Deadline≫hemmings a.u

3.8

We took our time, hitting as many neighborhoods as we could so that three days later, we were only about an hour north of San Diego. We parted ways with Sid who claimed to have some old aquaintances to tie up loose ends with. So then it was just the three of us once again, but far less comfortable than before.

The time on the road was painstakingly long, the combination of traffic and tension making it feel as if every minute that passed was agonizingly slower than the last. Michael and Luke still weren't talking, the rift between them large enough so that Luke wouldn't even sit in the passenger seat next to Michael. But even I didn't spend much time next to Luke. I was mainly up front reading directions out to Michael, and when I wasn't doing that, he and I switched off driving.

Nobody really talked much, which in all honesty was fine with me. I was in a way lost in my own head as I took my turn driving on the freeway, which was packed bumper-to-bumper with cars. We were in California, not even hours away from my home, and every one I used to know thought I was dead, missing, or a criminal. And since we were going to LA, it was likely we'd be passing through my hometown. I knew Luke and Michael knew I was from California, but I didn't talk too much about where I was from. That life just didn't have much relevance to the one I led now, and besides, with all of the tension between everyone, it was without a doubt the last thing on Michael and Luke's mind when we crossed into the state. I wasn't sure if I should bother bringing it up to either of them.

"Mel, can we make a stop somewhere?" Michael asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Why?" I glanced over at him, almost forgetting he was next to me since he hadn't said anything in the past hour.

"I need to go to the bathroom and I could go for some food."

My eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror at Luke, just to see if maybe he'd finally say break his silence too, but he only looked mutely out the window, the lights outside casting shadows across his face.

"Yeah, sure," I nodded, returning my attention to the road. About five minutes later, we spotted a gas station right off of the freeway exit. The moment I parked the car in front of the small store, Michael hopped out without another word. Luke and I both stayed inside and watched in silence as Michael fastwalked into the store and disappeared.

"You don't have to use the bathroom?" Luke spoke up from the backseat.

I shook my head and looked at him, slightly relieved to hear his voice again. "No, I'm good."

Luke looked at me quietly long enough for me to get confused, his gaze enough to make me feel like I had just been shoved out onto a stage by myself in front of a crowd of expectant viewers.

"Good," he mumbled under his breath as his body came to life. He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. I watched as he came around to the front, opening my door and holding his hand out to me. "Let's go."

I between his open palm and his face several times. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here." He curled and uncurled his fingers at me impatiently.

I glanced back at the small store, wondering how long Michael would be. Probably not too long, but then again, he was getting food, so who knew? I shrugged and took Luke's hand, removing the keys from the ignition before letting him lead me out.

We walked quietly yet briskly hand in hand down the sidestreet the gas station was on the corner of. There wasn't much there save for a few small shops that had already closed for the day. The night was pleasant for the first time in a while, cool but still somewhat warm. It was nights like these that I missed a lot, calm and quiet. It felt normal.