48 Hours // l.t. [1]

Chapter 19

so rarely ever do I put an author's note before a chapter starts but i think it's really necessary to read this bit. so i did the math and apparently, it takes like fifteen to sixteen hours to drive from dallas tx to phoenix az? so can we just pretend to squish those fifteen hours into maybe eight? because i don't feel like actually doing the fifteen hours honestly i'm just being super duper lazy and terrible with this (i'm also getting anxious to finish this story to show you the sequel. the chapters will be longer, a lot more serious and a lot better tbh)

ps, did anyone recall me describing morgan's hair color because i don't think i described her appearance at all

A couple hours and a rest stop later, my phone began to buzz in my pocket. I fished it out and glanced at the caller I.D. only to see 'Auntie' flashing across the screen. I sighed softly and answered, bringing the phone up to my ear.

I spoke quietly, not wanting to bother any of the other passengers. "Hey, Auntie."

"Hey, darling," her soft, withered voice came through on the other line. She sounded so fragile it made my chest ache. "I was calling to see how you are doing and how the bus ride is going?"

Automatically the corners of my lips turned upward. Even with her health deteriorating, she was still so worried about me. Typical Auntie.

"It's going by slowly," I answered truthfully, pushing my hair out of my face. "All I've been able to eat is gas station food and vending machine food. Tammy said she'd bring over a container of lasagna her Mom made, so that I'll get some real food into my stomach."

She laughed. "You like the scenery?"

"I don't know," I said while looking out the window. "There's not much to see. If I had the time and patience, I would take a look around the cities a bit, but there's not even much time between getting off at each bus station and getting on a new bus."

"Maybe you can ride around the country another time and do a little bit of road-tripping," she suggested.

I immediately repelled the idea. "No way, Auntie. My butt is sore from sitting for so long in one place. I don't think I could go on a road trip after this for a while."

Auntie laughed outright, and the sound of her laughing made me smile. Despite the fact that she sounded fragile when she spoke, she also sounded extremely happy.

"Awh, darling, you might want to again. Don't dismiss it so quickly, think about it. Maybe in a year or so, take the summer off and go on a long road-trip with Tammy."

My lips curled upward at the thought. A road trip with Tammy. Wouldn't that be fun. The two of us set out on the open road with no destination in mind... But then, I thought of Auntie and I knew I couldn't. Not when she was going to be left alone.

"Maybe," I gave in, sighing. But the both of us knew I wouldn't go.

Eventually Auntie had to go. Her physical therapist was coming to help her with her bad knee. Reluctantly I let her go, hanging up and shoving the phone back in my pocket.

I glanced at Louis. He knew I was on the phone, but he had a pair of headphones in his ears as he watched something on his phone. I got a sneak peak of whatever he was watching and it looked like either a video on YouTube or a movie on Netflix.

Sighing, I leaned my head on the cool window glass, staring absentmindedly out of the window. We were on a freeway, passing by a number of cars I barely saw. My mind was far away and someplace else, worrying about my aunt.

Though I knew she was never alone all the time, it still worried me. She could get hurt and something bad could happen to her. And even if something did, she wouldn't be alone for long. Tammy checked in on her every few days -- something she did because I was away. Even if our friendship was splintered and slightly broken at the time, she still loved my aunt to pieces and still helped her regardless.

And for that, I was eternally grateful.

A finger poked into shoulder gently. I turned my head, seeing Louis leaning towards me with a grin on his face. He whispered, "Do you wanna play a game?"

"What game?"

"I-Spy."

I chuckled, giving in. "Sure, you go first."

And for a while, we played a game of I-Spy. It wasn't long before I realized what Louis did. Even though he had a pair of headphones in, my sadness didn't go unnoticed by him. I-Spy was one of the best ways to get things off my mind, and for that, I was thankful for him.

I never expected to see Louis Tomlinson on a bus, and even more, I didn't expect for us to be friends so easily. He was a loyal person and very kind, not to mention funny and sweet. One of the last things I expected when I bought a ticket to Los Angeles, from New York, was to meet someone so down-to-earth and amazing, much less start to like them.

But I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I would never give up this chance to get to know Louis. Even if someone offered a couple million dollars to give up the chance to know him, I wouldn't take it.

Because slowly falling in love with him... was something so special no offer could measure up to it.