car?” Travis said, flabbergasted. “My car, you mean. And I’m going in my car.” He crossed his arms, blue eyes glued into Shannon’s.
A grin spread on her face as she fished out something from her jacket pocket. The item gave a jingle. Evidently keys. “So how are you to drive in your car without these?”
His eyes widened, furiously patting his front and back pockets. “Did you go through my pants?”
“I’m going to take your car. Let’s go Dottie!” She yanked on my wrists, which a lot of people seem to be doing lately.
We grabbed our bags (mine was already made up thanks to Shannon) and headed to a different direction I never went before. As we went through the trees, I noticed that the trees on this side were more compressed then the ones we followed through in the trail. Before I knew it, we were out of the trees and into this ratty old Mitsubishi. It was a silver car with the paint chipping at the sides.
Shannon dumped our stuff in the trunk while I got into the passenger seat. Near my feet there were tons of graphic novels with pictures of animated Japanese characters on them. I began to pick up one when Shannon yelled, “DO NOT TOUCH THAT!”
I halted immediately and dropped the book.
“Those are classic manga and Travis will kill you!”
My brows pulled up. “Okay.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets, hoping that this car had heat available. As if reading my mind she answered.
“God can only blast some heat or air in this car.” Shannon put the key in the ignition to start the engine. Small air blew on my face, to my discomfort. Like I needed to be colder. Shannon turned the knob to the red line and changed the air direction our face to our feet.
The slightest warmth has come upon us. Or at least I think—unless it was my imagination. Then Shannon said, “God loves us,” and drove out of the parking lot.
After we got about a half a mile away from the park, Shannon’s cell phone rang. She answered it quickly. “Hello…. Yeah... no.” She paused, and then continued. “Toni’s.... Why not? Whatever. I’m going and Dottie’s going to be with me. Perhaps along the way she will disappear from my sight, running to all those policemen…. Good. Glad we worked something out.” She shut the phone.
“So Dottie, start talking.” She brushed some hair out of her face.
“What?” I asked.
“Oh you heard me,” She said. “What’s got your butt in a twist?”
I snickered, “Never heard of that one before.”
“I try to keep things fresh.” She shrugged.
“I’m fine.” I said and then added, “Except for the situation I’m currently in.”
“Well yeah.” Shannon said in an understanding tone. “It’s not like anyone wants to get kidnapped.” She twisted her head sideways, but kept her eyes glued to the road. “I can see something between you two.” I opened my mouth, astonished. Was it really that easy? She noticed my reaction and slightly smirked. “I knew it.” She said, accusingly.
“You’re not angry?” I asked too fast. She should be. Every girlfriend who can see someone else holds her boyfriend’s interest should kill the girl right on the spot. It only got me thinking that Shannon and Eric were so odd being together.
“Yes.” She bit her lip, holding back a face. “I really want to tell you something,” she said in a low whisper. “I know Eric is going to kill me once he finds out you know, but I think it will be better this way.” She flexed her hands on the wheel.
“Eric and I are not dating.” She said in a calm business-like voice.
I gasped. “WHAT?”
She took her eyes off the road to look at me. I could see she thought she said something wrong, which it was wrong, but not to her. She wanted to reassure me. She shook her head. “We never were.” Long live the only tale, huh?
“But then why did you run up and kiss each other?” I said, that was the only thing really bothering me. If Shannon persists that they aren’t a couple. “Explain to me that.”
“I needed an explanation on that too. So that’s why I wanted to talk to Eric briefly. He reminded me of a silly thing we did in the fifth grade.” She chuckled at the old memory. “We watched a lot of couples back then. Seeing the kissing, the hugging, the holding hands and being all mushy with each other.
“We thought that if we would be alone, we’d at least have each other’s backs. Romance happened to be one of them. So right then and there, I kissed him on the mouth. In the park, it had to be one of the most awkward moments in our entire lives.”
“Aside from the other kiss.”
She waved her hand at me. “Nah that was a good kiss. He actually kissed back that time. Of course, I wasn’t the one who stepped in and did it. He took matters into his own hands.”
“And he did this because…?” I started, looking for answers.
