Till All Hours

iii. unstoppable

With a slight nod, I took a step back from my window. He seemed to take a step forward at the same time like he wasn't about to let me run away from this conversation. My decision had to be quicker than what I was making it.

"If chivalry isn't dead, the front door is open," I said and closed the curtains.

I slid out of the romper quickly and opted for high-rise, cut off jean shorts, a white, rib, halter crop top, an old flannel, and worn out, black, combat boots. I was just pulling on my left boot when there was a tapping on my bedroom door. With a short, welcome, he opened the door and glanced around the room. I too took my time to look around at the black and white pictures surrounding the doorframe of my closet; the bookshelves full of books nailed about two feet from the ceiling; the corner full of my collection of vinyl records; the tapestry hanging from the corner above it; the neon "feelings" light hanging above my bed that I only turned on when I was listening to my vinyl records at night. Between Hazel and I, I was the eclectic traveler. My room was proof of that.

"How'd you know it was my room?" I asked, looking at him still taking in the scene before him.

"The door says "Be unstoppable, kid" with pictures of different places," he answered and turned to me finally.

"Everyone should have a place they can go away to," I said and gestured around the room.

"You always went away though," he said with a frown.

"I came back when things were too much even for me." I shrugged and got up from the bed. After grabbing my phone, wallet, and keys, I led Will back through the house and grabbed us both a water and a slice of bread.

"It absorbs alcohol," I said when he raised questioning eyebrows to the extended slice of bread.

Will nodded and took it. We both walked outside. I rolled my eyes as I saw his obviously-used pickup running.

"Most people call it laziness," I remarked with a small gesture.

"But, I'm eliminating steps for you to take," he replied with his idiotic grin.

+

Will hadn't been kidding about picking up a few things. Besides the pillows and blankets that had already been stuffed in the backseat, he had grabbed snacks, the ever-so artful red solo cups, firewood from a random house that was two shades of pink, and someone that I had never met before. It had put me in the seat between Will and the stranger who seemed a little too hyped about a simple kickback.

The music was too loud in the cab for me to even think about introducing myself and it wasn't the driver's fault. The stranger was too pumped for basic introductions and conversations. If it were up to me, I would have dropped him off on the side of the road and made him walk back home. He was giving me a headache.

Will gave me a small apologetic look as he turned onto a dirt path to take us to a part of the lake that I'd probably never seen before. This area was foreign to me in a way that gave me a sort of basic excitement that I wasn't exactly used to. Maybe his apology wasn't all too needed and there was no way I'd have to deal with the annoying passenger all night.

Finally, after the upbeat song had finished, the stranger reached over and turned the music down. It wasn't enough to be called background noise, but it was enough to hold a loud conversation. And, he did just that.

"I'm Daniel!" he exclaimed right in my ear.

With a wince, I reached forward and turned the radio down. "Well, Daniel, didn't anyone tell you to use your inside voice?"

I wasn't out to make enemies tonight. If anything, I wanted to just drink enough to forget and meet new people and this new place. Tomorrow morning was a myth in my mind until it came as far as I was concerned.