Cops and Robbers
six
Hope.
One thing after another. First we get into the motel, only to have the electricity go out. My hair smells smoky and my face feels heavy, and, fuck, I just want to take a shower. It’s so hard growing up with a mother like mine and not being at least slightly high maintenance. It’s just that you learn to expect some things. Like power, for gods sake.
As I sit on the waxy floral duvet, Jeremy says that he needs to go outside to smoke. I don’t say anything. I just press my fingers to my temple and try the breathing exercises that Hannah taught me at summer camp three years ago. I can never completely clear my mind though so I decide to go to that trashy diner that I saw coming in to get some water, as I'm not going to get any here.
On the way down the drafty staircase I think of ways to convince Jeremy to leave sooner rather than later. My heels click on the tile floor. I don't have any ideas.
"Jesus! Watch where you're going!" and before I even know it I am tripping out the door, eyes glued to Jeremy's car, hissing at some boy who just plowed me over.
Jeremy is chuckling, cigarette dangling from his lips.
"This isn't funny," I say. "We should leave."
"You," he says, pointing at me, words muffled by the cigarette, "Have no sense of adventure."
And he thinks that this is clever. And I take that as a no and open the car to grab a bottle of water instead of having to get a grimy cup filled with tap water at that diner. I pick up my bag and start to walk back inside.
"What are you doing?" Jeremy tosses his cigarette to the ground and steps on it.
"I'm going to sleep. But tomorrow, we are leaving."
One thing after another. First we get into the motel, only to have the electricity go out. My hair smells smoky and my face feels heavy, and, fuck, I just want to take a shower. It’s so hard growing up with a mother like mine and not being at least slightly high maintenance. It’s just that you learn to expect some things. Like power, for gods sake.
As I sit on the waxy floral duvet, Jeremy says that he needs to go outside to smoke. I don’t say anything. I just press my fingers to my temple and try the breathing exercises that Hannah taught me at summer camp three years ago. I can never completely clear my mind though so I decide to go to that trashy diner that I saw coming in to get some water, as I'm not going to get any here.
On the way down the drafty staircase I think of ways to convince Jeremy to leave sooner rather than later. My heels click on the tile floor. I don't have any ideas.
"Jesus! Watch where you're going!" and before I even know it I am tripping out the door, eyes glued to Jeremy's car, hissing at some boy who just plowed me over.
Jeremy is chuckling, cigarette dangling from his lips.
"This isn't funny," I say. "We should leave."
"You," he says, pointing at me, words muffled by the cigarette, "Have no sense of adventure."
And he thinks that this is clever. And I take that as a no and open the car to grab a bottle of water instead of having to get a grimy cup filled with tap water at that diner. I pick up my bag and start to walk back inside.
"What are you doing?" Jeremy tosses his cigarette to the ground and steps on it.
"I'm going to sleep. But tomorrow, we are leaving."