Gravity

Chapter 16

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Soundtrack

Treacherous - Taylor Swift
Put your lips close to mine
As long as they don't touch
Out of focus, out of mind
Till the gravity's too much

There's No Way - Lauv (ft. Julia Michaels)
But maybe we can hold off one sec
So we can keep this tension in check
But there's no way that it's not going there
With the way that we're looking at each other

***

   "Tyler- you awake?" I ask into the silence, keeping my tired eyes trained on the highway ahead of us.

His lack of response signals that he's fallen asleep in the passenger seat beside me.

I sigh softly, trying to keep my thoughts from wandering to my charged encounter with Avery this afternoon. If Tyler hadn't walked in when he did-

I shake my head, hoping that the motion will shake the memory out of my mind.

But of course, it doesn't. Memories don't work that way.

I check my rear-view mirror, my gaze resting on the trailer that holds the most precious of cargo for a moment, before refocusing on the road.

I try to focus on anything and everything else- the song on the radio, Binx's purring from his kennel in the back seat, the headlights of the cars I pass, the sound of Tyler's steady breathing.

But I'm so mentally drained from exams and the monotony of driving, I don't have the energy to fight my mind's insistence on replaying the afternoons events.

"I just picked up the horses," I said, holding my phone up with my shoulder as I latched the trailer shut. "I'll be there soon! Are you ready to go?"

"I finished packing last night," Tyler replied. "I won't be out of class for about an hour, so you might have to wait a little while. The apartment's unlocked though."

"Okay, babe," I said. "Good luck on your exam- you're gonna crush it!"

"Thanks, Grace," he laughed. "I'm sorry you had to go so out of the way-"

"It was no problem," I replied. "But you can drive the first half home if you want to make it up to me."

He chuckled. "It would be my pleasure- Shit, they're calling us in now. I've got to go."

"You've got this, Tyler," I stated firmly. "I love you."

"Love you, too," he said. "See you soon."

The half hour drive to Berkeley from the barn had stretched into nearly forty five minutes with the five o'clock traffic. By the time I got to the dorm, there was so little time left before Tyler returned that I almost decided to just wait in the car.

     

     I should have just waited in the car.

But I was absolutely parched.

I grabbed Binx's carrier, not wanting to leave him in the car by himself, and took a quick peek at the horses to make sure they were doing okay before heading up to Tyler's apartment.