The Bus Stop

07: Stargazing

After I had spent a solid twenty minutes getting ready, Josh, Max and I were finally pulling out of Max's driveway in his mom' black SUV.

The car smelt of seawater and strawberries, proving the routinely use Max contributed to the miles driven in this SUV.  The carpeted floor beneath my feet smelt of dust and age, the loose threads tickling my left ankle as the car continued to move across town.  I sat in the backseat behind Max, my body was squashed up against the window beside me and the big piles of junk occupying the other two seats.  My knees were pressed firmly to my chest as I attempted to breathe in any fresh air from the suffocating and cramped aroma that filled the small car.

"Remind me again why you got the passenger seat?"  I asked my little brother as an old book fell on top of my head as Max drove the car over a bump.

"Because we're going to pick up Arden and when she's here, you'll get the front then."  He told me, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and then flashed me a look that casted a warning glare, as if he knew I was excited about him bringing a girl along. Josh just wasn't one to hangout with girls, he would rather play soccer down at the park with his mates or play video games in his room. He was the type of person who didn't mind being alone, he didn't mind being independent.  It also didn't help that he really did look like he belonged in the fifth grade, not the ninth.  Mom only stopped picking out his clothes last year and for his sake, I'm glad. 

It was cute, his oblivion to judgement kept him unique for much longer then it did for me.

I let my gaze fall onto the passing scenery outside.  It was just after six in the evening and I could already see the light beginning to vanish from the deep void above.  I watched lazily as the sun lowered faster and faster by each passing second, painting the sky with bright pinks and oranges.  I was taken back to last week, when Max and I had stood next to each other watching the sunset on the beach as we shivered from the spine- chilling cold.  Although the air had somehow been different then.  Almost as if there was an unspoken emotion floating between us and blocking out the rest of the world.

As I continued to watch the yellow sun lower, I thought about how easy this really was.  The sun, like a ball of flame leaping from a fire pit laced with gasoline, reminded of how peaceful I felt.  Sitting cramped in the backseat of the SUV with my two favourite people in the world with me - I wanted nothing more but to stay in this car forever.  I wanted to keep travelling until I reached somewhere so far from this suffocating town of Pine Cove that I forgot what it smelt like. I wanted to go so far that I couldn't remember this place I once called home.  A place where there were no strings keeping me routed in a particular area and a place where everything was so unbelievably unknown.

As we pulled up into the driveway of what I assumed was Arden's house, I took yet another moment to gaze outside the window.  Her house was sat opposite a calm and dark lake, one that looked more clear with every small ripple that travelled past.  The water reflected what was left of the day mixing with the night, leaving a trail of purples, oranges and blues.

"You okay?" Max asked me as Josh stepped out of the car to get Arden.

I snapped my gaze back onto his, taking note of the small frown etched between his eyebrows.  It occurred to me that Max's deep complexion usually held at least the smallest trace of a frown, as if reality was causing him a mix of grief and utter confusion.  I wanted so badly to replace every glimpse of his hesitation with one of his breathtaking, boyish smiles.

I met his eyes with mine and offered him a small smile, "I'm fine, just worried about what my parents will say to me when I get home."

He nodded knowingly and reached his hand out to give my knee a small squeeze, "try not to think about that right now.  Just enjoy the time you have right here and think about your parents when the time comes."