We Can't Forget Last Summer

The last time I made this same exact drive, I was a bitter, bitchy, and angry nineteen year old. To say I wasn't happy was completely an understatement. The last time I made this drive, I sat next to my now best friend. This time around, I'm also sitting next to a best friend of mine.

The last time I had made this drive I was scared. I didn't know what the world would bring me. I didn't know how I would survive. I wouldn't have admit it, but I was more scared than anything. I was angry because I was sad. I was ashamed at what I had done. I didn't mean to punch that girl. My anger just got the best of me. I knew that I should have made the decision to go to college, but I needed to do something to piss off my parents.

I knew I shouldn't have done a lot of things, but my horrid temper got the best of me.

But this time around, a cloud raining freedom hovered over me. I could breathe properly and smile as I looked out the window. I sang along to the music Rod was playing (although not as loudly as he was singing), and I could look forward to what was going to happen.

"WHEN YOU LEFT I LOST A PART OF ME, IT'S STILL SO HARD TO BELIEVE, COME BACK BABY PLEASE BECAUSE WE BELONG TOGETHA!" Rod sang at the top of his lungs, raising his head high.

"Oh my fucking god, shut up!" I laughed.

He had been doing this for about an hour now. Sunlight was dawning on us as we cruised down the empty highway. I opened the window to let in some fresh air, but Rod immediately yelled at me.

"CLOSE THAT FUCKING THING!" He hissed.

"You need to calm down."

"YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN."

I sucked in a breath, shaking my head and holding back laughter. "Some one has been driving for a little too long."

"Too many cups of coffee- I'm telling ya."

We had made many different stops and each time Rod got a new cup of coffee. If someone were to ask me how many he drank in total, I wouldn't be able to tell them.

"Here it is! Look!" Rod pointed ahead as we neared the "Welcome to Tempe" sign.

I sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh my god," I muttered, "we're here."

Rod peered over at me, a twinkle in his eyes and a light smile across his lips. "We're here."

I let out a light laugh, although I'm not quite sure why. I furrowed my brow and shook my head as we passed the sign. "I'd never thought I'd come back here."

"Well, it's decision time. Where are we going?"

I licked my lips and looked out the window, clicking my tongue. "Carter."

"You sure he won't mind?"

I shrugged. "Nah."

Rod raised his eyebrows and let out a heavy breath. "I haven't seen Carter in god knows how long."

I gazed out the window to my right, taking in the desert and vast scenery. There was something so wonderful and exciting about the plains of sand and dirt. Nothing was special to it aside from the fact that to me, it was home.

"Don't worry about Carter. He'll understand."

"Maybe you should call him? Ya know..... so we don't show up when he's getting it on with someone."

"Oh please- don't make me throw up." I gagged as Rod chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows. "But, yeah, I'll call him right now."

"It's a lil' early, don't you think."

I rolled my eyes, frustrated. "What do you want me to do then?"

He shook his head. "Call him!"

"With pleasure!" I pulled out my phone and searched through my contacts until I reached my brother's number. I sucked in a sharp breath. "I haven't talked to him in awhile."

This time around, Rod was the one to roll his crystal blue eyes. "Call your fucking brother, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I muttered under my breath. "I'm on it."

Carter picked up on the fourth ring, his voice groggy and crackling as he murmured out a, "Hello?"

"Hey Carter!" I sang cheerfully and nervously.

I could hear the hesitation his his voice as he cleared his throat. It was like he suddenly woke up. "Carson?"

"Yep- it's me!"

"Okay...." He trailed off, "what's going on?"

I shrugged although he couldn't see me. I watched as Rod stared at me with a concerned expression.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm coming back to Arizona."

"Oh. Oh. What? Really?"

"Yeah. I know it's sudden, but you know."

I could practically picture him shaking his head and furrowing his brow. "No, I don't know. I thought you had a good thing going back at home."

"Well, not really," I let out a nervous chuckle. "I'll explain it to you later."

"Alright. When are you planning on leaving?"

Next to me, Rod snorted loudly and shook his head. He sucked in a breath and looked forward, waiting for my next move.

"I actually just arrived!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Me and Rod left last night."

"Wait, what?" He was clearly confused. " Rod? Who? What are you talking about?"

"You know, Rodney Asbern. You used to be-"

"On little league together. I remember."

I let out a light laugh. "Yes! Of course you remember him," I turned and gave Rod a reassuring nod. 'well, we left last night and basically just passed the welcome to Tempe sign."

"Why are you with him? Is he like, your boyfriend now or something?"

