I untied my hair as we walked and fixed my vest. Although I was free of my mothers controlling behaviors, I was still trained into having habits. That bugged me.
I caught up to Logan and walked alongside him, shoving my hands in my pockets to keep them warm.
"I didn't think it would be so cool by the beach," I said as the breeze picked up a little.
Logan shrugged, "Sometimes its like this. It was actually better. Sitting out in that boat with the sun on us would've sucked."
I nodded in agreement. We came to the park and started walking under the shade of some trees.
The wind blew my hair straight into my eyes and I tossed it out of my face in annoyance.
"Whoo, yeah! I know what I would do with that long blonde hair!"
Logan stopped walking and yanked me to a halt. I looked over my shoulder stiffly at a group of guys who were all perched on a bench in the shade.
They snickered like village idiots and I made a face. Why did guys think it was okay to just shout out things like that? It's so rude.
"Aw cmon doll face, don't do that, you'll ruin the scenery," The second guy called out.
I blinked at him, unsure of what to say.
"She's not your scenery to look at, back off," Logan said lowly next to me, surprising me.
The first guy raised an eyebrow and stood up lazily, walking towards us. I backed away slightly but Logan refused to move. We watched him pull a cigarette out of his pocket and light it, taking a puff to blow the smoke into Logan's face.
Logan squinted at the man and his jaw clenched.
I held onto Logans sleeve as I watched his right hand curl into a fist.
"Or what?" The man sneered at Logan.
Logan took a step forward to get in the guys face, "Or I'll take that damn thing and make you eat it."
His voice was a deep, threatening growl.
Logan easily plucked the cigarette out of the guys hand and flicked it at him, sprinkling ash across his face. The dude snorted and reared back, "The fuck?! Whatever man, get out of here."
Logan glared at the guy but turned to me and wound an arm around my waist, pulling me with him. There again with my theory.
"Sorry, those guys are douches," Logan said to me after a little bit.
"It's okay," I smiled at him.
He shook his head, "Its not. It's annoying and degrading."
"Were you going to fight him?" I asked cautiously.
"I would have."
"Oh..."
So Logan wasn't afraid to fight. That scared me a little, but it also made me feel safe. I suddenly noticed we were still walking with his arm around my waist and blushed.
"Uh, here," I said awkwardly, hurrying away from Logan and over to a grill.
"Still has come coal, awesome," he smiled and pulled a little compartment out.
He found a box of matches stored away and lit the coals.
"How do we....?" I held up our fish questioningly.
"Here," Logan pulled something out of his pocket and I studied it.
I jumped as a blade flipped out, "Oh my god! You have a knife in your pocket?"
He shrugged as if it was normal, "Yeah."
"Why?"
"Protection, utility?" he raised an eyebrow at me.
I watched him take the fish and fillet them without touching the bones or guts. He laid them skin down on some aluminum foil we bought, drizzled lemon on the flesh, and I listened to them begin to sizzle.
I sat at a table near the grill to watch the fish while Logan went to throw the carcasses in the ocean.
I looked out over the sea and twiddled with my hair. I pulled a long, curly strand in front of me and frowned at it. I tugged on the end and watched it bounce back.
Stupid hair. It caused me so many issues that I couldn't stand it sometimes- I still resembled my mother. I wanted to get rid of it.
"So, how's it looking?" Logan asked.
I stopped scowling at my hair and looked at the fish, "Looks....hot?"
He chuckled and poked the meat, which was turning white, "Its about done. I charred the skin so we can ditch plates."
"Cool," I smiled. I haven't really cooked anything before so I wasn't too sure why Logan left me with the fish.
Eventually, Logan pulled the fish off the grill with lots of cussing since it was hot. I looked at the fillets of cod sitting in front of me.
"More finger food?" I asked Logan. We couldn't find any cutlery.
"Sure, why not," he grinned and scooped up some of his fish.
We ate with our hands and finished off our lunch. I wiped the grease on my pants.
"Hey Eva."
"Yeah?" I looked up.
