Survival of the Unfit

Chapter 21

April

Shoes, shoes, where are some damn shoes? Oh, I can go in sandals. Sandals, that’ll be fine. Two minutes. Pajamas? He said they were okay. No, no no way. I had to change. Wait, is that his car? That’s him. Shit, I didn’t even brush my teeth. I’ll steal some gum from Mom’s purse.

On the way out I did just that, being careful when closing the front door. Levi pulled up along the curb and stared straight ahead, hands tight around the wheel, looking completely pissed. I timidly climbed into the passenger seat, and as soon I shut the door, he took off. I glanced behind me to make sure my parent’s room didn’t light up, realizing too late that I probably should’ve left a note.

I faced front again, watching the trees and houses rush by as he drove. We were going towards east center strip, I knew that, but way on the outskirts of the island. I could see bits and pieces of the ocean flash by.

I wrung my hands together, staring at my boxer shorts and sandals and unshaved legs, closing my eyes painfully. This is what I had to come out like? Where were we even going? Oh no. He’s getting rid of me. He’s going to kill me.

 “I’m not dumping your body in the ocean if you’re wondering,” he snapped, coming to a rolling stop at an intersection and speeding on through. I clutched my seat belt.

 “Where are we going?” I asked softly, stealing a quick glance at him. His eyes were completely focused ahead, hands still gripping the wheel so tight his knuckles were turning pale. Leather jacket on, making him look ten times more menacing than he already is. Oh, why did I go.

 “A place.” He suddenly pulled over to the side of the road and I bumped into him, heart skipping a beat. Oh god. I was definitely dying tonight.

But he turned the car off and got out, opening the back door grabbing a shoebox full of something that rattles in one hand and a blanket in the other, walking through field grass to a clearing of trees where you could see the ocean. I got out and followed, quite surprised to feel sand flood my flip flops once getting past the grass. I looked down and took my flip flops off, smiling as I wiggled my toes. The sand felt good. It was cool and refreshing. 

An aggravated scream made me snap my head up, seeing the shoebox and blanket be chucked into the ocean. I watched it splash and everything be dumped out, what looked like the back of pictures floating and papers starting to sink. The blanket floated for a while, and then gracefully sunk as well. I looked to Levi who was staring at the stuff blankly, arms dangling at his sides, shoulder rising and falling rhythmically. It didn’t quite register that the yell was from him. I looked back to the stuff. It didn’t quite register that the stuff was his.

I saw him sit in the dry sand, knees up, continuing to stare at his stuff drift away on the mini beach. Glancing back at the car, I thought I should wait in there. But I saw him again, slowly dip his head and sigh deeply, running a hand through his fluffy dark hair, making it stick out in all kinds of crazy places. Against better judgment, I went and sat next to him.

We didn’t say anything for a while. He kept running his hand through his hair and staring down at the sand, while I watched the shoebox drift deeper into the Atlantic Ocean. It was important stuff, I thought. Something that meant a lot to him.

I glanced down and kicked his shoes with my bare foot. “You okay?”

 “Yeah,” he replied tiredly. “I’m okay.”

There was another moment of silence. I continued staring out into the horizon, where the glittering ocean met the night sky. “Do you want to talk about it?”

 “Not much to say, April. My girlfriend of two years just broke up with me over the phone, drunk, at a club, and admitted she had been cheating for sixth months beforehand.” He paused chuckle to brush sand off his jeans. “Just doesn’t get any shittier than that, does it?”