"."

My mother's instant reply took me off guard. Hearing her excited and familiar voice tickled my heart, pulling me into a homesick situation.

Abby agreed to drive off to the drive-thru zoo, so I called shotgun to catch up with the things back home. I was already guilty for not calling them earlier. I didn't want my mother to think I didn't care enough. It was just that I was distracted—and my gaze automatically slid to the girl in the driver's seat. "Hi mom," I replied, leaning toward the window next. "What's up?"

"We are fine, son," she said. "We just miss you. I was worried when you didn't pick up your phone. I know you're not loyal when it comes to technology, but you're miles away—just remember to call me once in a while, alright?"

"Yeah, right, I'm sorry," I replied, feeling guilty for not checking my phone more often. "I missed you guys, too." I heard Abby coo next to me and shot her a half-angry look. That only made her chuckle and she stuck her tongue out. I was embarrassed that my cool boy image was damaged but I never felt so around Abby, anyway.

Ignoring her amused look, I focused back on my conversation. "Where are you?"

"Missouri, heading to a drive-thru zoo. Abby suggested—well, she made a where-to-visit list."

"How sweet of her." The mention of Abby cheered her up and I guessed it was because my mother was very fond of her. She sometimes even hinted that I should ask her out, and I sort of believed her behavior pushed me toward Abby or made me realize my affection for her. "You're paying for everything, right, George?"

I peeked at Abby from the corner of my eye and answered, "No."

"What? George, you can't make a girl pay when a gentleman is around!"

I wanted to say 'We are friends' but was also afraid of catching Abby's attention because that would end up with an interrogation. "Hmm," was the answer after all.

"I'm serious, George. Do you need money?"

"I'm fine."

Then, she skipped this awkward conversation—thank God—and told me about a divorced couple living a couple of blocks away. I told her that I hadn't met them before and I wasn't interested but she was probably dying to tell someone, and my dad was never up for such things, so she spilled the beans on me.

"Where's Dad?"

"What do you think?" She replied dully. "Working." I was about to say that he was having a busy time at work, and she added, "I just hate being alone. He's not home and neither are you."

"Invite Susan over, huh? She's good at gossip."

"I never gossip, George."

"Yeah, right, I meant some quality conversation," I joked. She probably sensed the sarcasm but was busy mulling over my suggestion. It was a tempting one. Susan was her best friend and she was living really close but Mom was feeling down lately. She was not in the mood for anything. I thought her relationship with Dad sort of affected her, but I didn't want to listen to their problems. I hated playing the therapist between my parents.

"I'll invite Susan," she murmured, and it sounded more like she was talking to herself. "Love you, George."

"Bye, mama."

Abby threw me a knowing look once the conversation was over. "Still feeling down?"

"Same old." My parents had their ups and downs for as long as I could remember. No matter how rocky their path was, they were in love—it was just evident in the way they were looking at each other. So, I learned to mind my own business over time and let them be.

"You're so lucky," Abby murmured. I cast her a long glance, trying to read her mind but her eyes were fixated on the road. It was almost like her voice and expression weren't working together. "I wish I still had my mother around, you know."

I wanted to tell her something but nothing out of my mouth would comfort her. Abby was the strongest person I'd ever met, and this was just one of the million reasons why I loved her.

For our words ran out, silence enveloped us until Abby's hand reached and fidgeted as she switched stations to find a decent song. She stopped at Lost in Japan. Finally getting tired of staring at the road, I shut my eyes and lost myself in the lyrics. I can't get you off my mind, can't get you off my mind. The more I listened the more mortified I got by how the lyrics were related—and prayed she didn't notice the sudden shift in me. When I opened my eyes to glance, I found her driving in the same position as before, totally unaware of the hurricane within me. However, she turned her head briefly when I released a sigh.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I said, laughing. "I like the song."

"Yeah." She laughed, too. I had no idea why she did—but fuck, her laugh was addictive. "Me too." I was preparing myself to ask her why she laughed but she was faster. "And here we are."

When I looked ahead, I spotted the Wild Animal Safari Park sign. Abby unbuckled her belt and turned at me. "I'll buy us two tickets." Then, she left. I checked my phone and went on Instagram to catch up with my social life. It really looked the same as I left—parties, happy photos, handsome guys and beautiful girls, concerts, and that sickening I'm living this life vibe. That was in the way everyone picked their photos—always the best and happiest. However, it was also the silent rule not to ruin the fun and maintain that happy vibe there. So, I'd gone ahead and posted a selfie. It was just to let people know that I was alive and kicking.

"You ready, Georgie?" Abby swung the door open and hopped in by the time I was done posting. "We are going to have too much fun. The guy told me to keep the windows down."

