Page 29 of Wherever You Are

“I’m not.”

“You’re honest.”

He pauses.

“You make me feel safe.”

He looks up at me, and the air tightens between us. Garrison extends his arm over the back of my seat, but he never drops it to my shoulders. He just keeps it there for a second, staring intently, thinking hard.

“Are you sure?” he asks.

“I’m sure.” We’re both trying to find our place in the world, at the same time. Sometimes it feels like we’re floating, and we’re not sure which way to land or if we even can. Before I ask if he wants to come in, his phone buzzes.

I notice the Caller ID saysMitchell.I think that’s one of his brothers.

“I should take this. He’s been calling me all night.”

I get the hint, and I open the car door. Just as I close it, he rolls down the window and ducks his head so he can see me on the curb.

“Season six,” he says, “want to watch it together next weekend? My house.”

ASupernaturalmarathon with Garrison Abbey. His favorite show. At his house. The first invite I’ve ever gotten there.

“Definitely.”

7BACK THEN – November

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

GARRISON ABBEY

Age 18

Mom:Happy 18thBirthday! Do you want anything special for dinner tonight?

Ibriefly look up from my cellphone. On a Sunday afternoon, the mall is packed with families. Babies cry in their strollers, and parents holler at wandering toddlers. I loiter next to a retro arcade called Galactica Arcadia and text my mom a simple reply.

Something like:I don’t want anything for my birthday. Don’t worry about it. I already have plans for tonight.

I basically just told my mom that my plans don’t include her—which they don’t. Guilt should strike me. My mom isnice.

Nice but completely…I shake my head, not wanting to touch any of this. Not wanting to spell out any more words relating to my parents.

While I wait for a certain someone to show up, I log into Tumblr and start digging through Willow’s latest questionnaire. She tagged me in one, and I promised Willow the answers if she bobbed for apples during Halloween.

More than anything, I’m curious what questions she actually wants me to answer. It’s different than the first one. Here, she’s actively choosing which questionnaire I’ll fill out. Whereas the first one, there was no initial intention that some guy from Philly would appear and ask for her username and yada, yada, whatever.

The past is already written, isn’t it?

So here I am. In a noisy mall, filling out the new questionnaire with one hand stuffed in my leather jacket, the other gripping my cellphone.

Rules:Complete the form by answering each section truthfully. Once you’ve finished, tag other users to complete the task. Begin by sourcing the person who tagged you.

I source Willow using her new Tumblr account name:@vegablaze33. Here we go…

Name:Garrison (It’s an alright name, I guess.)

Age:18 and surprisingly still alive