Chapter 16 On The Road

A few days later, exams very finally done with and now Wes and I were settling in the car to get ready for a six hour car ride back home.

Wes turned to look at me as he put the keys in the ignition. He raised an eyebrow, "You ready for this?"

I let out a small laugh, mustering some courage. "Ready as I can be."

"So..." he drawled, looking straight ahead at the empty road. It seemed like he was hesitant to meet my gaze. "Should we make a backstory? So we're on the same page incase we get asked any questions."

I nodded slowly. "Yes. That's actually a good idea." I paused for a moment, exhaling deeply. "How did we meet?"

"I ran into you at the local cafe," Wes turned to smile at me. "We spend so much time there anyways. It seems fitting."

"Okay," I nodded and started to mentally brainstorm more details. Knowing my family, they would juice us for all the details. "I bumped into you, spilled my coffee all over the place and you insisted on buying me another one."

Wes laughed, his eyes warm as he glanced at me. "I'm all for it. We got to talking and started running into each other more."

"One thing led to another," I continued his thoughts. "And at some point we started dating."

"What about..." Wes looked at me again, an unsure look on his face. "Nate. Your parents know you two were together."

I slightly winced just from hearing his name. I could do very well without having to think about Nate. The thought of him aggravated me.

I leaned back in the seat, exhaling deeply as I wracked my mind for an explanation I could give to my parents. "I'll be honest. Or as honest as I can be. We broke up three months ago, right in the beginning of the semester because we both just had different goals and weren't compatible anymore."

Wes nodded, seeming to think that was suitable enough. "In that case, how long have we been 'dating' for?"

I pursed my lips in thought. "Two months? They'll harass me for moving on so quickly but I'll tell them it was an instant connection and you make me happy."

It wasn't far-fetched. Wes and I got along amazingly. And he did always cheer me up.

Wes smiled softly, peering at me for a second. "Touché."

"They'll definitely ask where you took me on our first date," I told him. "They'd want a good first impression so we can say... we went rock-climbing and then had an early dinner at Fobo Steakhouse."

Wes raised his eyebrows, impressed at how fast I was on my feet. "Very planned out."

I shrugged, "A little sporty and then a fancy restaurant so you can take care of yourself and it'll show them you're good at cooking since you can cook your own food at Fobo."

Wes nodded, a grin playing on his lips. It surprised me how he didn't seem nervous at all. "Okay, we're all set then."

One hour into the drive, I had passed out in the passenger seat. I didn't know why I was so exhausted but either way, I drifted off while the music softly played on the radio.

Hour two, Wes stopped the car at an on-route location so we could grab some food. After getting whatever we felt like eating, we sat down at a table - Wes needing a small break from driving so he could stretch his legs.

"I will give you another fair warning, Wes, my family is a tough nut to crack," I gave him a sheepish and knowing look. "It's not too late to back out."

Wes chuckled, shaking his head. "I can handle it, Fia. Don't worry about me. If anything, I'm worried about you. You look like you're going to melt down any second from the pressure."

I shrugged, giving him a small grin. "It's never easy with my family but at least I know what to expect."

"You really think it's going to be that bad?"

I sighed, stirring my straw in my iced coffee. "They just know how to get under my skin and make me feel shitty. They're judgmental and full of themselves, they have no filter either."

"I get it," Wes exhaled, his gaze soft and comforting. "My parents can be the same. I don't know to what extent they may be similar to but my parent's can't be proud of anything. There's always more work to do, harder work to do."

I let out a breathy laugh, a little surprised that he understood me so well. It was very comforting knowing he knew where I was coming from. "At some point, I just started forgetting about what they expect from me. It's my life. I'll work to become the person I want to be."

Wes smiled softly at me, his eyes lit with unreadable expression. "I'm proud of you for doing that."

And soon enough, we were back on the road.

By the third hour, Wes and I were belting out song lyrics, singing old throwback songs.

By the fourth hour, we were just driving in a comfortable silence.

"Hey," Wes glanced at me for a second. "You're okay with all this, right?"

My eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "Of course I am, Wes. Why wouldn't I be?"

Wes bit down on his lip for a moment, pausing. "I don't know. I just don't want all this to be thrown on you. It can't be easier lying to your whole family and I know you might still be... getting over Nate. So I just don't want all this to be too much for you."

The concern Wes had along with the way he looked out for me made my whole stomach flutter with butterflies.

I smiled warmly, peering at him. "It's not like that at all, Wes. I'm relieved that I have you by my side right now."

Wes exhaled deeply. "Good. So am I."