I left a heavy breath. "No, we're just friends."

Once again, next to me, Rod snorted loudly.

"Anyway, I was wondering if we could possibly-"

Carter finished my thought. "Crash here?"

"Only if you're okay with it."

There was a long, uncomfortable pause before my brother breathed out loudly. "What are you doing Carson?"

"I'm coming back to Arizona."

"Why?"

"Because I was miserable back in Nevada."

"You can't just uproot your entire life like that."

"Look Carter," Something boiled inside of me. "we just need a place to crash until we can find our own apartment. In fact, if there is one cheap enough we might get one in your complex. That's it. Three days tops. I promise."

"That's not what I care about. Of course I want you to stay here and you're always welcome to crash here when you need help. What I'm concerned about is the fact of the matter is, I believe you haven't planned this out thoroughly enough."

"I have enough money to get by on rent from working at the firm. The hard part is finding a job."

"I thought you were just an intern."

I let in a breath. "I started picking up extra hours and doing more than what was required of me. So they paid me."

"Oh, okay. Anyway, just please don't rush into this."

"I have a plan. I think."

Carter groaned and muttered something under his breath. "When will you guys be here?"

"Five minutes."

"Jesus christ."

"Sorry." I apologized, cringing to myself.

After exchanging farewells for the time being, my brother and I hung up the phone. I helped Carter with the directions to the apartment complex and before it even registered in my mind, we were pulling into the parking lot.

"This is it?" Rod asked, parking the car and taking in the building that was so familiar to me.

I nodded my head dimly, my eyes examining the structure and regaining memories or being carried up the stairs, running down those stairs, running out of this exact lot. Sucking in a breath I turned to my friend. "Shall we?"

The morning glow from the sun peaked over the mountains and plains in the distance. I squinted as I walked towards the trunk and popped it open, pulling out a bag. The early morning air was only fresh here in Arizona. It wasn't like this in Nevada.

We trudged up the stairs and down the hallway. As I approached Carter's apartment, I couldn't help it as my eyes carefully scanned the next door. Whether John was home or not, I knew gazing at his apartment wasn't going to do anything. Either way, curiosity was a bitch and it left me wondering.

Three knocks. Three quiet, yet stubborn knocks were all it took for my brother's door to come flying open, exposing him rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"G'mornin."

"Morning." I muttered under my breath as I stumbled into the apartment, out of breath. I dropped my bags and looked around the place. Still the same mess as I left it last.

"Rodney," Carter slapped Rod on the back, grinning. "haven't seen you in awhile."

Rod nodded his head and pursed his lips. He glanced around the apartment before he allowed his eyes to meet with my brother's once again. "Yes. It has been quite some time," Rod then bit his lip and leaned forward. "Actually, it's Rod- if you don't mind. In sixth grade I determined the name 'Rodney' sorta sounded like a cartoon mouse."

"Oh, sorry."

"No harsh feelings." Rod grinned, picking up his bags, then looking around once again. He placed his bags back on the ground upon realizing he had nowhere to go.

"I hope you don't mind this." He scratched the back of his head. "We don't mean to be intruding."

Carter clicked his tongue and backed away from us, walking into the kitchen. "Not a problem. Everyone needs a helping hand at some point, right?"

"Right." I mumbled under my breath and walked into the kitchen. "Where should we stay?"

"I have a room across from mine with two twin beds in there. You guys can crash in there if you'd like."

"That's fine."

Rod and I picked up our bags and walked down the hallway. When we found the room and discovered how small the beds were we both looked at each with a grin.

"Dear god, I think I had this bed when I was five." Rod walked forward and sat down. "Why does he even have these?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He's weird."

"My feet are going to stick out!"

I rolled my eyes. "We shouldn't complain. This is what we got until we can get our own place."

Rod sucked in a breath and nodded his head. "You're right."

A silence crept over us as we both sat down on ours beds and took in the gloomy, depressing room. I huffed and kicked off my shoes. "I suppose this isn't too bad, anyway."

"Of course you'd say that." Rod smirked, a glow in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes this time and lied back on his bed. He placed his arms behind his head and let out a content breath. "Oh please, Carson. You're beyond ecstatic right now."

"And why would you make that accusation?"

"For starters, you're back in Arizona- the place you continued to whine and bitch about since.. well seems like forever. And second, are you ready for the second?" His crooked smile crept upon his lips yet again.

"I guess....." I hesitated- slightly scared and unsure what to make of the whole thing.

"Second," He started then knocked on the wall next to him with his knuckle, " right on the other side of this wall is the love of your life."