. ephemeris

[everett howe]

7 AM It's early on a Monday morning and yet none of Everett's plans for the day revolve around school. In fact, his nerves woke him before his alarm could, carrying him through the motions of getting ready for the eclipse road trip with Ruby. Unable to discern between excitement and anxiety, a cup of coffee added to the buzz in his blood as he watched the clock. Suddenly Everett was behind the wheel of a rental car under his name, directions to Ruby's address on the center console. He tapped his phone screen to send a text to the girl. Everett: I'm a minute away, be outside Everett: Please Braking in front of her building and eyeing the cross traffic, he leaned over to push open the passenger door for her to hop in. “Hey. Good morning,” he tried to greet coolly, forgetting how much he hated driving in the city. Everett eyed her belongings, curious what she had brought along. “You look comfortable,” he noticed out loud, pleased that she had heeded his advice to pack for cold weather after he'd followed the forecast all week. He couldn't believe this was happening; him suggesting this, her running with the offer. “Ready when you are,” he announced with his hands on the wheel, running through his internal checklist.

[ruby anderson]

7 AM Ruby had been wide awake, staring at the ceiling in her dorm room since five o’clock in the morning. She had checked her phone just as it hit five on the dot. Why? She wasn’t sure, except for maybe the nerves that were exploding in her stomach. The young blonde girl was only missing one class today to go on this adventure planned by Everett. She’d spent the majority of the evening in the closest bodega to her dorm to find the perfect confirmation of salty and sweet. Everything was left in a reusable bag, along with a few other things she might need on this road trip. Everett had given her specific instructions on dressing warm, and she remembers this as she pulls on her light blue lululemon scuba half zip sweatshirt. Underneath, Ruby wore a basic long shelve t-shirt. With all of these layers combined with being nervous, she was worried that she’d be overheating instead. She opts out for her usual lipgloss and or red lipstick, just keeping it super simple. The phone in her hand lights up with a message from Everett, announcing his arrival in one minute and she’s bouncing out the door. He’s helping open up the passenger road and Ruby senses his nerves. “Hello, good morning to you as well,” she responds as she buckles herself in and places the packed bag at her feet. “You promise you’re not going to kidnap me, and kill me right?” Ruby tries to tease him as he maneuvers out of the bustling morning traffic. “I’m kidding!”

[everett howe]

7:15 AM Everett could not remember the last time he had a free day, let alone a planned free day. Holidays and weekends were not off-limit to him, few consecutive hours unconstrained by all his obligations. If it wasn’t research then it was grading then it was reading papers…If there were more hours in the day, he would spend them working. However, the buzz around the eclipse happening across the northeast invited excitement among faculty and students alike. Everett’s advisor was ecstatic to learn of his interest in the event, although to Everett, the real event was sitting next to him. Ruby’s in the car and he’s surprised by how easy this is, the sight of her face and the sound of her voice already transporting him to familiar comfort. “Well, I do have some liability forms for you to sign…” he started, looking away from traffic briefly to make sure she knew he was kidding, too. “I promise I’m actually a really good driver,” he remarked, at ease behind the wheel as if he were navigating the expanses of California freeways again. “So it’ll take about five hours to get to Syracuse with stops,” he explained, the many facets to his plan long memorized. Once they were out of the city, it would be smooth driving. “I brought you a pillow, by the way. I won’t be mad if you take a nap,” he grinned, noticing she hadn't brought one. She had already been tasked with snacks (and probably her question game), after all.

[ruby anderson]

ROAD TRIP "I'll sign whatever form you say is necessary," she softly laughed, playing along with his joke. She did not envy Everett with having to navigate his way out of the city. Most of the time she took public transportation, the idea of driving through New York City made her skin crawl. She wondered if he felt the same way, but besides the initial nerves she sensed, Everett seemed immediately more relaxed. Now that they've pulled away from the curb where she met him at and he's further into the traffic, Ruby takes the moment to remove her jacket. The warmness of the double layers and the heat radiating from the car, she knew eventually she'd be uncomfortable. She nods her head as he speaks about the journey, knowing very well that he had this entire thing planned out. It wouldn't surprise Ruby if he even had it down to what particular exits to stop at for bathroom breaks, or stretching their legs. Her foot brushes against the bag on the floor as she slides her legs to sit crossed leg momentarily. "I packed some snacks per your request and then a few surprises." She remembers how much fun she had picking things out the night before. "Oh I'm not sleeping, thank you though. You know we have to play my question game, right? I can't sleep because of that." Ruby nudges his shoulder, careful not to be too hard since he was driving. "If  remember correctly though, it's your turn to ask," Ruby prods the young man beside her. She wasn't sure if it really was his turn, but she loved to turn the fun on Everett.

