14 Days

THE END

"I can't believe it's over," said Aunt Zoey.

My gaze shifted to Beau. He sat beside me as nonchalant as when the trip began, but he couldn't hide everything. There were bags under his half lidded eyes.

"Me either, what an adventure!" Mom replied. "I'd have to say my favorite part was the beach, though."

"Agreed! Could have done without all the sand that's still in my luggage, though."

"What about you two?" Mom faced us, alternating her gaze until one of us answered.

"I liked the castle," I answered.

"Beach," said Beau. I had a hunch as to why.

"Even different in this sense," Aunt Zoey giggled. "Well, I'm glad you two enjoyed yourselves. You worked hard to get into college and we're all proud of you. Hopefully we can plan another trip like this in the future after you graduate college."

"You're putting on a lot of pressure," I teased. "I barely made it through high school."

"If you get anything lower than a B, I am going to beat your ass," Mom warned.

I raised my hands in surrender. "I wouldn't dare!"

"And when we get home make sure to unpack your things. Don't think I'll let you get away with your stuff sitting in a corner for weeks."

"Heh...ok."

Our moms faced the front, taking the brief moment of relief with them. Tension returned, tight as a high wire that threatened to snap under the pressure. The remainder of the ride, albeit shorter than the first, remained as such. I struggled to keep my balance, thinking one moment not to say a word to Beau then the next wishing to speak so many that it'd make my voice hoarse. No matter how often I looked his way, he never did the same. He concentrated on his phone or the back of his eyelids, pretending like I didn't exist, like he didn't care, although I knew it was the exact opposite.

I couldn't regret what I had done because I had made my choice. What kind of jackass would I be to go back on my word only to panic seconds later? Because that was what would happen. I would apologize. We'd kiss. Summer would end and the pressure would crush me, crumble my resolve, morph me into someone I wasn't.

Rest never took me during the drive. I was exhausted out of my mind, but my mind wouldn't even obey exhaustion. It defied the need to sleep in order to attack me with sorrow until I worried when it would ever go away. Day shifted into night and we returned to the driveway where our journey began. The humidity of Pennsylvania greeted us. Sweat pooled on my neck and tickled my brow.

Everyone stretched when they got out of the van. My gaze lingered on Beau, his arms raised above his head and arched back. Then he rolled his shoulders and turned, accidentally meeting my eyes. I froze, bottom lip caught between my teeth. He glared like the trip never happened, exactly how I claimed to have wanted. He avoided me during the unpacking then walked away without a word. I stepped forward. Only once. But ultimately watched him disappear next door.

Sighing, I grabbed my belongings and went to bed alone. My bed was cold. Too big. Too open. Too quiet. No one laid beside me breathing softly in the night. There was no warmth at my back or in my arms. I hugged a pillow, hoping it'd warm my chilled arms. Nothing worked. I tossed and turned and kicked and screamed into my pillow. I wasn't sure when I passed out but I didn't wake until someone literally body slammed me when screaming, "He lives! Glad to see you didn't come home in a body bag!"

"You're about to leave my home in a body bag," I growled, shoving Niel off me. He yelped.

"You know, I could still be alive in that body bag. You didn't specify if you'd kill me first--"