I awoke in the blue jeep that was parked in a driveway. I looked out the window to the most beautiful scene. It was more beautiful than any painter can capture.
I slowly got out of the car and walked to the railing across the street. My feet touching the cold gravel, I grasped the thick, metal wire and took in the serenity of the sight. I filled my lungs with fresh air and closed my eyes. Peace.
The sun was just about to kiss the sky good morning. The colors slowly stained the sky changing the colors from a blue-purple to a yellow-pink.
Beauty.
I heard a crash from inside the house. Suddenly the serenity, the peace, the beauty of the world came crumbling down. The sun had now risen, replicating the Golden Gate Bridge on the surface of the bay. This small detail made me realize something. There's always two sides to a story. The real, and the replication.
I turned my head and ran towards the house. I reached the front door and slowly creaked it open, just enough for me to get in, then closed it. Voices. I crept forward towards the stair case. The wall just next to it had an opening to the living room. I stepped parallel to the wall and listened closely.
"It felt so real. Like if I actually got hit and knocked down. Like if my ice cream really smashed on the ground. Like the touch of her hand. It felt so real." Dylan's voice spoke with such sincerity.
"And that's why you can be with her? A dream. You know your mind can't actually picture faces while you're asleep."
"Bullshit."
"Its scientifically proven, so no, its not bullshit."
"Look it was real. I dreamt every detail about her. Her soft lips, her blonde hair that was perfectly placed in a ponytail, her light brown eyes."
"Fine. Okay let's say this was some sort of sign, what now? You take her with you? You help her run? You do realize that her ex boyfriend is out there and he will be looking for her."
"So what are you saying?" Dylan sounded defeated.
"Leave her somewhere. Drop her off, and be on your way."
I felt my anxiety rise. My breathing switched from slow and deep to short and quick. My head began to pound. He couldn't do this to me. I went for the door and slammed it shut. All of a sudden anger took over my body. I jumped in the front seat, and thank God the keys were still in the ignition. I locked the doors and started the engine. Dylan and another guy came running out of the house.
I looked at Dylan, disappointed. I shook my head and drove down the driveway and onto the street. I drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and to the other side. As I exited the bridge, I pulled into an empty parking lot and parked the car. I reached over to the passenger seat and dug through my purse trying to find my phone. No Luck.
I stopped and took a deep breath, making myself think where I left it. Last night I had it as I jumped in his Jeep. Then it got cold, so he gave me his jacket. After texting Britt, I slid it into the jacket's pocket. Then I woke up and the jacket wasn't on me. He was wearing the jacket when I pulled away.
I sunk back in the seat. My face began to burn and my eyes let the tears of stress roll. I slammed my head against the steering wheel, not caring about the horn and how loud it was.
Vibration. What?
Vibration. What was that?
Vibration. My butt was vibrating?
Vibration. I jumped on this one and picked up Dylan's iphone from under me. I looked at the screen and saw that my number was calling.
"What?" The word hisses through my teeth as a snake would do getting ready to hunt.
"You stole my jeep. And my phone. I want them back." He said with a small attitude.
"You were gonna leave me!" I yelled into the phone. There was a slight pause.
"No I wasn't, Natalie." I could just imagine him rolling his eyes.
"I heard you two talking." Then, it hit me. I never told him my name, but he knew it. I used this to my advantage to change the subject. "And how do you know my name? I never told you my name."
"I-- uh-- " He tried to come up with a believable excuse. "Your phone has it written across the screen?"
"No it doesn't."
"That's besides the point. You have my car, and my phone, and the rest of my belongings in said car and I would like them back." He paused, "Please."
I stopped then spoke up, "Fine."
"Thank you." With that, he hung up the phone.
I drove back up to the house on the other side of the bay. As I pulled up to the sidewalk, Dylan grabbed the door handle. It was still locked.
"Open the door." He mouthed to me. Just to bother him, I pretended to not understand him.
"Sorry, I can't hear you." I smiled innocently.
"Natalie. Please open the car door." He spoke into the window.
"On one condition." I smirked at him. He rolled his eyes and looked at me waiting for me to finish.
"You have to tell me something embarrassing about yourself." Panic spread across his face. He turned red and leaned his head against the window.
"Fine. Um," He thought for a second. "When I was younger I came here with my family and I saw seals in the bay. So me being a 6 year old, I thought that if I could just get to the water, I could also be a seal." He started to chuckle, still looking down. He shook his head at his naive thought.
"Did you?" He looked up confused. I unlocked the door and he opened it. "Did you get to the water?"
"No." He said. "I'm glad I didn't."
"Why?" I looked into his eyes. He got all serious for a second, "I couldn't swim." Then busted up laughing. I laughed a bit with him, then climbed out of the car and walked to the other side. As I grabbed the handle, I realized that he had locked the door.
"Your turn." He grinned and winked at me. I stood there trying to think. then I looked back up at him.
"When I was younger--" I started in a mocking tone, "I came here with my family and I saw seals in the bay." I started to laugh, and couldn't finish my sentence. He made a face and unlocked the door. I got in, still laughing to myself.
"That was some story, you should tell it again." He started the car and we began to drive down the street. As we pulled up to the stop sign at the end of the street, I turned to him and cupped his face in my hands, making him look at me. His face laced with desire. Mine, the same. Then I got really serious.
"When I was younger, I came here with my family--" He rolled his eyes and gently pushed me back in my seat giggling.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." He laughed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him look over at me. He had a faint smile, and looked at me as if I were something that if he looked away, I wouldn't be there when he looked back. I've never seen that face on anyone before. Not any of my ex boyfriends. Neither of my parents. Nobody.
