Rooftops

One

This is a short story, hence why the 'chapters' are going to be short. 

Dedicated to my best friend tilmorning. Thank you for always believing in me and my writing and helping me sort all of my crazy ideas!

xx Cassie.

||One||

It feels weird being back in California after being gone for so long, but it's comforting to know that not a lot has changed. The traffic is still horrible and the sunsets are still as beautiful as they have always been.

I liked to think that the sunsets in Texas were the same as the ones in California, but they weren't. The colors were deeper in Texas. The oranges and reds were burnt, making the sky look as if it were on fire. Whereas the sunsets in California were softer. The pinks and light yellows swirled in the sky, and hid behind scattered clouds.

"I bet you didn't miss this," Jade, my best friend since childhood, says, laughing as she drops her right hand onto her lap and props the other onto the window ledge. We're in standstill traffic and our exit is still about three miles away.

Glancing over my shoulder, I roll my eyes, "Traffic in San Antonio sucked as well."

Jade shrugs and leans forward to change the station on the radio, "I wouldn't know. I wasn't the one living there for five years." I knew her words were meant to be playful but I knew she was still upset about my decision to leave California half a decade ago.

Sighing, I kick off my shoes and fold my legs crisscross on the seat. With traffic moving at a turtles pace, we weren't going to make it to our exit any time soon. "You know why I moved," I say, looking back out the window- the sun has just about set.

"A new start," Jade answers.

"A career move," I correct.

It wasn't really a lie. I did leave because of my career. I got an offer I couldn't turn down. What were the chances of getting offered to run an entire Veterinary Clinic on my own, again? Plus, the offer couldn't have come at a better time.

"Maybe that was half of the reason," Jade says. She reaches forward and connects her phone to the Bluetooth. Clicking her music on shuffle, we sit in silence, listening to the music play as Jade rolls the car until finally we come up to our exit.

"I'm glad you decided to come back, though," she says once we're off the highway and out of the city and driving towards her house. "Even if it is just for a week."

Smiling, I push strands of my hair behind my ear and reach over the middle console. Grabbing her hand I give it a tight squeeze. "A vacation as in order," I say, "Plus, I promised you I wouldn't miss your birthday." Jade quickly looks over her shoulder at me and smiles before turning back to look at the road, giving my hand a squeeze before letting go.

"I really missed you, Im," my best friend admits, placing her hand back onto the steering wheel.

"I missed you, too, J."