Steal My Girl (One Last Time #2)

Eyes Open

Chapter Forty Two
Eyes Open

Hi people.
Again. Are there any Conrad haters out there?
I'd love to talk to one of you. Get ideas. Or something.
Or even some Talia haters. (serestar I know you dislike her.)

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My eyes burn after staying open for so long. Sleep penetrates my boundaries. My walls.

I stare up at the darkening sky. It's six pm and it's going to rain. I clench my hand in my hair, my eyes constantly darting to his sideview mirror.

But I never find his eyes looking at me, no matter how long I stare.

We haven't stopped for lunch. Not even for bathroom breaks. He won't slow down. He won't talk. He doesn't reply to Talia's remarks about our odd behaviours.

I don't know what to do.

I bring my knees up to my chest, tilting my head so they rest on my knees. Immediately dropping the posture when my eyes start to shut. Stay awake.

Checkmate.

"I'm seriously getting bored guys, can someone please say something?" Talia says, looking at Conrad. She taps his forearm, once, twice, thrice.

He peers over at her on the fourth. "What."

She sticks her tongue at him smugly. "How are you?"

He rolls his eyes, looking back at the road. She taps him again. A pride smile on her lips.

"I'm fine, Talia. Now shut it."

"Are you guys really going to be acting like mimes this the entire trip?"

Yes.

"No," he says, and for a moment I swear I saw his eyes flicker to the side mirror. An expression on his face besides solitude. "I won't . . . just leave me alone right now Talia."

She frowns, I dart my eyes to the trees blocking the sky. Shading the road from the drizzling sky. I hold in the sigh, but it escapes. Talia looks at me.

"Mel," she says, "do you remember anything?"

I stay silent. Watching at the dirt road pass underneath us. I don't speak, I shake my head, lying in my motions.

The car slows, Conrad puts down Talia's window. "Conrad Jennings," he says without any acknowledgment to the person in a raincoat standing by a small shelter, holding a clipboard.

He scans the paper, opening his mouth (right! Conrad Jennings, welcome) in response and lifting the metal bar blocking the road- letting us go further.

Conrad drives on. Talia puts up her window. I stare at my shoes. No one speaks.

The trees stay familiar- identical to the flashes in my dreams, the sky and cars confusingly dull. People park their cars, take out their stuff. Conrad parks, they get out in a flash; I hesitate.

I listen to the back door opening, a cool wet breeze hitting the back of my neck. The shuffling of bags slipping out of the car. The silence when they shut the door. My ear drums pop at the sound of ringing silence. I fiddle with the handle, my hand shaking as I push open the door. I stumble out the car, gently shutting the door.

My senses are embraced to humanity surrounding me. To new ground beneath my soles. To fresh air from the untouched trees.

Alert: you don't remember this, you don't remember the feeling of cold fresh water lake on your skin, the smell of barbecued fish, the taste of Jack's mouth on yours, or the sound of Conrad's voice saying he's in love with you.