The familiar hum of Kevin’s car approaching my front door was a sound I knew well, yet today, it was accompanied by a familiar internal sigh. Late, as usual. We were off to Grandma’s for the weekend, and for some reason, Kevin had insisted on tagging along this time.

“Kevin, being my best friend for years doesn’t give you the right to be that late every time we go out,” I quipped, slamming the car door shut with a playful flourish. He hissed dramatically, glaring at me with those greenish eyes of his, but the glare quickly melted into his usual charming smile.

“Mia, you look beautiful as usual,” he purred, and I rolled my eyes. “Flattery will not get you out of this,” I retorted, crossing my arms. He just smirked, then tossed a gift box onto the back seat. My eyebrows shot up. A present? From Kevin? This was new. “Hee, what is it?” I asked, a genuine smile replacing my feigned annoyance.

“Do you forgive me first?” he asked, his smirk widening. I narrowed my eyes, suspicion creeping in. “Yeees,” I drawled, dragging out the word. He burst out laughing. “Well, it isn’t for you, it’s for your grandma. It is my first visit. I cannot go empty-handed.”

Classic Kevin. Making a fool of me was his favorite pastime, and I, sadly, had grown accustomed to it. I tossed the box onto the back seat with a theatrical sigh. “Kevin, you know how much I love my grandma, and you were late. You know how important this is to me.”

“I’m really sorry, I was caught up with something back home,” he said, his tone softening. “But don’t worry, we’ll be there on time.” He started the car, the engine roaring as he stepped hard on the gas pedal. I leaned back, watching the trees blur past the window, my mind already drifting to Grandma and her wonderfully strange stories.