Weddings, Pizzas & Paris | HIATUS

Eight

I drove away from their house, sighing and turning up the music. Damn, I loved them so much.

I kept driving, not caring that the GPS system was shouting random directions at me, taking time to just think. Not that I couldn't do it with Haden in the room, it was just that it was easier when I was driving.

The stars looked beautiful, and I was driving along the coastline. The water sparkled in the distance and suddenly I turned really nostalgic.

What had come between us? Was I not a good friend? Couldn't she trust me? What happened? Most importantly, what changed?

I thought about Nicole and Ana. At least they stayed in touch. But Sarah.

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah.

Always her. Things had always been her. I huffed as I stopped the car in behind a house, tears threatening to fall. I knew I could go back and cuddle up with Haden who'd give me all his undivided attention - but this I had to do on my own.

I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter I hid from Haden and Luke. Logan and Zee occasionally smoked a few with me so we'd signed a silent bond of secrecy.

I lit one and brought it to my mouth, taking a long drag and letting out the smoke. The smoke made beautiful patterns in the darkness, finally turning into nothingness as it went upward.

I couldn't bring myself to think about Sarah. So I focused on lighter topics, for example, why guacamole was pronounced the way it is and why the entire tree didn't fall on Newton instead of just the apple. They were first world problems.

My cig burnt out too quickly for my liking. I flicked the butt away, turning around to open the door and drive back to Haden and watch sappy movies with him.

Just as I'd settled into the driver's seat, buckled myself in and changed the settings on the air conditioner, I saw a cloth rope tumble out of a window on the top of a house behind which I'd parked my car and fall all the way down.

I watched in surprise as a woman climbed out of the said window. I'd never seen a getaway or a runaway before. This was fun. It looked right out of a movie scene.

I watched as the woman reach the ground and started running She was carrying a backpack and a hand bag which seemed pretty heavy but that didn't seem to decrease her speed.

I was so caught up in the fact that she was running away that I didn't see where she was going. She was just running, and before I knew it she got into my car.

"Go, go, go!" she whisper-yelled.

Out of instinct, I hit the accelerator and the car shot forward. I didn't even have time or the balls to turn and take a look at my unexpected guest until we were about three miles away.

When we'd finally slowed down, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and turned to look at the woman next to me.

"Sarah?!"

♦