Swallowed in the Sea

Back To You

   I felt better after the shower. I had turned the water as hot as it could be, letting the scalding liquid burn my skin and leave behind red blotches. 

   The hot water didn't energize me in any way though as I laid on the bed with only a towel wrapped around my body.

   Not fully dried off, the covers underneath me were beginning to dampen from my dripping hair. I didn't feel like moving though so I didn't, it wasn't like it was a big deal anyway.

It was just water.

"Summer?"

   I groaned and sat up, my hair flopping against my back.

"Yeah?" I called back out.

"Are you dressed?" Callie asked.

   I nearly laughed but bit my lip to prevent myself from doing so, "Not quite."

"Well get dressed," Arizona ordered, "We're going somewhere."

"Where?" I stood up and tucked the towel in so that it would stay put as I pulled the suitcase out from underneath the bed.

   Arizona chuckled from the other side of the door, "You'll see."

   I sighed, not as excited as Arizona and Callie probably would have liked me to be. Once I was dressed, I patted my hair down with the towel, not bothering to even brush it before heading to the living room where Callie and Arizona sat.

"Where are we going?" I questioned though I doubted that I would get an answer.

"A drive," Callie told me ominously.

   I made a face, "A drive where?"

   My stomach churned anxiously. I trusted them, I did, but it didn't stop me from worrying. Were they going to send me to rehab, or was I just jumping to conclusions like I always did?

"Well, if you get in the car, then you'll find out," Arizona smiled at me and I sighed.

"Fine," I grumbled and followed Callie out the door.

~~~

"Did you miss Seattle?" Arizona asked me as she drove, "Or do you prefer LA?"

   I wiped the corner of my lip, "I don't really have a preference."

   This was one of the many attempts Arizona and Callie had made to start a steady conversation between us but I wasn't exactly helping. I was hoping that they would pick up on the cue that I didn't want to talk but they didn't.

Or maybe they did but decided to try anyway.

   Either way, it left us in this back-and-forth rally of questions with dead-end replies which was beginning to create an awkward atmosphere. 

"What did you miss most about Seattle?" Callie tried again after a beat.

"I don't know," I mumbled back but that was a lie.

It was another lie.

   I did know what I missed most. Who I missed most. I wasn't going to say it though. I didn't need to put myself in that position. 

   Maybe Callie and Arizona had finally picked up on the fact that I didn't want to talk because the questions stopped and I was left to gaze out the car window in silence.