3Days
By Mattat Salmon
28/9/2021
A lonely girl ends up on a three day road trip with her colorful neighbor.
The long drive gives her plenty of time to see what would happen if she
decided to be braver like her fearless driver.
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Chapter 1
Mocha paced back and forth in the small, cozy, and cinnamon scented room she called her own, as she listened to her mother on the other end of the line.
“You know I wouldn’t miss it Ma! I’ll see you soon okay… Alright love you… bye.” Once her mother hung up, she dropped the cheerful facade and let out a groan of distress as her phone slipped out her hand and landed with a thud on the brown woven carpet.
Every year her family would gather with her in her hometown to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday, and she’d never missed it once in her twenty-one years of living. This year however, she’d been so busy with uni and her new tutoring gig, that she’d completely forgotten to save up for a plane ticket to her hometown in Milan 2000 miles away.
“How am I gonna get there now?” She whined, collapsing onto her soft unmade bed. Her beloved golden labrador Boston, raised his head from his own plush pumpkin bed in the corner of the room to stare at her in concern.
Even if she did have the money for a ticket, what would she do with Boston? He’d been much smaller last time when they went by plane. Granted she did have a handful of friends in the city, but most of them didn’t have the space for her furry companion to stay for long.
She stayed like this for the rest of the afternoon, trying her hardest to brainstorm ideas on the floor of her room; which didn’t get her very far. So when it came time for Boston’s evening walk, she was more than grateful for the breath of fresh air.
They strolled around their quiet neighborhood in a comfortable silence; taking in the tall, old buildings of deep browns and pale grays. Many of which are older than the city itself.
The cool winds danced around the pair, scattering piles of leaf litter from last year’s fall. Calling Boston to sniff at every dark, wet leaf that flew their way. Meanwhile Mocha paid more attention to the strings of soft lights that hung from the long bare branches of the tall sycamore tree that stood beside her favorite café, which was closing up for the day.
She always wondered how the older owner managed to put them all up themself. She too had a small bare tree in her back garden, but she didn’t have the guts to stand on her rusty ladder and decorate it herself. She wondered once again what life would look like if only she were a little braver.
As they came to the end of their walk, Mocha’s worries came back to her as if they’d been waiting on the doorstep of her old, red brick house. She heaved a sigh as they neared the overgrown patch of grass that was her front garden.
“Excuse me? Miss lady?” Mocha looked up from fiddling with her keys and glanced around to see who wanted her attention.
A moment later she recognised her neighbor sitting atop their bright red car. She didn’t see this neighbor as often as the older woman on the other side, but when she did, the shorter girl was always doing something strange.
Ameena Johnson had only moved in a while ago, but from the looks of the pile of luggage in her doorway she may be leaving just as quickly. In all honesty the bright and colorful girl looked very out of place in such a slow, muted neighborhood. Yet she never seemed to care much about the stares she often received.
Ameena smiled when Mocha’s eyes fixed on her and gave a little wave before sliding off her vehicle and skipping over.
“Hi there, are you busy at the moment?” She asked, her dark lips curving upwards with her hopeful tone. Mocha smiled back politely and gave a small shake of her head, curious as to what this girl with glowing dark brown skin and black braids dotted with charms wanted from her.
“Thank goodness! You see, I kinda need to get all my stuff into my car, but I may have packed so much that I can’t do it alone…” Ameena explained sheepishly.
“Could you be so kind as to give me a hand?” She pleaded, pressing her small palms together in prayer as Mocha’s gaze flickered from the girl’s face to the heavy looking luggage.
As much as Mocha wanted to retreat back into her warm little home, the request sounded like a good distraction from the troubles waiting by her doorway. Troubles she didn’t feel brave enough to face yet. Hence how she found herself nodding and letting Boston into the house, before following the girl back to her car.
“Thank you so much! I promise it’ll be quick!” Ameena beamed, opening her trunk and leading Mocha back to the pile of bags. Together they lifted the overflowing bags and loaded them into the waiting car. When they only had a few left, Mocha wasn’t able to hide her curiosity and asked where the girl was going.
“Well my current mission is to drive to Milton in three days for my cousin’s wedding and finish this book before I get there.” Ameena replied, chuckling to herself as she added the second part. Mocha’s eyes widened at the mention of her hometown; she didn’t own a license so she’d never even considered driving back.
“Three days huh? Is that all?” She murmured, mostly to herself.
