To Infiniti & Beyond

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It's June now. Things are looking up between my dad and I. Eva and I have gotten closer again (we tend to drift on occasion but always find our way back). She's also been helping me come up with a routine in the gym. I talk to Maya and Brynn often, I just wish I was able to see them more. Work is going great. I still struggle to be independent, but I've been pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone little by little and it feels great.

There's not a day that goes by where I don't think of Grayson. I still miss him immensely. I feel like I'm mourning someone who is very much alive, and somehow I feel like that's much worse - because he chose to leave. I still cry, especially if I've been in solitude for a few days in a row (with the exception of work because it's a part of my routine).

I wonder if he thinks of me. I wonder if the memory of me haunts him everywhere, like his memory haunts me constantly. Sometimes I think I can still feel his energy. I had never met someone I had been so connected to before him, our bond was so unique and beautiful, it was a shame to throw it all away. I have a feeling he'll be back though. I tell myself that often. Brynn and Maya believe it too, Eva just thinks I'm delusional.

Eva and I are going out to dinner tonight. She says we've been working so hard in the gym that we deserve a treat and who am I to contest that? We decided on Olive Garden of course.

She picks me up, her makeup looking flawless as usual. I will never understand how she gets her hair to never look out of place no matter the task at hand.

Olive Garden was fantastic - it always is. Eva and I started with the Chicken and Gnocchi soup to dip our breadsticks into. We had to have the salad - she let me have her olives because she doesn't like them, who doesn't like olives!? She got steak and a side of broccoli, I got chicken parm and a side of fettuccine alfredo. The perfect ending was splitting a tiramisu.

Driving back to town with full bellies and blasting throwbacks scream-singing with the windows down gave us a natural high. I love nights like these with her.

I remind her that we need gas and she proceeds to pull into wawa. While she gets out to insert her card, two bikers pull up on the pump diagonal to us. Judging by their bodies, they seem young. When the one removes his helmet and the other follows suit, it is confirmed.

I roll down my window and comment to Eva, "cute bikers, look."

Her eyes follow my subtle head nod in their direction before they go wide and she gets a devious smirk.

"What..." I cautiously question.

"I think we need some excitement in our lives, we rarely go out anymore." She's now got a smug and confident look on her face. She opens my door, "let's go!" And practically scampers over to them.

"Eva!" I whisper-shout. I speed walk over to her.

"Hello boys," she boasts. It gets their attention. "My name is Eva and this is my friend Kiersten," she pulls me out from behind her by linking our arms so we now stand side by side.

"It's nice to meet you." The light brown haired boy on a blue R6 that matches his eyes says.

"What can we do for you ladies?" The taller boy with blonde hair and blue eyes on a white ninja 600 asks.

"If you guys aren't busy, do you think you could take us for a ride?" Eva gives them her best puppy dog eyes.

"Not tonight, we don't have our passenger pegs in." The blonde replies.

"Plus, you guys should probably wear helmets." The brunette notes.

Hearing that it's not a definite no, "so next time then?" I have no clue where that confidence came from, it wasn't me. Eva squeezes my arm in approval.

The blonde chuckles, "sure, what's your number?"

I give my contact information to the blonde and Eva gives hers to the brunette. This night just keeps getting better and better!

Eva and I withhold our squeals of enjoyment until we're in the solitude of her car.

The last time I smiled this big I was with Grayson, "I can't believe we just did that!"

"I can't believe you were so bold!" Eva laughs.

A short drive and more off-key singing to throwbacks later, she pulls up in front of my house to drop me off, I thank her for a fun night and we go our separate ways.