[everett howe]

7:15 AM Over the Hudson and into New Jersey, the hatchback moved steadily away from the city via the I-80. When Ruby shifted in the passenger seat to remove her jacket, he watched it fall into the backseat, feeling how stuffy the heat could make the cabin, what a pressure cooker this experience could become. “Feel free to adjust anything,” he mentioned, gesturing at the various knobs of climate control. “Seriously, make yourself at home.” It wasn’t his car but he wanted them both to be comfortable—they would be spending a lot of time in it today. “And if you need to stop for any reason, just let me know,” he added, navy gaze flickering over at her briefly. Perhaps his being overly analytical and anxiously prepared demonstrated his interest in her well-being. “A few surprises,” he repeated quietly, curiosity piqued at the sound of the bag crinkling on the floor. He wasn’t hungry yet, his morning coffee (and the spare in the cup holder between them) tiding him over, but he knew after a few hours on the road that would change. At mention of her infamous question game, Everett pretended to brace himself against the steering wheel. “I was afraid you were going to say that,” he chuckled teasingly, already missing the nudge she gave him. Taking in a deep breath, Everett sifted through his memory. "OK, I have one," he started, turning the music down to a background hum. "Do you have your license? I've heard some New Yorkers never bother learning how to drive."

[ruby anderson]

ROAD TRIP She takes his words in to consideration, making herself at home. Ruby slides off her ugg slippers and keeps her legs tucked on the passenger seat. Her father hated when she did this, explaining many times to Ruby how dangerous it could but naturally Ruby refused to listen. "Is this your car or did you borrow it from someone?" Ruby asked curiously, looking around at how neatly the car was fashioned. Everett was still mysterious as ever to her. Much as he probably thought of Ruby. They were very comfortable with each other, but there definitely was the invisible boundary of what they couldn't be forever in the back of her mind. Maybe in just a few months it would be different. The what ifs hung heavy in between them. Ruby digs through a portion of her bag to find the Celsius she'd plopped in their before exiting her dorm. "Yes a few surprises. But it's too early, you'll just have to wait," she dangles the anticipation in front of his face before taking a sip of the beverage. She sits it down in her lap as she pulls down one of her sleeves that had ridden up when she removed her coat. "Nope, no my license for me. My parents do own a car though. My dad would sometimes let me practice but I ultimately decided no. There's no use." Her eyes look out to the right of her, out the window as they move further out of the city and toward their destination. "Are you excited for this?" She turns the question away from their current topic and is anxious to hear his reply.

[everett howe]

7:30 AM Seeing Ruby further relax granted Everett the same silent permission to do so, adjusting his seat slightly as the freeway stretched out before them, smooth and quiet beneath the tires. “It’s a rental,” he answered to her curiosity, eyes flickering expertly between the road and the mirrors. “I had a car back in California. I miss it, I like driving,” he added, something he had to part with when moving across the country three years ago. But it was simply easier to get around the city without a car than the hassle of keeping one here. At her lack of a license, Everett shook his head in surprise. “Wow, that’s so crazy to me,” he laughed, unfathomable where he came from. Just another difference between them and their upbringings. “I got mine as soon as I could,” he remembered, both a desire and necessity back then. Although he expected a question from her, he was surprised to hear such a simple one. “Yeah, I am,” he replied easily, palm idly resting on the gear stick. “It’s.. I don’t know, really lucky that it’s happening here and now, I guess,” he said, the hint of a smile on his lips. “I’m glad you’re coming with me. It'll be educational and fun now,” he teased, which they already knew after their impromptu visit to the chemistry lab. “Are you excited?”

[ruby anderson]

ROAD TRIP “Makes total sense, it’s SO clean in here. Even for you!” Ruby teased the gorgeous man beside her. That comment gives her a little chuckle from Everett and she smiles even bigger as she sips her energy drink. She tried to imagine what he was like in California. Was he the same Everett? More serious or less? After all, his studies now were more important than before. “Well as you know, we don’t need it. I don’t know how you just drove out of the city, I would’ve been so anxious.” Ruby uncrosses her legs and adjusts the temperature, it was just about perfect if it were a little less warm. She turns the dial and glances over at Everett. “Think I could play a few songs?” It was an agreement of theirs when she agreed to take this road trip with him. Ruby snorts at his ‘educational’ comment. The lab had been fun, plus she got to see Everett in a different element. During the study sessions and when he lectured, he had to be serious whereas she caught a glimpse of him being playful. “You and your educational fun.” Her blue eyes roll in a teasing manner. “Yeah I am. I don’t really know what to expect?”

