The F in Pike (Book 3.5) (girlxgirl)

What's Past is Past is Present

The rumble of the wheels against the road makes the car shake, almost like a constant shiver, as we drive along the road together.

Damn car... I know it was the best I could afford with my income, and I barely use it since just about everything is in walking distance of where I live, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to hate it. It's slow, it breaks down easily, and the suspension is bad. If it weren't for these trips that we take and the fact that Dawn is now at Stanford a couple hundred miles away, I probably would've sold this hunk of junk a while back.

But I can't. Trentville is too far away to walk, and Stanford is too short a distance to be flying there, which would probably cost more than it would to drive there anyway. It may be faster but it costs a lot more. So I guess I just have to suck it up and keep this car going. It may not be perfect, but I need some way of getting to Dawn if she ever needs me.

Not that she would ever actually ask for my help at this point. I haven't heard a single word from her since the moment she left, and that wasn't exactly the best moment either. There were no teary goodbyes at the airport, no endless acts of hugging and talk of how I'm only a phone call or an email away. Well, at least not from her anyway. I kept trying to hold back the tears and not babble too much at the idea of her leaving. It was hard though. No matter whatever else might be going on, she's still my little sister and she's going off to college. That's kind've a big deal.

Mom made a big deal of the day that I went off to college, and I was only going a couple miles out of town. She was kind've a mess every time she'd pass by my room and see me packing for college, but in a sort've happy way. She'd always smile and sometimes she'd just stand in my doorway and watch me for no particular reason in that non-creepy way that she always used to do. And I guess now I understand why.

I only wish that Dawn's leaving could have been as happy an experience as mine was. Every day leading up to her going got more and more tense. She just kept getting more and more distant as time went on. I'm not sure why. Dawnie and I haven't been getting along that great for the past few months, but it feels like something's changed. Like there's something I've said or done that makes her clam up whenever I'm around.

The more I asked her about it, the less she talked to me. We've always had trouble talking, but this time is different somehow. She's not going to tell me what's wrong this time.

Looking over at the passenger in my car with me, I take a deep breath before going back to watching the road.

So I'll just have to try and talk to the one person in the world who might know.

With a glance over at Faith again, I kinda have to smile at the sight of her. Faith sees it and gives me a curious look.

"What?"

I just shrug back at her.

"It's nothing..."

She lets out this slightly annoyed breath and goes back to staring out the window the way she has been for the past hour or two of the car ride. Her expression is all but blank.

Okay, maybe that was a little harsh of me. I've barely said a word to her the whole ride, and she's been quiet the whole ride. And the way she looks doesn't exactly make me think she's happy about it, despite where we're going. I should probably do something about that. I'll never get her to open up and talk if I shut her out the entire ride.

"It's just that..."

She looks my way and I try to smile back without taking my eyes off the road for too long.