“Yup, I know that sounds like a lot of fuel, but it still works out cheaper than an overpriced plane, coach or train ticket. Plus the obvious bonus of adventure.” Ameena explained, finally pulling the trunk door shut.
“How about you? What are you doing with your week?” Ameena asked, leaning back on her car so she could face the taller. Mocha tilted her head a little in frustration, as her mind crossed off driving from her list of possibilities, because of how expensive coach passes were at this time.
“Just trying to figure out how to get to Milton with no money…” she sighed, rubbing her eyes and fixing her round glasses. At this news Ameena looked her over for a moment before nodding to herself.
“Why don’t you come with me?” She suggested, another excited grin appearing on her cat-like face. Apon Mocha’s confused expression she carried on, “All you’d need to pay for is some fuel and a cheap hotel room or two, then we’d both be off to Milton together!”
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Chapter 2
Looking up at the cloudy purple sky of the spring evening, Mocha weighed out the pros and cons of traveling with the woman she barely knew. She’d never driven for three days straight before, but if they left soon she’d be on time for the party, and it was definitely the cheapest option by far.
As for driving with a stranger; from what Mocha had seen, Ameena was quite playful and looked harmless, so she didn’t think it’d be too dangerous.
“Maybe it’s finally time to be a little braver? Just this once for Grandma.” The annoying voice in her head pointed out. With the picture of her cheerful grandmother in her mind, she turned back to her neighbor and took a deep breath before replying.
“Thank you for the offer, I’d be extremely grateful for the ride.” She smiled nervously, as Ameena pumped her fist in the air and did a little excited dance.
“And I’ll be very happy for the company!” The girl shot back, checking her bright pink watch and walking back to her door.
“Only catch is, we’re leaving tomorrow morning. So I’d get packing if I were you!” She called over her shoulder as Mocha followed her slowly and looked up in surprise at the news.
“Okay I’ll be ready.” Mocha gulped, before running back to her house to be greeted by a hungry Boston.
“Sorry for the wait Bud, I was just..” she trailed off when she remembered that she’d forgotten to ask Ameena if her golden friend could join them!
“One second.” She muttered, pulling her worn boots back on and dashing back over to her neighbors door. The owner appeared soon after the doorbell rang and blinked at her in confusion.
“Sorry but I kinda forgot to mention that I have a big dog with nowhere to stay if I leave..” Mocha explained, looking away in embarrassment. Ameena chuckled and nodded, “Mhm I saw them earlier, but I don’t see why they come too?” She shrugged, “Unless they hate cars.”
Mocha sighed in relief, “He usually doesn’t mind, thanks again. I promise he’s super friendly and chill.” She smiled, about to leave when Ameena called her back.
“Wait, I need your number!” Mocha turned again and the two exchanged numbers. Only then could Mocha hurry back to her house and start packing frantically. While she was at it she decided to call her sister to tell her about the expedition.
“Are you crazy?! Driving for three days with a total stranger!!! What if you disappear?! Or get stranded?” Her sister exclaimed through the phone, while Mocha stuffed some clothes and necessities into an old burnt orange backpack.
“She’s not a total stranger, I kinda know her..” Mocha murmured when her sister paused for breath between her rant.
“Still! You don’t know what she could be capable of!” Maple fired back, clearly not impressed with her sister’s judgment.
“I know I know! But Boston will be with us, so I’ll be fine okay!” Mocha snapped, growing tired of the nagging and feeling increasingly uncomfortable at how her sister was only voicing her own doubts. But it was too late to go back now.
“I guess this is what I get for being a little braver.” She thought grudgingly, as she bickered with her sister a while longer and hung up once she’d finished packing for both Boston and herself.
When her head finally hit the pillow, she expected her worries to bubble up again and trouble her sleep like they usually do. Instead she was met with a calm silence that soothed her into a restful slumber.
The next morning Mocha arose to the sound of her ringtone. Expecting it to be her sister, she picked up without a second thought and mumbled a sleepy greeting. Her eyes flew open a second later when she heard the voice of her neighbor greeting her on the other end of the line.
“Um yeah? Hi? Can I help you?” She stuttered, doing her best to clear the morning strain from her voice.
“Sorry if I woke you, just letting you know that I’d like to leave in about an hour. Is that okay?” Ameena reported, obviously well awake by now; despite it being 7am. Mocha hummed in agreement and was grateful when the latter hung up.
