Half a decade stretched between them in the cabin of Rock’s truck. As they left the parking structure, he glanced at Jes, she was curled into herself, her eyes over the medical mask she wore were closed off, distant.

“So,” He began, before clearing his throat. “What have you been up to these past few years?”

Her short bark of laughter was mirthless. “Oh, important things you know. Getting my business up off the ground. Working.”

Rock didn't take his eyes off the road, but he eyed her nonetheless. He had never heard her sound like that. All the time they had spent together, growing up and growing older and she had never sounded so bitter and despondent. “That’s not unimportant.” He ventured.

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She snorted, bringing her knees up to her chest. “But it’s not important either.”

“You have to eat, Jes.”

“But I didn’t have to ignore everything else. Ignore him.”

“There was no way you could have known.”

Again she snorted. “Shit happens. It was always going to happen someday. I just thought there was time.”

He wasn’t sure what to say to that, instead he just kept driving. She stared out the passenger window, knees tucked to her chest and chin resting on them. They drove in silence for what felt like an eternity but was really only about ten minutes.

Suddenly, Jes exploded out of her seat, reaching for the handle above the door, shouting. “Rock! Watch out!”

He looked in the direction she was pointing as she yelled, “You have got to be fucking kidding me!”