The Words

Chapter 6

I can't fall asleep after we leave the gas station, so I turn on the radio in order to avoid conversation with Cayden. It takes at least five minutes until I find a station that I actually like. So far all I've heard is country, country, Spanish, classical, country, old pop music (whatever that is), Spanish, and some more classical. Eventually, though, I come across my favorite genre. It's a mix between rap, folk, and pop apparently, but we just call it Rolk.

I laugh at the song that comes on: Take My Words by Rending Geyser. It's about these two soulmates where the guy ends up cheating on the girl, so she doesn't want to be with him. The whole song is him basically trying to apologize and ask her to take his words of forgiveness and his literal Words. To me it's slightly cheesy.

"So what are your Words?" Cayden laughs, interrupting my thoughts.

"I didn't know you were actually listening to the song," I laugh.

"Music's not really my thing, but that was okay, I guess."

"You guess? Cayden, do you even know what kind of music that is?"

He laughs and rolls his eyes at me. "I didn't know you had a girly side to you."

I slap his arm, and he feigns hurt which only makes me bust into a fit of laughter. There's only one problem with that: I have the ugliest laugh in the world.

I suddenly become quiet and close into myself, embarrassed by my hideous laugh. Cayden stares at me as if I've lost my mind, but then he bursts into laughter.

"Oh my god your laugh is so adorable!" He laughs.

I instantly blush. "No it's not! It's like the worst laugh in the world."

"Oh come on," Cayden smirks as he gives me a wink.

I stare out my window, pretending to be very interested in the trees, so he can't see my blush.

"Seriously though, Alaska. What are your Words?"

"My Words? Well I got the phrase thing, not a name or initial."

"That's like the worst kind," he laughs.

"Yea for real. What about you?"

"I got initials," he sighs.

"That's not so bad."

"Yea I just wish I had a name. It's never really certain with initials."

"Hey, at least you didn't get a phrase," I snort.

"I'm grateful for that," he winks.

"Can I see them?" I hesitantly ask.

"My Words? I mean, I guess so."

Cayden pulls off the interstate and into a local restaurant. It's probably mid afternoon by the look of the shadows which means we've made ample progress. He pulls the car into a spot and then parks it, turning himself in his seat to face me.

"You sure you want to see?" He asks.

"Mhmm."