[everett howe]

7:45 AM At her comment about the car, Everett couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll have you know, this is how I would keep my car,” he protested, entertained by her playfulness so early in the morning. It was a strange thought to realize she had been prepared for this, had thought about him, had arranged her day with him in mind—just as he did for her. “Getting out of the city is the hard part, but then you barely have to think about it,” he said, motioning toward the freeway around them. Cruise control and blind spot monitoring helped a bit too, more of his attention able to spread out to her. “Oh, yeah, of course,” he said, swiftly unclipping the dongle from his phone and holding it out for her to take. These were some things they were still getting to know about each other: their tastes and preferences, how they traveled, things that weren’t easily covered with questions during study sessions. “It’s kind of silly, honestly.. It’s a completely natural phenomenon: the moon occasionally gets in between the Earth and the Sun in just the right way that the corona can be seen for a few minutes…” he trailed off, trying to remain cognizant of his tone, his word choice. He didn’t mean to sound condescending or smug, but it had been pointed out to him before. “Anyway, the day goes dark for a second and it’s really trippy,” he summarized sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. “I brought special glasses for it and everything.”

[ruby anderson]

ROAD TRIP “Just as I assumed, don’t worry,” she reassures him with a pat on the shoulder closest to her. Phone was laid on her right thigh and she glanced at the time. 7:45. If it weren’t for this great escape, Ruby would be heading to her marketing class. The night before she’d texted her friend Sara asking if she’d be willing to take some notes for Ruby. The girl responded instantly, giving Ruby assurance that she could have her whatever notes she took for the day. Ruby feigned sickness, knowing that this needed to be a secret kept between the two of them. Everett handed over the cord with no hesitation. She remembered how much Colt would roll his eyes and give her restrictions. None were spoken by Everett. She plugged her phone in, noticing that so far during the duration of their ride there hadn’t been any music playing. “Actually, tell me a song you like. I’ll play it. I don’t really know about what you listen to. It would almost be like a question,” she wait patiently to hear what he’ll suggest. He speaks so intelligently about what they will observing. The news had broadcasted about the eclipse and Ruby scrolled upon a few social media posts regarding the phenomenon. “We have to wear special glasses? I guess that makes sense,” she murmurs in between another sip of the beverage in her lap. “I am really excited. It’s nice to hang. I didn’t know you’d get in your head and cancel…”

[everett howe]

7:45 AM The blonde touches him again and Everett wants to start keeping count, relishing the brief flash of warmth to his shoulder, the waft of her scent. He’s trying to remain as present as possible in the moment, avoiding crawling into the recesses of his thoughts, imagining the downfalls of this plan, spiraling with the things he should be doing with his time. But Ruby’s eagerness chips away at the guilt automatically triggered by him enjoying himself, a nasty habit that trained him to distrust fun. He didn’t want to mention how big of a deal this was for him—taking a day off school, away from work—trying to act like someone his age, normal and spontaneous. Although he thought he handed over the music responsibility, his passenger is suddenly asking him for a recommendation. “Oh, gees, putting me right on the spot,” he said, scrambling to think of something and how personal it felt. “I don’t know, anything from Guster? I usually listen to indie or alternative rock, but I don’t mind whatever you put on,” he explained, worried that she wouldn’t like it or was hoping for him to say something else. At her comment he nodded, endeared by her lack of awareness—she wasn’t an astronomy major either, after all. “Honestly? I never thought about canceling for a second,” he was surprised to hear himself realize out loud. He had been looking forward to this for weeks since she had gotten back from her Hamptons weekend. “I feel pretty rebellious, actually. I think you’re starting to rub off on me,” he threw in, sneaking a glance at her.

