Outlaws Of Love (Adommy Love Story)

Twenty-Eight

We drove the rest of the way in silence. As we arrived, we pulled quickly into a spot and everybody flooded out of the car, eager to stretch our legs. I stepped out of the car and never before has it felt so good to just stand. I put my hands on my back and bent backwards, cracking my back in the process. The longest time I've spent in a car was two-and-half hours, and I was not used to staying in one place for very long.

Adam walked over to his mom, got some cash, and followed me in. A bell rang when we passed through each door. We walked up to the counter, behind an older couple, soon trailed by the rest of our group.

"Somebody Told Me" by The Killers played in the background through the static of the speakers.

When we were done ordering, we turned to the parents.

"We will meet you guys later," Adam told them. Neil eyed him and then rudely ignored him.

"Be back by twelve-forty!" Leila called as we headed out the door with our food.

Eating on the go, we headed down a random street. The air was a lot nicer out here, and the clouds disappeared. Old houses lined the road and a canopy of bare branches crossed overhead.

We were passing a particularly renewed house with black railings leading up to a wrap-around porch. Dark wooden posts held up an overhang, the roof and shutters being the same color made a distinct contrast to the tan walls. A nagging curiosity pulled me towards it. On top of the stone walkway, a bronze plaque was imbedded into the ground. I bent over to see it.

"Martin Luther King Jr. was born here on January 15, 1929," I read aloud.

"Hmm," Adam mused. "Interesting." He said in a tone that sounded like his nose was clogged, and he held his chin high with his index finger and thumb. "It is though it appears that this site was inhabited by one of America's greatest activists."

"Yeah, that's what I just read," I chuckled.

"Indeed." He cocked an eyebrow and held his hands neatly folded on his back. "He was also a prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement. He was well-known for his nonviolent protests and his infamous 'I Have a Dream' speech."

I put my hands on my hips and gave him an are you kidding me? look. He sighed and came over, pulling my hand away and grabbing it, continuing our stroll.

"Really?" I asked.

"Sorry, I just had to seem smart once in my life. And I actually know about him pretty well. He's inspiring," he shrugged.

"Look, I respect that and all," I commented, "But next time, lose the accent, okay?"

He laughed lightly and it felt like I swallowed butterflies. "Deal."

A few blocks in comfortable silence and I raised a question. "What will we be doing camping?"

He took a moment to think. "Well," he began. "Tomorrow, Rose and Allyson are coming. So, tonight is all about you." He stared me directly in the eye, the blue soft and inviting. My cheeks began to heat up.

"So we can go fishing, swimming, chill at the falls, take a walk on the beach,—" my mind jumped to my dream "—anything you want." He smiled genuinely. Tingles shot up my spine and I fuddled with my hair.

"Sounds great," I managed. "Hey, uh... what time were we supposed to get back?"

Adam flipped out his phone and checked the bright digital clock on the screen. "It's about twelve-twenty. We should probably start heading back," he suggested. We headed back the way we came, walking in step, hands together.