Over the weekend leading up to our trip, Mai and I begged, borrowed, and used our parent’s credit card sparingly to put together a set of ramshackle camping equipment. Mai wasn’t allowed to spend any of her graduation money on our escapade, and I didn’t have any source of income other than my allowance, which was a joke.
My contribution was to compile snacks and canned goods from our cabinets. My mom was a bulk buyer, so I was able to secure most of the food we’d need for the trip. I also made a playlist of Neil Young songs for the car ride. Seth hated Neil Young, and Mitchell loved him, so it felt fitting. Included on the playlist was the song “Albuquerque,” which was going to be our first stopping point. Neil really understood the expanse of the North American West.
The first day of our trip we coasted on the rush of being away from our parents like real adults. I asked Mai about Columbia and what classes she wanted to take and what her life goals were. I wanted to catch up, and I also knew that keeping her talking meant that I wouldn’t have to.
We drove all day long and checked in at a Best Western off Interstate 40. We wanted to spend as much time as possible in the Grand Canyon National Park. After a dinner of enchiladas for Mai and huevos rancheros for me, we were laid out on our respective beds moaning in discomfort because we’d both overeaten when Mai said to me, “I let you get a pass today, but don’t think you’re going to get through a whole week with me without talking about yourself.”
I rolled onto my side and gave her the stink eye. “Who says I was looking for a pass?”
“Because you’re so interested in the mysteries of biochemistry, right?” she said smartly.
I smiled. It was refreshing to get caught at my own games. “I can’t believe you had so much to say. I was having trouble staying awake. I actually timed you.”
She threw her lumpy, musty hotel pillow at my gut. “You did not.”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket, ignoring the texts from Seth asking me where I was and when he’d see me again. I pulled up my stopwatch and showed it to her.
“Hiroku Hayashi, how could you?”
I laughed harder than I had in a long time. “Twenty-seven minutes, Mai. That’s got to be a record.”
She giggled and shook her head. “Yeah, well, it’s your turn tomorrow. We’ve got nothing but time.”
I felt a roiling sensation in my gut; it wasn’t the food’s fault.
After that, we watched an old black-and-white John Wayne movie that was playing on cable television—Mai loved westerns. And cowboys. And horses. I liked violence and tough-talking men. She’d been driving for almost twelve hours, so she passed out pretty early. When I knew she was asleep, I walked outside to the breezeway of our hotel room and called Seth. Not that I owed him anything, but I didn’t want him to worry about me or freak out because I wasn’t texting him back.
“Where are you?” he asked almost immediately.
“I’m taking a road trip with Mai.”
Silence for a beat and then, “Where to?”
“The Grand Canyon.”
“How Americana,” he said with a touch of sarcasm. “When will you be back?”
I dug my toe into a crack in the concrete. “I don’t know. A week or so.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”
Because we’re not together.
“I guess it just didn’t come up.” The only thing that had come up lately between us was our dicks right before we went at it, and then I slunk away, feeling part used, part user.
“Are you ever going to get over this?” Seth asked somewhat impatiently.
That’s what I’m trying to do on this trip.Get over you.I didn’t tell him that though. I didn’t go out of my way to hurt his feelings, but I didn’t want to lie to him either.
“I don’t know if I can, Seth.”
Another pause. A grumbling sigh. “So, what then? You’re just going to come over when you want to fuck? Then skip town without even telling me where you’re going? Not answer my texts? Leave me sitting here with my dick in my hand.”
I was sure he could find someone to occupy his dick if he really wanted. I thought it, but I didn’t say it, because I didn’t want to encourage him in his escapades.
“Mai’s leaving for Columbia at the end of summer,” I told him. “She suggested this road trip as a way for us to hang before she leaves.”
“She wanted to get you away from me.” That possessive edge to his voice, razor sharp.