"Think fast!" Logan said quickly and tossed a piece of saggy fish skin at me.
I squealed and dodged it by mere centimeters.
"Ew," I hissed and threw a chuck of skin back at him.
He batted it away and started to laugh, making it contagious to me.
"Ready to get on the road?" Logan asked, standing up and tossing the skin into the trash.
"Yeah but...can we do something first?" I asked quietly, playing with a strand of hair.
"Of course, it's your trip," he grinned.
-----------
"You're going to what?" Logan made a face at me.
I held up a hand at him and looked at the salon manager, "Just past my shoulder please."
"That's like six inches, are you sure?" She raised an eyebrow at me and I nodded.
"You really want to hack your hair off just because some dick commented on it?" Logan asked.
"Two dicks," I corrected him and sat in the chair the woman gestured to, "They like it long so I'm cutting it short. That's how I like it."
"Hell yeah girl," the woman said, her pink pixie cut bouncing with her nod.
"Any color?"
"Surprise me," I said confidently as I sat in the salon chair.
"Oh dear god," Logan muttered.
"Shh," I hushed him. He threw his hands up and sat in a waiting chair, crossing his legs impatiently.
The woman and I made small talk while she clipped away at my hair.
I kept hearing distinctive clicks and knew Logan was 'documenting.'
The woman shampooed my hair and blow dried it while I was facing away from the mirror. She then began to smear weird smelling stuff to the top of my head and wrapped tinfoil around it.
"Alright, just sit tight for a little," she smiled as she put a blower on top of my head. I'd never had my hair colored before, mother always told me it wasn't worth it since my hair was the perfect shade of blonde.
"Okay," I smiled.
Fifteen minutes later, she was gently pulling the foil off. I was rinsed and blow dried again. She spun me around in the chair and let me face the mirror, "Ta-Da!"
My eyes went wide, "Oh my gosh!"
"Fabulous honey," the woman nodded with pride.
"I'm so terrified," Logan mumbled from his seat, his hand over his eyes.
"Logan, look!" I laughed and got out of the chair.
He peeked through his fingers and then dropped his hand, "Wow Eva, you look beautiful."
I blushed and grinned, turning back to the mirror. My hair was different shades of blonde, brown and a slightly auburn color. It was just past my shoulders instead of down to my butt and it had kept it's curling nature.
"I love it!" I squealed.
"You've got highlights and lowlights and a bit of a textured wild look going on, I'm in love with it myself, " The woman grinned at me, fluffing my hair up as we studied my reflection.
"Thank you," I beamed at her genuinely.
I paid for my new haircut and we left the little salon.
"It's only nine thirty," I chuckled as I looked at my watch.
"We've got to get on the road then. That drive is going to be a two day trip," Logan said.
"Well I could drive half and then you could drive half," I suggested.
Logan looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "You have your license with you?"
"Of course?" I chuckled.
He contemplated it, "Have you ever driven a truck before?"
I looked away sheepishly, "Uh, no, but I can probably do it. It can't be that hard."
"Oh lord," he muttered quietly and I rolled my eyes.
We checked out of the B&B and left Cape Cod. I smiled at it in the rearview mirror.
Destination two - check.
I scribbled down in my journal what I had yet to document. Writing about my hair and the fish I caught just put me in the greatest mood. I fished around in my pocket and carefully pulled out what I was looking for.
"You kept the fishing hook?" Logan glanced at the shining hook in my hand.
I nodded, "Yup."
"That's stealing," he chided playfully.
I shrugged and stabbed the hook through the corner of my paper, "It's just a hook. Memorabilia."
"Wow I'm with a criminal," Logan said, bemused.
I nudged his arm while playfully scowling and he chuckled.
"So I'll drive seven hours and then...you can drive, after I see how well you do. Get some sleep so you won't be tired," Logan said.
I nodded and remember how early we had gotten up, and I was suddenly okay with having a quick nap.
I leaned the seat back and curled up as much as my seatbelt would allow me.
It didn't take me long to fall asleep.