"Isn't it dangerous?"

"Where's the fun of driving through an animal park with your windows shut?"

I shrugged, still feeling skeptical about it but I knew Abby would never give up. I hoped there were no dangerous animals that would eventually make me scream because well, I was afraid of animals—most of them.

Our first visitor was a llama. I spotted her—Abby insisted it was a girl—ten miles away as she approached us slowly but surely, and I muttered something incoherently because my heart was beating wildly against my chest. I almost couldn't breathe. My face was probably pale but I fought the urge to move or scream or do something that gave away my phobia at some point. I just hoped Abby wouldn't see it and drive but she spotted her, too, and pulled over, waiting for that llama to reach us.

I held my breath, and she eventually stuck her head inside. "George," Abby poked me in disbelief. "How cute she is! Look, look." I dared to turn my head in the llama's direction and it looked at me—right there, there was a connection. My heartbeat was so rapid to follow, and well, she was too close to avoid. Then, something else happened: she licked my face.

I didn't remember what happened next but screams surely followed. I may have lost my consciousness for a while because when Abby shook me awake, I opened my eyes in the same seat but with my window shut and no llama in sight. "George, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Where is it?"

"You scared her, too. She ran away." A brief silence occurred until she started laughing really loud and I wanted a black hole to swallow me whole. "Your face was priceless. You didn't tell me you were scared,"—she took brief pauses to breathe—"like your scream was deafening, and then, you fainted."

"It's really rude to make fun of a phobia, Whittaker."

"I'm definitely using this against you, Shaw." I rolled my eyes. "Would you like to leave? I actually explored around and saw many animals when you were sleeping." I nodded with all I had because I didn't want to live with a risk of a pack of llamas running toward us to get their friend's revenge.

Once the park was out of sight, I sighed with relief—I was safe.

"It's really odd that I didn't know you're scared of animals."

"I am usually pretty good at keeping it a secret...until a llama comes and licks my face." She let out another laugh but didn't add a comment. I was embarrassed enough to be caught and glad that she didn't push it any further. Desperately wanting to change the topic, I said the first thing in my mind. "We should find a hostel tonight—I need to take a shower."

"Right," she said. "I think we can find somewhere available in Carthage." Then, she yawned. She'd been driving for hours and I was dumb enough not to offer to change roles.

"Abby, pull over. I'm going to drive to Carthage." She didn't protest at all, pulling over at the first chance she had and leaving the car to change places. When I started the engine, she was already slumping in the passenger seat, ready to fall asleep.

Carthage from Strafford took about one hour. Abby slept through the ride, leaving me alone with a boring talk show in which they laughed at things that I didn't find funny in the slightest. I rolled down the window when it felt too hot, and by the time we arrived in town, it was a short while after the dawn.

I parked in the driveway of the first hostel I found. I unbuckled my belt and cast a glance at Abby.

Contemplating over whether to wake her up or not, I decided to book a room first. She looked sound, but her position was rather uncomfortable. Trying not to wake her up, I slowly motioned her head to a better position and touched her arm. Removing my jacket, I covered her with it since she was cold. I seized the moment to stare at her as long as I pleased when it wasn't creepy, weird, or forbidden.

Her chest was rising up and sinking down with her slow breaths. Her cheeks were rosy against her snow skin. A strand of hair was resting on her cheek, and a part of me wanted to tuck it behind her ear so much. Her sudden move stopped me.

When I entered the hostel, I didn't turn back to see if she was awake. The place was dim-lit with wooden stairs on the left and a small receptionist desk on the right. I looked around to find someone and a man emerged from the door, immediately spotting me, and a smile formed on his lips. He looked really pleased to see me.

"Hey there, need a room?"

"Double, please. For a night."

After paying the price, he handed me a key and said he wasn't responsible for any noise made by the rooms next door. I didn't know what he meant, then. Feeling lucky for booking a room at a reasonable price, I returned to our car and found Abby wide awake and staring at her screen.

"I called you twice," she said, slightly angry but relieved to see me.

"I booked us a room," I informed her, smiling. I raised my armpit. "I smell."

"I'll have to throw you into the bathtub."

"I didn't know you've got such fantasies."

Her eyes grew bigger, and her cheeks went crimson red. "Shut up." I stiffed a laugh until she shut the door and disappeared into the hostel. I followed her in and we found the room together: 206. It was a small but neat room with a twin bed.

As she walked straight into the bathroom, I approached to the bed, drinking in my surroundings. I sat on the bed—it wasn't even large enough for both of us. Abby was probably going to make a big fuss about it and I was going to spend the night on the floor. Pushing my thoughts aside, I lay on the bed and shut my eyes.

All I could hear was the running water in the background.

***

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