Fireworks

14

We have a stare down for a second, and I feel my will waver.

I close my eyes and let out a breath. I'm about to trust this guy. I really don't have another choice, but it pains me to put myself in a position where I'm relying on some guy I barely know.

"Fine," I say, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Look, I really need someone to come with me to pick up a car, I'd just need you to follow me back to my place. It would probably take an hour or two, but I understand it's late and we don't really know each other or anything," I shake my head, knowing I'm rambling but unable to stop myself.

"It's fine, I owe you one anyways." he says in his deep, calming voice. "I promise I'm a good driver."

I sigh a little in resignation and relief, and say, "Okay, thank you so much, I know it's a huge favor."

He shakes his head and says, "Not at all."

He starts to walk around to the passenger side of my car and I turn to Isa. "Thank you, Isa. Really."

She gives me a small smile and says, "I hope everything's alright."

She closes my door and I start my car as Arlo climbs in.

To my embarrassment, my Bluetooth audio connects and classical music starts playing a little loud, and I turn it down quickly. I take a deep breath and back out of my parking space. This is about to be a long drive.

As we pull out of the lot, I can smell Arlo's cologne start to spread in the car and subconsciously take a deeper breath.

"Listen, I really am thankful-"

"Don't worry about it. Really," he says softly, but I feel so bad for dragging him into my personal drama so late at night when I know he works early tomorrow and probably just wants to get home.

I swallow and push down on the gas a little. I'm kind of hoping my dad will call me back, kind of not so Arlo won't have to hear him. I need a plan.

Okay, yes. I need a plan of action. So I'll drive to Levi's Gastrolounge and park. I'll park my car and find my Dad's before heading inside. I'll make Arlo wait by my dad's car and then go inside and find him. I'll bring him out to my car, lay him down, get his keys, then go back to where Arlo is waiting and give him the keys. Then I'll drive with my dad and Arlo will follow. That way he won't have to see my dad or deal with anything other than the driving.

"Hadlee?" he asks, and I hum to indicate I'm listening as I pull onto the highway. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I confirm. "Are you okay?" I ask in return, though I'm not completely sure why.

He's silent for a moment before he says, "I'm okay. You just look a little tense."

I force my body to relax. I hadn't realized I was clutching the wheel so hard until he pointed it out. "Oh."

It's quiet for a while again, the only sound being the soft sound of Arabesque No 1 playing over my stereo and my AC turned on low. The highway is almost void of any cars beside us, and it's almost peaceful out tonight. It would be nice under any other circumstances.

Probably ten minutes of silence pass before I once again blurt out, "I'm really sorry about this. I promise we're almost there."

He lets out a single unamused laugh and patiently says, "I swear that I'm really not worried about it. I have all night."

Something about his voice relieves some of the tension in my shoulders and temples, and I feel slightly less guilty. "I would never ask a whole night of you," I whisper.