I kept my composure for about 2.5 seconds before bursting out laughing. He tucked his lips inside his mouth trying not to grin, but he couldn't help it. He pulled back out onto the road as he shook his head. I put my hand on his.
"But really, what if my parents say no?"
"Already spoke to them and they both agreed to it." He smiled at me.
"Even my dad?"
"He was a little harder to convince than your mom.. but she convinced him."
I smiled at the thought.
"This must be pretty important to you." I said. He entwined our fingers and squeezed my hand.
"It's just really depressing to imagine having all this fun without you, ya know?"
"I was really scared that you'd go on this tour and forget about me. I was thinking that I'd lose you pretty soon.. which is why I never talked about it with you because I didn't want to tell you how I felt. It would've made me feel like I'm just holding you back, and I don't like that. I want you to have fun and be happy." I looked out the window.
"No matter how you feel about this tour, I would've asked you to come with me. Facetime and phonecalls don't cut it for me and sleeping by my myself doesn't sound ideal. at all." He shook his head and pressed his lips together.
"I'm so glad I have someone like you." I smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"Shit, we took a wrong turn." He pulled into a driveway so he could turn around. I looked down the road at a dark little town house. A sign in the front yard read '100% accurate fortune telling, or your money back.' The neon sign on the door said 'open'
"Jack, look." I pointed to the house.
"Huh?"
"Fortune telling. It says 100% accurate or your money back."
He looked at the sign, then at me.
"Should we do it?" He smiled.
"Yeah!" I said, enthusiastically.
He pulled into the small parking area. I looked at windows, which were sealed by curtains. Sketchy.
We both got out and walked up the steps. The door was cracked, so Jack opened it. We were holding hands. Inside, there was a woman at a table with a dark, beaded table cloth on it. She was shuffling cards before she saw us.
"Oh hello! Are you Andrea and Dean?" She stood up. It was extremely dim, but I could see that she wore a scarf around her hair and dark, sparkly makeup. It smelt like pumpkins and heated rice.
Jack looked at me. "Oh- uh, I'm- no we aren't. We just spotted your place and decided to come in."
"I only do my work by appointment only." She clasped her hands together.
"But, since you're here, my name is Madame Rotalli and I would love to assist you... is this going to be a spiritual or intellectual reading, or? Or have either of you ever been to a psychic?"
"Oh, um, I went to one at the Omaha fair a while ago. She didn't get anything right, but yeah." Jack began.
"I've never been to one." I looked at her.
"Please, sit." She sat across the table from us.
"Tell me your name?" She held Jack's palm.
"Jack." He said.
"Full name."
"Jack Gilinsky."
She closed her eyes and felt his palm. He looked at me, slightly freaked out. I tried not to laugh.
"You are well loved. By many. Music. Do you sing?" She opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Yeah, I'm- uh, I'm going on tour pretty soon."
She continued with her eyes closed. "Many friends. Friends who are also admired. New relationship. New, but very strong. Paige." She looked at me. I got goosebumps.
"You're Paige?"
"...Yeah, I am.." I held Jack's hand under the table.
"May I see your palm?" I gave her the hand that Jack wasn't holding.
She closed her eyes once again and felt my palm.
"Kind hearted. Burning love. Worries.." She stopped dead in her tracks and widely opened her eyes, looking ahead of me. She stumbled to stand up. Her chair fell over. Her stare was still directed ahead of me.
"D-D-D-" She broke her stare and looked at me. Jack and I stood up.
"What?" Jack said aggressively.
"DEATH!" She screamed. "DEATH!"
Jack held on to me. I cried terrified tears. Jack ran out of the house with me and put me in the jeep. She was on the porch, screaming the same word. Jack sped out of the neighborhood.
