Chocolate Cosmos

Chapter 6

Charis

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

My eyes remained fixed on the ringing phone as I read uncle Jax's name on the screen.

He wasn't just my paternal uncle but also owned Jax publishing that published and managed all my work.

I pressed the power button to silence the constant ringing.

"Nah...I already know what he wants to say and I'm no mood to explain or fight about it."

I knew exactly what uncle Jax wanted to bite my head off about. Ever since Karl and I were seen at the mall together, the whole nation got up to one foot. Our pictures, taken by camera phones were all over the news and social media platforms.

Gossip.

Scandals.

Lies.

I hated them. I hated every single one of them. No one seemed to be searching for the actual truth. No one cared about the people they're bad mouthing and uncle Jax of course will have a thing or two to say. Just like Karl's father.

He didn't have to tell me in words for me to figure it out. The broken eyes, the long face, the constant sighing. Karl was a strong, confident man and nobody can affect you as much as your parents. And the both of us are more than grateful for this camping trip. I know I am. We need our time away for a night or two.

I took in a deep breath, washing away the heavy thoughts. I finished wrapping the last sandwich before stacking it with the rest in the thermal bag. My only camp related experience was the trip our school arranged as kids in specifically chosen locations. Our food, water and safety was taken care of. And what I had little experience of what the woods might look like, Karl had none. And this would be my first time on a solo camping trip with no place accounted for. Just us and the wilderness.

"Okay, I have placed the sleeping bags and our back bags in the car. You ready here?" Karl asked when he re-entered the kitchen.

"Yes. I made us a couple of sandwiches for the road, some snacks and water." I nodded.

"Great. Let's go."

I zipped the food bag, Karl beating me to carrying it to the car. The two of us decided to wear our sweatpants to get used to them before actually going full out to the public with them. We had Karl change his into bigger sized ones so they fit even though I though I preferred they stayed their small size for a good laugh every now and then.

"Are you sure about that site we're going to?" I asked in speculation as we got in the car and drove onto the road.

"I did my search." Karl nodded. "The website said that it was one of the best campsites in the country yet not a lot of people go there since its too far away."

"Good. We're not ready for more articles on the internet. We're already a trend."

Going someplace secluded was one of our main search goals. We didn't want to be bombarded with curious eyes and constant murmurs during our trip. We wanted peace so that we can quietly cross off this from our bucket list and the faster and calmer we cross off all the items, the sooner we'll finally leave this world.

My phone started ringing again in my hands and I sighed in annoyance when uncle Jax's name blared again. This time, I turned my phone off completely.

"Who keeps calling you like that?" Karl voiced his curiosity.

"It's just my uncle."

"Then why won't you answer? What if there's something wrong?"

I raised an eyebrow at the man sitting next to me. "Seriously?"

"What? I'm just saying. I didn't mean to nose in." Karl protested.

"You're one curious cat aren't you?"

Karl looked at me suggestive from the corner of his eye. "I haven't heard anyone telling me this since middle school."

"I didn't beg you as one at all." I chuckled.

"This is the real world Charis." Karl chuckled along. "I'm not perfect and wanting to know everything is one of my flaws." He ended with a shrug.

"Well, you've got a point there." I replied, turning my head to look out the window as the car stopped at a traffic light.

Silence echoed around us for a brief minute before my mouth opened again.

"I'm the laziest person you could ever meet."

"What?"

I turned to look Karl whose lips were fighting a smirk.

"I'm lazy. Why do you think I became passionate about writing? I do it all in bed." I confessed out while Karl into heavy laughter.

"But you said you do daily morning runs to keep fit and stuff. Lazy people don't do that." Karl breathed out between laughs.

"Well if you call my morning runs from the bed to the bathroom because I laze out in bed long enough for my bladder to curse at me exercise then yeah, yeah, I definitely work out." I replied sarcastically fighting hard the laughter myself but eventually gave up.

"You didn't expect me to be the perfect person the media photoshopped me to be, like you said, this is the real world." I shrugged as we calmed down.

"Given. I just thought your flaws would be a little different." Karl stepped on the pedal when the light turned green again.

"Like?" I furrowed my eyebrows in curiosity.

"Maybe some anger issues, or blunt emotions." He responded.

"Hmm....I'm not good with emotions yes, but I think I'm a rather calmer person than expected."

Karl threw a soft smile my way with a slight turned head. He didn't want to risk removing his eyes from the highway we were on but the expression was conveyed fully to me. It was gentle. Understanding and I for the first time I didn't regret saying a thing or two about myself to anyone.

A yawn escaped Karl's lips, a loud creak leaving his throat along.

"Let's switch up." I offered.

"Nah I'm fine. Just missed my coffee this morning."

"Come on, let's just switch. I wanna drive a little. We agreed on this anyways and you've been driving for an hour. It's my turn." I insisted.

Karl looked at me unsurely.

"Come on." I stupidly placed a hand on the steering wheel trying to move the car to the side but Karl held it tight.

"Are you stupid or what? A move like that might kill us."

"Yeah, like the wheel would budge with you clutching onto it like that." I replied sarcastically. "Pull up by that side way."

"Of course not! This is a high way stupid. Let's switch when we stop by a gas station or something."

It was only another fifteen minute drive before we reached a gas station. Karl left the car to go get some coffee while I remained in the car. In the driver's seat now.

Karl came back with a grim face and empty hands.

"What happened to the coffee?"

"They didn't have any." He grumbled as he mounted into the passenger's side. Drive us safely."

The side of my upper lips rose up and with my eyes narrowed, I threw him an arrogant look.

"I do in fact know how to drive perfectly thank you very much."

"Sure." He drawled out as he got more relaxed in his seat.

"And just what exactly do you mean by that?" I raised a challenging eyebrow.

"It's world known gorgeous. Men are better drivers."

"That's stereotypical and not true Karl."

The coffee eyed human turned to look at me with bored eyes. "It wouldn't have been famous and known all around the world if it wasn't true."

"It's known all around the world that I'm a murdered, does that mean it's true?" I hit a spot. For some reason I was getting angrier by the minute. Who did they think they were to be setting world rules about who drives better or who's nice and who's not? And who the hell they think they are labeling me as a cold hearted murderer?

Karl remained tongue tied. His lips were parted partially yet no words came out.

"N...no. Of- of course no-"

"It doesn't matter Karl." I interrupted his stuttering. "Just take your nap."

I revived the engine to life, driving out of the gas station and back into the road.

Something felt heavy in my heart. Something stinking and weighted me down stubbornly. And the worst thing was that I couldn't get rid of it.

Karl kept quite, his eye gazing out the window. None of us had anything to say and nothing could be done to break the ice wall that was just built. I didn't care. I was always behind that wall most of my life so it won't matter now as well. Right?

A few minutes passed by in silence until Karl's hand snaked its way to my arm.

I turned to look at him. His head was rested against the head rest, his eyes sleepy and most important genuine.

"I'm sorry. I'm better than to know that society's opinions are true."

I turned my head towards the road.

"That 'men are better drivers' rule was made up by a lazy girl who wanted her husband to do all the driving."

Karl laughed at my story origin and it made me smile as well.

His hand left my arm as he turned his face towards the window and I got back to my driving, the car falling in comfortable silence.