Troubles
Car
I sit tensely and look out the window at all the cars we pass. It's freezing outside, which means the roads are slippery. Brian hits the gas when a light goes from red to green, the tires spin, unable to get a quick hold of the road. Eventually, they do. Unfortunately.
Brian swings right at a speed that's slightly slower than normal, but not slow enough considering the weather. I hold on to the door handle tightly, fearing we'll crash, but luckily – and only by pure luck, I feel – we stay on the road.
I suddenly notice we're on the ramp for the highway. I clutch the door handle tighter.
“So, when do you think you wanna be picked up tomorrow?” Brian asks. We agreed that it'd be better for everyone if I stayed the night, seeing as Brian would probably be too drunk to come pick me up and the bus stops aren't safe late at night. And even though the Ways offered to drive me, Brian doesn't have an extra key.
Fortunately, Mikey was more than thrilled at the opportunity to have a sleep-over again, and Donna and Donald didn't seem to mind. I guess they still feel sorry for me.
Gerard obviously wasn't asked.
“As soon as possible?” I ask, hoping he'll agree to it. 'As soon as possible' probably won't be until noon or something, since Brian probably has to get sober first, but still; I think Gerard would appreciate it if I left as soon as I could. After all, he probably doesn't even want me there in the first place.
“Why? Don't you wanna go?” Brian asked befuddled, getting a bit too close to another car as he overtakes it.
“Sure,” I say before I swallow down my nerves, doing my best to trust Brian and his driving skills. I've never learned how to drive, but I'm pretty sure you have to go slower than this under these weather conditions.
“I just don't wanna overstay my welcome,” I explain. I know that 75 % of the household won't mind, but the 25 % that does, makes me more than willing to leave early.
“Okay,” Brian says, again sounding befuddled. Why am I using the word befuddled? It's such an odd word. Befuddled. To be fuddled. Doesn't that mean being drunk?
“I guess I could call tomorrow? When I wake up. Or more responsibly; when I'm sober enough to drive. Which might take a while, just so that you're prepared,” Brian says, laughing lightly. I nod. I don't want to be in his way. Really; I don't want to be in anyone's way.
If only I had a key to Brian's place, then I could leave early. I could just take the bus home next morning.
I guess I can still do that – key or no key – if things get too tense or awkward.
“Fuck! A toothbrush!” Brian suddenly exclaims. I look over at him, checking if he's lost his mind.
“You'll need a toothbrush. Why haven't I thought of that before?”
He really doesn't have to think about that. I already have a toothbrush. It's in the locker I own at the bus station. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a new one.
“Is there a convenient store near their house that might be open? Do you know?”
I raise my eyebrows and look around on the dashboard, quickly scanning Belleville through in my mind.
“I think there's one on- Yeah, there's one on New Street,” I say proudly. Brian nods before he looks over his shoulder and overtakes another car. This time, I'm not as tense.
“Good. We'll just drop by on the way.”
I almost object, but I know Brian won't hear it. He already bought me new clothes at Target for today and tomorrow. I'm currently sitting in brand new clothes, having plenty of times wondered if we got all the price tags off.
I tried to argue with him about all the expensive clothes he bought. I have clothes at the station that's perfectly fine, but Brian wouldn't hear it.
So stopping him from buying me a toothbrush will surely be impossible. Even if it does make us 5 minutes more late. We're already 15 minutes late.
“Then I can also buy the present I forgot.” I smirk at Brian's last remark. He forgot to buy a present for the girl who's having the party. He seems so stressed out lately that he forgets a lot. I hope it's not my fault.
“Was it 5 or 6 we needed to get off at?” Brian asks for the third time since we left.
I really think a night of drunkenness will do him good.
Brian swings right at a speed that's slightly slower than normal, but not slow enough considering the weather. I hold on to the door handle tightly, fearing we'll crash, but luckily – and only by pure luck, I feel – we stay on the road.
I suddenly notice we're on the ramp for the highway. I clutch the door handle tighter.
“So, when do you think you wanna be picked up tomorrow?” Brian asks. We agreed that it'd be better for everyone if I stayed the night, seeing as Brian would probably be too drunk to come pick me up and the bus stops aren't safe late at night. And even though the Ways offered to drive me, Brian doesn't have an extra key.
Fortunately, Mikey was more than thrilled at the opportunity to have a sleep-over again, and Donna and Donald didn't seem to mind. I guess they still feel sorry for me.
Gerard obviously wasn't asked.
“As soon as possible?” I ask, hoping he'll agree to it. 'As soon as possible' probably won't be until noon or something, since Brian probably has to get sober first, but still; I think Gerard would appreciate it if I left as soon as I could. After all, he probably doesn't even want me there in the first place.
“Why? Don't you wanna go?” Brian asked befuddled, getting a bit too close to another car as he overtakes it.
“Sure,” I say before I swallow down my nerves, doing my best to trust Brian and his driving skills. I've never learned how to drive, but I'm pretty sure you have to go slower than this under these weather conditions.
“I just don't wanna overstay my welcome,” I explain. I know that 75 % of the household won't mind, but the 25 % that does, makes me more than willing to leave early.
“Okay,” Brian says, again sounding befuddled. Why am I using the word befuddled? It's such an odd word. Befuddled. To be fuddled. Doesn't that mean being drunk?
“I guess I could call tomorrow? When I wake up. Or more responsibly; when I'm sober enough to drive. Which might take a while, just so that you're prepared,” Brian says, laughing lightly. I nod. I don't want to be in his way. Really; I don't want to be in anyone's way.
If only I had a key to Brian's place, then I could leave early. I could just take the bus home next morning.
I guess I can still do that – key or no key – if things get too tense or awkward.
“Fuck! A toothbrush!” Brian suddenly exclaims. I look over at him, checking if he's lost his mind.
“You'll need a toothbrush. Why haven't I thought of that before?”
He really doesn't have to think about that. I already have a toothbrush. It's in the locker I own at the bus station. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a new one.
“Is there a convenient store near their house that might be open? Do you know?”
I raise my eyebrows and look around on the dashboard, quickly scanning Belleville through in my mind.
“I think there's one on- Yeah, there's one on New Street,” I say proudly. Brian nods before he looks over his shoulder and overtakes another car. This time, I'm not as tense.
“Good. We'll just drop by on the way.”
I almost object, but I know Brian won't hear it. He already bought me new clothes at Target for today and tomorrow. I'm currently sitting in brand new clothes, having plenty of times wondered if we got all the price tags off.
I tried to argue with him about all the expensive clothes he bought. I have clothes at the station that's perfectly fine, but Brian wouldn't hear it.
So stopping him from buying me a toothbrush will surely be impossible. Even if it does make us 5 minutes more late. We're already 15 minutes late.
“Then I can also buy the present I forgot.” I smirk at Brian's last remark. He forgot to buy a present for the girl who's having the party. He seems so stressed out lately that he forgets a lot. I hope it's not my fault.
“Was it 5 or 6 we needed to get off at?” Brian asks for the third time since we left.
I really think a night of drunkenness will do him good.