Road Tripping

13

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I SPENT A majority of the morning trying to remove an obnoxious red from my toenails. First world problems. I only pulled my concentrated gaze up from my now pristinely-pedicured toes when Nate skulked into the room and sat directly opposite me. I felt his eyes burning holes in my skull. "What?" I asked, lifting my eyes to meet dishevelled hair and gloomy eyes. His posture was slouched and bent forth to lean on his knees.

"I'm taking you into town," Nate says directly, as if I should've (obviously) read his mind and already known. Which I indeed had not. Nate's eyes shifted to my feet. "I like that colour," he said, regarding the pale blue which was still drying. "It suits you." I furrow my eyebrows confusedly. "Nate..." I say hesitantly. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" His state shifts painfully slowly back up to my creased eyes.

"Yes." He says firmly, raising to his feet. I was already dressed, so we could basically leave immediately. But, I walk quickly over to Nate's retreating figure and touch the back of his elbow. "Nate." I say, and when I stop his path with my own body I see his features have seemingly lifted. "Where are the boys?" Nate didn't hesitate to answer. "They're at mine for the day. Lucas and Jacks wanted to give us a day together."

"Then why are you so down?" I ask, moving out of his way and advancing to the front door. Sure enough, Nate's car was the only one in the driveway—aside from mine. I cautiously slipped my pedicured toes into a pair of sandals, and flattened out my dress before skipping down to the car. Nate didn't waste any time; he slid straight into the driver's seat and sped out ponto the highway. "Nate?" I asked slowly, carefully. "What's wrong?" I didn't get an answer.

Instead, approximately two minutes later, cool fingers slid through mine and I looked at Nate, who did indeed smile gently down at me. I noticed that he was worn, tired and ragged, and probably just needed rest. Nate continued to watch me as I did him, and one gripped the steering wheel and the other held my hand. "Eyes on the road," I whispered, just so he could hear. He laughed at me before turning his gaze forward.

So, it turns out I was entirely wrong about Glieston itself. It is a towering city, at the heart. As we drove closer to the main streets, I was left speechless and awestruck by the towering silhouettes of skyscrapers against the morning sky, red with the rising sun that gleamed off the glass panels that clad everything, everywhere. It was utterly mesmerising. In this second, this exact moment, I considered myself as an aesthete.

But, I was left more amazed when we pulled onto the lengthy main street and I pressed my face up against the window, and I heard a low chuckle next to me but I didn't care, because all my favourite shops and cafés lined the footpath, and I was in bliss. "Nate!" I shouted, pointing to shop after shop after shop and notifying him that that's where I wanted to go. He nodded knowingly after each desperate jab of my finger. What do you want for lunch?" Nate asked, and my wide eyes skittered over to him, and then back out the window. I pointed erratically to a small restaurant, one that was flooded with plants and I saw people eating appetising breakfast meals. I wondered if lunch would be just as good.

Nate nodded is head in surprised approval. "Good choice." We drove along for a while longer, my big eyes darting to every store, every restaurant, every pedestrian crossing roads before us. And then... One side of the footpath stopped being lined with shops, and then I saw. One side of the street had disappeared, to compensate for nothing other than a beach. A real life beach. One lined with towels and a vast coastline that curved inwards, and teenagers surfed and children flounced around in the water, splashing water in other kids' faces and laughing. Adults chase after their excited offspring exasperatedly, sighing and giving up when they realise children are indefatigable.