The beginning entry of an untitled story I began a few months ago.
It was one of those humid sunny days in late August that tease the senses into thinking summer may just go on forever. Taylor and Paul had been driving in a red Chevy Aveo rental car along Highway126 from Eugene to the west coast for an hour. Paul, in his blue-rimmed sport sunglasses, had the windows down all the way as he drove which blew strands of Taylor’s long brown hair into her face. She brushed away the strands while she studied the road map on her lap and sipped black coffee from her thermos.
Paul played with the radio stations, switching back and forth from the local country station to the classic rock station unable to decide which he’d rather drive to. He knew Taylor hated country, and he wanted to listen it just to spite her. He loved the face she made when she was upset, scrunching up her nose and biting her bottom lip. Sometimes he’d try to rile her up, just to see it, but right now there wasn’t anything good playing on the country station.
They were headed to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for four days of camping, hiking, and if they were brave enough, swimming in the cold Pacific Ocean. Taylor fiddled with the map as she continued to take small sips from her thermos. She peaked at Paul out of the corner of her eye. She was attracted to him; there was no denying herself of that, but now that he was here, physically present with her in car, she turned all shy. Their hours of late night conversations online, weekend texting, and flirtatious emails for the past five months had still not prepared her for what it would be like to physically be with him again.
Paul played with the radio stations, switching back and forth from the local country station to the classic rock station unable to decide which he’d rather drive to. He knew Taylor hated country, and he wanted to listen it just to spite her. He loved the face she made when she was upset, scrunching up her nose and biting her bottom lip. Sometimes he’d try to rile her up, just to see it, but right now there wasn’t anything good playing on the country station.
They were headed to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for four days of camping, hiking, and if they were brave enough, swimming in the cold Pacific Ocean. Taylor fiddled with the map as she continued to take small sips from her thermos. She peaked at Paul out of the corner of her eye. She was attracted to him; there was no denying herself of that, but now that he was here, physically present with her in car, she turned all shy. Their hours of late night conversations online, weekend texting, and flirtatious emails for the past five months had still not prepared her for what it would be like to physically be with him again.
No comments:
Post a Comment