The Chosen Road

Freshman holidays are the worst, Thanksgiving especially. Everyone expects you home. Yet, with projects due directly after the break and finals looming, going home and losing the entire four-day weekend to family and 'visiting' sounds like hell.

That was Sebastian's opinion. Sebastian "Seb" Douglass had the misfortune of almost every professor having the brilliant and totally original idea of their big, 30-40% of his grade, project/paper being due the first class after Thanksgiving.

If only one of them had this plan, it might have been workable. That all of them thought Thanksgiving weekend was abundant with free time suggested a personal loneliness only found in academics.

The Douglass family was a large one. Seb was the oldest of six siblings. His father was the middle child of seven siblings. His grandfather was the youngest of seven. The family liked to treat Thanksgiving like an annual family reunion. With three to four generations gathering in the same place, it could quickly reach two hundred people. All the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, great aunts, great uncles, and other extended family members, both numbered and removed, added up. It was chaos; if Seb attended, he would lose the entire weekend to it.

"I can't." Seb said. He was tired of trying to explain it to his girlfriend, who was in her senior year of high school, and begging for him to come home. The phone conversation had been going on for half an hour now, and she wasn't taking his no for an answer. She never did. She always pushed, and he always caved.

"Why not?" Steph whined. "I haven't seen you all semester!" She protested.

"I have too many things due, and I need to stay here this weekend and finish them." Seb said. He hated repeating himself, yet this was the third time he'd said that exact sentence.

"You can do your homework here!" Steph protested.

"No, I can't!" Seb winced when he said it. He'd been too emphatic, and he knew this would spiral again.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Steph sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"I'm not." Seb said as calmly as he could.

"It sounded like you were," Steph sniffled into the phone. "I want to see my boyfriend and spend time with you. Maybe we can have some time together, you know?"

Seb closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Steph was a very attractive woman, and he always felt lucky to have her. But right now, Seb almost wished he were single and not for the first time. He loved his girlfriend, but she wanted things to be how they were in high school. Seb wasn't sure they would ever be the same. She didn't seem to understand that he couldn't drop everything and run home to see her.

"I'll make it up to you over the winter break." Seb assured her.

"We're flying to Europe over the break." Steph whined. "Dad's got an entire trip planned for us."

"Of course he does." Seb sighed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steph snapped.

"Is your brother's girlfriend going?" Seb asked.

There was a definite and dedicated silent pause on the other end of the phone until Steph relented. "Yeah."

"Did you ask if I could go?" Seb asked.

"I did! I want to see you!" Steph assured him.

"And...?" Seb asked.

"Daddy said no." Steph said flatly. They both knew that her father didn't like him. No matter what he did, he couldn't get on the right side of that man's sense of humor or earn his respect. Seb's only comfort was that he was sure no one would ever be good enough for Steph in her father's eyes. She was a princess, or at least she and her father acted like she was.

"Well..." Seb sighed. "Then we'll have to see each other between when I get home for the break and before you leave."

"Or you could come home for Thanksgiving!" Steph did her best to sound pleading. "Please?" She asked. "I've got a whole surprise planned for the next time we're together." The words themselves weren't all that suggestive or dirty, but her tone could have given a dead man an erection. Seb nearly crumbled.

He sighed as he got into his car and turned it on. The phone synced up to the car's Bluetooth, and he timed the sigh at just the right moment so that Steph didn't hear it. Sebastian was getting good at that timing. He didn't pull out of the parking spot. He let the car warm up and defrost as he continued their conversation.

"I'm sorry." Seb said at last. "I am. But I can't make it home this weekend."

There was silence on the other end of the line. Seb let it pass until thirty seconds had passed before he tried to test the waters. "Hello?" He asked to see if she was still there.

"Fine." Steph said in a tone that a deaf person could recognize as a lie. "Maybe I'll see what Ali's plans are this weekend. He's always around."

Seb sighed again, this time audibly, but if Steph heard it, she didn't call him out. She pressed on.

"I think he said he's free." She added.

Steph knew what she was doing, and Seb was almost angry at her for it. Ali was a guy in her class who'd crushed on her since freshman year. He was an athlete like Seb, but in basketball rather than baseball. He was taller than Seb, though only by an inch, and decent-looking. This was not the first time Steph had mentioned him to get a jealous rise out of Sebastian. He was just about done. Or maybe this time, he really was done.

