The Way Home AU · Y/n story by @theblackdog

The car smelled like stale coffee and regret. Briar pressed her forehead against the window, watching the same stretch of highway she'd watched a hundred times before.

Sabrina

We're almost there. Try not to look so miserable.

Briar

I'm not miserable. I'm just... thrilled. Absolutely thrilled to spend the summer at Grandpa's farm with no Wi-Fi and cows that stare at you like you owe them money.

Sabrina

sighs, gripping the steering wheel tighter Briar, I'm not doing this with you. Not today.

Briar

Doing what? Existing? Having feelings? Sorry, I forgot that's a crime in this family.

The silence stretched between them like a rubber band pulled too tight. The trees outside blurred into a wall of green.

Sabrina

Your grandfather is excited to see you. He's been fixing up the guest room all week.

Briar

The guest room. Right. Because my actual room doesn't exist anymore.

Sabrina

voice going flat You know why.

Briar

Do I? Because you never actually told me. You just packed my bags and said we were going.

Sabrina exhaled slowly, the way she did when she was counting to ten in her head. The way she always did around Briar now.

Sabrina

Your father left. You know that. I can't afford the apartment on my own. So we're here. End of story.

Briar

That's not an ending. That's just where you stopped talking.

The gravel crunched under the tires as the car turned onto the long dirt driveway. The farmhouse sat at the end of it, old and tired and exactly the same as it had been the last time they visited. Which was years ago. Which was before everything fell apart.

Sabrina

quietly Please, Briar. Just... try. For one summer. That's all I'm asking.