Four letter word

27. Grandparents.

The sound of a loud honk woke AJ up. She slowly lifted her head from the car window and looked around to see a very angry looking girl yelling at someone on the road.

"For fuck's sake, move it!" Lindsey yelled and immediately slapped a hand over her mouth and glanced at AJ, "oh, shit, sorry"

"It's okay... " AJ replied and adjusted herself in the seat.

"No, really, I didn't mean to wake you. It's just we've been stuck in traffic for about an hour now and I'm beginning to lose it, man" Lindsey said as she desperately shook her head. AJ let out a small laugh.

"Sorry for falling asleep and leaving you alone" she smiled.

"Oh, no, you're good. Go back to sleep, I'll try not to scream at any more cars. Scout's honor" she nodded.

"Where you a scout?"

"No, why?" Lindsey shrugged and AJ laughed again.

"I don't think I'm going back to sleep. How far away are we?" She asked.

"Eh, about 20 minutes away. But the traffic's kicking my ass" she huffed.

"I know how we can pass time" AJ shrugged.

"Oh?" Lindsey looked at her and smirked, "how?"

"You can tell me about your parents" AJ smiled and Lindsey's face fell, making AJ chuckle.

"Hey, I'm not forcing you to, but you did tell me you would" AJ said.

"Yeah, okay..." Lindsey spoke in a tone of a disappointed kid, "well... they're kind of... dead"

AJ raised her eyebrows in surprise, "dead?... kind of?!"

"They're dead. Umm... well there was a car crash and... they didn't make it" she explained. AJ's heart dropped.

"Oh my god... Lin, I'm so sorry"

"Eh, it's fine, it was a long time ago" Lindsey shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. You still had to go through that..." AJ said. She felt awful for making her tell that story. Also because she was not good at comforting other people. What did you even say in that kind of a situation??? Was she supposed to like pat her shoulder? Hug her? Say she was sorry-? Well she had already done that one. Gosh, she had read so many books that involved people dying and funerals and she still had no idea what to say.

And Lindsey looked so heartbroken sitting in her seat. She looked like a little kid trying not to cry and keep her lip from trembling. The blonde looked up at AJ with those big blue eyes that were starting to water.

"I'm okay... really. Just not used to talking about it" she said and her voice was small and barely heard. No matter how long it had happened, it was still clearly affecting her. Both her parents... how cruel this life could be.

AJ couldn't find the words so she reached over and hugged her. The blonde didn't hug her back, but instead rested her head into AJ's shoulder and tried not to cry.

"Sorry... I'm kind of... emotional" she said and AJ shook her head.

"Don't be sorry. That's my favorite part about you" she answered. And it really was. AJ wished she could express her emotions like Lindsey could.