"I forgot about you." She said honestly.

He lit the Cigarette rolling his neck, "Damn... Well that's a bitch." He said ruefully.

She sat down on the ground. "I don't have a good excuse." She said. "Several people left at once. You were alive... but I thought you had left on your own. I couldn't mourn for so many... so you were left behind."

"Yeah, I get it." Houston nodded, and turned.

Cindy sighed, relieved. She had been holding that secret guilt for a while now. And she knew Houston of all people would understand.

"There was a lot going on... pretty easy to get lost."

Cindy nodded ruefully, thinking about her offer to Houston now. In fact, she'd been thinking about something else for a while....

"Want to go to Oregon?" She asked, sitting up.

"Oregon?" He looked up doubtfully, taking his Cigarette out of his Mouth, "What's in Oregon?"

"I don't know." She said, shrugging. "And I want to find out. That whole area... California, Oregon... the states inbetween, of course."

(Nice, founding their relationship on half-truths again. Solid Plan! Great Idea though, I hadn't thought of that!)

Houston blinked, leaning back, "Last time we tried to go on Vacation, we ended up having to come back after... three days."

(It's not really a half truth. She doesn't know what's out there anymore. I honestly don't think it will go well, and that Houston will leave her somewhere in a fit of anger or perhaps indifference, but Cindy could benefit from being on her own for a little while too.)

"As far as I know there's nothing about to end the world this time. And if there is, I'm sure someone else can handle it."

(Huh? Where's That coming from?)

"I'll do it if you want to." He said.

(Which part?)

"I do." She nodded. "It's time for a change."

(What you thought would happen)

"Don't you have..." He shrugged, "responsibilities here?"

(I just don't know if they're a good match.)

"I'm all set. College will start in the fall but.... I don't know if I want to go there."

(Yeah, I remember. But where did that come from?)

(Oh, she found a good one? I remember she got accepted to that Liberal arts one, but she didn't say she specifically wanted to go there.)

"You only have a month or two..." He shook his head, "Why don't you want to go?"

"Maybe I'll go later. I don't have to go right away. I don't know why I want to go yet."

(Just thinking, I guess.)

(WHAT do you MEAN? Stop being so Vague and Obtuse!)

"Well..." He said, shrugging, "I'll take you."

(Cindy's not the same as she was when they were dating. And Houston's pretty hard to read.)

Cindy smiled. "Thank you."

(What the Hell are you talking about?)

He shrugged, "You should probably head home, though."

"I have to talk to my parents, yeah. I'll see you later."

(Nothing?)

"Alright. Seeya."

(Nevermind, I guess. You seem completely unwilling to answer me.)

(I just don't understand what's wrong.)

She waved and left, heading home quickly. She looked around the city as she went, vowing to come back and learn more about it someday.

(Of course not...)

(Is she really going to leave the book behind, and head off to the Coast?)

(She's going to take it with her of course! Learn of all sorts of supernatural acceptance and problems across the country, recording them all the way, along with her memories.)

(Alright, that makes more sense. I love the idea of a spiritual Journey of Self Discovery!)

(Hopefully it will turn out like that.)

(Trying to make a Map of our Version of the US... so far... ;D)

(What could possible go wrong? XD how do we start?)

(Well... Cindy is definitely going to confront Steve.)

(Oh right, That's cool. That would be Mansions for sure... I was kind of looking forward to her checking out the town, though. She doesn't have to do it. It's just that a person can't get released from prison that quickly, certainly not by the end of the day.)

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