Long Rides

We spent the next 2 mornings later at a diner in a rest area. The diner was pretty wicked, I must say. I was the only girl in the table right now. Across me there was Alex, Caleb, and Zack. I was sitting between Kent and Austin. My best friends were with the other else.

“Do you and your friends have a group name?” Kent asked as the waitress placed a plate of waffle in front of him. “I mean like, a band name or something to call yourselves? I know you guys aren’t a band, but do you?”

I stopped chewing my blueberry pancake for a while, thinking. I swallowed and answered, “Yeah – I think it’s At the Moment.” I continued eating my pancake.

“Why?” Austin asked.

I shrugged as I was slicing the pancake. “Maybe because we’re travelers…? I dunno.”

“Tell me about yourself, Athe,” Caleb said and I smiled at him. “Do – or did you go to college, why did you move to California… or starting off with the basics?”

I placed down my fork and knife. “My full name is Atheria Retroaldi Greeme and I’m actually from Italy but I was born in New Orleans so I can’t speak Italian at all. I just turned 19 this May and I celebrated it in…” I thought for a moment. “I think it was in Mexico,” I giggled. “I met those crazy guys—“ I pointed my thumb towards my friends. “—When I was in junior high. Vincent and I were friends, Verion was his neighbor, and Arne…” I paused. “I don’t know how he got in the group.

“Anyway, I love the color green.” I then pointed the green part of my hair. “I don’t really like it when people call me Athe, but they said Atheria was too long so, fine. My closet was filled with mostly summer dresses and t-shirts and oh, sneakers!” I grinned, making them smile. “But seeing that I travel a lot, I don’t really have a closet.” I shrugged and Austin giggled. I gave him a freaked-out stare before continuing, “I have a younger brother and he’s 15. He’s basically an ass and I’m sure he’s happy that I’m not home.”

“What, why?” Alex asked.

“We fight all the time. Besides, our parents always think that he’s the right one – the innocent one. Doodleberg,” I muttered.

“Doodleberg?!” Austin shouted before he burst into laughter. “What the heck!”

“I made it up,” I grinned. “A brand-new cussing word made by Atheria Greeme,” I said proudly.

“You freak,” Kent said.

“Like you don’t,” Caleb replied. “I think you’re freak-er than her, Kent. Remember when you walked around in the bus wearing your boxers on your head? Yeah.”

“I remember that one!” Zack exclaimed and laughed.

“You freak,” I said to Kent, grinning.

“You both are freaks,” Caleb responded.

“Shut up, Caleb,” I laughed, throwing a fry from Austin’s plate, hitting him square in the face. The table burst into laughter.

He didn’t get me back, he just smiled at me and I smiled back. The others didn’t seem to notice because they were laughing hysterically.

“Can we talk?” Caleb asked.

“Sure,” I said and stood up, following him outside the bus. I put my hands inside my hoodie’s pocket. It was 5.25 PM and it was cold. “Soo…” I said.

“About last night…” he began. “It wasn’t just a kiss, Atheria. I really meant it.”

I stared at him. Okay, I wasn’t expecting this. He was a rockstar and he liked me? A traveler that he met in a free way?

“I know we just met a few days ago, but I really like you. Would you like to be my girlfriend, Atheria?” he asked; his eyes were pleading.

He liked me?! God. Atheria, think. I liked him too, but I was traumatic to have a relationship… He hurt me.

“Caleb…” I said, “I like you too—“ His face brightened. “—But I’m not ready for a relationship yet.” His face fell. “BUT that doesn’t mean I don’t want to date you – it’s just… I’m not ready yet.”

“Okay,” he said, looking down at his shoes.

“We can start off as friends, and when I’m ready…” I trailed off.

His head shot up and he was smiling widely. “Okay, sure! Can I call you Athe first?”

I flinched when he said ‘Athe’. I actually hated it when people call me Athe but my friends kept calling me that, so…

“I mean, Vincent, Verion, and Arne are calling you Athe and I think that’s because you four are best friends,” he explained, “But if you don’t want to that’s okay.”

“No, it’s alright. You can call me that, as long as you don’t let other people call me that.”

“It’s cool, then.”

“Yup. And it’s getting a little bit freezing here, is it?”

“Let’s get inside,” he laughed and we went back into the bus.