The fields of endless boredom passed by me in flashes of green and grey. The sky above was a perfect shade of light blue, but the landscape was as flat as paper around me, making the job of sitting in the passenger seat a very boring job.
"This sucks," I announced to the car, crossing my arms over my chest sourly.
"You suck," Karen said back automatically from the drivers seat.
I sniffed. "Do you think if I broke the car right now, it would stop you?"
Karen snorted and glanced towards me. "What are you going to do in the middle of the highway?"
"Blow the engine."
Karen grinned and looked over her shoulder to pass into a different lane. "Good luck with that Lydia."
"I could do it."
"Yeah sure."
"No seriously though, if the car just broke down what would you do?" I turned to look at her.
Karen glanced at me again, and sighed. She twisted her hands on the steering wheel and licked her lips like she was getting ready to start a really big speech. "I'm going to a different country, not another world Lyds."
I looked away from her and out towards the unchanging landscape. "Same difference."
"You can always call me. Or skype. That's a thing we can do now."
"I could do that anyways," I argued. "Now you're going to be an ocean away if I wanted to just come over and see you."
"It's only for a couple of months," Karen said patiently.
"Five months," I corrected, turning back to her.
Karen looked at me again and squeezed the left hand in my lap. "You'll be fine."
I sighed through my nose. She was right of course. I would be fine, but I still didn’t want her taking off for a semester in in London. Just... No. "I still don't like it."
"I'll be back before you graduate."
Yeah because that's a reassurance. I'll see her a day before I'm officially out of high school. Lovely. "And what about if I need you in a week? Or three days?"
"Skype."
"Skype sucks."
"You suck."
And that's how the conversation went all the way to the airport.
When we actually made it to the airport, we both got out of the car uncharacteristically quiet. I got her luggage out of the trunk and she got her carry-on out of the backseat. I kept the keys still running in the car, and she walked to the edge of the front doors of the terminal.
I stopped before the big revolving glass door and Karen stopped in front of me taking her carry-on. Walking her to the front of the line to get on the plane was just begging for waterworks, and I already was having a shit day; I didn't need to add puffy eyes and blotchy cheeks to add any icing on that kinda cake.
"So," she smiled.
I swallowed and smiled back for her. "Have fun for me," I started off.
She smiled politely back, looking more nervous than I felt. It made me feel bad for a moment, like I was being selfish for wanting her to stay. I watched her eyes flicker over passing cars and moving travelers and sighed internally. She was about to get on a plane for five months. The last thing she needed was her best friend to be making it even harder for her to go than it already was.
I smiled for real at her, hoping she'd get the hint to calm down. She looked me in the eye and it seemed to do the trick, loosening her up so that she smiled back with a real grin as well. "I'll try."
I took a step closer to her away from my car and hugged her tightly. Like it was my last time. Because honestly, if anything happened when she was a couple thousand miles away, and she never came home again, this would be the last time I got to hug her.
She put her arms around me as well and I put my face close to her neck. "Don't die while I'm away." Karen made a choked, snorting noise, and I wondered if she was starting to cry. She never cried. "Don't get kidnapped, don't get food poisoned, stay away from creepers, and... You know, have a good time. Enjoy the experience." I said squeezing her for effect.
"Thanks," Karen sniffed. She pulled away first, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. So she was tearing up. A little part of me was happy she was as distressed about leaving as I was. I didn't want to be the left behind friend again.
I pulled out my biggest shit eating grin for her and put my hands on my hips. "Oh and go get some foreign ass while you're there."
Karen let me go and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Does everyone think I'll be sexually active because I'm leaving California for a few months?"
I grinned at her and shrugged. "Yeah, I mean it happens in Hollywood, so why not right?"
"I have a boyfriend."
"Yes," I nodded with her. “Yes you do."
She rolled her eyes again and pushed me a little off to the side. "Oh shut up."
I smiled and took the shove good naturedly. God I was going to miss her.