Your headlights reflect loudly in my rear view mirror,

the night, silent,

aside from the security lights of the nearby stores,

aside from the fluorescent lights beaming from the

glass doors of the gas station I am parked near.

It’s silent once again.

I peer to my left, locking eyes

With yours.

Ocean blue.

My heart is racing, pounding, stuttering.

I wave hello.

My hand is pushing open my car door

as I watch you walk around yours.

You, step by step, make your way around the rear

of your car smirking as you approach

Me exiting mine.

We hug.

I’m now opening my door once again,

sitting back into my familiar position

with my familiar steering wheel

and my familiar view,

but

it’s different.

Now,

it’s with you.

You look at me,

no,

you read me.

Silently urging me to tell about

my day and

my thoughts,

your eyes speak to mine,

“Regular $2.59” illuminating

your silhouette.

I lean towards the wheel

hoping to catch a glimpse of the side

of your face opposite to mine,

lit by the everchanging sales sign.

I’ve missed you.

Glancing at the digital clock on the dash,

my lasting grin is met with reality.

“Oh no, it’s getting late.”

“I should leave soon.”

The minutes tick by,

Yet,

here we are,

filling the still, summer air

of the parking lot with laughs.

“It is getting late.

You have a long drive home.”

Minutes tick by.

We exit my car.

You lean on your passenger side door,

I on mine.

Everything within me is pulling back

into the car,

into the moments I already long for.

My body hugs yours until the grip loosens.

Ocean blue hues are looking back at me,

reflecting the quiet lights of the night.

A smirk forms.

We hug,

Again.

Jokes spill from our mouths as

you slowly walk around the rear of your car.

“Bye” I say between giggles.

“Bye” you say between smiles.

“Okay, bye”

“Bye”

Your head drops below the roof of your car

as you enter,

sitting back into your familiar position

with your familiar steering wheel

and your familiar view.

Your brake lights appear in

my rear view mirror.

Our memories together appear in

my mind

until I give in to sleep hours later,

a smile on my face.

The morning sun shines onto

my skin as I walk to my car.

Warm, but

without reassurance.

The sky is a clear blue, but

without the depth of the sea.

I sit into my familiar position

with my familiar steering wheel

and my familiar view.

Without you.