She never did understand morning people, being a night owl herself. She soon found herself in a sitting position and peered out her window. The dark, gray clouds of the previous day had been replaced by the soft pinks and blue of the morning. The pretty sight brought a hopeful half-smile to her round lips; maybe this trip would actually be okay.
With this thought she finally got up and rushed to get ready to leave; Brushing out her tiny blonde curls, washing her fudge brown face and pulling on a large pale mustard sweater and jeans. By the time 8am rolled around she’d even managed to get herself somewhat excited for the day ahead.
She was shifting from one foot to the other as she waited for Boston to finish his breakfast, when she heard the chime of her doorbell behind her. As expected, Ameena was stood on her doorstep in her usual excited smile, a bright red tank, soft pink zip up hoodie and mint green joggers, asking if the two were ready.
“Uh.. nearly. I was just waiting for Bos to finish.” Mocha replied, glancing back at her hungry friend.
“No problem, who would mind waiting for such a handsome pup hm?” Ameena giggled, leaning against the doorframe as she waited. A moment later Boston finally finished his meal, looking up to find the two watching him and padded over to receive pats from the stranger.
“Alrighty let’s go!” Ameena cheered, motioning for them to follow her back to her car that was waiting for them in her small driveway. She owned a sturdy five seater that looked like it would survive the long journey, so at least they wouldn’t have to worry about breaking down. Since she was only bringing her backpack and another bag for Boston she set them on the floor near her feet when Ameena opened the passengers door for her.
“Don’t worry I cleaned this whole place up just for you guys, so feel free to get comfy.” Ameena sang, as she hopped into the driver’s seat and fastened her seat belt. She’d set up a thick blanket in the backseat for Boston who lay with his tail wagging in excitement.
Mocha looked out the window as they started driving; by then the sun had risen higher and wispy, white clouds floated across the pale blue sky. To her surprise they drove into the city center as opposed to away from it. She turned to the driver and gave her a questioning stare.
“Just making a quick stop for a shake, don’t worry. I may have forgotten breakfast today.” Ameena explained calmly, having felt the look. Mocha nodded in understanding, remembering the piece of toast she’d managed to finish that morning.
“Want anything?” Ameena offered as she got up and grabbed her strawberry-shaped purse, after pulling up at a small cafe.
“Peanut butter milkshake please.” Mocha requested, to which the shorter nodded and skipped into the building. As she waited, Mocha glanced around the car.
She’d never seen one so decorated before and admired the wheel cover made with rainbow coloured threads; the little figurine characters on the dashboard that bobbed around on their stands; the glove compartment covered in cute stickers; the handful of bright beaded charms and the lemon scented air freshener card that looked like a cup of lemonade, hanging from the rear view mirror. If the decorations could tell you anything about the owner, then Ameena loved bright colors, animals, fruits, video games, frogs and DIY projects.
Just as she was examining a sticker of a duck holding a knife, Ameena bounced back into the car and handed her the milkshake of her choice.
“There you go, hope you didn’t miss me too much.” The girl chuckled, taking a sip of her own tropical shake before placing it in a cup holder and starting the engine.
With that they were finally off! On a three day road trip and new adventure. At least that’s how Mocha tried to narrate it. However she’d already fallen into her first dilemma of the journey. Her bookworm self would have loved to pull out her current read and immerse herself in the new story, or take out her laptop and finish her last writing assignment for uni.
The only problem being, Ameena had been so nice to her thus far and Mocha didn’t want to repay her by ignoring her the whole time. She wished she’d be able to launch into an interesting conversation or do something to make it less awkward, but being an introvert came with pros and cons; shyness being one of the cons in her case. As usual she wished to be just that little bit braver.
Thankfully her driver filled their awkward silence by turning on the radio and humming along.
“So, for the next three days we’re pretty much stuck with each other right? So let’s get to know each other huh?” Ameena suggested once they’d arrived on the highway. To the girl’s delight, Mocha replied with a simple “Sure.” as she admired the many cute charms dangling from the shorters long dark braids.
“Okay! Let’s start with some formal introductions. Hi I’m Ameena Johnson, nice to meet you. I’m 21, my pronouns are she/her, my sun sign is Aries, I love adventure and am a proud lesbian. What about you?” The girl stated confidently, giving her a quick glance once she’d finished.
Mocha stared at her in surprise, not expecting such an introduction and needing some time to calm her social anxiety and think of her reply.
