The Keys to freedom

Light admid the dark

James steered the truck down the long dirt road, his hand resting casually on the wheel. Oz sat in the passenger seat, her arms crossed, watching the passing trees blur into the darkness. Evie was tucked in between them, the cool breeze from the open window tousled her dark hair. While the rest of the group was sprawled out in the back of the truck bed.

"So," James began, glancing at her with a lopsided smile. "Tell me about your old school. What was it like?"

"Oh, it was pretty standard. Small town, not much to it. Everyone knew everyone. Which meant they didn't handle 'different' very well."

"Different?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged. "You know, being the new kid, dressing a little different, thinking a little different. People there didn't really like when someone didn't fit into their neat little boxes."

James nodded, his gaze lingering on her. "Trust us, we know that feeling a little to well." He smiled.

"It wasn't all bad though," she replied. "I had a few good friends, and we made our own little world. But my dad got a new job here so, I had to leave them behind,"

"That suck, mainly for them," James said, his voice soft. He glanced over at Oz, who rolled her eyes and looked out the window, muttering something under her breath.

Evie tilted her head, "What about you guys? What's it like living here? It's so... different from what I'm used to."

James smiled, his grip tightening slightly on the wheel. "You kind of have to make your own fun around here. But I guess the best part is the people, well some of the people." He glanced back down at her, his eyes lingering for just a moment too long. "It's the kind of place where, if you're lucky, you find the right people to stick with."

She smiled, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Sounds nice. And I guess you've got yourself a pretty great group."

"Yeah, we've been through a lot together," James said, glancing briefly at Oz, who gave a small, knowing smirk. "But it's always nice to add someone new to the mix."

Oz cleared her throat loudly. "We don't just let anyone in, though. You've gotta prove you can handle the chaos." She smiled.

Evie laughed, leaning back into her seat. "Oh, trust me, I've handled plenty of chaos in my time,"

James chuckled. "Somehow, I don't doubt that." He couldn't help but notice the way her smile lingered, the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about things, even when it wasn't all sunshine and roses. She had a quiet strength about her that pulled him in, like gravity.

"So," he said after a beat, "what's one thing you miss the most about your old town?"

She thought for a moment, her attention drifting out the window. "There was this little diner my friends and I used to go to after school. It wasn't much, but they had the best milkshakes. Chocolate peanut butter. I haven't found one as good since. "

James grinned. "Challenge accepted. There's a spot in town I bet can beat it. I'll take you sometime. You'll love it,"

"Is that so?" She teased, raising an eyebrow. "You're that confident, huh?"

"Absolutely," he said, his tone light but earnest.

Oz groaned, throwing her head back against the seat. "Oh, for the love of—can we not turn this into a rom-com right now?"

Evie laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Sorry. We didn't mean to interrupt your brooding." James grunted.