The Last Rest Stop

Synopsis

On our graduation trip, Lucas Gray left me behind at a highway rest stop. I unlocked my phone. Ninety-nine plus unread messages in the class group chat. "The sunrise at the peak is insane! So beautiful!" "Lucas packed motion sickness pills just for Chloe. He thinks of everything." "The school heartthrob and the school beauty standing together, this is literally a coming-of-age movie." A string of "Get together! Get together!" followed beneath. I scrolled up and saw the nine-photo grid Lucas had just posted. He and Chloe stood side by side at the viewing platform, holding the camera I'd waited in line to buy. Someone mentioned me in the chat: "Ella, aren't you the one who always takes those god-tier photos? Get up here and shoot!" "???" I replied with three question marks. Lucas's private message popped up instantly. "Ella, stop your trick." "Finish your selfies and get up here. Chloe's blood sugar is crashing." I stared at the screen. Suddenly, I didn't feel like chasing after the bus anymore. He hadn't even noticed I'd been gone since the last rest stop.