Destination Reached

JAKE

"Hm?"

She laughed, tossing me the keys, "And you say I zone out all the time."

It was true. Sophia had a chronically adorable habit of losing herself in her own imagination. When I caught her staring out into space, which was often, I longed to be able to read her as well as I could read most everybody else. I wished I knew what she was thinking, but at the same time, I was so glad I didn't.

I clambered into the drivers seat, quickly connecting my phone to the Bluetooth before Sophia could get the chance. This was a daily fight of ours.

"Ha!" I crowed triumphantly, when it paired.

Sophia crossed her arms, "If you play the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack again, I swear to god."

"Hey," I jutted my bottom lip out, wounded. "You like show tunes too, don't even."

"Says who?" she challenged, as I pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.

"Says the Wicked pin on your backpack," I informed her smugly.

Her mouth fell open, "It's not even visible. It's literally on the strap, how did you—?"

"Saw it on the plane," I shrugged nonchalantly, enjoying her expression of pure surprise. "While you were 'asleep'," I added, putting this last bit in clear vocal air quotes.

Sophia blushed, "Creep." Out of the corner of my eye I saw a soft smile spreading across her face, and she murmured, "You really remembered it from the plane?"

"Er— yeah," I mumbled, ducking my head. Now it was my turn to blush. I busied myself with the music again as I regained my bearings. I turned the volume up, waiting for Sophia's reaction as the voice of Kristin Chenoweth began to blare through the speakers.

I glanced at Sophia, noticing her lips twitching as she tried valiantly to keep a straight face. She was so stubborn sometimes. Her fingertips drummed involuntarily on the middle console, and I knew I had her.

"C'mon," I wheedled, humming the chorus. "You know you want to."

Sophia raised her chin in the air haughtily, "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"Popular..." She glared at me ferociously. "I know about Popular." Her foot was tapping now.

And with the assist from me to be who you'll be

Instead of dreary who you were

And then I heard it. The smallest whisper. "Well, are."

I grinned, "Sorry, what was that? I didn't quite catch—"

"There's nothing that can stop you from becoming Popular," she interrupted, suddenly in full performance mode. Her eyes flicked to me, sparkling with mischief, "Lar." And then Sophia was belting out those lyrics as loud as her lungs could take, and I was belting them right along with her. Danny liked musicals, so I knew— okay that's a lie.

I liked musicals. Danny tolerated them.

Before I knew it we had arrived at work. Maia and Kai's black jeep was already parked in the lot, surfboards strapped to the roof, and the telltale splatters of reddish mud up the side of the doors.

"Soph!" Maia shrieked, flying out of seemingly nowhere to pounce on Sophia. I had never once seen the spritely girl lacking energy, which made working with her that much more enjoyable. We made good team, Maia and I. Upbeat, engaging, and easily excitable. Though, albeit a little reckless. As much as I would miss working with her, I was eager at the possibility of being paired with Sophia for the next cycle, and was anxiously awaiting group assignments at the end of the day.