Gemi

She was tired

She was tired of having friends who had expectations of what kind of friend she should've been for them. She was tired of having parents who always thought less of her worth. She was tired of living life where she was just a wallflower.

She always gave, but why did they expect her to give more?

“They just don't understand,” he said.

You don't understand either, she thought to herself.

However, she didn't say a thing and watched him drive them farther and further away from the sunshine and the city lights. Farther away from the city they were born and raised in. Further away from the city that left them scars and false hopes.

It was a hill somewhere at the outskirt of another town but she felt a lot safer than the four walls she called home.

If he'd told her that they were about to run away for good instead of escaping the toxic town for a little while, she would've nod in a heartbeat. But he knew that she knew that they left their torn hearts in their hometown, somewhere in an old building they could no longer call a school.

“Here we are,” he finally said again.

They were curled up in the backseat, each holding a red cup in hands. She leaned her back against his chest and she could feel his steady heartbeat against the back of her nape. He didn't move away, and he rested his cheek on top of her head instead.

Playing with her hair, he peered from behind her. And she swore to God, her heart was running in the speed of light.

“You can always lean on me.”

With that, he laced his fingers with hers and he put their hands in the pocket of his hoodie to keep them warm.

“He'll understand,” he said again.

She wondered if she was wearing her heart in her sleeves that night.

It's totally possible to be comfortably friendly like this.

No verification.

No falsification.

No justification.

Just sophistication.

Tugging at each other's heartstring.

Not quite a bad lie, right?

Nobody would understand about the friendship that they had. Not her friends, not her parents, and not her boyfriend.