Twenty Seconds Before

Chapter Seven: Dusty Brown

I'd changed out of my swimsuit and went to grab some breakfast before we hit the road again. I grabbed the same thing that Tansen's mom would get him- A lemon poppyseed muffin and an apple. We would always swap on the way to school- Him getting my peanut butter toast and orange.
    I sat in the little cafe and sipped on my drink. I wanted nothing more than to just go back to sleep, when you are asleep there is nothing to feel. No worrying about things you've said, or people you've hurt, just relaxing peace.
    I turned away and looked out the window. We were somewhere in the midwest so there really wasn't anything to look at, aside from the dusty brown color that seemed to be omnipresent, wherever I looked it was there.
    I sat in silence, alone in the cafe pondering over my future. I was going to start school in two days as a senior with no friends and completely isolated from everything i've ever known. I felt a wave of deep sadness set in, and tried my best to push the feelings back down. I felt my phone start buzzing and I picked up my phone-
"Hello?"
"Hey Av- it's Tansen. Can you talk now?"
"Hey, yeah I can- what's up?"
" Well I wanted to talk to you about the way we ended things."
Great. He's going to tell me that I crossed a line, and that he never wants to hear my voice ever again.
"Okay- well let me just say that I totally crossed the line and im very-"
"Ava, Amberly dumped me." He interrupted.
She dumped him? Why? I was the one who messed up not him! That's so unfair of her!
"Oh i'm so sorry Tansen. That is the worst thing ever!"
"No. It's really not. See, I was thinking about how sad I should have been, and realized that I was actually pretty ok. I SHOULD have been crushed."
"What are you saying Tansen?"
" I don't really know. All I know is I can't stand the idea of living without you."
" What does that mean?" What is he trying to tell me?
" Av- I don't know if you kept track, but my soul tracker has only seven days left,"
I knew. I could never forget.
"Yeah I remember."
"Well, I-I really- I wish it was you."
I stopped breathing and just listened.
"I wish so much that you didn't care about these stupid countdown clocks, and that you and I could be together for the rest of our lives. I wish you were meant to be mine. I've always wanted it to be you."
I sat in silence, and began to cry. Why did soul mates matter? Couldn't I just call him mine already? I heard his voice again and held the phone back to my ear. I stood up and walked outside to get some air.
"Av- you still there?"
"Yeah i'm here" I said sniffling.
"I love you Ava Marie."
He only called me by my middle name when he was saying something important. I smiled and wiped some of the tears from my eyes.
"I love you too Tansen Alexander." I heard him let out a small chuckle.
"And where did you learn to kiss like that! Holy cow woman!" he said jokingly.
I smiled and laughed as I walked towards the "Welcome to Missouri" sign up ahead.
"Well, I dunno- Was it really that different from the times we'd kissed before?"
" Are you kidding me? Av you were all over me!! I've never seen  you like that before! Not saying I didn't appreciate it.."
I laughed again. "Well if you are still single and come to visit me, maybe I can help you practice a little bit-"
"OH! Spicy today aren't we?"
"Well, now that I don't have to say these things to your face I can be a little more confident."
"Is that so?" He said as I leaned on the metal pole.
"Yep."
"So are you in Missouri yet?"
"Well i'm standing on the border actually" I said. Then I took a big leap and jumped past the line.
"Now I am!"
"Well how is it?" he said mockingly.
"Dust covered- I mean it's all over me already." I told Tansen as I brushed my shirt free and then my soul tracker and then- wait. I looked at the screen and fell backwards. The last thing I remember was everything slowly fading to black- hearing Tansen's voice over the speakers on my phone.