could be enough to set her off like this, but since we slept together it's almost like she's avoiding me. Our friendship means way too much to jeopardize it for something so trivial, but nevertheless I'm trying to give her the space she says she needs to deal with her aunt, even though it hasn't been easy.

It's been a few weeks of learning to grapple with these new emotions, I shudder to think how hard it would be to go that alone. Fortunately I haven't had to, because even though Cat is keeping her distance, Troy has been more attentive than ever. It's fun having him at the shop to hang out with, we're learning so much about each other, and my mom even trusts him enough to drive me home from work so that she doesn't have to. She may have relinquished that role reluctantly, but still, I think it works out better for everybody—I don't hear Troy complaining.

"Seems like this drive is getting shorter and shorter," he observes as we pull into my driveway and he puts the truck in park. "We barely got through any of the new CD I burned, phew, you got lucky this time."

"Still not sure I'd call myself lucky, but really you only have yourself to blame for talking through the whole ride." I look over at him, teasing. The dynamic I have with Cat may be complicated, despite how I need it, but I'm glad that the one I have with Troy doesn't have to be. It almost feels too easy at times, like right now with how he smiles back at me, the corners of his mouth crinkling up the way they do. "Besides, we could always keep this going, you're more than welcome to come inside and help explain to my mom why I'm one minute late."

"You really that desperate to hang out with me? Dang, Summers, you've got no chill." He teases me in return, one of those familiar grooves we fall into.

"Wishful thinking, but that's understandable, you've never seen the wrath of my mom when she's mad."

"As much fun as you make it sound, I'm going to have to politely decline."

"Bummer. What do you have to do that's so much better? Because I know you're not going to touch your homework." I smirk.

"Ouch, okay, I see you with that very accurate read," he chuckles, shoving my elbow off the center console playfully. We share a laugh for a solid minute and it feels nice, I've been more appreciative than ever these last few weeks for the unwitting part he's played in me trying to rediscover how to live again. When the laughter fades he's unusually quiet though, until he scrunches his face up and glances over pensively. "Can I tell you another secret? I don't want to make a big deal out of it and I'm still not sure if I'm going to bail, but I took your advice and decided to sign up for the talent show."

"Wait, for real? That is a big deal! Signups have been over for like ever though, how long have you been sitting on that information?"

"I don't know, it didn't feel like the right time to bring it up before. Even now, thinking about it, it's totally not manly but I have all these butterflies in my stomach. Big butterflies—huge—with tentacles and laser eyes." Troy jokes to hide his nerves. I've come to understand him well enough to understand how that's easiest, so I oblige with a laugh. He seems to appreciate that, "you said it best, I figure if I'm ever going to be a serious musician I have to bite the bullet and get up there and just play. Like immersion therapy or something. Obviously I want it to be perfect, I've been practicing non-stop."