Forbidden

10

A month goes by on the road, and it feels like a year. Maybe that's because I feel like I lost both of my best friends, and my heart hurts more with each passing day.

Amy and I have barely talked since because so busy with work, like usual. She's only visited one time since Michigan and I can tell it has upset Joe, but it's not my place to ask anymore.

I miss our walks, and how easy it was for us to talk to each other about anything. Now I'm lucky if I have a full conversation with him and it's usually about the weather or something unimportant like that.

I sit in the dining room of our rental house in Utah. I just got off the phone with my sister, Sam. We will be in California in three days, and she's coming to the show. I can't wait to see her after all this time because have so much to catch up on.

I look up from my phone and Joe walks in, holding a few grocery bags. He sets them on the table in front of me.

"Hey." I say.

"Hey El." The fact he still calls me El makes me feel warm inside.

"I just got off the phone with my sister." I tell him, grinning from ear to ear.

"She's still coming to the show, right?" He asks as he unpacks a plastic bag full of food.

"Yes. I told her you reserved a spot for her at the bar stage."

"I sure did." He says, grabbing some cereal boxes and putting them into the pantry. I get up and grab some food items, helping him put stuff away.

"Thanks." He says as he empties the last bag.

"No problem." I tell him, shoving my hands in the back pockets of my jeans.

He runs a hand through his hair and lets out a breath, "I'm gonna head upstairs."

"Okay." I say and with that, he's gone.

I walk over to the window and look out. We have a large fenced in yard, with an in ground trampoline in the middle of it. I've never seen one before and I'm intrigued, so I make my way out to it. I kick off my shoes and walk onto the bouncy surface, hopping a little bit.

I take a seat in the middle, breathing in the fresh, crisp air. I tilt my head towards the sky, soaking in the warmth from the sun. It's a beautiful October day here, the sunshine making it a perfect comfortable temperature.

I lay back and close my eyes...

"Are you dead?" Nicks voice courses through my ears, waking me up.

I open my eyes and he's on the trampoline, standing over me. How did I not feel him walk up to me? I must have been really out.

"You weren't moving." He says, taking a seat beside me.

I push myself up onto my elbows and look at him, "I was in a deep sleep I guess. It's very peaceful out here."

"Well you are wearing the wrong clothes to be sun bathing." He says, eyeing my black leggings and oversized Harvard sweatshirt. And no, I didn't even go there.

"I just came out here to check out the trampoline."

He adjusts himself and lies down next to me, closing his eyes. "You're right. It is nice." He mumbles.

I laugh and lay back down beside him, "Told ya."

"What are you guys doing?" I look up and Kevin is standing just outside the door.

"Come here, brother." Nick says, waving his arm, motioning for Kevin to come over.

He runs out of the house bare foot and jumps onto the trampoline. My body flies through the air, smacking into Nick's side.