Back on Track

Chapter 3

Kinsley's POV

"I know you like being in control," Louisa mused a few hours later, once we'd entirely exhausted possible road trip games, as there were only so many times you could play I Spy or the license plate game before they became repetitive. "But if you want to have a bit of a break, I could always drive."

I shouldn't have been surprised by this, but for some reason I was. With the car now running smoothly, I hadn't even thought of switching spots with Louisa over the past couple of hours, and since she hadn't mentioned it, I'd taken the opportunity to relax behind the wheel.

But we were almost in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which meant that I'd been driving a majority of the day – more than six hours – and since we'd stopped at the garage, the sun was now starting to lower on the horizon.

"Yeah, if you're good to drive," I replied, glancing at a set of road signs as we passed them. "I think there's a rest stop in 20 miles. Did you want to stop there to eat and then we can switch?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "I just didn't want you to think that I was going to force you to drive the entire way or anything. We agreed that we'd both drive half, and seeing as you've driven the whole way so far, I thought I should take a turn."

My lips twitched upwards. "I don't mind. Plus, it'll give me a chance to relax and read a bit."

"And there's the little book nerd I know and love."

Shaking my head in amusement, I fazed out the laughter that spilled from her lips as I focused on driving my last stretch of road. Less than twenty minutes later, the signs for the rest stop began to appear more frequently, and once the exit was in sight, I turned on my signal light and pulled off the highway.

The two of us didn't waste a second once the car was in park, hopping out of the vehicle and joining the small crowd of travelers.

"Thank God," Louisa sighed, happiness shining in her eyes. "I'm starving."

I chuckled, hooking my thumb over my shoulder and towards the sandwich shop. "I'm just going to go grab a turkey sub. Do you want one, or...?"

She shook her head. "I think I'm just going to get a burger," she replied. "I'll meet you at the table."

Parting ways, I waited in the short line in front of the sandwich station, and once the worker passed my finished sub across the counter, I thanked her and located a free table near the window. Just as I sat down to unwrap my sandwich, my phone dinged and I pulled it out of my pocket to see a new text from my younger sister.

I hope you're having fun on your trip with Louisa! Take tons of pictures!

Miss you. <3

P.S. The professor I'm working under this summer let me hold the snake in her lab. :)

Attached was a picture of her, dressed in her safety gear and smiling widely at the camera as someone held a large snake around her shoulders. Grinning at the picture, I started to type a quick reply just as Louisa slid into the empty chair across from me.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, before a small smirk grew on her lips. "Did you take my advice and text Owen?"

"No," I said, narrowing my eyes momentarily as I pressed the send button and turned the phone around for her to see. "Just Maya."

"Wow." A short pause followed as Louisa's eyes grew wide at the sight of my little sister and the enlarged reptile. "I think she's lost her mind."

"No," I mused, "she's just a little more into science than we were in university."