“He’s jealous.” She said. “Of you.” As if I didn’t get the point across.
“Oh.”
“So who’s this ‘Kade’ fellow that you’re dating. I can tell Eric hates the ever being of his presence.”
“He’s just a normal guy.” I said, all truth in it.
She laughed so loud at this. “Wow. Just a normal guy? Why on earth would you bother with him, then? Dottie,” Then she said in a serious tone. “Eric’s interesting.”
I couldn’t believe her. She wants me to be with Eric. Eric, the guy who kidnapped me during a party. “Are you insane?” Maybe I could get out of this car. Stop, drop, and roll aren’t only for fires.
“I know, I know.” She said, sensing my outrage. She fell quiet now, driving along.
This made me content. I didn’t have to answer questions anymore. After a while, my stomach took a plunge of hurt.
“Ow!” I winced.
Shannon immediately responded. “What’s the matter?”
“My… stomach.” I realized what it must have been. “I think I have….”
She nodded, indefinitely. “Period. I wonder if Eric’s thought of that.” She looked at me for a quick moment, then glancing back at the road. “I don’t have anything, I’m sorry Dottie.” She took her phone out of her pocket and started to push buttons.
“What are you doing?” I asked surprised.
A bewildered expression took over her face. “We’re not going to pass a convenient store for miles Dottie. Travis is going to hate you for life if anything gets on the seat.” She said. “They were still in the park when Eric called. They could turn and get something.”
I waved my hands up in the air, shouting, “No, no, no! Please no.” I begged. She pulled over the car.
“Oh my gosh.” She shook her head. She still had a mid-phone number typed on the screen. “You’re not one of those people who are embarrassed when Mother Nature slips in for her monthly visit?”
“Yes?” I said.
“Dottie,” She said in a sweet voice that made it hard to understand why she completed her sentence in a deadly voice, “Get over it.” She resumed dialing numbers and waited a couple of seconds before a grumbled voice answered on the other end.
“What the hell are you doing with Eric’s phone, Aaron?” She waited for his response. “Well I think it does matter. Okay, well…. Can you go to a convenient store before going to Toni’s? Dorothy needs—” She cupped her hand over the receiver. “What do you like? Pads or tampons?”
Why must she put me in an awkward position? “Uh…. pads?” I breathed out. Let’s just get this over with.
“Yeah feminine pads.” She said. A husky laugh sounded through the phone. My face flustered. “We’re not in middle school anymore. Grow up!” And then someone in the background yelled, taking the phone from Aaron. “She better not get nothing on my seat!” I could tell it was Travis.
“Anything, Travis. Anything on your seat.” She corrected. “And if you go fast—” The line went dead. She took the phone down from her ear, studying the phone. Astonishment presented on her face. “Huh,” he said, smirking. “I should do that some more.”
“Well don’t use me next time.” I crossed my arms over my chest, looking out the window.
She chuckled softly. Shannon twisted the key to start the car, but it didn’t budge. “Oh no!” She leaned her head against the seat. “Stupid car,” she cursed silently.
“What is it?” I asked, already feeling the panic of being stranded again.
“Car battery.” She said, opening her door. “No problem.”
“You know how to fix it? You have an extra battery?” These questions slipped out of my mouth fast so fast I was too anxious to wait for an answer.
“Well…our only option is to wait for another car.” I got out of the car to follow her. She unlocked the trunk which I see now is messy. I don’t even see my stuff.
Shannon pushed herself deep inside it, muffling something. She sounded excited.
“What?” I shouted at her.
She pulled out a long black cord with a blue and black end at each. “Thank God Travis is not forgetful.” She ran to the front of the car with the cord in hand. She opened up the front, fumbling to plug in the cord. She looked up. “Now we wait.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Yeah.” I said doubtful. “And what are the chances of that happening?”
“Oh, Dottie.” She grabbed my hands from each side, pulling them up. “You need to have some faith.” She squeezed them.
I shook my head, and said darkly, “I guess I don’t have enough faith, where am I?”
She dropped my hands and turned her head away. Then she opened her mouth and raised her hands in the air saying, “HEY! STOP!” There was no point in drawing that