[ruby anderson]

ROAD TRIP "You can tell a lot about a person based on the music they listen to." She shrugs her shoulders as she puts on the artist that he's requested. Alternative music oddly fits him, she thinks to herself as she scrolls through her music library. Ruby prided herself in liking a wide variety of music, except when she was drinking. That was a different story. She hits the 'play next' button a couple tracks and looks up from her screen to glance at the other cars passing beside them. The music plays softly around them as Ruby fires off a few text messages to her friends that were up attending their respective classes. Ruby is elated to hear that he didn't plan to cancel. A smile starts to fall upon her lips but she stops it with her top teeth biting her bottom lip. Perhaps that's what kept her from sleeping well last night. Everett abandoning their plans and stating once again how bad of an idea this would be. A young girl could only take so much. Her fingers are laced around the celsius in her lap as she dares to take a look at him. "Uh oh..please don't blame me when you get in trouble during this rebellious phase." She laughs gently, aware that Everett and trouble did not belong in a sentence together. "Will a lot of people be doing this today? Coming to see this eclipse?"

[everett howe]

8:00 AM Familiar sounds flood through the speaker and it feels personal, having given up such ordinary information about himself, his likes and preferences. “What does this say about me?” he wondered to her statement. In the same way he’s curious about what she’ll select next, which genres and sounds fill her everyday life. It was the first time they were in a car together, the first time leaving the city together, the first time outside of campus and her secret café... It’s a secret, silent thrill and despite the rules he was supposed to heed; the part that wanted to press further was winning against the part that knew better. “What, you’re not proud of your work?” he teased, a smirk tugging at his lips. For a moment he thought he saw that wounded girl again, the one who was briefly shy and nervous, almost waiting for his rejection. It pained him to think she always expected him to drop away, but it pained him more to realize that was all he’d done. His courage about this relationship oscillated wildly between emboldened and petrified, telling her ‘no’ one day and then kissing her the next. "Yeah, it should be a pretty big spectacle," he answered to her question. "We'll see what happens. Traffic is probably going to suck on the way back." His eyes landed on the clock, pleased to see it had changed significantly. "One hour down," he announced triumphantly, "are you ok so far?"

[ruby anderson]

ROAD TRIP Ruby pondered his music taste, the chemistry lifestyle and what she'd known about Everett thus far. "I don't know, I'm still trying to figure you out," she answered honestly. From the start, they've had a non-traditional way of meeting and becoming close. Especially given Everett's mindset on her being his student. For a while it was give and take, a lot of the giving from Ruby until he started to slowly break the wall built up around him. Ruby could say the same about herself though. A giant wall surrounded her heart, her head and her life. Not even letting her two best friends in until she deemed necessary. Was she proud of her work, of making Everett more rebellious? She wasn't sure. She twists her hand around her index finger as she thinks of what she wants to say.  "I don't want to be a bad influence, or just viewed as rebellious to you." The vulnerability slips from her lips. "But if it makes you a little more relaxed and comfortable, than I'm for it." She wanders off with her reply, eyes back to anything but Everett. Mirren would probably like this a lot, Ruby thinks as she watches the sights of cars, buildings and land fly by. Her friend had an abundance of fun facts and deep inside there was most definitely some statement about the solar eclipse. She nods her head when he asks if she's okay. "I'm good, thanks." She doesn't mean for the words to come out a little short, so she recovers. "Did you want me to bring out any of the snacks I brought or wait?"

[everett howe]

8:00 AM Although he didn’t receive an actual answer, what the blonde said was true for the both of them; they were still exploring, learning, pushing. Suddenly their usual backdrop was gone and Everett didn’t know how that would affect them, being free from the reminders of rules and risks. “Hey, I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” he amended when he heard the shift in her tone, a jolt sent through his nervous system. Apologetically, his hand shot out in consolation, landing just above the knee when his eyes followed what he had done. But he felt emboldened by their surroundings, on the road somewhere in New Jersey where they could be themselves. “You’re really brave, I mean. You do things you want,” he clarified, envious of those qualities about her. Perhaps a “bad” influence in his longstanding rigid worldview, but he was slowly relaxing those harsh lines, testing the boundaries and seeing that everything didn’t fall apart after all if he centered himself. “I’d be lucky to learn that from you,” he murmured, thumb stroking the fabric of her leggings. “I know there’s a lot more to you than that.” Worried about pressing her too much and shattering this good vibe, Everett tried to focus on the road with this new hour now underway. At mention of her snacks, he offered a curious shrug. “Sure, yeah. Let's do it,” he answered, endeared by the simple gesture of her thinking about him like this. “Hit me with your surprise, snack girl” he smiled both in challenge and request.