The Witch NextDoor

Chapter 9: On The Road

I went home and began to pack my clothes for what journey was ahead of Annika and I. I went back to her place and heard her packing some stuff up in her room. "Annik you think my car will last?, how ling is the trip?" I called to her as I sat down on the couch. "It will last, I know where it is going to be..They hold the winter solstice in a fancy hotel up in big bear it's only a half hour away" she came into the living room with a galaxy backpack that was covered in pins ad she was holding a suit bag. "You tell your dad?" I got up and put my hands in my jacket pockets. "Yeah...He says it's fine, he just asks that we be safe and that we don't go burning down anymore pizza places" She softly giggled. "Well , Let's just try not to" I looked away slightly sighing. "C'mon let's go...It's best we get there early so we can talk business and have some fun the next day" she began to make her way down the stairs. "Are you taking Sioux?" I asked looking around. "She's already in my purse" she said as she walked out the door, I followed and saw a little black tail come out of the bag. I smiled and went to help her get her things into the trunk. 

We got into the car and began on our way. She started to play some songs by the Cure. She put her head back and closed her eyes. "You doin ok Johnathan?" she a whispered as she made herself comfortable. "Yeah, doing great....you worried about me or something?" I kept my eyes on the road. "A little....I just was thinking how messed it was to throw you into the mix of this and so quickly...I just don't want to seem like I'm driving you up a wall" she said softly as she pet Sioux who was already asleep on her lap. "You're not....All this actually has been the most excitement I've had in my life for almost 12 years" I replied as I took a drink of coffee from my travel mug. She opened one eye and looked at me smiling. "Good...This is the most I have ever gotten social with someone for a while myself" she closed her eye again. I didn't want to ask why quite yet we still were getting used to each other in my point of view. "You know you don't have to be afraid to ask me anything...I don't care" she blew a few strands of hair out of her eyes. "But I always ask you questions" I said a tad confused. "I ment personal ....Like about my family or what I do in school or what things I do for a pass time" she laughed softly. "Oh...Ok" I smiled softly. 

"Um....well...I know you like Quentin Tarantino movies...And soft goth music along with some old 50's" I said softly watching the road ahead. "And you know about my cats" She said softly. "That too that too.....I can't think of anything to ask you right now" I was slightly disappointed in myself because of that. "Can I ask you a few things?" She had her face against the window now. I was a little hesitant but Well ....What the hell..."Sure" I said. "You have any family?" She watched the trees over head. "Yes...Two brothers...My dad passed...so did my mom" I sighed a little. "Ever get married?" she asked a bit quiet. "No....I don't really go that way" I continued driving. "You gay?" she sat up a little. "I most certainly am not" My eyes widened not because of the question...Well..yeah it was the question but just how nonchalantly she asked it. "Just asking....I feel you on that aspect though...everyone is too much the same....and just seeing how people cheat like nothing...it makes me not want that" she said laughing softly. "You shouldn't say that...you're only 15 I mean you still have a whole life ahead of you" I kind looked at her. "Yeah..I know...But after seeing how bad it was with my parents...How bad it tore my old man up emotionally.....I don't want to go through all that hell" she took a drink of  some tea she brought with her. "But what if you do meet someone..Just if" I laughed a little. She looked at me as if saying "I don't wanna" . I nodded a little. "I'm cool with just friends...They last longer and don't ask for much" she laughed. 

"Well you're not wrong" I laughed with her. It was almost evening now. "You feeling hungry?" I asked looking over to her. She was knocked out, head back, mouth semi open and beanie covering her eyes. "Annik..." I tried waking her but nothing worked. The road was empty so I woke her like how my dad would wake me for school when driving. I slammed on the breaks. Her head didn't hit the dash too hard. "The hell!?!" she woke instantly rubbing her head. "The hell was that johnathan?!" she said moving her beanie up looking at me. "I was trying to wake you up" I laughed. "Jesus...Almost gave me a concussion ...." She relaxed and fixed herself up. "Oh don't be such a baby...You hungry or not?" I laughed still. "Hell yeah I am.." she yawned . I pulled into a little cafe that was close by. It was just us in there and a couple of old men at the counter. "What do you like to do Annik...like in the normal teenage range?" I asked. " Draw...Write...Go to concerts" she said as she ate the soup she ordered. I nodded. I then realized something. "Hey did you ever give that letter to Ravenman?" I sat there looking at her. "Yeah...I did" she said as she sipped some Root beer. I nodded. We ate our dinner and were back on the road. We made it to the big hotel , fancy as hell. It was pretty late so the lobby was fairly quiet.