“Uh Hi I’m Mocha Kerr.. I’m 23, my pronouns are she/her, m-my sign is Taurus, I like reading and I-I’m Bi?” Although most of her answer sounded like a question, she was somewhat proud of herself for sharing it anyways. Ameena nodded as she listened and turned down the music to hear her easier; which Mocha appreciated.
“Ooo~ I already have a bunch of questions, but what about Boston?” Ameena questioned, a small smirk playing on her lips. Mocha raised a brow at the request, but soon understood and grinned to herself as she looked back at the dog in question; who was enjoying the wind sweeping through the window with his eyes closed.
“Hi there! My name is Boston. I sometimes go by Bos, my pronouns are he/him, I like walks, sleeping, food and windy days.” She answered for her companion, giving him the slow, deep voice of her uncle in Milton. Ameena bit back a chuckle and nodded just as intently as she’d done for Mocha.
“Very nice to meet you both. Who knew I had such cool neighbors?” Ameena marveled, turning up the music again as the car went quiet.
“Oh I almost forgot- what kinda books do you read?” She inquired, glancing at Mocha who’d picked up her phone out of habit.
“Oh um.. fantasy mostly.” Mocha mumbled, rubbing a hand over the short blonde fluff that was her hair.
“I see~ that’s cool!” Ameena stated, “I also like reading, though personally I prefer a good mystery.” She grinned. Mocha tilted her head and nodded silently, surprised to find the latter was also a reader.
And so the two continued slowly getting to know each other throughout the rest of the drive. It was a lot more socializing than Mocha was used to, but admiring the lush fields of green as they sped past during their breaks in conversation, and her driver’s friendly attitude was enough to make it bearable.
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Chapter 3
The spring winds became colder and the blue sky darker as night fell. Reminding Mocha they’d need to find somewhere to stay until the morning. Ameena must’ve had the same thoughts, seeing as she’d stopped talking and was looking around for the next rest stop. They drove on for another hour or two until they finally spotted a stop with a petrol station, a convenience store and a small hotel. Ameena let out a sigh of relief as they parked up at the hotel.
The two silently made their way to the front desk and managed to secure a room to share. Thankfully the place didn’t look bad and their room was the last available so Mocha was less concerned about disappearing. However her relief was short-lived when she realized that she’d have to share a room with the shorter.
What if Ameena wanted to stay up and talk the whole time? Or she got annoyed for whatever reason and snapped at her? Or she has bad sleeping habits? Or she herself wasn’t able to sleep at all in the new place? While Mocha was worrying, Ameena had gone to shower; leaving her to take the opportunity to finish some uni work while she waited for the girl’s turn.
It wasn’t long until Ameena came out in fluffy red Pjs and her braids tucked into a bright pink bonnet, but thankfully she only offered a quiet goodnight before climbing into her bed on the other side of the room.
Once Mocha had finished her work she looked up to find her roommate sound asleep. She took a quick shower and came back to lay in her bed, not expecting to fall asleep for a while thanks to her insomnia. This led to a considerable amount of tossing and turning until Ameena sat up across from her.
“You okay?” The shorter whispered, rubbing her eyes and gazing over at her. Mocha turned over to face her with a guilty frown, “Yeah I’m okay, sorry for waking you”.
“Can’t sleep?” Ameena questioned after a moment, earning a small nod from her roommate. “Want me to sing you a lullaby?”
Mocha stared back in confusion after hearing the offer, not sure if the girl was joking or not. “I mean you don’t need to.” she shrugged, but Ameena shook her head and smiled.
“Don’t worry it’s no problem, I swear it works.” Ameena hummed, sitting up a little straighter, clearing her throat and closing her eyes as she began to sing. Mocha’s eyes widened in surprise when she heard the soft notes drifting from the girl’s lips as she sang. Hoping this worked, she closed her eyes again and listened to the honey laced lyrics floating through the air until she finally fell into a peaceful dreamscape.
The next morning Mocha woke up to a warm, heavy weight on her chest. She managed to open her eyes and was greeted immediately by Boston who’d been asleep at the foot of her bed.
“Morning Bos.” She mumbled, her voice deeper with sleep. She stretched out as much as she could under the furry mound on her stomach, and sat up to look around. For a moment she wasn’t sure where she was, then she caught sight of Ameena sitting on her bed and remembered the song from last night.
The girl seemed to be in the middle of adorning her braids with a handful of charms and ribbon when she caught Mocha staring at her.
“Hey sleepyhead, rest well?” She inquired, shuffling around to face .
