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5/27/17
"SLOW DOWN!" I exclaim as one hand grips the passenger door and one hand slaps against dash at Hayley's horrid driving.
"What?" she questions before rolling her eyes at me. "Stop acting so scared Max. That guy was going so slow," she says dragging out her words for dramatic effect.
My eyes flash over to the dashboard and widen as I see the speedometer. "You're going one hundred in a seventy," I point out as my eyebrows fly into my hairline. "Are you trying to kill us before we get to Easton?" I exclaim.
"Obviously not," she tells me before flicking her wavy hair dark hair over her shoulder and slowing down just a touch for me. "It's suppose to be a fun summer kaibigan," she reminds me throwing in her mother's native tongue for flare.
"What does that mean?" I question loving the way she now shares this side of her. I didn't even know she was half Filipino until she came back from winter break this past year. But ever since she rekindled her relationship with her mother she's begun to let this side of her shine.
"Friend," she tells me with a bright smile.
"At least it's not what you called me yesterday," I mumble with pursed lips remembering the string of words she called me that I didn't understand until I began to Google translate them.
A boisterous laugh falls from her lips. "You have to learn the dirty words first," she tells me as if it's common law.
"Is that what your mother taught you?" I tease as I cross my arms over my chest.
Hayley shakes her head at my words. "My father actually," she says sentimentally. A sad smile pulls at my lips at her words knowing how much she misses her father every single day.
"How is your mother by the way?" I ask truthfully wanting to know. Her mother and her had a strained relationship for most of her life after her father was murdered. She blamed her mother for a long time before realizing that her mother wanting to move on and find new love didn't mean she stopped loving her father.
"She's good," she tells me. "It'll be weird not seeing her, which is even more weird to say," she chuckles ironically considering she hadn't talked to her mom in years and now she will miss their long talks and lunch dates.
"It's good to see you this happy," I acknowledge openly.
"Thanks Max," she replies with a soft smile.
"So...." I start slowly. "Are you ready to see him?" I question with a touch of hesitation.
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she thinks over my question with pause. "I love him," she confesses with ease. "I'll always be ready," she tells me with confidence.
I instantly wrap my hand over hers that rests on the gear to give her strength and show her my support. "No matter what this will be a summer to remember," I remind her of why she wanted to originally come here.
