"What's wrong with it?" Faye said.

"Nothing. Well, probably not nothing, but... It does this sometimes. Just have to give it a few minutes before trying again."

"Like how many minutes?" Florence said.

"Like, ten?" Isaac said, though his voice did little to inspire confidence.

Florence took a moment to look around. There wasn't anything, anywhere, for miles, and miles, and miles. "Well... shit."

"So we're just going to sit here for ten minutes?" Faye asked.

"I guess so," Keenan said.

Florence reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, looking at it for a few moments before tossing it back in. "I don't suppose any of you have any signal either," she said. The other three reached for their phones. None of them did.

"Great," Florence mumbled.

Silence once again returned to the car. After a few moments, Isaac tried starting the car again, but failed.

"Stop doing that. You're going to wear out the battery," Keenan said. "Best to leave it alone for a bit."

"Fine," Isaac grumbled.

Silence stretched, and stretched, and stretched.

"It's getting kind of stuffy in here," Faye said.

"Well what do you want me to do about that Faye?" Isaac snapped back.

Faye frowned. After a moment, she unbuckled. "Might as well wait outside of the car then." Faye got out of the car, stretched, and took a few steps into the endless dirt field. There was a small boulder nearby, the only thing breaking up the flat landscape. Faye headed towards it.

"Might as well get a stretch in as well," Keenan said, unbuckling as well. He opened the door, stepped out, and gave a giant stretch. After that, he started following Faye towards the boulder.

Only Isaac and Florence remained in the car. Florence opened her car door to let some air in, but didn't get out. Isaac followed suit. Neither of them said a word to the other.

Finally, Isaac spoke. "I'm sure it will be fine."

"Yea," Florence replied. She watched as Faye began to climb the boulder, Keenan standing below it with his arms on his waist. She imagined Keenan telling Faye to cut it out, but still standing close enough to catch her if she fell. Florence smiled. That pretty much summed up their relationship.

"Hey Florence, uh... about last night."

"What about it?" Florence said, continuing to watch Faye climb, refusing to turn around to face Isaac.

"It's just..." Isaac began. "I feel like I said all the wrong things. Or I mean, what I did say wasn't how I meant it."

"Oh really?" Florence said. "And what did you mean, telling me I was better off staying in Boulder?" She still refused to look at him. Faye reached the top of the boulder, and raised both her hands high. Keenan clapped.

"It came out wrong," Isaac said, panicking. "I didn't mean you weren't good enough to leave Boulder, just..."

"You and I both know that I've gotten into every single med school I've applied to," Florence snapped. "I am good enough." Florence continued to watch the boulder. Now Keenan was beginning to climb up it. Faye sat on top, no doubt encouraging him.

"Florence, that's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?" Florence said, finally turning around to face Isaac. She was thrown off by the somber look on his face.

Isaac struggled to get each word out. "What I was trying to say," Isaac said, before reverting to a whisper, "is that I'm afraid to lose you." He held her gaze for a few moments before looking down at his lap.

Florence looked at him for a few moments, adjusted her glasses, then turned back to the boulder. Keenan was now on the top, sitting next to Faye. It seemed like they were talking to each other.

After a moment Isaac continued speaking, though it was barely a whisper. "I don't want to lose you. I'm afraid you'll leave and forget all about me. About us. I know you're good enough to leave Boulder. You're good enough to do anything. I'm just afraid... I'm not."

Florence continued to watch the boulder, Faye and Keenan sitting on the top, talking. What were they talking about? What were they afraid of? Was it the same thing?

Florence watched as Faye leaned in and rested her head on Keenan's shoulder. Maybe they were talking about the same thing.

"I love you Florence," Isaac whispered. "You know I do. You've always known that, haven't you?"

A single tear fell down Florence's cheek as she continued to watch the boulder. Without looking, she reached out and grabbed Isaac's hand. "I know you do," she said. Isaac returned the squeeze.

Faye stood up on the boulder, Keenan holding her legs for support. Faye waved her hands in the direction of the car, then cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled something.

Florence let go of Isaac's hand. "I think Faye is calling for us."

Isaac looked up, noticing Faye and Keenan on the boulder for the first time. "How the hell did they get up there?" he said, laughing as he sniffled.

"I guess we should go find out what she wants," Florence said.

"I guess so," Isaac replied.

They both stepped out of the car and looked at the boulder. Faye sat back down next to Keenan, but continued to wave for them to come over. Isaac and Florence made their way towards the boulder. As they got closer they were finally able to make out what Faye was yelling.

"HEY!" Faye yelled from above. "YOU GOT TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE UP HERE!"

"We can hear you just fine!" Isaac said as the two of them reached the base. "How the hell did you guys get up there?"

"IT'S EASY!" Faye yelled. "THERE'S A PART TO YOUR LEFT TO CLIMB UP. LIKE STEPS. VERY EASY."

"Christ," Isaac said, holding back a laugh. "What are we going to do with her?" He looked up at the top of the boulder, then turned around and looked at Florence. "Well, should we join them?"

Florence sighed, though there was a slight smile on her face. "Might as well."

The two began to climb, Faye calling out instructions as they went. Of course she didn't need to, it was practically steps. But that was Faye.

"ALMOST THERE!" Faye yelled. "ONE MORE BIG STEP TO YOUR LEFT, THEN LOOK RIGHT."

Finally, Isaac and Florence reached the top, and Keenan and Faye raised their hands to congratulate them. The boulder was just big enough to fit all four of them. Keenan and Faye slid over so that Isaac and Florence could sit as well.

"Look out there!" Faye said, pointing far out into the distance. "Look! Are you looking?"

Isaac put his hand over his eyes, creating a makeshift visor. "I'm looking," he said, reorienting himself to look in the direction Faye was pointing.

Florence turned as well to look. With her left hand, she clung onto the back of Isaac next to her. She had never been one for heights.

"Um, Faye," Isaac said after a moment. "I'm looking, but I don't really see anything but dirt."

Faye and Keenan both laughed. Florence and Isaac looked at them, confused.

Finally, Faye spoke. "Yeah, but it's kind of beautiful isn't it?"

-

Thank you for reading Stories, an ever-expanding collection of original fictional stories. This story was written by me, Connor Aidan. If you enjoyed this story, then why don't you share it with a friend? Maybe they'll like it too. Once again, I'm Connor Aidan, and this is Stories.