“Yeah I did, thanks for the song.” Mocha responded, rubbing her eyes and reaching for her glasses as Ameena smiled and went back to her hair.
“Like I said, don’t mention it.” She hummed, before going quiet for a moment.
“So.. breakfast time?” She suggested, seeming to forget that Mocha had only just woken up.
“Sure, I’m just gonna wash up.” Mocha nodded, gently pushing her golden friend off her lap so she could get up.
“Good idea, we can find something in that convenience place next door after.” Ameena decided, nodding to herself as her roommate disappeared into the bathroom.
A few hours later they were back on the road again with the wind whistling through the open windows and cheerful music playing from the speaker. This morning Ameena was content to sing along with the radio and talk to Boston while Mocha watched the cJohn and texted Maple. Once she’d managed to convince her sister that she was safe and well, she put her phone down and sighed.
“So you like reading huh?” Ameena asked suddenly, sounding like she was up to something as she smiled at the road ahead of her.
“Um yes?” Mocha replied, not knowing what to expect.
“Well you see, I just so happen to be part of this book club; and we have to finish this book before next week. So if today is Wednesday, I have four days right?” Ameena explained, to which Mocha hummed to show she was listening.
“Which is fine, but I can’t exactly read while driving and I only started the book a few days ago..” With all the girls’ pauses, Mocha had no idea where this was going.
“Soo would you mind reading the book to me while we drive? It’s a mystery story, but with magic and stuff so you might like it.” Ameena finally requested, glancing at her hopefully.
Mocha tilted her head in thought and eventually decided it couldn’t be that bad. She’d never read anything longer than a page of poetry aloud before, which was scary enough, but if she’d been brave so far she might as well keep going right? It was just reading after all, which would erase the need for any awkward conversation.
“Okay sure where is it?” She replied, looking back at her driver who beamed in excitement.
“Yes thank you so much! It’s right here.” She cheered, passing over a thick white hardback book with a stone rose on the cover, and a title written in an attractive cursive that read “Stone Cold”.
Curious, she turned the book over and read the blurb that told her the story was about the unfortunate souls that had been turned to stone by an unknown being. Nodding in approval, Mocha found Ameena’s blue tie dyed bookmark in the second page and smiled in amusement as she cleared her throat and started reading.
Although she wouldn’t have chosen the book herself, she quickly became immersed in the story as she read aloud to her companions who listened intently. For the first time during the trip she felt confident and comfortable as she enjoyed the story with her friends.
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Chapter 4
After four hours of driving, Ameena announced that she needed to stretch her legs. Mocha hummed in agreement, expecting them to find another rest stop so she could get some snacks. So when Ameena turned off the highway and into a smaller country road, she looked around in confusion.
“Uh where are we?” She asked slowly, taking in their surroundings. The archway of trees with leaves just starting to sprout, the rolling fields of new grass on the other side of the trees and the rough old road that seemed to go on forever ahead of them.
“Not sure actually, but don’t worry we won’t stay too long.” Ameena assured her, hopping out of the car and stretching her arms above her head with a Johnsond sigh as she stood on the grassy strip between the road and the trees.
Mocha shrugged and looked back at Boston who was trying to open his door to join Ameena outside. She got up and let him out cautiously, as much as she trusted her old friend, she wasn’t sure how he’d react to the new open space. To her relief Boston shook out his sandy coat and sniffed around the patch of grass Ameena was now laying on.
The clouds had covered the cold windy sky since that morning, but as Mocha walked closer to her companions they parted enough for the weak sunlight to fall through the mostly bare branches of the trees and onto the trio.
She had to admit it felt much more refreshing than standing awkwardly at a fuel station, as she sat on the cool grass beside Ameena. Who was humming a tune and watching the clouds, turned to look at her when she sat down and rose to a sitting position with her.
“Isn’t this nice?” She sighed happily, placing a small purple wild flower on Mocha’s knee. Mocha picked up the delicate bloom and twirled it between her fingers before smiling back at the girl beside her. Before she could reply they heard the sound of grass rustling behind them. When both girls turned around, Mocha’s eyes widened as she caught sight of Boston tearing off through the trees and into the next field!
“Bos? Bos wait!” She yelled frantically, jumping up and running in the same direction as the golden blur.
The wind whistled in her ears as she called after the bounding labrador who she could now see was chasing after a squirrel.
