The Road That Leads to Us (Us 1)

“Good boy.” She lifted her hand to pat the top of my head.

The guy working behind the counter looked at us like we were crazy. I shot him an apologetic smile before heading outside.

Despite the fact that it was only nearing ten in the morning it was already blazing hot outside and the sounds of bugs buzzing was incessant.

I leaned against the car as I pumped gas and slid my sunglasses from the collar of my shirt to put them on.

Just as I was finishing up Willow walked out the door with a bag full of junk food and two glass bottles of Orange Crush dangling precariously from her fingers.

I couldn’t help but grin.

“Look what I found,” she boasted proudly.

I replaced the gas cap and jogged around to open the passenger door for her. “I’m surprised they had them.”

“I guess small towns are good for something.”

I waited until she was fully in the car before closing the door.

“Wait, wait, wait!” She cried suddenly, dropping everything on the floor.

“What did I do?” I took a step away from the car like I’d been burned.

“We have to commemorate this moment.” She looked at me like I was the crazy one.

“Uh…”

“Boys,” she mumbled, rummaging through her backpack. “Aha!” She cried, pulling out her polaroid camera and scrambling out of the car. She took my hand and towed me closer to the convenience store. Standing in front of me, she commanded, “Smile.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head but I didn’t smile.

She took the picture anyway and it printed out.

When I started back towards the car she pressed a hand to my chest to halt me.

“We need one together,” she explained, pressing into my side and holding out the camera selfie style.

This time I did smile, but the way she was holding that thing I was curious to see whether or not we ended up in the picture at all.

“Any more pictures?” I asked her before I moved this time.

“Nope, I’m good.” She held the pictures on the end, careful not to touch where it was developing.

Once in the car she laid them on the dashboard and crossed her legs on the seat.

She smiled over at me, and the bright morning sun made a halo behind her.

I felt my breath catch and some strange unknown emotion bubbled up inside me.

Before I could think too much on it I started the car.

Willow let out a giggle and pointed to my keychain. “Of course you have a Poké Ball.”

She then fumbled with the bottles, managing to untwist the cap and handed one to me. I waited until she had hers uncapped before pulling away.

“What if a cop saw us and thought we were drinking beer?” She questioned, wiggling around until she got comfortable.

“They’d probably pull us over and then feel like an idiot,” I quipped, raising the glass to my lips and driving one handed.