Changes

Chapter Thirty-Six

Amity

"And you're still not going to tell me where in the world we're going?" I asked her while raising at brow and stopping at a red light. I glanced at her and saw the smirk that grew on her face. She turned to look at me with a glint in her eyes.

"What? Can't I surprise you?" She asked and I felt drawn to her. The way she looked and the way she looked at me. How could I not get lost in it? And when she leaned toward me I felt all thoughts halt as my brain short-circuited for a moment. "Hey, Bilght?" She inquired as her smirk grew and her eyes fell to my lips for a moment before they met my eyes again.

"Yes?" I whispered as I wondered if that had all been in my head or not.

"The light turned green." She whispered before leaning back and my eyes grew wide as I turned to look forward remembering I had been driving. I put my foot on the gas as the car moved forward but my mind stayed back at that red light. Then I realized how Luz had been teasing me and I reached over to punch her shoulder angrily.

"Don't distract me like that!" I grouched at her in irritation and she only chuckled softly at me.

"I didn't know I was such a distraction for you." She mumbled, her smirk back full force and I felt my face grow warm at her comment. "Take this next left." She pointed out and I followed her directions. Making the turn we started to head down a path up a mountain. I'd never been on this side of town. It seemed much quieter than other parts I explored in the past.

The higher we'd gone, the further we found ourselves from distinguishable places. Soon the houses turned to just trees and I looked at Luz for a moment. She was looking out of the window with a calm, yet thoughtful look on her face. I could see her hands fidgeting in her lap as she took slow breaths in before letting out a long sigh. Setting my eyes back to the view before us I realized the path opened up and Luz directed me to pull off and park.

"So," I started while taking the key from the ignition and turning to face her. "Where are we?" I asked her before looking off in the distance. There was a big tree that I trailed my eyes across as its leaves now lay on the ground beneath it. This reminded me once more of the changing season before my eyes went back to Luz's figure in the passenger seat. She was looking anywhere but at me and this caused me to tilt my head as I watched her curiously.

"We're at an overlook. It's a little secret spot my Dad found and my family would go here to have picnics when I was younger." She mumbled with a gentle smile and a distant look in her eyes. "I figured," she started before finally meeting my eyes, "it would be a good place to talk." She finished and I watched her for a moment feeling my gazing soften at this news.

"Uh, so come on. Let's go." She said with nervous enthusiasm before opening her door and stepping out. She shut it behind her and I moved to do the same. I followed behind her, watching how she held herself, how she moved naturally. I don't know what it was about her but I found myself in awe as I watched on. I felt like an idiot and a little foolish to be standing there and looking on as she grew further away from me. So I shook myself from that state and moved to catch up to her. 

She stopped to stand next to the tree and as I moved to stand next to her I was met with a somehow familiar, breathtaking view. "Wait, this looks familiar," I said looking toward Luz.

"You've been here before?" She asked me and I shook my head before searching my memories for any reason as to why it felt that way to me.

"No, but I've seen this before..." I trailed off, then it clicked. "Wait, this was one of your drawings in that black notebook," I said, looking towards her for confirmation.