"You know what?" Seb asked. "Fine." He spat. "Go have Thanksgiving with Ali. Maybe your dad will like him enough to invite him on your next vacation."

"Don't be like that." Steph pleaded. "Just-"

"Just stop." Seb cut her off. "I'm tired of you not taking no for an answer and threatening me with spending time with Ali. If you want to dump me to date him, do it."

Steph sounded upset now. "I didn't say that!" She said. "Ali's just a friend."

Seb scoffed. "Ali is not your friend. He wants to fuck you, and I don't blame him. But stop bringing him up when you're trying to get me to do something I already told you I can't."

"Well, maybe you should come home for the weekend, and then we won't have to have this conversation all the time!" Steph sounded as frustrated as Seb. "God! You're my boyfriend, not Ali! I just want to see you! Is that too much to ask? But if you can't make time for me and my needs, maybe we should re-evaluate this relationship! Maybe the long distance is just not for us!"

"Maybe!" Seb snapped back at her and shook his head in regret.

"Fine!" Steph yelled. "Goodbye!" She hung up, and Seb smacked his steering wheel.

He tried calling her back, but it was no use. She wouldn't answer until she calmed down. Based on the end of their conversation, she might never talk to him again. Were they broken up for real this time? Seb didn't know. The breakup talk had been too much for him, and he was uncertain about what had just happened.

Sebastian realized now he didn't want to break up. He loved Steph. They'd been together since middle school. She was a grade behind him, but she'd been his younger sister's friend and always around. They were childhood sweethearts, and the long-distance was only supposed to be for a year until she graduated and came to the same college. Then they'd be back in person again.

He sighed. She was so frustrating! He didn't know that there was anything he could do about it other than go home for Thanksgiving and make some kind of big show. If he wanted to have a girlfriend this time next week, then he needed to go home. Homework be damned, love was more important.

It was a sixteen-hour drive home. That was the main reason he didn't travel home for the weekend. He couldn't afford the flight to shorten the time, nor could his parents. Not that there were any available flights on this short notice. So, driving was his only option. If he brought his roommate, they could drive in shifts and make it there in plenty of time. If they left tonight and did some overnight driving, they could get there in the evening on Wednesday with rest stops, etc. It was perfect.

With that resolution in mind, he backed out of his parking spot and was immediately T-boned by a jeep speeding through the parking lot.

Several hours, a tow-truck ride, and an Uber ride later, and he was back at his dorm. He sat on his sofa between two garbage bags filled with everything from his car, with his head in his hands. The old Ford had suffered severe damage. His insurance hadn't made the call yet, but the gruff old lady at the auto center had told him it would cost more to repair than the old car was worth. Until the check came in from the insurance, he was without transport.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do." Seb groaned into his hands. "I need to go home for the holiday, but now..." He sighed. Sebastian didn't want to be single. He hadn't been single since the 8th grade, maybe even longer, if you could count such young love. Steph was his first kiss, first love, and last summer, his first... time. They'd waited until they were both eighteen because they thought they had to, which was probably for the best. He loved her and needed to talk to her, but she still wasn't answering his calls or texts, and he'd stopped trying so he didn't appear desperate.

"Sorry, man." His roommate offered from his chair, where he was scrolling on his phone. "I'd offer you my car, but I ain't got one. You get used to it. Uber's not that bad."

"I'm not going to Uber for a sixteen-hour drive." Seb shook his head. He wasn't sure you even could, but if a driver was up for the job, it'd cost more than he or his family could afford. With six kids, his parents had never been wealthy. His student loans covered college costs, while his part-time minimum wage job working the coffee cart struggled to cover toiletries, gasoline, insurance, and takeout. Rare was the day when he had three digits before the decimal in his bank account.

"Oh yeah, you're fucked for getting home. Unless you know anybody who lives in... where are you from again?" His roommate asked.

"New Jersey." Seb reminded him. They'd been friends all semester, or at least roommates, but Mike rarely listened for over three seconds at a time. How the guy had some of the most comprehensive class notes Seb had ever seen was a mind-boggler.

