It was rather peculiar but then again he’d always been a rather peculiar guy so it was of no concern to me.
I hopped into my seat as he started up the engine, the windows tinted so dark you’d think it was nighttime outside. I stirred in my seat and he glanced over at me pressing a button next to the wheel and the bottom of my seat lifted up—admittedly, I was a bit startled. I took off my shoes and lifted my feet up onto the seat in satisfaction, snuggling them up close to me, my socks on the leather.
He remembered. I always did this in cars. It was a silent gesture but it radiated waves within me.
“So…” I said, trying my best to turn on the AC. “Where are we going first?”
“To train.” There was a sly twinkle in his eye.
“Excuse me?” I sat up only to be snapped backwards by my seatbelt.
“You heard me. You didn’t think I’d put you straight on the ice did you?” he countered, and my jaw was on the floor.
What the hell did I just sign myself up for?
“Oh!” I swallowed hard. “So where are we going first?”
“Well you need to strengthen your leg muscles so we’re going hiking,” he explained as he drove away from campus, barely making eye contact with me anymore.
“Ha! I didn’t bring any boots,” I refuted just as my gaze met the North Face box at my feet. “You did not…”
“Oh, but I did,” he affirmed, and my mouth hung open in surprise.
“Where are we going?”
“Breakneck Ridge.”
“You’ve been in New York for five minutes, how the heck did you find a hiking trail anyways?”
“Your brother,” he remarked, and I immediately knew then that Cahya would always be my mortal enemy.
“He can barely walk to Times Square!” I folded my arms.
I pulled out my phone and texted the group chat.
ME: Send forth your sincerest thoughts and prayers.
REMI: Uh oh…turn on your live location
SYDNEY: WHAT HAPPENED? Are you about to be in a true crime documentary?
ME: worse.
REMI: You’re scaring me
ME: I’m being taken on a hike
SYDNEY: Oh friend you’re so on your own.
REMI: Thoughts and prayers. Don’t get lost in the mountains xx
“You didn’t have to go out of your way to buy me new boots,” I scolded as I unboxed them—they had white bows at the back too.
“I did not,” he corrected me. “I simply requested them from the store, I’m still promoting for North Face, remember?”
“I don’t keep track of all your brand deals Mr Social Media Influencer,” I teased him and I could tell that comment irked him a bit.
“I don’t even have anything like that on my phone, it’s all managed by my manager,” he said. “I just think of it as an honour if any brands I like want to work with me.”
