REAL | Jeff Wittek

-nine-

*Thank you @jjewelle for your support*

I had thanked Jeff for the food after eating our takeout and decided that I was going to go lay down and relax. He offered me a quick nod and I went to the bedroom to chill. After the day I had, I figured I deserved it.

I stared up at the ceiling of Jeff's bedroom hoping I would drift off and take a quick nap but all I could think about was my shitty best friend. I couldn't stop thinking about how she had treated me and how she'd been acting, I just couldn't get her out of my head, which was almost more frustrating then what she was actually doing.

I quickly got up and stormed out of the bedroom. "Jeff!" I yelled. His head popped up from the couch and looked at me with concern.

"What?? Are you okay?"

"Yes, but I'm bored and I'm mad and I need to do something. What is there to do around here at 6pm?" I asked, frustrated.

"Well, it is LA. There's a ton of shit to do." He blinked, "Also, for future reference, this is a small apartment. You don't need to yell."

"Right." I cringed. "I'm sorry."

He let out a very breathy and almost indistinct laugh as he got off the couch and walked to the door. "Let's go."

My eyes immediately lit up and me smile grew. I slid on my sneakers the same time he did his and followed closely behind him. We walked out to the parking lot and got in his car. "Where are we going?" I quizzed.

"You'll see."

————————

The longer we drove the less buildings I saw but I didn't mind, sometimes getting out of the city is exactly what you need. Lo-fi hip-hop was playing through the speakers as I had my window down and the warm breeze of a California night blew through my hair.

Almost two hours into the drive, he pulled into a dirt pull off by a small patch off woods. "You don't see this kind of stuff every day in LA." I looked in amazement.

"Well I guess it's a good thing we're not in LA anymore." He smiled over to me and cocked his head as a sign to follow him.

We started walking through the trees. It all looks so magical and it felt like home almost. The fresh air mixed with salt from the sea filled my lungs every time I took a breathe in, much nicer then the city air I'm use to.

"Listen, if you're going to kill me at least let me enjoy this first and then get it over with quickly. I'd like to think I have a high pain tolerance but when it comes to getting stabbed or whatever, I don't think I'd be able to handle that." I joked from beside him.

"What makes you think I would stab you?" He furrowed his eyebrows together. "Obviously I'm gonna push you off this edge up here." He pointed forward through the tree line but all I could see was sky. He told me to walk up further so I could see what he was talking about and what I saw, absolutely blew my mind. It was like heaven.

"whoa." Is the only thing that could escape my mouth.

"Pretty yeah?" He asked, gazing between me and the view.

"Help me get down there." I demanded as I ran off. I saw the waterfall immediately and decided that's where I'm going first. The hill was steep so I definitely needed Jeff's assistance getting down and luckily he was right beside me making sure I didn't fall. There was a few times here and there that one of us would slip but soon, we were down on the warm sand watching the waves come up to our feet.

"Follow." I demanded once more and jogged to the waterfall. I looked up at the water source then looked down at the ground where it would splash up at me as soon as it hit the wet sand. "This is amazing Jeff." I smiled. "Last time I was at a place like this my biological dad had taken me." My head lowered at the memory.

"Biological dad?" He asked, confusion evident on his face.

I gave a small smile before sitting in the sand, looking out to sea. "My mother was married to my dad before she met Brandon's dad. I was young so I don't remember too much of him before he passed, but, one memory I do have is when he took me on a trip to a place like this. It was just us and it was great because I didn't really get to spend much time with him since he was sick." I shrugged slightly. "I mean don't get me wrong I love my dad now but it kind of sucks... not being able to see or have a relationship with the man that helped make me."

"I'm so sorry Shay..." Jeff uttered as he sat beside me. "I know what it's like to lose people and I know it's shitty."

"It's okay." I admitted. " I can't do anything about what happened, I can only focus on what's going to happen... like me sticking your head under this waterfall!" I quickly pulled him over to it but he is much stronger then I originally thought.

"You are not doing that!" He shot up and laughed nervously. I mimicked his actions, making sure to stay on my feet.

"Bet."

As the sun set, Jeff and I chased each other around. It was like we were kids again with no problems, no stress, no drama. It was perfect.