Page 62 of Crash & Burn

“I’m going to get some gas and then go inside to get some snacks. Do you want anything?”

She shakes her head.

“Do you need to use the restroom?” I try again, more so just to hear her voice.

She shakes her head again.

Damn it.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

I climb out of the car and shut the door, locking the car behind me, and the rush of fresh summer air gives me a second to clear my head. I get the gas pumping before heading inside, looking over my shoulder to see Mia is still in the car. She is leaning her head back on the headrest, and she looks deep in thought.

I would do absolutely anything to read her mind, more now than ever.

Did I read our interactions wrong?

Was I reading into things too much?

Either way, I spent the ride thinking that Mia is in my life to stay. Mateo and I are best friends, so she isn’t going anywhere. And I don’t want her to. I may want more than friendship with her, but I’m not even in a place to think about that, and it was stupid of me to assume she felt the same way.

As I walk into the gas station and cruise through the candy aisle, I come to my conclusion. If I can’t have Mia the way I want to, I will settle for being her friend.

But, how do I tell her that?

I decide to start with a peace offering. She said she didn’t want anything, but on the trip here, Mateo got her a Kit Kat, some kind of sour candy, and a Diet Coke.

And the more I get to know Mia, the more I have learned that the way to get through to her is remembering the little details.

I learned that lesson for the first time by bringing the iced coffee to her apartment, and sheismy favorite thing to look at, so I keep all my observations about her hidden away to pull out when necessary.

Like today.

I grab the candy bar and a few snacks for me, and then I head to the fridge to get a bottle of Diet Coke. I glance out the window to check on Mia, and then head to the checkout counter to pay for the snacks and the gas when I see she is in the same spot that I left her.

After I pay for everything, I head back to the car, peace offering in hand, and slip back into the driver’s seat. Mia is facing the passenger side window, obviously still ignoring me.

Joke is on her.

When I set my mind to something, I don’t give up.

“I got you something,” I say. Her headphones aren’t on anymore, so I know she can hear me. She still doesn’t turn my way, but I see a slight shift in her shoulders.

I reach into the plastic bag on my lap, and the shuffling of the plastic grabs her attention and she glances my way before looking back out the window.

“No, thanks,” she says, and I feel like I just won the lottery because I just heard her voice.

“C’mon now. You don’t even know what I got you.” Her body turns away from the window and back to the front, with her feet up on the dash, her arms are still crossed, but that is progress.

Like a predator trying to capture their prey, I’m careful not to scare her away. I lure her in just a little more, hoping she takes the bait. I pull out the bottle of Diet Coke I got her, and I put it in the cup holder on her side. She looks at it, but she doesn’t reach for it.

“I’m good,” she says.

“You don’t think that’s all, do you, sunshine?” I take the king-sized Kit Kat out of the bag and hold it up for her to see.

Now I got her.

Her eyes widen in the slightest way, and I refuse to acknowledge how ridiculous this is because I am having way too much fun to care.

---