“Boston! Here now!” She commanded sternly, remembering his training and stopping to stand still at a fence. At this Boston slowed his pace and looked back at her pleadingly, then proceeded to hang his head and lope back to her when her expression remained firm. Mocha sighed in relief and continued to beckon him over, giving him a hug when he finally reached her.
“Jeez that boy is fast!” Ameena panted from behind her, making Mocha stand up and turn to her in shock.
“I- Why are you here?” She asked, fear building up in her chest as her eyes darted from the girl in front of her to the trees behind them and back.
“To help catch Boston?” Ameena replied, confused at the question.
“What about the car?” Mocha whispered, trying to keep the terror out of her voice as Ameena’s jaw dropped in understanding. Just like that the two sprinted back to the trees with Boston following them excitedly, stopping to pant in front of the car.
“Tada~ still here!” Ameena cheered, patting the roof of the red vehicle and turning back to the others. Mocha rolled her eyes and bent over to catch her breath.
“Huh, imagine if it got stolen or something.” Ameena carried on in a curious tone, mostly to herself it seemed. Mocha shook her head and straightened up, while Ameena wasn’t bothered she was on the verge of a panic attack just at the thought. Ameena seemed to notice she was still upset and came to stand in front of her, tapping her shoulder. Mocha blinked at her in confusion and mumbled a small “Yeah?” as the girl smiled.
“Look, the cars here and we’re both fine, remember?” Ameena reminded her calmly, pointing at their ride. Hearing those words, Mocha was able to nod and control her racing heart.
“Ready to go?” Ameena asked gently, showing her the keys dangling from her hand.
“Yeah let’s go, come on Bos.” Mocha agreed, gesturing for the dog to follow her into the car with Ameena walking behind them.
Half an hour of driving later Ameena pulled away from the highway again and proceeded down a small road that led to a country park.
“What now?” Mocha all but snapped, still in a bad mood after the earlier incident. Ameena raised a brow at her change of tone, but didn’t comment on it as she parked in the busy car park.
“Lunch break.” She replied cheerfully, pointing across the park to a small food place. Mocha’s eyes lit up at the sight of cooked food and she was at Ameena’s side with Boston on a leash moments later. The shorter chuckled and led them to the small takeout place. Not long after they both left the hut with heaped nachos and freshly made muffins.
As they looked around for a place to sit Ameena explained that she’d found this place the day before and that the park was famous for its food and ducks. The pair soon found a clear space on a cool grassy hill covered in tiny buttercups and tall daffodils.
Mocha put out some lunch for Boston to interest himself in, before opening up her own rich meal and tucking in. Ameena finished first and started playing with the small sunny flowers while Mocha munched on her muffin contently.
The park was stunning, with its tall trees, long grass and spring flowers. She would have liked to stay longer but they’d need to get going eventually. When she looked over at her companions, she found Ameena had just crowned Boston with a ring of buttercups.
Such a sight was too cute not to capture, so Mocha quickly took out her phone and asked Ameena to smile for a photo. So the girl wrapped her arm around the happy pooch and grinned as Mocha took the picture and showed them.
“This is so pretty, how’d you make it?” She marveled, admiring the ring of sunshine on her dog.
“It’s very easy actually. Come I’ll show you.” Ameena offered, inviting Mocha closer and passing her some flowers. The two spent much longer than expected playing around with flowers and talking about the book they were reading, while Boston lounged around in the sun beside them. By midday Ameena checked the time and gasped in surprise.
“Ohmygosh we should probably get back on the road- ” She exclaimed, making Mocha chuckle and stand up.
“Yeah I told you that earlier.” Mocha chuckled, stretching her arms and picking up Boston’s lead while Ameena tried to remember being reminded. Before long they were back on the road and Mocha carried on reading their book for the rest of the day.
As they drove into the night, it became later and later as the moon rose into the sky and they couldn’t find a single hotel. Mocha was becoming anxious about where they’d spend their last night, but Ameena carried on humming along to the radio and eventually pulled over next to a petrol station.
“I guess we’re staying here tonight.” The shorter announced sleepily, locking the doors and tying her hair up. Mocha looked around frantically then back at her driver.
“Here? What if we get killed?” She demanded nervously as she watched the crazy girl climb into the back and push the seats down to create a makeshift mattress.
“I mean if you think about it, you could get killed anywhere.” Ameena shrugged, “And if we do, at least it’ll be caught on the station’s cameras.” She added more helpfully.
Mocha closed her eyes and cursed herself for not being more prepared; when she opened her eyes again Boston was in the driver’s seat and Ameena was laying blankets over the seats for them.
