When the engine died, we stood like that, holding hands, for a while until she cleared her throat and pulled her hand back. Her warmth lingered longer though, and that was enough for now.

Inside, it wasn't crowded, and the owner recommended their pizzas and gave us free beer alongside. I hadn't really realized how hungry I had been until the waiter brought us the orders and the pleasant smell of my pizza hit my nostrils. "Damn," I hummed between the bites, "this is so good."

Abby laughed at my hungry self, biting on her pizza casually. No wonder she looked so fit, for she quit eating after two slices, saying she was full. "How?" I asked, surprised. "You said you were hungry and you're full after two slices only?" She shrugged. "Well, we can't let it go to waste." I pulled her plate after mine was over and started eating the rest of hers.

"You'll gain weight by the end of this trip."

"So?" I gazed at her skeptically, then looked down at myself. I was still the same, right? Since I was a basketball player for a long time, keeping fit was never a problem for me. We walked a lot during the trip so I think I'd burn down the calories.

"Nothing," she said, a hint of amusement coloring her expression. "I'm just stating a fact." I was in the middle of the last slice—and my appetite was suddenly gone. With a glare, I left the rest of the slice and pushed the plate toward her.

"Got a long way to go," I said, lifting up to my feet, and paid the bill. As she followed me, her chuckle echoed through the diner and continued on the way back to our car. Then, as I was about to sink down to the driver's seat, she caught my arm and turned me around.

"Are you mad at me?" Her eyes looked confused; gone was the previous amusement in her tone. "Come on, Georgie," she said playfully when my reply was delayed. "I was kidding."

All the walls shattered in the presence of her voice. It was as if she was the sunlight that melted down the ice in my heart; a melody to my ears; her deep, beautiful eyes a feast to my eyes.

Once we started down the drive, we first wandered around the streets. Abby told me the stuff she'd learned about this complex—how Ernest Hemingway had written part of The Old Man here. She was so enthusiastic about knowledge and sharing them, so it was pleasant to see the spark in her eyes whenever she told me something she'd just learned. It was beautiful—fuck, she was the epitome of beauty but I was just lurking around, keeping all these thoughts to myself without making a move.

Then, next, we headed off to San Fiedel. This little town had a church and some remains of Route 66. We decided to get inside the church but waited for a little until someone came and unlocked it for us. Inside, the classic church scent filled the atmosphere. I followed Abby through the Jesus Christ mosaics, analyzing them, and reading some verses from Bible on the walls. I wasn't so religious myself but it was relaxing to be here. The silence, the special scent, the pictures, everything—it was spiritual.

Abby handed the man two bucks to buy two candles, and then gave me one. "Let's make a wish."

Dear Jesus, I know I've been such a snob—I mean, a bad boy. And you may be asking why you would make my wish come true but I love her so much. Isn't love the strongest thing in the world? Please give me the courage to confess to her—by the end of this trip. Amen.

By the time I was done praying, Abby was still murmuring things under her breath, her eyes firmly shut and her hands crossed. She looked in peace, and I realized the real meditation was watching her. Her murmuring lips, her long fingers, her beautiful curls. The lit candle still in my grip, I whispered, Jesus, please. Then, I went and sank it among the others.

Her eyes opened later, as she met my gaze, a genuine smile forming on her lips. Then, she mimicked my gesture, sticking her candle. "What did you wish?" I asked as we walked out of the church. She hadn't spoken ever since, though the silence was peaceful, I was dying to know. If she asked mine, I'd lie anyway—God forgive me.

"To be a social butterfly," she said casually. "So, I don't become a loner in Columbia."

Her wish was so unpredictable—why did I even think it would be about me? We just left the church and my prayers were already unanswered. "Cool," I replied distantly, tucking my hands into my pockets. As she went on telling me about her ambitions and doubts, I just listened to her, my mind elsewhere.

About ten minutes away from El Malpais National Monument, I looked at Abby from my peripheral vision and saw her holding her stomach. "Are you okay?" She nodded briefly, not convincing me at all. "Cramps?"

"Hurts like a bitch on the second day," she whispered, resting her head against the seat. Seeing her like that ached my heart, and I tried to come up with the quickest solution. We could find a drugstore, although it would take a while. "I forgot to take painkillers."

"We can find a drugstore," I assured her, pressing on the accelerator. "I'm going straight to Grants." She just nodded, turning around so that her back was facing me. How could I help her now? I felt so helpless, so clueless—Is there anything I could do to comfort her? "Abby," I said gingerly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"It'll pass," she murmured, "but it sometimes hits me so hard."

As I tried my best to go as soon and carefully as possible, it was around two hours away so it still took time. "I've known you all my life but I didn't even know about your cramps."

With a light chuckle, she replied, "I usually take painkillers before or during cramps. I was just caught off guard this time. I didn't think I'd get it this early."

It seemed like the conversation took her mind off her pain, for she looked both amused and relaxed after the talk. I had never imagined talking about this with Abby. If I wanted to be her boyfriend, I needed to care more about this stuff, right? "Hmm."

"I know this isn't the ideal conversation for a guy," she said, "but thanks. You're so understanding."

