I Will Wait For You

“Oh my gosh! I love this song! Turn it up!” Alexa yells from the passenger side. I reach over and turn up the music, as she starts singing. “She’s got a smile that it seems to me reminds me of childhood memories where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky!”

“Now and then when I see her face she takes me away to that special place and if I stared too long I’d probably break down and cry!” I take over singing, and then we both belt out the chorus. “Wo-oh-ah sweet child of mine! Wo-oh-oh-ah sweet child of mi-ine!” We sing along with the rest of the song, as it plays through.

“That song will forever be in my top ten favorites.” Alexa says, when the song finishes.

“Mine too.” I agree.

“Are we almost there?”

“Umm... fifty three more miles to go.” I say, glancing at my GPS.

“So almost an hour, then. I think I’m going to take a nap for the rest of the drive. I’m exhausted.” She says yawning.

“You can’t go to sleep on me, now. If you sleep, I’m liable to get bored, and fall asleep, too.”

“Well we don’t need that. Fine, I’ll stay up.”

“Aww, thanks.” I smile at her.

“So what did your mom say when you told her you were moving to Cali?”

“She’s okay with it, I guess. She doesn’t really express her emotions a lot, you know…”

“That’s Diane for you.”

“Yeah, I know. She didn’t seem fazed when I told her, she just acted as if I told her I was just moving down the block.”

“I’m sure she cares, she just doesn’t know how to express it.”

“I think that she thinks I’m making a mistake, but she’s too afraid to tell me.”

“That could be.”

“What did your mom say?”

“Well to quote her, she said, ‘There’s no way that you’ll be able to survive out there more than two weeks.’” She says, using finger quotations.

“She said that?”

“Yeah, you know my mom; she is just a worry-wart.”

“I’m sure you’ll prove her wrong.”

“Oh, I’m determined to.”

“I don’t know where you get all of your determination from.” I laugh.

“My father. It’s a curse, I know.” She laughs.

“I think it’s a blessing, rather than a curse. You know what you want in life, and you’re going after it.”

“I guess so… How did your dad take the news?”

“I haven’t told him yet.”

“Oh. Are you going to?”

“If I did, he’d just forget, anyway. I don’t see the point. Plus, he doesn’t call much, so I don’t either.”

“Lake…”

“I know what you’re going to say… that I should call him, talk to him, catch up, ask how he’s doing, make sure he’s taking his medication, seeing his doctor…”

“I just think you should tell him you’ve moved, that’s it.”

“I’ll think about it, after we find a place.”

“Okay.”

For the next forty-five minutes, the car is silent. Alexa just sits, and stares out the passenger window, admiring the sights, as I drive. When we finally arrive in Huntington Beach, Alexa turns her attention back to the front of the car.

“Wow. I can’t believe we’re here.” Her voice is filled with excitement.

I let my thoughts take me over, as I drive. I can’t believe we’re here either. I’ve never even been to California on a vacation, or even passed through the state at any point in my twenty-three years of living, and now I’m here to live, for good. Now, I’m wondering if this was such a good idea, after all.

“Lakyn!” Alexa screams at me, waking me from my thoughts. I direct my attention to her, and that’s when I see it.

A bus, headed right towards us.

I try to miss it, but it hits the back end of my car, sending us into the oncoming traffic. The car spins so that it’s now facing the direction from which the bus came, and comes to a stop. Just when I think everything is okay, Alexa is screaming again, her eyes widening, as she looks out my side of the car.

I start to turn my head, as I hear squealing breaks nearing us. Before I even have the chance to look out my window, another vehicle slams into us, this time on my side. My head slams into something, and pain sears through me. I feel myself quickly drifting into darkness, no matter how much I fight to stay awake.

I have to see Alexa.

I have to see her face.

I have to make sure she’s alive.

I have to…

Notes

Didn't think I'd be starting another story, so soon, but I had an idea and decided to run with it. Please comment what you think so far!
-Jacq