Sequel to The Genesis of Peyton. Peyton and Gen try to navigate a long distance relationship while also moving into "new adult" life; college, jobs, etc. Things don't go smoothly but not for lack of trying. The road ahead is bumpy, will they make it...
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We've been driving for more hours than we've stopped. My mind races, it's honestly hard to focus on the road. I texted Peyton a few times, asking if we could talk but I haven't heard anything. I went as far as looking up Becca on Instagram and asking her if Peyton was ok. She explained that Peyton had been in bed for almost 48 hours solid. That was enough to convince me that driving out there was the right choice, regardless of what was going on between us. "Hawkeye, this is Black Widow, do you read?" Vanessa's voice cracks through my half of the walkie talkies her dad found in their garage. I pick it up and push the button on the side. "Copy that," I say, not completely sure that I'm using the phrase in the correct way. "I'm hungry," she whines. I laugh to myself. "You're in the lead, pick a place. I'll follow." Vanessa's parents are driving the U-Haul but they're making a trip out of it. They're stopping along the way at different cities and landmarks, while Vanessa and I are powering through. They'll get to us in a few days. We've got all of the essentials with us. Mom let me take the car. She said she'd been saving up for one anyway and Luke has his so they'll be fine. She cried a lot before I left, like she thought she'd never see me again. "I'm proud of you, though," she said, and that made up for the guilt I felt for leaving. Vanessa exits off the main road and I follow her. She makes a right and pulls into a Chipotle parking lot. "What state are we in?" I ask, climbing out of my car and catching up to Vanessa who is already practically inside. "Indiana, I think." I take a picture of the restaurant then turn around to take a picture of the street. I've been documenting as much as possible for memory's sake and in case, one day, Peyton wants to know about our trip. "So, we can make it there before midnight," I say, walking up to the counter. We order, grab our food and find a table. "I mean, technically we can," Vanessa says. "But I'm exhausted. We've slept 8 hours in two days." "It's 10 hours, Ness. We drove more than that on the first day." "We've already been driving for 6, that's 16 hours." I take a bite of my burrito. "We get there tonight and go right to sleep or we get there tomorrow morning and have to stay up and unpack." Vanessa huffs and rolls her eyes. "Fine," she says, ripping a piece of tortilla off her burrito. "But if I fall asleep at the wheel and die, I'm haunting you forever."
Neither one of us fell asleep at the wheel. Time actually went faster than I thought it would. Pennsylvania was the longest part, it felt like we would never reach the end. Once we were in New Jersey, it took no time at all before we were in front of our new apartment building. The secretary agreed to leave the key in one of those lock box things that hang on the door knob. She emailed me the code. Vanessa and I walk in and immediately collapse onto the floor. "We live here," she says, glancing around. My nerves sneak up on me. I'm excited to be here but also anxious to know what's going to happen. I want to see Peyton more than anything, I think about driving up to her dorm right now but the thought of getting back in the car makes my legs ache. I take a deep breath and try to focus on this moment. "We live here."
