waiting for superman | book three

twenty three

Making a wish on a passing car

Chloe continues to stare into the stars, trying to allow her eyes to see more of them so she can continue naming reasons she loves Josh. But none appear, and nothing around her appears either. Her vision is clouded by black spots and her eyes are so out of focus that when her vision is not black, it is just one big blur.

She looks up and sees a light shoot through the open air. Her eyes follow the trail of approaching light and her body does too. Chloe finds herself wandering towards the speedily approaching light that started off down the block and is now only a few yards away.

Believing the light is a shooting star, Chloe closes her eyes and begins to wish aloud.

"I wish for Josh to-" but Chloe is interrupted by the screeching of tires and the smell of burned rubber. Chloe opens her eyes and sees not just one, but two bright lights stopped an inch in front of her legs.

"Are you crazy? What are you doing standing in the middle of the street!" a man's deep voice screams. Chloe raises her hand to her face and creates a visor over her eyes, revealing that the two lights blinding her are headlights of a large truck. The man, she assumes to be the driver, is walking towards her with genuine concern in his eyes. 

"I-I didn't realize I was in the road," Chloe mumbles.

"Are you okay?" he asks, placing his right hand on her forearm. 

"Y-yeah. I'm f-fine," she stammers, suddenly feeling light headed. 

"Are you sure? You don't look too good," the truck driver says. 

"I'm sure," Chloe manages to say before she collapses onto the asphalt of the road.