Chapter 95 4.Highway 823 ~A few years ago~

"How did you find this place?" Elliot places the picnic cloth on the ground, covering the grass, "Dad was the one who suggested to go here." He then places both of our baskets full of prepared snacks on the table, "He said that this lake is really memorable." "Oh..." I smiled when realization dawned into me, "This must be the place Chloe was talking about!" "Mom?" "Yeah," I nodded, "I remembered her telling me that "Did you bring the cheese?" I asked El as I opened two cans of Sprite. I handed one to him and prodded more, "Did you?" He chuckles as he straightens out the picnic cloth laid on the grass, "Yes, love." He takes the can and smiled brightly, "Thank you." I grinned widely and sat down on the ground. I love cheese. Unfortunately, cheese loves bacon. But I love cheese and bacon, so I'm fine with it. I watch Elliot take a sip from his drink, waiting patiently for him to give me my cheese. When a minute passed, I cleared my throat, "...well...?" "'Well' what?" My inner bell that chimes, whenever I'm getting impatient, started to ring, "Where's my cheese?" He scoffs, "Your cheese? Last time I checked it was mine." "Uhh no," I snorted, "It's mine." He shook his head, "I was the one who brought it." My jaw dropped, "YOU SAID THAT I SHOULDN'T BRING ANY CHEESE BECAUSE YOU'D BE THE ONE BRINGING IT!" He smirks, "I'm kidding babe." I frowned and slap his arm playfully, "Just give me the damn cheese." He stood up, which made me stare at his well-defined butt.  How did I get so lucky? He then faced me, which made me stare at his well-defined abs. Six beautiful rock solid abs. I probably saved the President on my past life. "Love, my eyes are up here." I felt myself blush as he laughed out loud like a wild gorilla. "I'm just admiring the view. I did say that this park is beautiful, yeah?" I said. Talking about the view, I took my polaroid camera from my bag. "Here's your cheese," He told me as he walks back to where I was and sat beside me. "Let's take a picture!" I grinned as I scooted closer to him. "Our moments are forever imprinted in my memory, Love." He smiles, "I'm planning to spend a lifetime with you. I don't need a paper to remind me of this." "Yeah, but we need to show something to our children and their children." I rolled my eyes playfully, "So, you better smile." I extended my arms and counted, "3, 2, 1, smile!"  I laughed my butt off when he stole a kiss to my cheeks right before I took the shot. ~Present Time~ I looked up and grabbed the picture. I held the photograph in my hand as if it was the only gold in a non-gold terrain; like it was water in a very hot desert. I sound weird but it's the truth. Looking at the picture, all my doubts about him never loving me all those years ago, faded away. "Is this... me?" I broke the silence and glanced at him. "What?" His eyes widened and immediately snatched it from my grasp -gently. "Nope." "Are you kidding me?" I chuckled slightly, "That was literally me." "No." He shook his head and awkwardly cleared his throat, "Not you. Nope." "El." I grinned amusingly, "Did you just lie?" I laughed, "Did you seriously lie to my face about my face?" "...yes...." "Oh El, you're hilarious!" I raised both of my hands up and watched as he clenched his jaw -probably trying to hide the smile- and started his truck. "So, you have never left this place?" I asked him after 5 minutes of long and awkward silence. Well, we were both silent. He was quietly driving and I was quietly watching him drive until you know, I got bored. "Aren't you a little chatty?" He smirked, obviously trying to brush off my question. "Chatty?' I scoffed, "What are you, British?" "Normal people use that word, Cobie." "Are you saying that British people are not normal?" I mocked him with a gasp, "You're more terrible than a racist!" "What?" He asked while he stole a peek, "Where are you in this universe." "Right here beside you.' I rolled my eyes and looked out the window with a sigh. I decided to let him brush the question off since it's quite tiring. Bickering with his sarcastic and humorous banters -reminds me too much of the past. I can't let that happen. "I don't remember the house being so far away..." I muttered after which seems like hours, "Did it always take more than fifteen minutes?" "It usually isn't." He coughed, "But uh, we took an alternate route." "An alternate what?" I gawked at him and stared at my surroundings, "You're lying! You gotta be lying!" "Why would I?" And with that, I shut up. It's true, why would he lie about that anyways. "Why take another route, then?" I prodded. "Because." He glanced at me, "Because it rained yesterday and there was a report about a landslide at highway 823." I looked at