Nari stood on the shores of Lake Michigan. Her worn out and breaking boots were along the line where the lapping of the lake meets the shifting sand. The gentle sound of the water’s ebb and flow was almost in time with the gusts of wind that blew her tangled blond hair and the dark clouds that smelt of a coming storm. There was no one else around but her. Even the birds that normally came to the beach to call for a mate was taking shelter from the weather.

But Nari was there. She stood on the shores and gazed out to the horizon where the water touched the growing clouds. The water seemed endless. She couldn’t even see a glimpse of the lake’s other shore. It looked like an ocean but Nari knew that it wouldn’t take long for her to reach the other side. It was just a short ferry ride. The endless freedom promised by the vast appearance of the lake was just a lie and Nari felt trapped.

Well, truthfully speaking, her whole life was just an endless cycle of life kicking her and keeping her exactly in the same place no matter how hard she worked to get herself out. School, work, relationships, it didn’t matter; It always ended the same way.

Nari touched the necklace around her neck and furrowed her brow.

“Isn’t the lake beautiful?” Her boyfriend had whispered into her ear on a warm summer’s day. The beach was filled with families and kids and couple but he had this wonderful way of looking in her eyes and making her feel like even in a crowded it was just the two of them. 

“Yeah,” She smiled. “It always is so pretty on sunny days.”

Then he gave her this sly look, the one she knew meant he was up to something. 

“You know, I have something prettier than the ocean.” He slip up next to her and bumped her shoulder playfully. Nari laughed at how cheesy he was.

“You’d better not say it’s me!” She bumped him shoulder back.

“Nope… Close your eyes and I’ll show you.”

“How can you show me if I can’t see with my eyes closed?” She sassed him but still closed her eyes, completely trusting him.

Nari heard her boyfriend rustle something around before moving her hair to the side. And cold weight fell around her neck and her jaw dropped. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

“Happy Anniversary, Nari,” He kissed her on the cheek and beamed at her. 

The necklace was lovely. It’s pendant was a single pearl, hung elegantly from a silver chain. It was easily the most expensive piece of jewelry she owned and Nari felt tears come to her eyes.

“You were right,” She laughed slightly. “It’s more beautiful than the lake.”

Nari undid the necklace’s clasp and held it on her hand too look at it closer. It ended up being cheaper than she thought. When Nari went to the department store she worked at the day after their anniversary, she found that exact necklace in one of their display cases. It was only $30. While the price it’s self wasn’t that important to Nari, it hadn’t sat well with her that her boyfriend had probably bought this just before he had picked her up from work. He hadn’t even gone out of his way to find her the perfect present.

As repressed angry came bubbling up to the surface, Nari tightened her grip on the necklace. 

He never really went out of his way for anything. Nari lived in the same apartment complex as him. She liked some of the same things as him. She was just convenient for him. Anytime he wanted to show off he had a girlfriend and wasn’t a complete failure, she was just a few minutes away for his beck and call.

The pearl necklace had been her favorite one. It was beautiful and probably one of the nicest looking things she owned. But now ever time she looked at she was reminded of how little her now ex-boyfriend thought about her outside of when he was obligated to.

Nari balled up the necklace in her fist and took one look at the lake before chucking it into the ocean with a scream of rage. It shined in the air as it flew in an arch before landing in the lake and sinking to the bottom.

him and everything related to him.

***

When Nari was sick of standing in the cold air and wanted to just get away from that placed filled with so many memories of him, she went back to her truck. It was kind old and beaten down, but it still ran alright. An old classmate of her’s had crashed it and given it to her for real cheap so she couldn’t complain. She had just taken a hammer to the big dents and that kinda made it look acceptable. But hey, it was freedom to move around and travel.

But , if the truck didn’t remind her of him too.

The two of them were cracking up in the front seats of her car. They had just got out of a terrible movie from the dollar theater that they couldn’t remember the plot since they had spent the whole time either making fun of it. It would have been a terrible date, but somehow with him, it had been more fun that she had had in months.

“W-Why did we even- Haha- Go see that movie?” Nari managed to get out in between laughs.

“I have no idea!” With that the just resolved into more giggles. Nari had to wipe tears from her eyes as she tried to calm down.

Once they had gotten the last of their laughs out, the sat silently in the car for a moment to try to collect themselves a bit more so they didn’t start cracking up again.

“…Hey Nari?” He spoke and broke the silence.

“Yeah?” She glanced over at him and instantly the mood changed when she met his eyes. He had turned his whole body so it was facing her and he regarded her with this careful calculating look, like he was trying to see her thoughts across her face. Nari stiffened up slightly, not quite sure what was going through his mind. “What?”

“… Can I kiss you?” His gaze settled from her eyes to her lips.

Nari gasped slightly, her lips just barely part. Though she hadn’t answered yet, he began to lean forward slightly. Nari hesitated for a moment before throwing caution in the wind and bridging the gap between their lips herself.

Slamming the driver’s door to her truck behind her, Nari jabbed her key in the ignition and turned it. She backed out of her packing spot and drove down the road, trying to escape from the memories of her ex that haunted her every where.

A/N: Finally!! The first chapter is written and up!! *jumps up and down in excitement* I’ve been planning this story since August and I’m super pumped to write it! I’ve been holding off writing it until this month since it’s National Novel Writing Month and every year I participate! That means this story is probably going to update fairly often since the goal I set for myself this year is 30,000 words. Also!!! This is wild but??? I got three subscribers and 68 views just while I had the forward up??? Thank you so much!! I hope you all enjoy Motels Down Route 66 and support me while I try to crank this fic out in a month!