We went as far as the car would take us. I can still feel the wind through my hair. I can hear the way He sang to me to every song that happened to be playing. The smell of the crisp coolness of fall tickling my nose through the open windows because the air conditioning didn't work, and it was still too warm for the heater. We tore down that gravel road with not a place in mind just had to get away. Far away from the life of secrets and hiding behind doors. To be free.
I still remember the way He came into my room that rainy Sunday morning. It was 3:38 in the morning and I was still half asleep when I heard Him mumble for me to pack a bag. I told Him I couldn’t because I was too tired, so He packed it for me. Later I’ll realize what a mistake that was, He couldn’t match anything to save His life. He told me to get up but be quite so I wouldn’t wake my roommate and I held out my arms and asked Him to carry me. We stumbled out the door, me in His arms, holding our breaths. I don’t think we even blinked until we were in the car. I wasn’t awake yet so as soon as I was set in the seat I was asleep. When I finally came too, we were in some little town in Missouri. He told me we had just crossed the state line. I panicked and started questioning if He was crazy, a lunatic, or a serial killer. He replied by taking my hand, kissing it, and telling me that I had known Him since we were 8. I calmed a little when He explained His plan for us to be free. Head to Chicago make a life there, tell no one. I thought He was still crazy but I agreed to stay. So we set out.
I remember Him telling me we needed to stop. We stopped at this rickety, old, scary motel and got a room. He had made jokes about paying me for “services” in which I replied I’d do for free anyway. I remember walking into our room and smelling the musty smell. Seeing the cracked walls, and peeling ceiling tiles. The mud brown carpet was worn with big dark spots in random places. There was one queen size bed in the middle with rust colored sheets. I sat on the bed, hearing the groan of the springs under my weight, I told Him this was romantic. He sat beside me, took hold of my hand and said at least we get to be together without worry of anyone disapproving. I leaned to enjoy our first free kiss.
We stayed up all night that night talking about the future. What we should name our kid. He wanted Victoria for a girl and Scott for a boy. I wanted Ada for a girl and Patrick for a boy. We argued about it for hours. We talked about what we were going to so when we made it to Chicago. He wanted to start his music career. Get into the music scene. I wanted to just get there and try to survive on our own. Find a job as quick as possible. He wanted us to live a little, I was being practical. He said you'd become famous and buy us a mansion and buy me 16 cats. I loved the idea. We talked about how He even came up with this idea. He told me it popped into His head a couple months ago when we were secretly holding hands under a blanket and I mentioned going to Chicago. He thought it’d be a fantastic way to be together without the punishment of being caught. I laugh and say that’s fantastic. We spent that entire night in each others arms without the worry of being caught.
The next morning we left for St. Louis. Four more hours of driving, but He wanted to stay there for a night, to say we have been. I had fallen asleep and when I awoke to the feel of cold little prickles on my forehead. I then heard the sound of rain on the windshield. He laughed as we realized that we would have too stop again seeing how your windows were broke. I was mad as I was getting soaked. We stopped under an over-pass and took shelter. I wouldn’t talk to Him for the entire hour we were under there. He was persistent though. Kept trying to make me laugh. I love Him for that. When we got back on our way, I finally broke the silence and asked how much longer and He replied with “When ever we get there.”
Two hours later I grabbed His arm and pointed to the “Welcome To St. Louis” sign. He had gotten excited and sped the rest of the way. We went into downtown first to see the Arch. It was, by that time, 5 in the evening and was getting dark so we couldn't go up. You could see the way it swayed, so far above our heads. We laid right underneath it for hours in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other. Arms wrapped around, my head on His chest. Around 11:00 I started to dose off when I felt Him lift me up and take me to the car. I didn’t wake up again until we were at another serial killer type motel. He told me it was the cheapest and closest. He paid and I brought our bags to the room. I was lying on the bed when He came in and locked the door. He smiled, said I looked beautiful, and pounced. I giggled.
