Was It Just A Trip?

One

"I can't do this Del. We're done." My boyfriend said, harshly. 

Taylor McAllen. My boyfriend for three years was breaking up with me. I couldn't believe it. It felt like I was suffocating. My breath was hitched. I felt my tears well in my eyes. Taylor was the quarterback of our school's football team and I was known as the smart girl and the cheerleader for one year until knowing I didn't like it. What a perfect match, right? 

I wasn't always confident in my feelings and always got confused. If something traumatic happened I usually ran away from my feeling. But something snapped. It snapped real bad.  I arched my eyebrows and acted like I could take Taylor in a  physical fight. Even though I couldn't. 

"Fine. Leave me. I don't care. I have so many other people who care about me unlike you dickhead." I yelled.       

Taylor scoffed and rolled his eyes at me. "Who? Like Jackson? Yeah, I never liked him. Goodbye!" He yelled.   

"Taylor, don't talk about Jack about that!" I exclaimed, angrily. 

Jack was the guy who knew me the best. He was my best friend. He was there for me in my darkest times. In my lightest. We met at the beginning of sixth grade when he saw me eating lunch alone. He ate lunch with me that day and we became instant friends. We've been friends ever since. We hung out every day after school. Either his house or mine. It was usually mine. We met on the roof of my house.  

"Whatever. We're still done." Taylor said, leaving. 

"Fine!"    

When Taylor left I started to wipe my tears off with my hoodie sleeve. I stood in the hallway and then in the corner of my eye I saw him. I saw the tall figure that was my best friend. His medium blonde hair was in the style was parted in a side part, layered, his side bangs were to his face framing his face perfectly,  and his doe brown eyes looked at me with such concern. I looked at him somberly. He knew what went on. He started walking towards me, just then the bell rung. Jack nodded at me as he passed me through the hall. 

Today was the last day before winter break. But in Miami Florida, it's always summer. I couldn't wait until school was over. It was almost over. Just one more class. When I got into the classroom I put my stuff down and put my head down on the desk. Suddenly I feel my shorts vibrate. I grabbed and looked at my phone. A text from Jack.         

Jack: You okay?

Me: Yeah, just meet me on my roof.  

Jack just sent a heart emoji and I put my phone back in my pocket. I tried to focus on my teacher but it was hard. So much shit was going on. I felt like I needed to get away from all of this. Get away from town. Just to have fun and relax. But my mom and brother wouldn't approve of that. me going alone. When I got home I saw my mom sorting through stuff. She was in a hoodie and blue jeans. Her dirty blonde hair was in a messy bun.     

"Mom? What are you doing?" I asked.

My mom yelped and turned around. She came to me and gasped softly when she saw my bloodshot eyes from where I was crying all the way home. She cupped my cheek and smiled wistfully. Her emotions were mixed up like mine. I couldn't tell what she was feeling. 

"What happened sweetie?" She asked. 

I looked outside to my brother Raylen swimming and enjoying a beer. He was on the phone with someone. Probably his girlfriend Kira. When Raylen made eye contact he smiled big at me. I didn't have the heart to smile. He saw my frown and he immediately got off the phone. He came in the house dripping wet.   

"Hi, baby sis. How was your day?" 

I winced. I started to walk up to my room and I heard the doorbell. Raylen answered it and he came back with a serious Jack looking at me. 

"Hi Jack. How are you today?" My mom asked. 

Jack looked at my mom. "Uh--um, well I'm good. School was good." Jack's eyes land on me again.  

Raylen looked at me and then Jack. "Well, I'm going back out to the pool, mom." He stated. 

I take Jack's hand and led him to my room. He and I go onto the roof of the house. Jack tried to help me but I helped myself. I sat by my window and Jack sat across from me. He breathed in sharply. I looked down and started to sigh. 

"So, what's going on?" Jack asked me.           

I sighed again but deeply. I looked at Jack. 

"He--he broke up with me. For no reason." I said tearing up.   

Jack's facial feature turned from concerned to anger immediately. He put his hand to my shoulder and rolled his eyes. 

"Don't let Taylor tear you down." Jack said, sympathetically. 

I  leaned forward and wrapped my arms around Jack's shoulders. He wrapped his arms around me as I cried. Jack felt through my long dark brown hair to comfort me. He rubbed his hand on my back. I look at him. He looked at me surprised. He sighed deeply.     

 "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Taylor did that to you." Jack said, sympathetically.  

"Yeah. Yeah, thanks. It was just unexpected." I said, anxiously.   

Jack leaned back. He sighed deeply and put his hand to his forehead. "Liles, I heard what Taylor said about me and what you said. Thank you."     

I put my hand to my face. "you weren't supposed to hear that." I said, embarrassed. 

Jack looked at me, blinking. "Why?" 

"I don't know. I'm just vulnerable right now. Just be here, Jack." I frowned.  

Jack nodded and sat next to me. He put his arm around me. I rested my head on Jack's shoulder. Our eyes met. He smiled at me wistfully. His eyes looked into mine for a long minute. I arched my eyebrow. 

"What?" I asked, confused. 

He looked away and then back at me. "Oh, nothing."    

I cleared my throat and rested my head back on Jack's shoulder. "I have an idea..." 

"Tell me." Jack said, instantly. 

I smiled and watched the cars come and go before saying, "Taking a road trip. All through the United States. I need to get away. Will you come with me?" I looked at Jack softly awaiting for his answer. 

He looked at me. "Yes. Yes, of course. I would go anywhere with you. You're my best friend. And it would be good for us."   

I nodded in agreement. The thing about Jack. He will go anywhere with me. He listens to me and is there for me when I call. Always. He's basically my person. To be honest, I've been in love with him ever since sophomore year. I'm too afraid to be let down so I haven't done anything with it. But he's still my best friend and he's still my person at the end of the day.   

"I'll have to tell my mom and Raylen. But I think they'll agree to it now that my protector is going along with me." I said, happily.  

Jack laughed out loud. "I'm a protector, huh? Well, let's go tell your peeps about the idea." 

"Precisely." I exclaimed, standing up.  

Jack smiled and rolled his eyes. "You're crazy, you know?" He said, standing up, helping Delilah in the house.