If We Were Perfect (herophine)

Chapter Fourteen: Anything Without Each Other

Hero

I wake up early Wednesday morning and pull open the fridge, grabbing the milk carton and setting it on the counter. I turn over to the dish rack and take a cup.

I pour myself a glass of milk, then put the carton away.

While I sip at my milk, I begin to realize how much our lives were going to change. By next Monday, we may be living alone. It's crazy to think of that.

I'll be living with the girl I love so very much. She'll be 18 by the time we find an apartment.

Something feels off, but I can't put my finger on it. It was like something was about to happen. Something I needed to stop, but I can't.

A second later, as if my thoughts wanted to come true, the door swings open and a fully dressed Josephine walks into the house, "Finally, your up. Get ready, but dress in comfortable clothes because we're going somewhere."

"Jo? Where are we going?" I ask, setting my glass in the sink.

"I'm not telling you until you promise you'll go." She replies cockily, I roll my eyes playfully and go into my room. Grabbing my skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. Before I exit, I put on a layer of deodorant and grab my things. My keys were missing.

And it's in that moment I realize half of the things in my room are missing. My clothes that used to be on the floor. My laptop. All of my chargers.

I exit my room.

"Josephine, tell me where we're going, and why my stuff is packed?" I ask.

"We're going on a trip, come on, your Dad already knows so it's fine." She rushes me. I look at her with confusion, then pull on my vans. I follow her out the door, my varsity jacket draping from one arm.

"Tell me where we're going?" I ask again. She shrugs, then climbs into my car, slamming the driver seat door shut.

I groan, then go around the car to the passenger seat door.

"Josephine, I'm being serious. Where are we going?" I plead as I close the door and adjust in the passenger seat.

"Shush and I tell you when we are nearby. How about we just call it a summer trip before we start college?" She suggest, backing out of the driveway and driving away from the house.

"Okay, but where are we going?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes, just tell me." I reply, leaning back in the seat and looking into her eyes.

"We're going to Chicago. I have to make amends with my Mom. I have to talk to her about what's happening." She replies and I grab the wheel.

"What!"

"You heard me. Our flight leaves in an hour."

***

We're rushing through the busy airport, our hands tightly locked together.

"Why are we running?" Josephine ask. She stops and our hands break apart.

"Because we can." I reply, then grab her hand once more, yanking her through the crowds of people. I hear her chuckling from behind me as we snake our way through the crowd. I turn to see her blonde hair flying about behind her and I smile.

We make it to our gate a few minutes later, huffing and puffing for breath. The flight attendant takes our boarding passes and stamps them, handing them back to us.

We walk down the long hallway, hand in hand. She's silent as we stop in the line, standing behind an older couple, the woman has a camera bag slung over her shoulder and the older man has a bag. Another group stops behind us, it's a group of college aged girls. One of the girls meets my gaze and she winks. I roll my eyes and take Josephine's hand once again, then pull her toward me, kissing her soft, delicate lips. She gives back a bitchy expression and turns back to her friends.