[FREE STORY WITH EXCLUSIVE CHAPTERS]
When George Shaw tries to find a plan for the last fifteen days to spend with his best friend, who he's had a crush on for as long as he can remember, all he needs is a map to plot out a road trip and his daily h...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
ABBY HADN'T RETREATED HER HAND UNTIL I PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF A COZY DINER NAMED BETTY'S DINER.
When the engine died, we stood like that, holding hands, for a while until she cleared her throat and pulled her hand back. Her warmth lingered longer though, and that was enough for now.
Inside, it wasn't crowded, and the owner recommended their pizzas and gave us free beer alongside. I hadn't really realized how hungry I had been until the waiter brought us the orders and the pleasant smell of my pizza hit my nostrils. "Damn," I hummed between the bites, "this is so good."
Abby laughed at my hungry self, biting on her pizza casually. No wonder she looked so fit, for she quit eating after two slices, saying she was full. "How?" I asked, surprised. "You said you were hungry and you're full after two slices only?" She shrugged. "Well, we can't let it go to waste." I pulled her plate after mine was over and started eating the rest of hers.
"You'll gain weight by the end of this trip."
"So?" I gazed at her skeptically, then looked down at myself. I was still the same, right? Since I was a basketball player for a long time, keeping fit was never a problem for me. We walked a lot during the trip so I think I'd burn down the calories.
"Nothing," she said, a hint of amusement coloring her expression. "I'm just stating a fact." I was in the middle of the last slice—and my appetite was suddenly gone. With a glare, I left the rest of the slice and pushed the plate toward her.
"Got a long way to go," I said, lifting up to my feet, and paid the bill. As she followed me, her chuckle echoed through the diner and continued on the way back to our car. Then, as I was about to sink down to the driver's seat, she caught my arm and turned me around.
"Are you mad at me?" Her eyes looked confused; gone was the previous amusement in her tone. "Come on, Georgie," she said playfully when my reply was delayed. "I was kidding."
All the walls shattered in the presence of her voice. It was as if she was the sunlight that melted down the ice in my heart; a melody to my ears; her deep, beautiful eyes a feast to my eyes.
Once we started down the drive, we first wandered around the streets. Abby told me the stuff she'd learned about this complex—how Ernest Hemingway had written part of The Old Man here. She was so enthusiastic about knowledge and sharing them, so it was pleasant to see the spark in her eyes whenever she told me something she'd just learned. It was beautiful—fuck, she was the epitome of beauty but I was just lurking around, keeping all these thoughts to myself without making a move.
Then, next, we headed off to San Fiedel. This little town had a church and some remains of Route 66. We decided to get inside the church but waited for a little until someone came and unlocked it for us. Inside, the classic church scent filled the atmosphere. I followed Abby through the Jesus Christ mosaics, analyzing them, and reading some verses from Bible on the walls. I wasn't so religious myself but it was relaxing to be here. The silence, the special scent, the pictures, everything—it was spiritual.