“Come on, give it a try.” The girl called, moving to lay on one side of the “bed”. Mocha heaved a sigh and climbed back to sit on the surprisingly comfortable backseat.
“It’s not bad.” She admitted when Ameena looked at her expectantly.
The latter smiled in satisfaction and kicked off her shoes, before slipping under the blankets. Although she was still most definitely sure this was a terrible idea, Mocha did the same after taking off her jewelry and double checking the doors were locked.
When she finally let her head touch the makeshift pillow, which was in fact her rolled up jumper, she now had to decide between sleeping comfortably without her glasses or being able to see if anything happened. Too busy zoning out that she didn’t realize she was staring at Ameena or that the girl was also staring back.
“Mocha?” The girl in question blinked back to reality when she heard her name and felt her hand being tapped.
“Scared?” Ameena questioned quietly, earning yet another small nod from the taller.
“Want another song?” She asked after a moment of thought. As much as Mocha was embarrassed about being scared again, she truly enjoyed the last song she’d heard from the girl so she nodded again. Ameena smiled and turned onto her back.
“Alright if you insist, but this time it’ll cost you.” She hummed, looking out the tinted window.
“What will it cost?” Mocha frowned, trying to stop her mind from wandering back to what could be outside.
“Just your hand.” Ameena shrugged, reaching her own hand out in question and laughing softly at the girl’s confused expression.
“Music might help you when you’re afraid, but contact is more helpful for me.” She confessed, looking a little less confident for once.
Mocha hummed in understanding and extended her hand out for the girl to take. It was a little awkward at first, but she was happy to be able to repay her and Ameena thanked her gratefully.
With her hand in Mocha’s larger one Ameena finally started singing. It was a different song than last time, but it was just as sweet and about the moon over fields. The shorter painted a picture of cold winds rustling the long grass, a sky of deep blue hues, fireflies dancing in the dark, moorland animals tucked away in bed and a little girl that lay staring at the stars.
As she sang about the stars she beckoned Mocha closer and pointed out her window. So Mocha carefully slipped away from Boston who was snoring by her feet and lay closer the shorter. Close enough to peer through the same window and see the same view as her friend.
Just like in the song the cloudy day had ended in a clear night where the stars could shine brightly beside the moon. Mocha was finally able to breathe a sigh of contentment as she relaxed her head onto the rolled towel that was now Ameena’s pillow.
The shorter continued to sing her song about the brave girl watching the stars as she traced circles in Mochas palm. In this comfortable state, Mocha was able to fall asleep quickly where she was. Ameena eventually ran out of words and grew tired of herself, removing her friends’ glasses and placing them in a safety compartment before resting her head against the girls and falling into the realm of her dreams.
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Chapter 5
Mocha was awoken the next morning, by the feeling of something small and metal on her cheek. She picked it up with eyes half open and found that it was a small honey bee charm on the end of a black braid, presumably Ameenas, but if that’s the case did the girl roll into her during the night? Mocha wondered as she stretched her legs out under the covers.
When she was finally awake enough to open her eyes fully she realized that Ameena was fast asleep right beside her, with her head resting in the crook of her neck and her braids free from their band and splayed over her shoulders and the unraveled towel they’d been using as a pillow.
Heat immediately rose to Mocha’s cheeks and she brushed the girl’s hair away from her face and slowly pulled herself away, trying not to wake the shorter. Once she was sitting on her original side she shook her head and lay back down on the cold blankets, turning to look at Ameena again. The girl was rubbing her eyes as if just waking up.
Only then Mocha realized how blurry her vision was and looked around for her glasses.
“Looking for these?” Ameena yawned, passing the object to the flustered girl.
“See, we’re still alive!” She cheered sleepily, once Mocha could see again.
“What did I tell ya? We’re totally fine and there are some decent looking toilets right over there. I’ll be right back.” She continued, giving her face a quick pat and slipping her shoes back on. Mocha smiled a little and rolled her eyes, grabbing a water bottle and her bathroom stuff to freshen up just outside the car.
Half way through brushing her teeth Boston finally woke up and pawed the window to be let out. Mocha felt sorry for cooping him up in the car the whole time as she let him out to do his business. By the time she was finished Ameena was returning with a bag of pastries.
“Bon appétit!” She grinned, passing Mocha her breakfast after she’d put out food for Boston. The three of them sat outside eating and watched the sun rise as the rush hour started on the road.
