The New World

7

"What can I get in here for 3 dollars?"  I ask out loud as Piper circles the tall center-council that holds little cards with pictures on them that my mum loves giving out to my family. Her promising, bright grey eyes looking up at me from looking down at a pixilated picture of the Grand Canyon. Her thick blonde hair was tied up into a bun with loose curls framing her thin face. She had on little makeup and I couldn't stop staring at the freckles dotting her cheeks underneath the small dark circles where her eyelashes fall when she closes her eyes in her usual restless sleep.

"Get this one for your mom, she likes the cheesy ones." Piper grins, handing me a small destination card with a pun as the greeting in big, blue letters over the giant hole in the ground millions of people flock to the desert to see. I gave her a smile and she turned, looking at all the little gift shop goodies no one really needs for more than 60 seconds. She was eyeing this necklace with a sun hanging down the silver chain, its beams wiry and curved, a small face in the middle. 

"Let me get that for you," I say but she rolls her eyes, shaking her head quickly. A few more hairs fell on to her cheeks. 

"I don't need it. No one needs any of this shit for more than 60 seconds." I just laugh, nodding. 

"Maybe," I shrug. She turns to head back to the car, Miles putting the gas cap back on the car while Miles sits in the front seat, still passed out. 

"Are you coming?" She asks me. I nod, glancing at the sun.

"Just let me check out, I'll meet you in the car." I tell her and she nods. She turns to walk away and I watch the sway of her hips before turning and looking at the sun necklace. 

Staring ahead  at the dark road I look over from seeing blackness to seeing the light in my life. Her bright eyes found mine, sleepily looking over at me.

"Thanks for taking the night shift with me," I grin and she shrugs, sitting up from originally being curled up into the seat, making her look tiny in comparison. 

"I don't sleep very well in the car either. And it was nice enough of you to drive everyone while they sleep. They ask to go on these road trips and they just sleep the entire time." She rolls her eyes, looking back at everyone. I nod in agreement. 

"I think I might move here." I say and she perks up. 

"Really? Why?" I ask. I shrug, looking for something to stare at other than her.

"It's so beautiful here. Everything," I say, glancing at her as she shares an equally quick glance in my direction. I continued looking forward, feeling her eyes dancing around my jawline and on my chin. I loved that feeling. 

"I got you something. Even though you told me not to." I add and she scoffs, rolling her eyes. I reach into my pocket and hand her the sun necklace. 

"It will go good with the tree," I try, glancing at the tree of life hanging low on her chest, a special necklace her mum gave her. She bites down on her lip, clipping right below her other necklace.

"Well..thank you. You didn't"

I know I didn't have to. But that didn't stop me from doing it." I mumble, staring forward and feeling a grin creep up on my face without consent as I see her staring down it, tracing her thumb over it. 

Leaning against the uneven, rough backboard of bark behind me, I feel her soft hair falling on my shoulder, her rosy scent finding it's way to my nose. Amazingly, she has found a way to create this amazing smelling washing soap using sap, flowers, and other weird things she cooks together to boil and make a thick, sweet smelling body and hair wash. I think the only reason she makes it is because she would have gone mad if we all smelled the way we look. She shifts, taking in a sharp, deep breath before sitting up and rubbing her eyes.