TILL WE MEET AGAIN

Chapter 11

Ellie

We have been on the road for thirty minutes. Thirty minutes that seem like two hours because for some reason I can't seem to figure out, Col is really silent.

"Where are we going?" I clear my throat and ask.

He is silent for a while before he replies."Some restaurant out of town. It's a one and a half hours' drive."

"What are you going to do there?" I ask, curious.

"Nothing important"

"We are going out of town at 9pm in the night to do 'nothing important'?" I ask sarcastically.

He tightens his grip on the steering wheel and breathes out heavily. I must be pushing the wrong buttons.

"We are going to pick up my guitar." He finally tells me.

We are both silent for another five minutes when his phone starts to ring. I look over to see who's calling.

Jo.

Col sucks in his breath and declines the call.

Curiosity gets the upper hand and I ask. "Who's Jo" 

"No one that concerns you. Why don't you just shut up, okay." He fires at me. He doesn't miss a beat, no reluctancy in his voice.

I nod and lean back into my seat.

Why is he suddenly like this? What's triggering him? It's like there are two versions of him. The fun, happy him and then this version. Whatever it's called but I definitely do not like it.

I hate this. I hate the silence between us. Not just because a part of me is dieing for his attention but also because I hate what silence does to me.

It makes me think. It opens me up to the possibility that a few weeks from now, I might be in another continent and that scares me.

All the flashbacks of every single time I moved to a new place play in my mind.

The bullying, the lack of friends, the inability to speak their language, the wishing that I had a normal childhood like every other child.

I cannot go back to that. I cannot relive all my worst fears all over again. Surely the organization will let my parents stay, at least for one more year. That's what dad said right? That there is a big possibly?

"We are here." Col's voice interrupts my thoughts. I look out and see a restaurant.

I hop out of the car and follow after Col. We enter the restaurant and Col pauses to look around before he starts walking again towards a table in one corner.

As we approach the table, I notice that there is a man and a woman sitting there. At first, I can't see them clearly but as we get closer I notice the man looks exactly like... exactly like Col.

The man and the woman notice us and when we reach the table, the man greets Col. "Hey Col." Col nods in response.

"Hmm this is Ellie." Col introduces me. "Medrine's niece."

"Ellie, these are my parents." He adds. Col's dad shakes my hand and his mom stands up to hug me. That's when I notice her big round belly.

She gives me a generous smile and introduces herself. "I am Col's mom but you can call me Jo."

I freeze.

Jo? Jo is Col's mom? The Jo? I turn to look at Col but he doesn't meet my eyes or Jo's.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." I return her smile.