𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 [COMPLETE]

𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝟎𝟑𝟖 { For Every Thanksgiving }

"𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎."
~~~

𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

My eyes rise up slightly as we drive underneath the large green Welcome to New Jersey road sign down the highway.

Instantly I recognize the difference between the bustling and hectic experience the city has to offer and my regular old town just a bridge over from Manhattan.

Beside me Zach is stoic and still. For a while I just think he's just focused on driving because New Yorkers don't have a single care for traffic rules but then I realize the contemplation behind his focused eyes.

Thanksgiving was tomorrow and after Zach said he wasn't going back to his Dads for the family holiday, I insisted he come stay over with mine and it was the perfect time for Dad to finally get on board with our relationship.

"What did the steering wheel ever do to you?" I say, noticing his tightened grip extended in front of him.

Zach exhales, not finding this situation in a slight amusing. It was evident the closer we got to my family home, he grew more anxious.

Realizing my words weren't helping, I reached down to his hand resting on the shift gear and locked our fingers together, giving it a tight squeeze.

I watch him visibly relax as he squeezes back before circling my outer hand with his thumb.

For the rest of the ride back we remain silent. Only the sound of the radio and me munching on a bag of chips could be heard through the congestion on the highway.

The closer we got the more familiar my surroundings became. The rundown buildings surrounded by chains of fast food restaurants just a block away from gated communities filled with affluent members of society made my stomach churn.

Streets once empty due to school being in session are filled with underdressed kids playing in piles of dead leaves that had fallen from the trees. Grocery store parking lots are overcrowded with Dads who are sent last minute to buy whatever mom missed the day before and the local highschool has a sign out in the very front saying to enjoy your thanksgiving break.

Zach takes a turn on Livingston st, right into a more brighter side of town, my dad worked very hard to keep both Niko and I in. The neighborhood was composed of working class families on the upper middle class scale. With Victoria's parents being extremely wealthy her house was a several miles away where mansions typically took up the whole block. I remember just yesterday, when we would use her backyard as our very own spa that Mr. and Ms. Xu had built for the two of us.

The car slows as we pull up in front of an average two story house, I called home. The grass was kept trimmed and there was even a faint smell of fresh paint on the picket fences out front. The GPS voicing "Your destination is on the right" breaks the silence.

Zach quickly gets out to open the door on the passenger side. I step out and he closes the door behind me. Soon after he's taking out my mini suitcase and his duffle bag, refusing to let me carry either one. My eagerness to finally see Niko distracts me from my pursuit to argue about holding my own bag.

I lead the way to the front door and right before my hand reaches out for the doorbell I notice Zach is a lot farther behind.

"What's wrong?" I question, looking back. My brief smile falls almost instantly at his hesitant expression.

He pauses before shaking his head. "Nothing."

"Are you sure?" I press him further and to my dismay he refuses to meet my eye.