The Date

41.

I was sure mom and Dad would kill me. So for the whole trip, Reka and I sat at the back singing along cheap pop songs on the radio. Aarav smiled as he drove. We were gone. We hugged and giggled. I was happy to have a friend. I was happy that for a short while I didn't have to think about the empty space Jacob left. He was right, I didn't have anything outside our relationship. I had to be drunk to notice it.

As we approached my neighborhood, I straighten up. It felt like a slap across the face. An idea hit me. Reka rose her eyebrow at me. I giggled at the crazy thought.

"What's up with you? Are you sick? Do you want to throw up?" Aarav took his eyes off the road and twisted around.

"Don't throw up in my car. Wait until I pull over!" he shouted and turned back to the front making a face. I slapped Reka on the shoulder.

"I'm not sick!" I pushed between the front seats toward Aarav. "I'm not sick. I'm not going to throw up," he gave me an inquisitive look before gazing at the traffic.

"You're sure?" he asked.

"Yeah," I sunk back on the soft cushions. My smile widened.

"Then what's up with the smirk?" Reka pushed her hair away from her face.

"I just find myself a new goal," I whispered. For a second, the car went quiet like some mysterious veil was lifted.

"What is it?" Aarav called from the front. Reka leaned against the passenger's door, her dark caramel eyes set on me. They waited as I took a deep breath.

"I want to master my powers," I whispered in a timid voice. They both burst in uncontrollable fits of laughter.

"Oh my god, I swear that she sounded like she was confessing a terrible crime," laughed Aarav.

"I thought she was going to say, she'll conquer the world and set it on fire or something," replied Reka, doing a dramatic mimic of me in a deep voice. I pouted at them as they kept rolling with laughter until I told them to turn to the left on the road to my house. We have left civilization behind. The house was in an isolated part of Folks. In the middle of nowhere, hidden from the curious onlookers. My stomach clenched at the thought of meeting Mom and Dad.

"I wish I could run away..." I murmured at the house came into view behind tall trees.

"Run back to you..."