Cross-Country

Chapter 4

The next morning, I got up feeling refreshed. I smiled at the sun streaming in through the curtains, highlighting specks of dust in the air, and I headed out to the diner again for breakfast.

Carolyn smiled at me when I walked through the door. I sat in the same booth I'd picked last night, and I managed to wolf down a stack of pancakes and a glass of orange juice before I headed out once more.

I spent the day on the road with my windows rolled down, singing along to old pop songs at the top of my lungs. When night rolled around, I stopped the car in another small town to look for a place to rest. It was funny how that was already becoming a sort of routine for me, even though it was only the second day of my impromptu road trip.

This time, the area I stopped in was slightly more populated, and I managed to find a bar to stop in. The fluorescent sign in front of the building was flickering, and I could hear the sounds of cheering and loud laughter coming from inside. I paused for a second just outside the door - it had been awhile since I'd been anywhere so noisy. But I shook it off and headed inside.

I wove through the crowd of people, muttered apologies on the tip of my tongue, before I finally made it to the bar, where I sat on the stool that stood furthest left and ordered a plate of nachos. I was in the middle of devouring them when a man sat down on the stool next to me.

He turned to face me, dark brows furrowed in consideration. He looked at least ten years older than me, handsome in a roguish way, with brown eyes that looked gold in the light of the bar and messy black hair.

"Well," he said, "what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" He gestured around the bar. It was dimly lit in places, and the music was too loud, and it really wasn't the kind of place I frequented often.

But I just shrugged. "Just passing through, I guess."

A corner of his mouth pulled up in a grin, like he knew the game we were playing. He probably did. "Can I get you something to drink?"

I chewed on my lip. "Sorry," I said, "I've kind of got my heart set on someone right about now."

He frowned for a moment and then shook his head, letting out a low chuckle. "Don't I know it." He held out a hand to me. "Jack. Jack Douglas."

I took it with a smile. "I'm Claire."

"Well, Claire, how about you let me buy you a drink after all, and maybe we can swap stories."

I nodded and he signaled to the bartender to order a beer for each of us.

~~~~~~~~~~~

November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving was today. I'd been looking forward to it, but that was before... you know.

My parents were adamant that we'd have a "normal" Thanksgiving dinner, but I think even they realized how awkward it was sitting there at the table and trying to make conversation. My mom left to the kitchen a few minutes in to "check on the turkey," so it was up to my sister and I to try to salvage dinner.

Yeah... wasn't fun. Oh well, that's just how life goes.

- Sam

~~~~~~~~~~~

For the third time in as many days, I told my story about coming across the notebook and deciding to look for its owner. I was very conscious of Jack watching me carefully, and I began drumming my fingers on my thighs again. When I finished, he started laughing. I crossed my arms. "Rude," I said, but soon I was laughing, too.

"You have to admit," he said, when he stopped chuckling, "It's sort of strange."

"Yeah. That's what I've been telling myself."

"I see it hasn't stopped you."