Driving with Autumn is strangely peaceful.
Most people feel the need to fill silence with something.
Music.
Conversation.
Noise.
But Autumn, she just sits there quietly watching the ocean and the road like she's studying the world around her. Taking everything in.
The sky is fading into deep orange and purple as the sun sets behind the cliffs.
We're driving along the coast with the windows down and cool air rushing into the car.
Eventually she speaks.
"Where are we going?"
"Nowhere."
"Well that's extremely helpful."
"I just wanted to get out of town for a bit."
She glances at me. I can see the curiosity on her face.
"You do that a lot?"
"Sometimes." I shrug.
"Running away?"
I shake my head slightly.
"Escaping."
"From what?"
That's a dangerous question.
I keep my eyes on the road.
"Stuff." I wasn't ready yet to tell her everything.
She studies me carefully.
"You're very vague."
"On purpose."
"Why?"
Because if she knew some of the things about me, she might stop looking at me the way she does. And right now, I couldn't let that go.
It was selfish yes, but I just couldn't.
Instead I shrug.
"Because some things are complicated."
She leans her head against the window, watching the horizon.
"You're right about one thing."
"What's that?"
"You're definitely not simple."
I laugh quietly.
"Never claimed to be."
After a moment she says softly,
"Neither am I."
And for some reason, hearing that makes something shift inside my chest. I knew I was done for right there. She was it for me.