We Need To Talk

                                    

                                          
                            CHAPTER THREE 
Outside, the world was settling into its evening shades. Colors of peach and champagne stained the sky's blue palette. Summer was slowly moving in, just like it did every year. 
But for some reason, watching the warmth clean up the mess that winter left behind always felt new. 
I could feel the heat burning through the fabric of my gown as I raced to the end of the driveway. The beat-up sedan that was there waiting for me looked like an abstract piece of art in this neighborhood.
The rap music blasting from the speakers wasn't doing it any favors either. 
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" The driver asked, and the melody dissipated as I opened the door. 
"Sorry, Nathan, I woke up late." I placed my graduation cap in the seat before ducking beneath the car's silver frame. 
Not even a full second passed between me shutting the door and the car flying in reverse. I watched through the window as the yellow house and its forest of trees quickly grew smaller behind us.
That was until the music grew louder again, I turned back and watched as the passenger seat moved the dial back up ever so slightly. 
"Graduation doesn't even start until eight," she said, her red hair swaying at her shoulders, just before the music swallowed up all other sounds. 
"Avery." Nathan, the driver, paused as he pushed the dial back down. "I already told you. It's a twenty-minute drive to the institution, but there's going to be traffic. So we need time to get up there." 
"And I'm going to have to find a parking spot," he continued. "Plus, I still have to get gas!" 
We were all dressed for the occasion. Both Nathan and Avery completed their best dress clothes the same way I had, with a shimmering red graduation gown. 
I almost felt excited for a moment. Almost. 
Avery had nothing to say in response. I wondered if last night's liquor was still punishing her like it was me. But that didn't seem to be the case. "Did you see this?" 
My eyes struggled at first to adjust to the bright light on my face. But once they did, I was confused. 
The details provided were scarce. In the top right corner, written in neon purple letters, was an address that specified where to park any vehicles and how far one would have to walk to reach the field. While the words written diagonally, rejoiced in a bonfire and jell-o shots. 
Creativity didn't appear to be the focal point of the invitation, but somehow, the large AFTER GRAD PARTY written in the center really tied the piteous design together.
"Yeah, I think Lydia was talking about it the other day." I said. "Does it say whose party it is?" I wasn't sure if Avery actually heard my response. She had already pulled the phone away from me and was analyzing the invitation herself. 
"I don't know. But we should go."' Slowly, like she were a predator hunting down its prey, Avery turned to face the driver. 
"No," Nathan's eyes never left the front of the car. The brakes slid to a smooth stop at a red light, and he moved a rectangular box to his mouth. 
"No, you don't want to go, or no, you won't take us?"Avery was persistent, her features scrunched in disgust while her hands swatted at the vapor that now surrounded them.
"Are you serious?" 
The car was moving again. And Nathan chuckled at his own rhetorical question. "After she threw up in my car last night?" His hand left the steering wheel to motion toward me in the back seat. 
"I spent a half an hour this morning scrubbing it out, by the way, Faith. So thanks for that."
I knew he was talking to me. But there was something else settling in, and this something else was relentless. I couldn't blame this feeling on the liquor. 
It was paralyzing. I could hear as the conversation continued on without me. My body drifted further away from the silver car with each passing second. 
In my lap, my phone vibrated once, with one message and a one-word response. But it didn't matter if it were one word or every word known to man. 
I watched the words on my screen like they would somehow disappear. We need to talk. I had sent first, initiating the conversation with the unsaved number. In response, the anonymous person replied, When?
Suddenly, it wasn't summer anymore. The memories were crawling out of their hiding places, forcing the seasons to shift. Now, just my body was in the car, while my mind was in October. 
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