Page 13 of Places We've Never Been

“Sure, here.” I passed her the book because like I’d told Willow and like I’d told Paisley, Skyler and I had just been friends. The book was full of strictly platonic notes that would prove that very thing.

Paisley started flipping pages.

In the front pocket of my backpack, along with all my supplies, sat Skyler’s charcoal pencil. It was lined with his bite marks from how he used to hold it between his teeth when he switched between his pencil and his blender. I wasn’t going to give it back now. It was mine.

“Does this say Norah Hutton?” Paisley asked, pointing and turning the book toward me. “You practiced signing our last name?”

“What?” My mind raced as I tried to remember signing my name as Norah Hutton. When had I ever done that?

“Flip the page,” came Skyler’s voice from across the way.

Paisley turned to the next page in the notebook and therein Skyler’s handwriting were the wordsSkyler Simonsover and over. “I don’t get it,” she said.

I didn’t remember, either, so now we were both staring at Skyler.

“We did a timed competition. You said your last name was harder to write than mine even though I have twot’s to cross and you only have oneito dot.”

“Your twot’s are next to each other, so that’s really like only having onet.”

“Yes, that was your argument.”

“Oh…it was?” I turned to the notebook. “Who won?”

“Well, my first name is longer.”

“So I won?”

His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Not fairly.”

I almost threw the pillow next to me at him in a teasing manner. It’s what I would’ve done when we were friends. But I hesitated and hugged it to my chest instead. I was quickly falling into the edited version of me, the personality I put on at school and parties. The personality I didn’t think I’d have to use on thistrip.

Paisley laughed. “Timemewriting both of your names.” She turned to the very back of the notebook, where there were several blank pages. I felt myself tense. I didn’t want her writing in our notebook. Maybe that was stupid of me but I suddenly felt protective of it. It represented a time I’d obviously never get back.

“We already crowned the winner, Paisley,” Skyler said. “No need for a retrial.”

Did he not want her writing in it either?

“Fine,” she said with a huff, then leaned against the wall and continued to browse through the pages.

I tried to catch his eye, but he was looking out the window. I was glad for the first real moment that proved his memory was intact, but it did nothing to ease the tension between us. The tension that existed because he thought I was madly in love with him. Ugh. Had he really gottenthatarrogant?

“Can I have some of your gummy worms?” Paisley asked, pointing to the open package on the bed between us.

“Yes, have at them.”

“Why is this place called Death Valley anyway?” Paisley asked, referring to our first overnight stop on the route. “Is it some sort of burial ground?”

“It’s really hot, I hear,” I said.

“So people die from the heat?”

“I’m not sure. Don’t worry, my mom will make us stop at the park’s visitors center. That can be our first question when we get there.”

“I’m sure they never get that question,” Skyler said.

“Oh, good. I was missing your sarcasm,” Paisley returned.

He smirked at her and I wanted to cry. I was surprised by my reaction and quickly looked away.