"Do you feel better?"

Pulling up her legs to her chest, she turned toward me, leaning her back against the door. "It still aches so much but talking feels good."

I tried my best to distract her by telling her about my flirting failures during high school. Some of them made her laugh really hard, and in the end, they helped me distract her until we arrived in Grants. It was a relatively bigger town than others so I believed we'd got a higher chance to find a fucking drugstore in there.

A few streets passed, but there was no sight of what I was seeking. Abby opened the navigation and searched for a drugstore; she luckily found one a few blocks away. Leaving her in the car after asking her preference, I got her that brand of painkillers and got back inside. "Thank you," she said, swallowing one and leaning back. "I'll be better within an hour."

"Should we go straight to Gallup? You don't look well." Unconsciously, I held her hand and she didn't seem to mind. "I don't think we'd miss much—you'd better rest, huh?"

Hesitatingly, she raised her gaze and replied, "I wouldn't want to spoil this trip for you."

"I can't enjoy my time when you're feeling like shit."

Out of the blue, she unbuckled her belt, hovered over me, and wrapped her arms around me. When I hugged her back, dumbfounded, she whispered, "You're the best, George. Thank you for being you." Her voice came out stiff as if she could cry any minute. I'd heard about mood swings in this case, but experiencing it was much different. However, I liked this—if she was going to be this affectionate and a hugger, I could get used to this, you know.

When we pulled apart, a rather awkward silence sneaked between us. There was the same question in our minds: what was this? Where were we leading off? I had hugged her a dozen times before, but none of them felt like this. Not in the sense that they were less precious but like I felt something between us that wasn't there before: chemistry.

Even the ring of this hope lifted my spirits and fueled me to drive faster. The sooner we arrived in Gallup the sooner we would snuggle in the bed. It was actually torturing to me. Being that close to her awakened my senses; made me consider the possibilities. I had fantasized about things like any guy would, but they never went beyond it. Just a mere fantasy.

"Slow down," Abby said, grabbing my hand. "The road is swerving."

An hour passed by silence, and she fell asleep after a while, her back facing me. We had to stop somewhere to fill up the gas, but it didn't seem possible until we crossed the Continental Divide. Soon, the sign of it appeared, and I thought Abby would be really interested in taking some photos there. I first pulled the car over after we passed the sign, at a safe distance, and stopped the engine. Though I didn't want to disturb her, I placed my hand gingerly on her shoulder and shook her slightly.

When her shoulder sank, I released her, waiting for her to turn around and look at me incredulously. She looked so cute, her eyes still half-closed, and she hummed a question that wasn't coherent.

"We are at the Continental Divide." She didn't react. "Thought you'd take some pictures," I explained, but I was sure it didn't even make sense to her. Putting my hand on her leg, I sighed, "Are you feeling okay?"

Rubbing her eyes, she replied, "Better. I think it worked. The painkiller." Sighing, she leaned her head against the head of the seat and looked at me smilingly. "I don't think I'll look okay in pictures like this."

"You're so beautiful," I blurted out, without giving too much thought to it. However, it came off so intense that she was slightly taken aback, too. It was my true opinion, though, so I wasn't going to suppress it. Not anymore. "You always are."

Her gaze differed for a fleeting moment, then she started laughing. "I can never trust you about this. You're totally subjective 'cause you're my best friend."

"I'm not saying this as your best friend but as a guy."

Her walls fell off suddenly; the expression on her face softened, and somehow, Abby Whittaker looked so vulnerable—hungry for compliments. That state didn't stay permanently, once she regained her control, she rolled her eyes. "Typical George Shaw words."

"You fell for it, though," I said playfully. "You're melting inside, aren't you?"

Once I started the engine again, for she didn't seem keen on leaving the car, she let out a laugh; a very fake, loud laugh, before she replied: "You wish." The thing about Abby was that you didn't understand that she was lying from her eyes, you could get it from the color change on her cheeks. And they were soft pink right now.

I managed to find a gas station that wasn't abandoned and filled up the gas as well as answered my bladder. Once I settled back in the car, Abby yawned and lay back, reclining her seat. "How are you feeling?" She replied with a short nod.

At the sight of a beautiful neon sign, I halted once again, this time only to go out and take some pictures myself. I grabbed my jacket from the truck first, though, covering Abby with it. I couldn't believe we were so close to Arizona, the last state before California—so close to home. We almost finished our trip, and we were only getting somewhere now. However, I didn't regret any of the moments I'd spent with her—in any circumstances. This trip taught me a lot, and I could feel that I was never going to be the same after it.

We had left thirty minutes left until we reached Gallup. After a bunch of ghost towns passing by, it was so good and refreshing to see somewhere relatively active again. When my stomach growled, I also realized we hadn't eaten in hours and it was best to have dinner before the hotel.

"Abby," I said, "we are in Gallup." Thank God, it took her less to wake up this time. We quickly decided on what to eat between our very limited chances and went for Mexican food again before we would leave New Mexico. I could say this state had been my favorite so far but I knew Arizona was going to be gorgeous as well.

