Another Mile, Another Minute

Lia pushed the corn stalks out of her way.

I cannot believe he just did that! she thought to herelf.

Well, what did you think he was gonna do? the little voice in her head said.

I don’t know, she thought back angrily, Anything but that.

He always does surprise you, doesn’t he? her subconscious was strangely smug.

In the worst way possible. she tried strangling the voice in the back of her mind against a wall to snuffle out the commentary.

As she stepped foot on the solid dirt road, she looked to her right and to her relief and dismay, there was Rosita sitting a few years away.

She could vaguely see Alex sitting at the wheel in frustration. His plan hadn’t worked out. Served him right. Her plan fell through as well. Furious, she walked up to the driver’s side and tapped on the window impatiently.

He shot her a dirty look through the dingy window and slowly rolled it down, “What?” he asked in a bored tone.

“What?” she spat back at him, “You know exactly what. What the hell did you think you were doing with that little stunt back there? A stupid plan and you didn’t even stick to it!”

“Well,” he began as though it was the most obvious thing on the face of the earth, “I just left you, which for some reason, you are having a very difficult time comprehending, and no. I would have stuck to my original plan of leaving you if Rosita didn’t just pass out.” He pounded his fist on the dashboard and the engine wheezed.

“Let me in, Alex.” Lia paraded to the opposite side of the car.

“What makes you think I’m gonna do such a thing?” he sneered.

“I don’t even understand why you’re so angry. I should be the one that’s pissed,” she pulled on the door handle but it wouldn’t budge, “Unlock the door.”

He cupped a hand to his ear, mocking her, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear that last bit. Can you repeat what you said?”

“Unlock the door, please,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Hm, let me think about that for a second. Let’s see – no.” He finished flatly, “Now why would I do that?”

She just smirked, “Because I have the key.” She answered simply.

“No you don’t,” he scoffed as he jangled the jagged pieces of metal that were inserted into the engine.

“Not those keys,” she pulled one out and it gleamed in the sunlight. Shaking it as though she were tempting a child, she said, “This key.”

A flash of familiarity skimmed over Alex’s features.

“The keys to your stash of beer.” She clarified for him.

“You didn’t.”

“But it looks like I did, didn’t I?”

“Wha – when?” he was baffled.

Her laugh tinkled in the afternoon air, “When you went to get my bags before we left. I figured that I’d need something to hold over your head just in case and event like this was to occur.”

“You’re evil aren’t you?”

“Ah, it’s a trait you acquire over time,” she said offhandedly, “So are you gonna let me in or not? Because I can leave with this.”

Alex was stumped and had been backed into a corner – theoretically, of course – but he was still already beginning to feel claustrophobic. There was only one was out, and that was to give in. He hated losing.

Unhappy, he unlocked the door, “Grab some beers first. We’re going to be here for a while.”

Lia was triumphant. She had finally won a battle and she was going to milk this cow for as long as possible. She opened the latch to the cooer in the trunk and pulled out two bottles. As soon as they hit contact with the humid heat, they began to form little beads of condensation.

Gracefully sliding into her rightful seat, she handed him a cool one and then leaned back in their respective places as they downed the beers.

“So why are we here and not moving? You didn’t explain too clearly the first time.”

Alex took a swig of the concoction before answering, “The battery overheated.”

She began choking on her drink violently, “What do you mean overheated? How are we gonna get out of here? We don’t even know where we are!” she bit her lip out of anxiety, “I knew this was a bad idea. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it,” she chanted under her breath.

“Oh, relax. Let’er rest up for a bit. It’s just a minor setback.”

“A minor setback?” Lia’s voice went really high and rivalled the squeak of a dolphin as she began to panic, “This is gonna throw everything off! We’ll have no places to stay anymore. I had everything booked. We’ll have to sleep on the side of the road,” her voice dropped to an eerie whisper, “Oh my God. We’ll have to sleep on the side of the road,” her eyes grew wide as the horrible thought dawned on her. Her right hand gripped the bottle that she was holding tighter.

Alex distanced himself away from her as far as the small car would allow.

Lia whipped her cell phone out of her pocket in a flash, “No reception. Not a single, solitary bar. Where are we?” she asked in a small voice.

Alex scrambled in his head for an answer; anything to make her not cry. It wasn’t because he was trying to be nice, it was because Alex and crying girls never mixed. He liked to be gone before the waterworks began.

“When she starts up again,” he said, using the incorrect pronoun, “we can keep driving down this road and ask someone at the first place we come upon.”

She though it over carefully as she took another gulp, “Okay.”

“But first, we need to get Rosita out of the middle of the road; get her onto the shoulder.”

“How’re we gonna do that?”

“Muscle power,” he flexed his scrawny arms, “we have to push it.”

Lia was sceptical, “Push it?”

He simply shrugged.

“Fine. Let’s do that,” she sighed, “but next time, I’m driving.”

“Deal.” Alex stuck out his hand.

“Deal.” She shook it.

Alex Gaskarth: 2
Lia Philsen: 1