Five More Minutes

12 | running away from death

SHE wanted to stay.

She got down Breezy with a heavy feeling in her heart. She waited for Everett as he parked the van a little away from the flea market. He returned and ushered her the way. She scanned through the vendors and found a couple of cute outfits and trendy jewellery. She changed from Everett's loose t-shirt in the public washroom into a yellow single strapped dress. She walked out and posed in front of him. Everett looked up from his phone and his frown was replaced by a small smile.

"What do you think?" She swirled.

"Pretty." He muttered. "I checked the bus schedule. There's a direct bus to Oakside in forty-five minutes. Do you want to get the tickets of that one or would you rather catch the one that leaves in fifteen minutes? It will drop you to the previous town."

"I'll catch the direct one. Thanks."

"Okay great. Lemme go get it."

"Hey, no. It's alright," Aahana said. "You have a long ride ahead. You might even catch the concert you wanted to go to. You should leave. I'll get the tickets myself." She gave him an assuring smile.

"Are you sure?" He asked. She nodded. "Okay..." He licked his lips. "Goodbye, Aahana. Breezy will miss you. Like, in small proportions. Very tiny fragments of it." This made Aahana laugh. Her eyes pooled with water she didn't expect. She lunged forward and threw her hands around his neck.

"I will miss Breezy too," she muttered against his neck. She will remember her adventure. She will remember it all. "I know you never return to someplace twice but if by chance you do, please stop by to say hi."

"I will," he said after pulling apart. "Hey, I know I don't know your sister but I can promise you you're not like her. There's no way someone could be as crazy or as annoying as you are." Aahana laughed. "Goodbye, Aahana."

"Goodbye, Everett." She stepped away from him. He gave her a two-finger salute and began walking away, her eyes not leaving hers until he bummed into a woman. He apologised to her, flashed a funny smile back to Aahana and turned around. In a few minutes, Aahana could no longer find him in the crowd. She sighed and glanced at the ticket counter. But before buying the ticket, she went to the local PCO. She dropped a penny in it and dialled her mother's phone number.

Her mother called after two rings. "Hello? Who is this?"

Strangely enough, she missed her mom's voice. "Hi, Ma."

"Oh, my. Aahana, is that you? Beta, where are you?" Her mother's voice turned frantic, desperate, fast. "Please, come back. We're sorry. Come home. Your Papa and I have been worried sick. Let us know where you are. Let us come get you. How are you?"

"I am well. I..." She breathed. Her eyes fell on the bus timings written on a wide board. "Don't worry about me, okay? I promise I will return in a week. I...I want to enjoy this summer. Please, let me."

"Beta, just tell us where you are." This was her Papa.

"I will call you later. My bus leaves in five minutes. I am fine and I love you. I'll be there again. I am...I am not Kavya."

"Honey, no, wait. Are you alone? Do you have enough money?"

"Yes, I have the money and no, I am not alone. I...I am with a friend. Bye, Ma and Papa." She hung the phone away and rushed to the ticket corner. The slow lady provided with her the ticket to Peakview right when the bus to Peakview took off. Aahana clutched the tote bag close to her and ran after the bus. "Hey! Wait!" Lucky for her, the driver noticed her and halted the bus for her to let in. She thanked him and got on board. As she sank into her seat, there was a smile on her face.

Time to find Everett.

Aahana had almost fallen asleep against the window of the bus when it came to a sudden halt, jerking her awake. The sunlight of the hot afternoon beamed right into her eyes, forcing her to close them again. She rubbed her eyes and looked outside to see why the bus had been stopped. She asked the passenger in front why everyone was getting down. He told her that they had stopped by for lunch. She signed and slipped her bag over her shoulders and got down.

Her eyes caught the sight of a green board that told her that she was just in the next town than the previous one and it had been five hours. She calculated the time she'd need to reach Peakview and catch up with Everett. She began fretting when she realised that the bus was extremely slow and would take next evening to reach Peakview while Everett would reach next morning since he was a fast driver.

She wasn't sure why she was sweating—because of the heat or the fact that she might not meet him ever again. The later thought scared her. She wanted to meet him again. She was stupid not to walk away from an oppurtunity to spend time with someone who doesn't ask her to be someone else. She knew he let his guard down and told about his past in hopes that she'd stay, she knew that it was a big step for him yet her own fears stopped her trajectory to a perfect getaway.

She can't get on this bus. It was slowing her down. She needed to find another way.

Just when she started plotting new ideas to find Everett, she saw a girl park her minty blue bicycle right outside the diner. The girl took four bouquets of flowers from the basket in front and walked inside.

This is wrong. I shouldn't do this. But...I have to find Everett.

Aahana, for once, didn't want her ethics to get in her way. She was taught better than this.

You'll never meet Everett again. You won't have your perfect last summer.

"Ah, shit." She kicked the mud and tiptoed to the bicycle. The girl was busy talking to the old lady at the counter. Aahana muttered sorry and got on the bicycle. Clutching the handle tightly, she kicked off and paddled down the street. She heard curses and loud calls from behind but she didn't look back. No, she wasn't going to look back—not until she had the summer of her life. She deserves this. She had been under her parents' control for too long—she wanted a taste of freedom. She chose this. Now, it's time to walk the path she decided.

She paddled and paddled and paddled. Until her legs felt sore, until her breath grew fast, until every bead of sweat wetted her—she paddled like she was running off of death.