By the time we were walking inside a hotel, it was past eight, for we also explored the town a little. Abby said she was stiff and walking would be good for her. She seemed much better but she said her cramps didn't completely die down yet. Shit, I couldn't even imagine bleeding down and dealing with that pain at the same time. Dreadful.

The guy seemed friendly, asking us about our names as he signed us in for one night only. He recommended their breakfast buffet and even made a discount for us. I didn't know why he was being so nice but I didn't care to be honest. "Two separate rooms, right?"

I was about to confirm when Abby chimed in, "No. One double, please."

I think we both stared at Abby at the same time, because I didn't expect her to do that, either. She didn't meet my gaze, then, and even after, when the guy handed me the keys and we climbed up the stairs to the second floor and I unlocked the door.

As we moseyed inside, I was at a loss of words. I had a hunch about this—I mean when she said last night was comfortable, but I thought she would change her mind and request for two separate rooms in the end. Dropping my bag on the desk, I turned around to see her examining the room in a nervous manner.

"I'll sleep," she announced all of a sudden, looking at me questioningly. I just shrugged, sitting on an edge of the bed, and watched her as she took her pajamas and walked into the bathroom. About three minutes later, she walked out, changed, and got under the sheets.

"Can you turn the lights off?"

"I won't sleep yet," I replied, teasing her. I knew she couldn't sleep with the lights on.

"Aren't you tired?" I shook my head no. "But I can't sleep with the lights on," she insisted, lifting up a little. "Please."

"Fine," I said, actually dying inside to lie beside her. I still didn't want to seem so eager but I turned the lights off and took my t-shirt off. Since it was too dark in the room, I parted the curtains to let the moonlight in. It wasn't late yet, but I could feel the sleep sink in as I lay down. I felt so tired—not day-specific but because of the whole trip. Looking at my side, I asked, "How do you feel?"

"Better," she replied, motioning her body toward me. "Are you going to sleep in your jeans?" She asked laughingly.

"I'm too lazy to look for my PJ bottoms in the bag."

Another chuckle escaped her lips but quickly died down when I also turned my body toward her, scooting a bit closer so our faces are close enough to feel her breath fanning over me. Meeting my gaze, she bit her lips. I raised my hand to push a strand of hair falling onto her cheek. Her skin felt so soft under my touch and I took my time there, lingering my fingertips against her skin as long as I could. When I tucked it behind her ear, I also happened to have cupped her cheek. In the meantime, she seemed to be motionless, in fact, as if holding her breath.

Holding her made me stronger—as if I could read her mind through our touch, and her eyes were an epitome of a question mark. She was wondering what I was up to, however, I hadn't known it either. I was following my instincts, maybe because my brain was exhausted from contemplating, controlling, and calculating. All of a sudden, everything stopped—time, place, and my brain. I couldn't listen to my reason but to the rapid beats of my pounding heart.

That was the moment my heart won against me.

I had only pressed my lips against her for a fleeting moment, in the form of a firm peck, and immediately pulled back because I was afraid of the outcome. That fleeting kiss made it no good, just leaving me thirst for more and more. My breaths quickened, but I wasn't the only one. I dared raised my gaze to meet her eyes and witnessed the mere shock in hers.

My hand was still there, cupping her cheek, feeling her pulse pound against my fingertips. She let out a sigh. I was waiting for her to push me and yell at me but next, she cupped my cheeks with her cold hands and covered my lips—just like the night we first kissed.

This time, it took us much less to adjust to each other. We didn't even waste a breath in between, as if we were running out of time. Her fingers stroked my cheek as we pulled closer, our bodies flush against each other. It was a hunger that developed over time and it was unstoppable now. If she pulled apart, I didn't know what to do—I couldn't think of anything when she was kissing me the way she was.

A moment in forever, we broke apart. We both opened our eyes as if we were resurrected, and that was exactly what I was feeling. So lively, so full of Abby. I didn't want her to ask a question, but she murmured, "Should we talk about this?"

Gazing down at her lips and back to her eyes, I replied, "Do you want to?"

"No."

"Then, we don't have to." I could do everything to keep the magic of this moment forever. I knew it was going to be over, though, and we had to talk this over. Unlike the first time, I wasn't afraid—because I saw it in her eyes. I was falling but she was holding my hand. "Now," I added eagerly, "but later, we will."

She breathlessly nodded and rested her head on my shoulder, slinging an arm on my chest. I nested my hand inside her hair, gazing up at the ceiling with a stupid grin on my face. That grin remained until I fell into the embrace of sleep—not as quickly as I fell in love but just as surely.

Hello awesome people!

Before I get your thoughts on the chapter, I want to give you some exciting news (for me, anyway). I finished this novel last night!!! Only the epilogue left to write but I still consider this book finished from now on. Well, all I can tell is we are going to have fun. 😉

So, this is an important chapter because they just shared their first sober kiss. What do you think about it? And will they brush it off or talk about it later?

❤️

Lastly, I want to thank you all for being such precious readers and support me and this story. I love you all so much. ❤️

Don't forget to vote! ⭐️

See you soon,

Sev xx