The Adventures of Macy and Travis

"It's always you, Firecracker."

I sighed, and brushed my hair behind my ear. I grabbed the roller from the paint tray and swiped it up and down the last wall. "Trav, you're gonna have to get the rest of this, I'm not tall enough to get all the way up there anymore." I said as I tried to reach and couldn't.

                "Okay, darling." He said as he grabbed the roller from me. I went to go to the bathroom when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I went into our living room, which was really part of the kitchen but we were going to put our couch and tv in here. "Hey, What are you doing here?" I asked her hushed as I pulled her into a hug.

        "I just needed to see how my son was doing, I'm glad he's getting out of there too." She had guilt in her irises and I hugged her again.

                "You did what you had to do." I said quietly as I gave her cheek a kiss. She nodded but there was still tears coming from her eyes. "I understand." I assured her.

            "Mace can you get me some-" He stopped mid sentence and just stared at his mother. His mouth was open wide and he didn't say anything. Anger took over his features as he sat the roller down on the plastic and went outside.

                "He hates me." She sobbed.

           "He doesn't. I'll be right back." I said as I followed him outside. He was already in his truck when I caught up with him. I slid in the middle like I always did. He just sat there staring off into space. His fingers squeezed the bridge of his nose as he sighed.

                "Trav, she was coming to check on you." I said quietly, touching his arm. He looked down at me and all I seen was hurt. His mom left him, and now she was back.

                "How can she just come back and act like nothing changed? She left me with that asshole and now she wants to check on me?" He raised his voice slightly. I climbed in his lap the best that I could without blowing the horn. I caressed his cheek, and kissed him softly.

                        "She needed to get out." I whispered. "Isn't that what you wanted? Didn't you want her to get away from him?" I asked.

             "Yeah." He sighed after a while. "I just didn't think she'd leave me."

                        I wrapped my arms around his neck and his found their home around my waist. "If she hadn't left you, we wouldn't be where we are now. We never would have went to that warehouse, we never would have got a job, we wouldn't be getting an apartment together." I said and pulled away to arm lengths. "And we never would have kissed." I finished leaving a comforting kiss on his lips.

                "Go in and talk to her. She feels terrible." I said finally. He looked at me for a long time before he finally nodded. I climbed off of him and out the door. I held his hand and led him back into our apartment. As soon as he seen his mom's fetal body he let go of my hand and held her.

                        "Oh, Mama." He said quietly as he rubbed her head.

        "I'm sorry." She cried.

                        "It's fine. It's fine." He soothed.

        I went outside and sat on the fire escape. I watched random people walk by and got lost in my thoughts. There's only one month left of summer, one month to do crazy things until I have to go to college. One more month of seeing Travis everyday.

                I went and laid down in the parking lot. I lit up a cigarette which had became my new go to thing to keep me calm. I looked up at the sky and I thought about what all the clouds looked like. After an hour or so I heard Mary's voice. "Thanks, Macy." She leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

                A few minutes after that someone cast a shadow over my body. "You're gonna get hit by a car." He said with a smile. I looked up at him and his hands were tucked into his pocket. I patted the concrete beside me, he rolled his eyes but laid down too.

           I laid my head on his shoulder. "We talked it out." He admitted sheepishly.

                "I know."

        "You kids need to get up out of the road! What are you two doing!? Get up, Get up!" The Chinese land lord yelled. He had a broom in his hand and he was pointing it at the sky like he might hurt us. I looked at Travis and we both got up and ran to the door. "Americans." I heard the land lord mutter under his breath.

        Travis and I laughed harder than we had in a while as we slipped back into the house. "Do you think we have time to sit up my bed tonight?" I asked once we stopped rolling. He nodded.

        "Why? What are you wanting to do on your bed." He asked lowly leaning me against the wall. His face was only centimeters away from mine so I got a good look and how funny his face was when I said "Sleep."

                "Hey." I said quietly grabbing his arm before he pulled away. "Can I tell you something without you making fun of me?"

                        He nodded. "Yeah of course." He momentarily brought his gaze from my lips back up to my eyes.

        "You know I'm really proud of you." I said. "I mean that."

                "You're the only reason." He said, pecking my lips. "It's always you, firecracker."