Broken

Chapter 20

Second to last chapter.

In the middle of nowhere, Ada and Iris had decided that they would park there and camp out for the night. They would sleep in the car, which proved uncomfortable, but they managed. As soon as Ada parked, Iris climbed in the back seat and insisted that Ada come with her. She complied, knowing exactly what to expect.

"You know you're beautiful," Iris told her, their faces inches apart. They could feel the other's breath on their lips. Ada avoided eye contact, not because she was bashful, but because she knew what Iris was doing to her. What was going on between them was only partially genuine.

"Kiss me," Ada said, her lips brushing against Iris'. Their lips pressed together in chaste, small intervals, but then they became more prominent as Iris grew more daring.

She needs someone to experiment with, Ada thought to herself.

Iris stroked her cheek, pressing deeply into one particular kiss. Ada found herself lying down completely in the backseat, staring up into her girlfriend's eyes. The car was small and space was limited, so they had to sit up in order to make their makeout session more comfortable.

Ada recalled the nights she'd spent with Rose in Utah. Those were balmy and hazy nights spent in her bedroom with the large oak doors, surrounded by soft lighting and clean sheets. They sipped screwdrivers and watched reality TV, which Ada could not watch to this day. Iris was almost as forward of a lover as Rose was. Rose would often imbibe too much, and become intoxicated, which made her frisky and handsy. When Ada and Rose kissed, the contact was fervent and electric. Fireworks produced less sparks. After those nights, Ada would often wake up the next morning in nothing but her underwear and a pounding headache. She would then spend all day recovering from the headache, only to repeat the cycle all over again.

After she broke up with Rose, Ada told herself that she'd never allow herself to be used by a wealthy girl ever again. Yet, here she was, parked in the middle of nowhere, making out with another wealthy girl. Where did she go so wrong?

They broke their kiss. Iris seemed as if she could have gone the entire night doing nothing but kissing and perhaps sighing out half-baked declarations of false love. Ada definitely would have gone along with it, but she stayed true to her plan.

“Let’s go to sleep.”

Iris sighed, exaggerated. “Alright, but in the morning, we get right to driving and we’re going straight to New York.”

“You got it.”

They got their luggage and checked into the motel. Ada insisted that they go straight to bed to get the maximum amount of sleep available to them. She also needed time to find bus tickets; tonight was going to be as sleepless as possible.

Once Iris turned off the lights and drifted off to sleep, Ada waited. She was sure that Iris was asleep within an hour of waiting. Quickly, she made her way across the room to the complimentary notepad kept in the nightstand drawer. She wrote a note that she'd been mulling over for a while.

Iris,

Don't go looking for me, because you probably know where I am- halfway to Gravity Falls with no intentions of stopping. The least I could do was leave you with your dream, because our paths clearly go different directions. All the cash you have is in your suitcase, as well as the keys to my car. I know you don't know how to drive- just follow the speed limit, use turn signals and don't push too hard on the brake. You'll figure out the rest. It's been nice getting to know you.

Sincerely,
Ada

Though Ada hesitated, she tore the note off the pad and placed it on the nightstand, where Iris would inevitably look when she woke up. She placed the keys to her car in the suitcase and then left the room as soon as she could. Tears swelled to the surface and dropped out of her eyes little by little.

“Don't cry until you're at the bus stop.”

The bus stop was close by, and Ada made quick work of buying herself a bus ticket using a quantum cut of Iris’ cash. This bus would take her from Ohio to Montana, and then she'd figure out other means of getting home from there.

As she waited for the bus to arrive, Ada let out a good cry. There was only one other person who was witness to her catharsis- the ticket vendor.

“I know the sound of that cry,” the vendor sighed, offering Ada a tissue to dry her eyes. “You just left somebody, didn't you?”

Ada nodded. “We were supposed to go to New York. But I have responsibilities.”

“I get that. Yeah, I was just like you, honey. Young, pretty, in love. You are in love, aren't you?”

She sobbed harder. “Yes.”

“With whom?”

“Her name is Iris.”

“If Iris really loves you, she'll respect your decision. Now what I want you to do is sit back down and let it all out until your bus comes. It's clear you've got a lot on your mind and I'm not gonna stop you from letting it off your chest before going back to responsibilities. Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

Ada continued to cry and release any future regret she would experience later down the line regarding this decision.

*****

Stan finally came for Ford. He came alone, though, because he didn't want the twins to witness another fight again.

“Where's the kids?”

“School. Let's go home.”

Ford was checked out of the hospital and the guard was removed from his room. The second either man climbed into the Diablo was a mistake on both parts. It was Stan who was the first to explode, and Ford followed soon after.

“Do you even realize how scared I was that you'd died?! That you made a fool of yourself over something we defeated a few months ago for good?! That I was gonna lose you-”

“You already lost me, Stanley. I just happen to be in the same dimension now.”

Silence.

They arrived at the Shack, where their argument continued when Ford attempted to go back down to the basement.

“No way,” Stan shouted as he blocked the vending machine. “You're not going back down there for three more weeks, minimum.”

“I’m gonna be all alone in the Shack for the rest of my life. You're leaving just as soon as you've fulfilled your charity case and Ada…,” he trailed off, realizing that he didn't know where Ada was.

“And Ada?”

“I don't know where Ada is!”

“She's a grown woman, Ford, not your child.”

He had been so caught up in his own drama that he didn't even realize her absence. Mortification came over him once he realized that he hadn't seen Ada in several weeks. When was the last time they spoke? What did they even talk about?

“I lost her, Stanley. You have to help me find her.”

“Alright. Doesn't she have a job at the mechanic’s shop?”

Ford nodded. “Excellent idea. Let's look there.”