ADAM - 6:03PM

At first, he wasn't sure if Cece had heard her- she just stared ahead at the winding road. Should he repeat himself, or give her a minute? Pretend like he didn't say anything and just try to move on? At some point, they were going to have to get out of the car and unpack- physically and emotionally. The silence couldn't continue on forever- at least he hoped.

Cold sweat accumulated on his back, and he felt an unusual dryness in his mouth. He didn't know how long the quiet would last, although prodding her would likely end up with him face down on the side of the road. The AC was blaring, yet he was overheating, an unfamiliar combination of chills and warmth. 

“...Look, I just-” he started, fidgeting with his sweaty hands- "you've been super busy, and I haven’t been able to talk to you about this…I know its not really on you because of college and the birthday and whatnot but...” he trailed off, looking outside at the warm rustic scenery.

Silence clogged the car again.

He didn't know why he said yes to planning her weekend getaway, anyways. Sunday was her birthday, and for her 20th, she wanted to leave- in search for her brother. He had left 3 years ago, with not much communication back on his whereabouts.  

He always found her dedication admirable, although she sometimes intimidated him. Studying the outside world— one he now wished to become a part of— a small, forested cabin came into view. 

It was a single story, painted in a pure white, although covered in years of wind-swepped sand which granted a tan hue. Overcreeping shrubbery sparsely decorated the land, with most bushes taking on random, jagged shapes. A dark, patterned roof ornamented the top of the home.

The car’s brakes screeched as they pulled into the driveway. Reaching for his seatbelt, Adam turned to look at her, wondering how badly he’d messed up. The light from the setting sun glistened off of her face, the glare reflecting off of her glasses. Her eyes, ones of surprising depth, lay staring joylessly ahead. She really was beautiful, he thought, although this was probably the worst time to have the thought occur.

“How long have you known?” She questioned hoarsely, letting out a sigh, turning and meeting his eyes. “And why didn’t you tell me before? This was supposed to be a relaxing time before my expedition-” she exclaimed, slowly raising her voice, her ringing complaints echoing around the car’s small metal frame.

“Look, it’s not exactly a hundred percent confirmed, but I just don’t want you to explore out there for nothing, especially when you could be here with-” He responded, biting his tongue before he said too much. Letting her know that her brother was probably dead wasn’t necessarily on the itinerary, and he only feared how much worse it would get, as he also needed to warn her about the end of the world, along with confessing his romantic feelings to her- all in one weekend.