Old Places, Same Faces

I watched the buildings rush by in a blur out the car window on the way to Aunt Joyce’s house from the airport. Finally getting up enough courage to ask the anticipated question I turned to face my Aunt,

“Aunt Joyce?”

She kept her eyes on the road, “Hm?”

I wrung my hands and swallowed hard, “Do you remember Nate Morella?”

Her face scrunched up in thought, “Molly’s boy right?”

“Yeah, um is He still here?” My voice involuntarily sounded meek now.

Her face softened and she smiled, “I’m pretty sure, why?”

I shrugged and strained out a laugh, “Just wondering.”

My eyes focused on the moving scenery and my ears listened to the tune of Elvis Costello’s voice on the oldies station, but my mind wandered to the thought of seeing Nate again. What if He hates me? What if I hate Him? What if I end up loving Him again and end up just getting hurt? Why do I even care? It was a long time ago, we both have probably matured enough to get over it and be friends. I felt like such a pathetic loser for even thinking about the subject but it just kept popping back into my confused head. My eyes closed as I tried to drown out my thoughts to The Cures ‘Friday I’m In Love’, which didn’t help my situation at all. Finally I drifted off to sleep with Nate Morella as the only thing on my mind, yeah, I was hooked.

The car violently jolted to a stop and my body lurched forward waking me up in a very distressed state of panic,

“Holy Crap!” I brushed the stray hairs from my face and looked around making sure everything was intact.

“Sorry! I wasn’t paying attention, oops.” My Aunt confessed sheepishly.

“Well, now I know where I attained my fantastic driving abilities.” I replied sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes and opened her door to step out, “Ready?”

“We’re here? Already?” I asked surprised

“Yeah, You slept for most of the way and plus it’s not that far from the airport.”

I let out a sigh and grabbed my carryon bag from the backseat and stepped out. My eyes were greeted by a building that I was positive wasn’t Aunt Joyce’s little house but instead what appeared to be a restaurant, family owned by the looks of it,

“What’s this?” I asked confused

She smiled an ‘up to no good’ kind of smile and answered innocently, “While you were zonked out I decided to call up Molly and arranged for everyone to meet up here to see you.”

I think I would have been a bit more stoked if I didn’t look like something the dog threw up with jetlag and that Nate might be there, everything good happens to me right?

“Leave your stuff in the car and look a little happy okay?”

I let out a tired sigh and chucked my bag back in the car then ran my hands through my messy hair, “Fine.” I said as I gave the phoniest grin imaginable.

“Perfect, come on then.” She demanded as she grabbed my arm dragging me to the entrance door.

“Yeah, perfect.” I mumbled under my breath.