"Right." Mike nodded. "Could you check if anyone on campus is heading in the same direction?" Mike suggested. "Hitch a ride?"

It wasn't the worst idea in the world, but it was short notice. With it being so far away, there was only a slim chance anyone was driving out. If they were, they'd be leaving either that night or tomorrow morning. He checked the community board, a school-run internet forum where people posted rideshares and carpools all the time. The results were overwhelming. Sorting through the forums to find a ride was brutal. Most had already left, and the rest already had a full car.

"Where in New Jersey are you from again?" Mike asked. It sounded like he was busy, but Seb didn't mind answering him again.

"Vineland." Seb answered.

Mike was silent for about a minute. "Do you know Jillian Lawrence?" He asked.

Seb looked up, confused. He hadn't heard the name before, but the question seemed a little... specific. "Is she driving to New Jersey for the holiday?"

"Yeah." Mike answered. "She said she'd be willing to give you a lift if you need it."

"Who is she?" Seb asked, not that it mattered. A ride was a ride, and it wasn't like she would knock him out and take his kidney. Still, getting some idea of who he would be trapped in a car with for sixteen hours was a good idea.

"Girl in my chem class." Mike replied. "And my study group for the chem class. Total brain. About this tall." He held up his hand a few inches over five feet. "Brown hair, freckles, big tits."

Seb almost chuckled. Mike's powers of description were primary but effective. If he'd been in a better mood, Seb would have laughed.

"Wears a lot of sweaters and boots." Mike shrugged, unsure how else to describe her.

"Oh, the sweater and boots girl." Seb said, straight-faced. "That narrows it down." In fact, it did not. It was November, and those articles of clothing made up ninety-five percent of every woman's wardrobe, at least those Seb saw daily.

"Just tryin' to help." Mike shrugged. "She said she's leavin' at like three in the morning. You okay if I give her your info?"

"Sure." Seb nodded. "And thank her. And tell her I can give her money for gas."

"Already did." Mike nodded.

Seb rolled his eyes. "Anything else I agreed to that I should know about?"

"Hm?" Mike asked, distracted because he'd already moved on to something else. "Oh, nah. You're good. And if you run out of shit to talk about, she likes football. So, you'll have that in common, at least."

Seb was confused. "I don't know that much about football. I'm more of a baseball guy."

"Don't you play football?" Mike asked.

"Baseball." Seb corrected him.

"Oh." Mike looked thoughtful. "Well, it's not that different."

Seb looked at Mike like an alien but shook his head. "Whatever. Thanks, man. I think you just saved my relationship."

"Just call me Eros." Mike smirked.

"Who is Eros?" Seb asked as he lifted himself off the couch and started packing his suitcase.

"He's like Cupid, but he fucks." Mike chuckled.

Seb laughed. Mike was a weird guy who knew more about Greek Mythology than American sports, but he came through in a pinch.

Unknown: This is Mike's friend?

Sebastian: Jillian?

Unknown: Yeah. And you're Sebastian?

Sebastian: Most people call me Seb.

Unknown: Cool. Can you meet me in the Lincoln lot at 2:30 am? I want to do most of the drive tomorrow.

Sebastian: Absolutely. Thank you so much for this.

Unknown: No prob. I'm going that way. See you soon. I'll be in the blue Nissan Kicks.

Sebastian: Perfect.

Seb added her number to his phone and thanked Mike again. Mike shrugged it off and returned to whatever had distracted him.

Now, all Seb had to do was pack, get as much homework done as possible, get to bed early, wake up in the middle of the night, get home, see Steph, and save their relationship before it was too late. He'd messaged Steph a few times, but she'd blocked him, which was her default pissed-off modus operandi. She always unblocked him a few hours later, a day max, but they'd never talked about breaking up right before.

Two-twenty-five in the morning found Sebastian walking through the Lincoln Dorm parking lot. He dragged his suitcase behind him with his backpack slung over his shoulder and a garbage bag full of laundry over his other shoulder. Yes, he knew it made him a stereotype. No, he didn't care. Free laundry at home was free laundry.

The dark blue Nissan Kicks was the only car in the lot turned on with its heater and defroster running. From the looks of things, it'd been running for at least a few minutes. The driver got out when Seb approached and opened up the trunk.