him and watched his face thoroughly. I've known this guy way longer than anyone I know other than my family, in short, I know him like the back of my hand. I know him when he's in doubt, I know when he's sad, and I know when he's lying. Like right now, I know that he's lying. But then again, why would he lie about that? A crime probably happened over there, something confidential. Probably murder, the road is probably a crime scene right now. I'll respect it then. If he won't tell me, then so be it. Even after all these years, I still trust him -even when really, I shouldn't. "So..." I trailed off, breaking the silence again, "Why do you have our picture in your car?" "It's not a car." I rolled my eyes, "Fine, a truck. Why are you still keeping it?" He remained silent for a while. Honestly speaking, I would've asked another question when he answered, 'Why are you still keeping that little locket your grandmother gave to you?" I raised an eyebrow and out of instinct held the said locket hanging around my neck. I'm keeping it because I love this locket, it's home. I remembered it being given to me on my 9th birthday. I love my grandmother so much, and I know that she loves me too. With this locket, even if we're not seeing each other, I know that she's always here with me. I looked at him through the rearview mirror, "It's special to me." Suddenly, his eyes drifted towards the mirror too, and held eye contact, "You have your answer." He immediately went back looking at the road, living me to stare alone at my reflection. He said what now? A familiar-looking house is getting bigger as we went nearer. Familiar looking because my dad repainted the whole house, saying that white was just too plain and might invite unnecessary visitors -if you get what I mean. The truck slowed down as we arrive. "Thank you for the ride, officer." I smiled kindly at him as he chuckled and went outside the truck. He went around it and opened my side of the door. "I thought chivalry was dead." He snorted, "I'm still alive and enthusiastic, thank you very much." Chuckling, I hopped off and faced him, "Thank you, seriously." "No problem." He smiled back warmly, "I'll inform you about your car once I get news." "But you don't know my phone number." I may or may not have changed my old phone number because of a certain someone who had caused a certain heartache which caused me to do that. "I'm no CIA, but I'm a cop." He answered which made me look him weirdly, which made him chuckle, "I'll get it from Adam then." As if my father heard El mentioned his name, the front door opened revealing my dad's unshaved face. "COBIE!" I was engulfed in a hug which made me laugh and hug him back, "Dad!" "I'll get going..." El muttered, "Nice seeing you again, Adam." "Elliot?" Another voice called out, well, my mom's voice called out. "What are you- HOLY COCONUT WITH CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE! HONEEEY!" And I was engulfed in a hug by the both of them. Great. "Hey, Emily." Elliot chuckled while I took a step back away from my parents. "Elliot darling, what are you doing with-" Mom immediately had her mouth in a big "o" shape and started gasping, "ARE YOU- YOU- YOU- GUYS BACK TOGETHER?!" "What? No." I answered her immediately while El remained silent. "Oh," Mom pouted, "That's sad." "I'll get going now." Elliot laughed and waved bye to my parents. "I'll see you guys around." And with that, he drove away. "Honey, why is he with you?" Mom asked as we walk into the house, well, technically a mansion. "Why were you guys together?" "He drove me home from the police station." "WHAT?!" The both of them asked at the same time. My mom turned to her crazy mother side and did a body search on me, while my dad started asking questions on why. I summarized the situation in the shortest way possible, skipping some little details, "My car got stolen." "What?! HOW?!" "I don't want to talk about it." Really, I don't. "Oh hun, it's okay." Mom hugged me, "Elliot is a good cop and I'm sure he could find it." "I sure hope so..." "He would." Dad smiled, "Anything for you." "U-huh." Mom pulled away, "It's kind of late though, the police station is not that far." "Oh, El took another route." "What? Why?" That's weird, Denovan's not that big. They should be aware that something happened over there. "Highway 823 is closed. A landslide or something." Dad scoffed, "It hadn't rained here for weeks now." Mom shook her head, "I just came from the mall and passed through the highway; I'm here." What? Why would Elliot lie about that? Too tired to think, I excused myself early and went straight to my bedroom. I saw the special comfort my old bed can only offer and I started bawling my eyes off. After all, who wouldn't?