Among the stars, YOU MY MOON

The beginning

The engine of my old VW Beetle roars to life as I turn the key. I glance at Ava, her oversized glasses perched at the edge of her nose as she looks down at her phone. I can't help but chuckle and tap my fingers on the steering wheel as we wait for the engine to heat up.

"What's up, E-boy?" she says, raising her eyebrows.

"Nothin', just excited," I reply. "You know, the ignition process is akin to the activation of a particle accelerator. It's all about achieving the right energy state for optimal performance."

"Let's go!" Her voice tingles with excitement.

I grin. "As ready as a quantum superposition. Destination: adventure. Here we come!"

Ava and I have been inseparable since kindergarten. She was the girl who'd sneak into my room at night to read comic books by flashlight, the one who'd laugh at my terrible jokes and challenge me to video game marathons. And now, here we are, embarking on a cross-country road trip to our childhood farmhouse where we grew up. After her parents divorced and her father remarried, we stopped going every summer, but this time it's special. It's our last summer before college swallows us whole.

But to be honest, there's something different about this trip waiting to be discovered. Maybe it's because it's just me and Ava, without our annoying siblings or our snappy mothers. I don't know exactly what it is, but I have a feeling things are going to change.

"NASA headquarters or bust!" Ava declares, pointing at the faded map spread across her lap. "We're going to see the stars up close, Ethan."

"Yeah, right! And perhaps uncover the secrets of dark matter along the way," I quip.

One rule on all our summer trips to her dad's farm: no electronics allowed. Just old classic music playing through the crackling radio, the fresh wind blowing through us, and our genuine, never-outdating conversations, laughter, and inside jokes.

I turn to see her adjusting her glasses, pretending to study the map.

"Since when—" I start.

She shakes a finger and leans forward. "It's been a century since we last set foot on this road. Who knows what dangers lurk? They might be Shrek-like aliens or, um..."

"Lost ideas, maybe?"

"Shut it," she says, punching my shoulder.

"You know," I say, my voice steady despite the chaos in my chest, "I have a feeling things are going to be different this summer."

Ava's gaze meets mine, and for a moment, the world outside ceases to exist. "Most certainly! I feel it too!"

So here we are, childhood best friends driving back to the house bursting with our memories. I won't lie; I have a feeling we're on the verge of becoming something extraordinary.