My Imaginary Boyfriend

My Imaginary Boyfriend *Early Christmas

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost."

I decide to leave my windows open. It's not every day when we go on a road trip. The last time was when I was probably eight or nine? When we went to the beach with the other kids.

There are times when I think about the Orphanage. What if I visit there one day? Would they recognize me? Do they even remember me?

"Annalise?" Caleb says, glancing at me sideways. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I answer. "Why?"

"You have a faraway look in your eyes."

"I'm not daydreaming!" I say defensively.

He chuckles. "Don't worry, I won't kiss you without your permission."

"As if I'll give you my permission!" I scoff.

A smile starts to play on the side of his mouth. "Why are you staring at my lips, then?"

"I'm not!"

I didn't even notice that I was watching him purse his lips.

"Wonder what they taste like?"

"Ew, Caleb!"

He bursts on to a full blown laughter, he almost loses control of the steering wheel. Fortunately, there are only few cars on the highway. I don't want to die yet.

"Sorry," he says amusedly. "I was just kidding."

I roll my eyes. "I know you are. But please, stop it with your lame jokes."

"Want to make it real?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

I punch his arm and he acts as if it hurts. "Be careful," he says. "I'm holding the wheel."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I decide to ignore him and watch the buildings we pass by instead.

Like Caleb said a while ago, it took us more than an hour to the place where he wanted to go.

He parks his car in a supervised parking lot. I don't even know where we are.

"Hugry?" he asks.

I shake my head. I'm actually still kind of full.

"I am," he says, scratching the back of his head. "Do you mind if we eat first?"

"Sure," I say with a shrug.

We go to a nearby pizza store just a couple of blocks away from where we parked his car.

Caleb orders an eight slice supreme meat pizza, and two sodas.

While we wait for the food, he tells me that he happened to come by this place a few weeks ago. He said he was bored at home, so he decided to drive around. He found something that reminded him of me; he was actually waiting for an opportunity to bring me here.

I'm about to ask what it was when the pizza arrives.

I know I said that I wasn't hungry, but the moment my eyes see the juiciness of the meat and the cheese that I know will melt in my mouth, I suddenly dig in.

I'm not embarrassed to say that I ate three slices. Caleb's kind of impressed. He gives me a thumb up when I take my last bite.

This is what full feels like.

After resting for a few minutes, we continue on our way.

There's something about going to an unfamiliar place, where no one knows who you are. Whatever you do, it will be forgotten the moment you leave. Maybe that's why people in their mid-twenties opt to travel a lot. Perhaps, to escape the reality.