Always (2/3)

01: in love with tragedies

01
Pacifica

"Okay, Nessa, you obviously got us lost." Rachel groaned, while staring at the map. "This is fantastic."

"Relax, Rachel, I know where I'm going." Janessa scowled at her. "Paz, you've been awfully quiet back there, what's up?"

"I'm just exhausted, and a bit angry that you won't tell us where we're going." I explained trying not to let my irritation get the better of me.

We'd been on the road for over a few hours and I was getting tired of Janessa's need to keep things a secret.

"I saw something cool and I want to see it." Janessa replied. "Why can't I keep it a surprise?"

"Because I'm dying here." Rachel rolled her eyes. "Can we pass time with stories?"

"I liked Paz's story." Janessa commented. "About that one guy from that one summer a few years back."

"Oh," I blushed slightly. "It didn't end well, why do you want to hear it again?"

"Because Janessa's in love with tragedies." Rachel piped up.

"Shut up, Rachel." Janessa scoffed. "Anyways, if you had the guy's number, why didn't you call him or anything?"

"I tried." I admitted. "But he never answered. I just assumed he got a new phone and lost my number somehow."

"And you guys slowly went out of touch?" Rachel looked up from her phone. "After promising that you'd never forget each other?"

I clenched my fists. "It just didn't work out, okay? You wouldn't know, Rachel, you've never had a long distance relationship."

"I'm sorry, geez, but still." Rachel muttered under her breath. "I'm really sorry that it had to end like that."

"Me too." I admitted. "But it was a beautiful summer, all good things have to come to an end eventually, Rach."

"It sounds like a tragedy an author would write." Janessa commented from the driver's seat. "Ever think about turning your story into a book?"

"But it wouldn't have a happy ending." I sighed. "Don't readers want a happy ending?"

"But that's not the truth." Rachel said. "I'd much rather read the truth than some fake fantasy."

"Only you would, Rachel." Janessa laughed. "But seriously, Paz, you aren't alone in this. Let me tell you about me and this one guy."

Janessa filled us in on a story she seemed to think was worse than mine. But at least she saw the guy she was talking about.

I'd almost completely forgotten about Dipper until they mentioned me not having a boyfriend a few months ago.

Dipper Gleeful. He was one of a kind. And I had a 25 percent chance of ever seeing him again. It was better just not to think about him.

It would just make the heartache worse. Just when I'd gotten over him completely.

"Paz, you seem to be lost in thought." Rachel shook my shoulders. "Are you even here?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired, Rachel." I yawned to prove my point. "I'm trying to figure out where this crazy lady's taking us."

"This 'crazy lady' wants to keep it a secret." Janessa stuck her tongue out at me. "C'mon, live a little."

"It can't be that bad, can it Paz?" Rachel shrugged. "As long as she doesn't kill us, I'm fine with it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I smiled and let Rachel talk to me about whatever drama was happening with her family.

"Aw, shoot." Janessa exclaimed. "I'm running out of gas, so we'll have to stop soon and get some, okay?"

I nodded and Rachel rolled her eyes. "That's okay." I stated.

"Are you kidding?" Rachel sighed. "That puts us behind on schedule."

"We don't have a schedule." Janessa pointed out. "Besides, I don't want to break down in the middle of nowhere and have some creepy man pick us up only to find he's part of some crazy cult and eventually slaughters us all."

Rachel let out a whistle. "Dang. Let's hope that doesn't happen." Then she made eye contact with me and whispered, "crazy."

I nodded in agreement and looked back at the road. Why did this place look semi-familiar? "Have we been here before?"

"No." Janessa muttered.

"Yeah, probably." Rachel chuckled. "She's probably driving us around in circles."

"I am not!" Janessa protested.

"Are to."

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Guys!" I exclaimed. "You two sound like absolute children."

"Janessa, are we lost?" Rachel tried one more time.

"No." was her response. "Just shut up and let me drive."

I kept quiet and stared out the window, wondering why I was sensing such deja vu. Biting my lip, I leaned back in my seat and tried closing my eyes.

Visuals of blue entered my vision, lighting up the darkness. A smirking face that I could always remember broke its way into my dream and I found myself clenching my fists. "What?" I murmured sleepily.

But I got no response from the shadowy phantasm. Instead, I heard a buzzing noise from my pocket. My eyes shot open and I looked around.

Nothing had changed, other than us being closer to nowhere. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and turned it on. My heart stopped and I felt a sense of panic rising in my chest.

Unknown Number: plz come its important! hurry! -Gideon Pines