A little later they returned to the road themselves. Listening to the wind and reading as much of the book as they could until they needed a break for emotional reasons. It soon sunk in that they were finally coming to the end of their journey when Mocha started seeing signs leading to her hometown.
It had been an interesting trip and it turns out a lot can happen outside your comfort zone, which wasn’t as hard as she thought it’d be. Now that it was ending she wasn’t sure she wanted it to. As much as she loved her family, they’d all expect her to socialize with everyone nonstop for hours on end; which was usually pretty stressful.
She was excited to see everyone nonetheless and before she knew it they had arrived in her hometown of Milton. It was a relatively quiet town in one of the many suburbs in the state of StoneHeath.
“Wow this place hasn’t changed at all…” Ameena sighed, Mocha wasn’t sure if the girl’s tone was weighed with nostalgia or resentment, but she couldn’t disagree. The same sand-coloured houses stood where they always had, the parks just as well kept as she remembered and small clusters of teenagers gathered around the skateparks and convenience stores in the same way as before.
“So you grew up here?” Ameena wondered aJohnsond after a while, glancing at her curiously.
“Yeah.. you?” Mocha replied, forgetting why Ameena even wanted to come. “Kinda.” She shrugged, as if it were a time she would’ve liked to forget.
“It wasn’t bad, but the kids did nothing but judge me for being different the whole time and I definitely didn’t fit in.” She explained, nonchalant as if her wound had already healed.
Mocha hummed in understanding, when she was young she’d been a quiet kid no-one spoke to. However she’d very much preferred it that way and had a pretty enjoyable childhood with her family and imaginary friend.
Understandably, the two girls had very different stories to tell about their childhood memories. Yet Mocha thoroughly enjoyed hearing Ameena’s point of view and the girl seemed to feel the same when it was Mocha’s turn to share.
Though unfortunately their town wasn’t all that big and they arrived at Mocha’s grandmother’s large white house. Everything was quiet from here, but Mocha knew there were likely six people talking at once inside while they prepared for the party the next day. From what she’d been told, her sister and cousins had already arrived.
“Is this it?” Ameena questioned, rolling down the window when she caught her friend staring at the house. “Yeah.. this is my stop.” Mocha murmured in reply, lifting her bags from her feet and stepping out of the car after they pulled over.
Ameena helped Boston out the back and chuckled when the gold blur flew to the door and jumped up to ring the bell. Mocha smiled at her clever dog, then turned back to Ameena who was leaning against the now empty passenger side of her bright red car that had taken them so far.
“Thank you so much for the ride, I had a great time.” Mocha told her, still reluctant to let the girl leave.
“Really? You looked scared the whole time!” Ameena teased playfully, making them laugh.
“Maybe, but you helped me finally be a little braver for once.” Mocha pointed out truthfully, as Ameena shook her head in mock disbelief. She looked like she wanted to say more, but they were interrupted by Maple calling Mocha from the open doorway.
“You’re finally here? Come in and help me!” Her sister yelled impatiently. Mocha rolled her eyes and smiled apologetically at her companion.
“I guess I’ll see you later then?” She asked, knowing her sister had promised to pay for her plane ticket back and Ameena would probably drive home alone.
“Mhm I’ll see ya back home.” Ameena nodded, opening her arms for a hug. Mocha smiled and gave the girl a short, tight embrace.
“Drive safe!” She called after her colorful friend, as the girl drove away and around a corner.
As Ameena disappeared, Mocha lifted her head and gazed at the horizon. She looked back on her trip while taking in the soft peachy sunset. She decided that from then on, she’d keep choosing to be braver. Maybe then, she’d have more adventures like this one. Adventures and experiences she’d never forget.
Her reminiscent mood was ruined when Maple appeared in the doorway again to yell at her. Boston ran out when the door opened and looked around for the red car before dashing to her side. Mocha shouted back at her sister and made her way to the house with Boston.
“Don’t worry Bos, maybe we’ll go for a ride again another time.” She assured him, before they became lost in the crowd of family members preparing for the party.
That night Mocha was having trouble sleeping as usual. This time she was staying in one of her grandmother’s spare rooms; watching the gentle rain fall against her window. Her empty mind wandered back to Ameena and the girl’s song and sweet lyrics drifted into her ears. She found herself humming about the night, the stars and the girl with hair full of charms.
The End
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I hope you enjoyed this short story.
Comments rating this story from 5 are greatly appreciated!