The broad smile Mark offers her sends a flare of discomfort straight through my chest. “You got it, little lady.”
The skin beneath her left eye twitches, and the sensation beneath my sternum intensifies. Bag in her lap, she settles against the window on the car’s back bench, and I take the seat beside her.
The engine revs to life. “It’s gonna be two hours until our first stop.”
I scoot across the leather, inhaling that tart cherry perfume Sofía always wears. “You should take a nap, little lady. Might make you less of a grumpy pants,” I tease, knowing it will press one of her buttons.
Her lips purse. Right on the mark.
“I will murder you,” she responds in a monotone voice.
Valuing my life, I slide back to my seat. “That escalated quickly,” I grumble.
I’m brainstorming a comeback to her murder threat—it’s a hard one to combat—when a granola bar breaks my train of thought. It wiggles in front of me, a perfectly manicured hand holding the offering.
“You haven’t eaten yet this morning,” she whispers.
“Oh, I forgot.” I scratch the nape of my neck, feeling sheepish. “Happens sometimes with my meds.”
“You like chocolate, right?” She flips the bar around to where it says double chocolate. “I got these in case you were ever hungry.”
I take the snack, a bit stunned, and rip into the wrapper.
“ADHD medication?” she asks, before immediately backtracking. “Sorry, that’s not my business.”
Seldom have I met someone as perceptive as Sofía. “It’s okay. You’re right, like always.”
“Well”—she pats her bag—“I always have snacks, if you need them.”
“Thanks.”
She ends the conversation with a yawn, digging her eye mask from her backpack and slipping it on. We’re twenty minutes into the ride when a heavy weight falls onto my shoulder. Sofía slumps against me, zonked out, mouth open as she gently snores. My arm is locked in place, bent at an uncomfortable angle. I try to wiggle my fingers, but she shifts, and I turn to stone, not wanting to wake her.
Needles prickle at my fingertips, and I know there’s only one solution to the problem: I’m going to have to stay still for the next two hours.
When we arrive in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, the sensation in my fingers or any portion of my arm below the elbow is gone. Sofía rustles, swiping the back of her hand against her mouth, removing most of the evidence that she drools while she sleeps, the tiny dots on my shirt the only remaining proof.
It’s a weird sensation having someone fall asleep on your shoulder. A duty to let them rest. An honor they feel safe enoughto fall asleep with you. A damn pain in the ass because my armhurts.
“Are we there?” Sofía asks, smoothing out her hair.
She doesn’t comment on her use of me as a human pillow, so I follow her lead. Maybe it’s not a big deal. That’s what I plan on telling myself until it’s true.
“You snore,” Molly says, spinning around in her seat, her chestnut hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.
Her smile is motherly, if a little teasing, and Doug coughs a laugh beside her.
The blood drains from my face as Sofía stiffens beside me. “No I don’t.” She jerks her head when I suppress a laugh. “I don’t snore,right?”
Does she want me to lie to her?
I glance at Doug for help, but he shrugs. What an unhelpful friend. Mateo wouldn’t answer a text in time to save me from this, so I guess I’m on my own here.
How to proceed?Truth or lie?
Turns out, if you’re silent long enough, you don’t even need to answer.
“I’m getting out of this car with you people,” Sofía mumbles, pushing past me, climbing over Molly, and leaping onto the gravel parking lot in front of the trailhead.
