That night I slept in the car. On some parking lot close to the ocean. In the morning I walked along the beach. And found a place to eat breakfast at. Eggs and ham. Bread and salty butter.
At about 10 am I called Pedro. The sun was burning down on the leather seats of the car. He picked up. And we talked as if no time had passed.
We both apologised for not checking in with each other.
As we finished our call an hour later.
During goodbyes, I told him I had the week off and had a car to drive around with.
He told me I could visit him.
Then he laughed. And told me about a girl he met. That her name was Arri. And it made me laugh. It was a genuine one.
He told me where he lived now. And that he'd send me the exact address.
It wasn't too far from the city I lived in, with the gas station, the university I stopped going to, and the flat I would get kicked out of in April.
About a two-hour drive.
I spent the rest of the day strolling through the inner parts of the harbour city, through fish markets and shopping centres.
I even stopped by the book store again.
The small town seemed more organized now.
Levi's daughter didn't have the Asclepius book yet. But she asked me if she should order it. I apologized for the inconvenience. I didn't want her to.
I texted Linda that I would go meet Pedro again. She was excited for me. I thought she'd be mad I didn't come home.
I called my mom and told her the same. She told me to tell him that she said hello. To have a safe trip. And come home eventually.
I slept another night in the car.
Planning to head back to the city I lived in in the morning. Stop by Tommy and the gas station. Then head off to meet Pedro.
-
As I enter the gas station, everything feels like it did the day before yesterday. Even though the floors had been wiped and the counter cleaned.
Tommy is standing by the refrigerated counter, sorting drinking bottles into shelves. He turns around eventually. It looks like he can't figure out whether he's happy or angry to see me.
"I was on an adventure", I greet him.
He takes me into his arms.
"You look better now."
"Of course I do. Couldn't be worse than last Sunday anyway."
He's smiling.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm just stopping by to see how you're doing. Then I'm heading off to meet a friend."
"So you stop by for a friend to go meet a friend?"
"Exactly."
"I'm doing great, seeing you like this."
The sun slowly heats up my back. Or maybe it was the side effects of my heart being happy.
"Actually, Ben, if you're here now, I'd like to introduce you to your new co-worker."
"Bren's replacement?"
"It still hurts, doesn't it?"
"A little bit – if I'm honest."
"Well..., don't tell her that, she could be someone to stay."
"Her?"
Tommy just leaves me behind to walk to the back of the building. Apparently, she's in the storage room right now. The uncertainty excites me. My heart beats out of my chest.
After a few seconds, coming out of it, right behind Tommy is a girl that must be about my age. Not very tall, not very small. Not really fierce-looking, not very fragile.
"Millie, that's Ben. Ben, that's Millie."
She shakes my hand. Strongly. Even though her hand only filled out half of mine.
The sun was reflecting in her brown eyes. It made them look red to a point. They were round around the edges.
"Oh, Ben? Is that like a short form for Benjamin?"
YOU ARE READING
What do the stars feel when they look at Us?
Teen FictionBen starts to care. About you. About people. About his girlfriend. About feelings and being a person. Growing up. But it's difficult. Seemingly, especially, for him. And he's failing. Miserably. So he's starting to look for answers in the stars. Mos...
