more than just a road trip

Did I tell you about my trip to Westville? Driving alone for 3 hours?

I loved every second of it. It felt like an hour, tops. Maybe even that. I loved not feeling obligated to respond to messages, not having to really converse with anyone.

I loved it.

I drove my moms car, which is like mine only 4 years older.

I finally got to Charlotte's and we spent that night decorating her tree. Playing word games with her parents and our friend Kaitlin. Her mom made us hot cider and hot cocoa. We all sat on the floor, drinking out of little tea cups.

Charlotte and I drove to Eureka Springs - the most beautiful drive through the rocky hills of Arkansas. We went in all of the silly little hippie shops, talked about how the guy who owned Granny's Place had just lit up. But who are we to judge?

Really.

That night, Kaitlin came over again and we had a bonfire. We sat around with her parents and made smores, played word games again, and her parents went to bed. Their light went out. We kept going. We laughed so much, and Charlotte was zoned in on the fire. We sat indian style and it felt so nice to close your eyes and rock back and forth. It was so funny when we realized what we were doing. I kept laughing. I couldn't stop. We laid down on the dirty, grassy ground and when I opened my eyes, the fire was right in front of me. Dancing. We went inside and had to sneak up to her room to change, then snuck back down to watch Pineapple Express. The scenes are so long, did anyone else notice?

"I'm not here.

I'm really not here."

Falling asleep, we went up to Charlotte's room. Charlotte and I slept in her bed, I was next to the window like always. They washed their faces, did their normal nightly routine and I just laid there. Kaitlin slept on the air mattress that we had pushed under the bed the night before, in anticipation for this night.

The next day, we were nearly forced to go to a birthday get together for Charlotte's ex-boyfriend. Why not be a little absent? We stood in the cold by her garage, sat on her porch. It was such a pretty day. About 60 degrees at 11:30.

Who would've thought I'd be sitting snowed in two days later.

Wednesday came around and it was time to leave. Lunch with my grandmother and papaw, and I was back on the road.

Hit home around 5.

It's so good to be back.

I got home, went to my room and filled my empty book.