The Book of Strings

5

We headed north from Los Angeles, but stayed close to the coast so we wouldn't lose sight of the ocean. With the windows down in the evening, I could taste the salt and smell the seaweed. I could almost feel sand sting my face. The golden glow filled the van as it both descended from the horizon and reflected off the waves. It was warm, but still in its presence. Nothing moved, and life was at a standstill.

October sat across from me in the passenger seat, still writing in her journal filled with strings. A cigarette dangled limply from her right hand as she scrawled presumably beautiful words with her left.

"You think you could wait until you're out of the van to do that?" The smoke was smothering the ocean smell.

She cast a dark look in my direction and rolled down her window. She tapped a finger against the top of the cigarette and sparks fell past the glass.

I turned the wheel sharply to the right and drove the van up to an empty patch of gravel.

"Aye, what are you doing, man?" Kip called from the backseat. "I said, 'don't fuck up.'"

"And so I won't, I just need some air, okay?"

"Whatever you say, mate."

I shut off the engine and climbed down from the driver seat.

"Toby, get out," I said, approaching her window.

"What?"

"Get out of the van."

Confused, she opened the door and slipped her bare feet onto the gravel.

"Now," I continued, "here, you can smoke." I pointed at a bench over near a patch of prickly pear. "You can smoke all the cigarettes in the world, if that's what you really want. Just... not in the van, please."

"Hmm."

Toby took a step closer to me. Especially barefooted, she was a good deal shorter than I was. She stood on tip toe and leaned forward until our noses almost touched. Then, she took a long drag on her cigarette, locking eyes with me. In an act of defiance, she blew the cloud of smoke gently and slowly across my face, making sure to cover every inch.

It was difficult to repress a cough.

"That's disgusting," I choked.

She smiled wickedly.

"Humans are creatures of disgust, Ollie. It's hardly by choice."

She took another drag on the cigarette.

"It's still gross."

She laughed.

"You didn't think it was so gross two years ago at the football game," she teased.

I felt my face grow hot.

"That's an entirely different situation, Toby. Besides, I quit," I argued.

Toby shrugged.

"Still, it hints at hypocrisy, doesn't it?"

"It was high school, I was being stupid. What did you expect?"

I could feel a laugh coming on.

"Here."

Carefully, so I wouldn't miss and hit her face, I flicked the cigarette out of her hand. Her eyebrows shot up into her hair.

"Ollie!"

I regretted it seconds after I did it.

October's face looked mildly upset for a split second, then a flash of a smile crossed her lips. She dove at me, catching me around the midriff and managing to get me on the ground.

"Shit! What are you doing?"

She sat on my stomach, her knees straddling my torso and her hands pinned on my arms. I could feel gravel digging into my shoulder blades. October laughed.

"Oliver Beckett, you should know not to take a girl's cigarette by now," she joked.

"Yeah, well since you didn't tell me you were a goddamn heavyweight champion, I feel like I'm the one who's been smoking my whole life." That much was truthful. To get the wind knocked out of you by one of the smallest girls you've met is not only damaging to your ego, but it also does a number on your lungs.

She flashed another smile, and her blue eyes captured and carried the sunset for the briefest moment.

"I won't smoke in the van," she said. "I promise. On one condition."

"Anything."

"Stay out of my business. Deal?"

"You got it."