Dear Maria

Chapter 4 - Lanes and Lakes

*Technically a trigger warning, talking about cutting ok pls be warned I am always here if u need*

I was in a rushed panic when I arrived home. I knew Alex would be at my front door in twenty minutes, and twenty minutes wasn't a lot of time. I looked at myself in the full length mirror, sighing. My hair was messy, my clothes a little muddy from sitting in the shaded grass. Running upstairs into my room, I grabbed my black vest top, a blue checkered shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. It took me twelve minutes exactly to change, and to re apply makeup. I brushed my teeth, grabbing my shoes, shoving my jacket into a bag practically running downstairs.

'Fuck!' My eyes spun around my hall, darting to the kitchen to pick up a pen and paper, scribbling a note to whoever was back in the house first. Writing that note made me remember how I'd probably need my notepad for wherever we were going, so I pulled it and a random pen from my school bag. Three minutes until he was here.

Being the sad kid I am, I spent those three minutes anxiously biting my fingernails, staring out of the window. Sure enough, at 3:46 Alex pulled up outside, in a black Porsche. I was impressed, considering he was only seventeen he was doing pretty well for himself.

'Hey Maria'. I looked at Alex, taking a breath. His attire hadn't changed much since school, still in black skinny jeans, but with a black t-shirt on and a thin green parka style coat draped around his figure, finished with the same all black vans. 'Hi'.
'Woah, you fucking spoke to me!' I nodded, shrugging a little. I don't even know what possessed me to do it, but sure enough I'd managed to squeak out a response. My cheeks promptly turned a soft shade of red, I could feel them doing so. I couldn't get over that I'd only known Alex for perhaps 6 hours, and I'd fucking spoke. I've never done that with anyone before. Looks like you're faking your 'mutism' for attention. I literally rolled my eyes at the response my mind had decided to throw into my thoughts.

For the next thirty minutes I had Alex constantly glancing over to me, presumably to see if I was okay. 'Open the glove compartment'. I did as he said, pulling it open to look inside. 'I hope to god you enjoy the same music as I do'. I flicked through the collection of around fifteen CDs, all pushed into the small space I had taken them from. The cure. The smiths. Pixies. Green day. Pulp. Radio head. Smashing pumpkins. Placebo. Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Arctic Monkeys. I was seriously impressed with his collection, and after debate I put in the Arctic Monkeys album. Alex instantly skipped through the songs, deciding on one. 'I fucking love this song'. I gulped.'Me too!' It was only just about audible but enough that Alex heard it. 'Maria you're awesome!' I sheepishly smiled, listening as the music got louder and louder. 'One that, laughs and jokes around, remember cuddles in the kitchen yeah to get things off the ground' I enjoyed listening to Alex sing, it took me by surprise that his voice was good. Like, please record yourself good. I felt happy, as his voice moulded in with the other Alex; the professional Alex singing on the record. For once, I felt strangely comforted.

The drive to wherever we were going was long, I understood now why my arrival back at home was going to be so late. 'Not much father now, another fifteen minutes'. I nodded, realising we'd been driving for an hour and twenty minutes already. I didn't really mind though, for me the drive was just as good. The music, the person I was sitting next to, it all felt in place, it all felt right and I was greatful that something actually did in my life. I was still unsure as to why I'd trusted Alex so much, but the more we travelled the more I began to understand.

'Okay, we're here you can get out now'. I looked around me, there was a small field of grass, lined with the odd tree, a huge lake in the centre. The sun was beginning to set, sending the sky into violent shades of orange, pink and red. I never even knew this place existed, surely we were still in California, but I never knew the place could be more than just commercial. Moments later Alex joined me, with a basket in one hand, blanket in the other. This seemed over the top almost, however truth be told I didn't know why we were here anyways so it may be perfectly normal, and in no way over the top. He threw the blanket out on the floor, gesturing me to sit as he did so. I sat at the opposite end, and he put the basket between us.