✓ | ESCAPE ROOM ( WYATT OLEFF )

xviii. you're here?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
[ xviii. you're here? ]
/ IRL /

     CARTER PRESSED HER head up against the window and continued to stare at the cars driving beside them. She took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling herself become tired. The ginger turned her head around and saw Maryland asleep on Cordelia, who was laying on Quinn who was also asleep. She snorted, turning back around and looked over at Jayden beside of her. "They've been asleep basically this whole car ride," he informed as he took one of his earbuds out of his ear.

     "I don't understand why all of a sudden we're going to the city," Carter explained, changing the subject. Jayden swallowed the lump in his throat and shrugged, as if he knew nothing.

     "Just to have fun," Jayden said simply and calmly, irking her a bit more.

     "There has to be more to it," she said with annoyance in her voice, "you, headass." Jayden smiled as he rolled his eyes. "I'm serious. Y'all are hiding something from me and I don't like it," she whined, falling back into her seat. She crossed her arms, looking towards the front seat. She saw Quinn's mother look back at her in the viewfinder with a smirk on her face.

     "It's summer break, Cart," Jayden stated with a sigh, "we're gonna go to the hotel, trash it, and go roam the city." The ginger felt the corner of her lips tug to form a smile, but hid it. "Plus, maybe having some fun will help you get over Wyatt." Her heart dropped and instantly felt sick to her stomach.

     "Is it bad I want to text him?" She whispered with guilt, turning her head to look at the boy. He stiffened, sighing disappointingly.

     "No, but didn't you say you didn't want things escalating?" Jayden asked, reminding her of her own words. Carter nodded, pursing her lips together and looked the other way.

     "I know and I don't want things escalating, but . . ." She trailed off softly, trying to muster up the words. "There's just something about him."

     "You've gone soft," Jayden gasped, letting out a quiet chuckle. The ginger whipped her head towards him, her mouth open wide with disbelief.

     "I have not!" Carter exclaimed in a whisper, trying not to wake up the three girls in the back of the car. "You wanna see soft? Look in the mirror, asswipe."

     "Wyatt made you soft," Jayden teased in a whisper, rubbing it in her face. She felt her face heat up with embarrassment, but decided to slap the boy on the arm.

     "Say I'm soft again and I'll take your own words and shove them down your throat," Carter said sternly, but ended up laughing towards the end. Jayden laughed loudly, but felt Carter's hand go over his mouth wanting him to be quiet. "Shh!" She removed her hand slowly, both wanting to laugh. The ginger leaned back more into her seat, taking her attention to look out the window.

     She thought about what Jayden had said, and maybe he was right. Maybe Wyatt had changed her in ways she didn't know were possible to change. Carter wondered if she had made an impact on him like that, and she did. She just wouldn't know until later.

     Wyatt lied his head on the airplane window, watching the clouds go underneath him. All the could think about was Carter and how she would react. Maybe this was all a mistake and he should just turn back around. Maybe she truly did hate him and there was nothing he could do to fix it. His mother, Jennifer, nudged him playfully which caught his attention. "You excited?" She questioned, watching him shrug unknowingly.