41 On Purpose

The ride to Coachella Valley was as awkward as it gets.

As usual, they didn't let me ride at the back of Bash's truck as I have already messed up all my future chances of ever touching even one tiny foot there again. It was just a one-time thing, but it never left their memories.

It was probably also to the fact that I had spouted a lot of nonsense to them who couldn't even remember who they were as I remembered them to be.

I spat at Bash and spoke a whole lot of crazy talk to someone who has no idea why I had been like that. Then again, he can't take it against me.

His face was the spitting image of William, but only a bit younger and wilder.

So going back to the present, I was seated at the front, shotgun again. Bash was driving his baby girl and the rest of the girls and boys were at the back having so much fun chatting and singing.

The two of us?

Cold as the arctic tundra.

To fill in the silence, Bash had turned on his radio and played anything that would come up. He didn't even bother with switching channels and just let whatever it was that began to play.

I had been sitting still and not minding him as I willed myself not to get distracted with his presence. There were a lot of things going around my head too as we had drove in the busy streets of Indio.

It hadn't even been about two days since I have met the blind seer and got from him clues as to why I was even brought into this world with my memories intact. Juno had shown herself about twice now and all she ever did was to confuse me more and more.

The spirit of the forest was a bit like Juno as well - cryptic and a whole lot of annoying.

But at least she had given some decent clues such as that I should remember Belinda's face for she was important part of Suzy's life. I could still remember the distinct features of the woman that had sold Suzy off to the townspeople of Shalem.

I have a feeling that I would be meeting her sooner or later. But I was unsure what I should do to avenge Suzy. Hopefully, Belinda was still the same lying evil wench that she was so that it wouldn't guilt me to make her pay her past's sins.

I was sure that Becky's past husband was the one that needed to pay for her untimely demise back in 1692. But I couldn't quite remember her husband's features.

I will just have to see what would come up in my dreams the next time. Perhaps just as I was able to see a glimpse of Sussanah Johnson's life, Rebecca's and Alice's life would come to me and shed light to my uncertainties.

HOOOOOONK!

I suddenly snapped out of my reverie as Bash had just blared his horn on a motorist who was beating the red light. It was a flash of brown blur and thankfully we didn't collide because of that driver's stupidity.

"Goddammit! Bastard!" Bash yelled as he slowly stepped on the gas again after he slammed his breaks to avoid the traffic offender.

The music that played in the radio switched from an upbeat song into one of a mellow and oddly sad one. A woman's voice began to sing and I caught myself listening intently to the lyrics of her beautiful melody.

'Softly, gently, I will let you down

Cause I don't love you in the same way now'

The song tugged at me like a distant memory that wasn't anymore. I leaned my head on my palm as I rested an arm on the window of the car door. The song continued off and I listened leisurely.

'So walk into the sun and watch me

Run into the rain

For you the future's easy

So don't weep, for me it's getting steep'

We were getting near now. I had heard from the girls talking excitedly that Coachella Valley had constructed a giant ferris wheel in the grounds of the event and that there were lots of new addition to the festivities aside from music performances.

Talk of the town was that after the previous years downs in economy due to a certain plague, the organizers had wanted the festival to be open for all young and old, and not just for the young adults and teens like us.

The towering giant ferris wheel can be seen looming over the horizon and every second of the trip made it seem closer and closer.

The song was still playing as I had gaped at the grandeur of the ferris wheel. The woman who was singing continued on.

'I loved you for exactly who you are

And I'd say you've come the nearest yet by far

And I can lie next to you, but I can't lie to you'

Just as the song was nearing its end, Bash turned it off and spoke, "I never liked that song. Too sad that lovers had to go on their separate ways."

There was that awkward silence yet again and I ignored him as I stared at the beautiful clear skies outside. Clouds were floating without much care for the people below them and they looked as if they bloomed as they moved along with the wind.

"Did you like the song?" I heard Bash ask out of the blue.

"Mm? The song on the radio? Yes, I liked it. What is the sense of staying when love can't be found anymore?" I replied nonchalantly.

Why was he being talkative all of a sudden? Was he drunk? I didn't see him drink beer during breakfast though the buffet did offer beer so early in the morning.

"I was asking about last night's song. The one we performed." Bash swerved the truck into a sharp left turn and continued off in a straight road ahead.

I thought about the song they had sung last night. What was I supposed to say about it?

"I don't know. It's half-decent." I shrugged. "It was - AAAH!"

I screamed as I wasn't able to prepare for Bash's sudden swerve of the truck. He had overtaken a trailer truck that was a tad bit slower than we were.

Bash smirked and I could feel my face flush in annoyance.

"Did you do that on purpose?" I fumed.

"Maybe. You did say the song I wrote was half-decent. I forgot to tell you my driving is just about the same as my skills in songwriting."

He flashed me his set of white perfectly even teeth and I couldn't help but want to strangle him.

So, he did do it on purpose!

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A/N:  Song Recommendation ---> Steep by Lauren Christy