She was indeed wearing a sweater, a thick pine green one, and black boots that climbed up to her knees. Thick black leggings covered her thighs and disappeared under the hem of her sweater, which came down to mid-thigh. She looked comfortable or would have if she were still in the car. As it was, the freezing air stung her face red. Her mid-western face was rounded and softened at the edges. Her chestnut brown hair was down and loose, falling to the middle of her back and matching the shade of her eyes. She was shorter than he expected and compact but top-heavy. Judging her build with the sweater was difficult, but she was pretty.

While Seb took her in, she returned the evaluation. Seb was tall but far from the tallest he knew. He was six feet two inches tall, with broad shoulders and a lean but well-defined runner's build. He had muscles that weren't overly large, and his coat hid them. Beneath it he wore an oversized flannel button-down loose and untucked over a black t-shirt with a pair of jeans. His sneakers were black to match his belt, and overall, he seemed like the guy who might live next door to anyone. He was an athlete, not a bodybuilder. His face was lean with a defined jawline but still retained a touch of baby fat that proclaimed his youth. Seb's black hair was short and well-trimmed. His eyes were bright and deep, unchanged by his contact lenses. He was cute, though, like any guy, he would likely prefer to be called handsome.

They'd never met before, but there was an immediate atmosphere of comfortable friendship. Each recognized a friendly spirit in the other. They were two people with a common goal and common friends.

"You must be Sebastian." Jillian said. She opened her trunk.

"No." Seb looked at her funny. "Why would you think that?" After a second's pause, he laughed, and Jillian gave him a wry smile for his efforts at humor. "Call me Seb."

"Okay." She said, reaching for his bag. "You can call me Jill."

Seb gestured for her to show him where to put it, and he followed her guiding gesture. He slid his suitcase onto her luggage and put his trash bag on the pile. He didn't feel too bad about bringing it, seeing she had three such bags and two more suitcases than he did. Seb put his backpack between his feet and climbed into the passenger seat.

"Thanks again for this." Seb said as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"It's not a problem." She assured him. "I live in Millville, so we're neighbors."

Seb nodded. "Still, though. Oh, before I forget, what's your Venmo?"

She gave it to him, and he sent her the money for the gas. "Thanks." She said with a slight smile. "See, you've pulled your weight already." Jill said as she checked her mirrors and started backing out of the spot. "You okay with Christmas music?" She asked. "Or are you one of those people with extreme opinions about only listening to Christmas music after Thanksgiving?"

"For everything, there is a season." Seb quoted. "But I don't care." He assured her. "I've already listened to some. I've got a Spotify playlist of funny Christmas songs I started listening to last week."

"Perfect." Jill seemed excited as she turned onto the road. "Put it on."

Seb synced his phone to her dash, pulled up the playlist, and pressed play. The typical songs about donkeys and murdered grandmas were on there. There were other songs too that Jill hadn't heard before, and the next hour and a half passed in music and laughter.

Jill's laugh. The first time he heard it, Seb started laughing with her. He couldn't help it. It was a fairy's laugh or a child's laugh. Jill's laughter was free and unashamed as if no one had ever criticized or made her self-conscious about it. When Jill laughed, it was like magic sprang out of her, grabbed hold of you, and made you laugh until there were tears in your eyes. He'd experienced nothing like it.

For a moment, Sebastian thought he should compliment her, but he argued against it. It would be weird to compliment her like that. He didn't want her to believe he was trying to flirt. She was a pretty and attractive young woman, and he flattered himself that he was an attractive young man, but he was a taken man. At least, he hoped he was. Between having four sisters and always having a girlfriend, he was used to platonic relationships with women, but that didn't mean he wasn't conscious of the optics. Some boundaries had to be observed.

They were alone together in the car, but neither felt on edge or nervous with the other. It was like they were old friends, singing along to the songs they knew by heart and laughing at the ones they didn't. The highway was incredibly empty, and Jill had a heavy lead foot, so the world seemed to speed by from the passenger seat.

When the playlist was done, Jill wanted to talk. Seb wasn't sure if it was to pass the time or stay awake, but he didn't protest.

"So..." Jill started. "Why are you in such a rush to get home for the holiday? Can't you wait to see your family?"