Out of Time

Chapter 34: Drive

The prom night dropped along their body.

"Oh come on, you have to come with us!" Azriella grunted.

Eli shifted her head from time to time—back to them and her date. "But Azi..."

"Okay fine, just promise us you'll come by after." Azriella rolled her eyes.

She stopped nodding her head and her gummy smile faded as her eyes landed on Zach, "Zacharius..."

"I spent my time preparing the place!" He rolled his eyes.

"Sorry." Eli sprinted towards him and hugged him from his back.

Zacharius kept on removing her arms, but it was so tight he can't do anything about it.

"Fine!" He shouted.

Eli screeched and kissed him on his cheeks, "Okay I'll see you later!" She laughed as she walked away.

"What's with that place you're ta—" Her words took off when Eli ran towards them shouting their name.

"What?" Zacharius spoke as he faced her. 

Eli grabbed his hand and placed her polaroid camera and extra films on it. She winked at him and giggled as she walked back towards her date.

A smirk forms into his lips and drew himself back on exiting the gymnasium. His scarlet dodge was sitting, waiting on the dark parking lot—waiting for them to drive her.

"Finally, you brought her." Azriella laughed.

The light from the street reflects off the car as they approached it. It was so quiet all they can hear is their own footsteps and crickets.

The cold steel door handle sends a shiver down his spine as he pulls it down slowly, "I only brought her because I know no one would see me driving her."

"Why are you keeping her so secret?" Azriella interrogated as they both went inside.

The seat belt clicking was the last sound they heard before that powerful roar of the engine. "She's like this underrated song, I want to keep her secret and gatekeep her for being such a beautiful masterpiece."

"Corny." She rolled her eyes.

He waited a few seconds for the RPMs to drop down and pulled out of the driveway.

"Is this working—"

"Don't!" Zacharius was about to drag her hand away from the stereo but it was too late, she already pushed it open.

I knew you were trouble by Taylor Swift started playing.

"I thought you're not into her?" Azriella taunted.

"You made me." He responded and rolled his eyes.

Azriella commenced humming the song's beat until a peal of lyrics came out of her mouth. While he started tilting his head to the beat of the song until they both began singing it.

Azriella rolled down her window to enjoy the cool, fresh air of the night as they drove.

Driving over the bridge he sees that the motorway is completely bare. Perfect. This straight stretch of road is for me tonight.

He pulls onto the on-ramp and heads down to that open road. Downshift to get the RPMs in the power band as soon as the ramp straightens up. He checked his gauges and he's right on where he wants to be. He can hear that engine revving saying they're ready for take-off.

He pushes that pedal to the floor and gets sucked into his seat. Shifts into 2nd. The car jolts forward. Then shifts into his 3rd.

Zacharius opened the windows with one hand, allowing him to feel the cool night air blow through their hair. They merged onto the main highway. He checked his mirrors and looked ahead to make sure no one was looking. He put his car into fourth gear. He had both hands on the steering wheel as if he was about to break it off. His RPMs continued to rise, and within a second, he was in fifth gear. He switched again, and this time it was a lovely clean shift. He stomps on the gas pedal harder, but it doesn't move. Euphoria begins to take hold. He had that sense of liberation.

Azriella leaned her hands on the window and stood up— half of her body is outside the car. 

"Azi what the fuck are you trying to kill yourself?!" He shouted as he stops singing.

"Keep going!" Azriella shouted as she raised her arms.

At the time, all he could think of was the speed, and he craved more. His eyesight narrows as he focuses on the road ahead of him; his peripheral vision has vanished. 

Everything they were seeing was just a haze. The dotted line on the road solidifies. They can hear the engine scream, and he knew, it was time for his 6th gear. Zach executes a flawless shift without even thinking about it.

As he gripped the driving wheel tightly, they could feel the adrenaline coursing through their blood. The speed has reduced, but he is surprised that it is still climbing, and the final gear has only just begun. The wind rushing through the windows is now louder than the engine's noise.

He can't take his eyes off the road long enough to check his speed. Zacharius shifted the volume to its highest point. His speakers were vibrating furiously. For a split second, the tiniest bump in the road causes him to feel weightless. He eventually looked down at the speedometer.

"Shit!" They both shouted. 

Azriella dragged her body back to her seat.

He took off the gas as he exhaled, he realized he's been holding his breath. 

Azriella was panting from her screams.

As the car slows due to wind resistance, their body lurches forward somewhat. It's the ultimate euphoria. Their veins are still pumped with adrenaline.

"Fuck that was insane." Azriella exclaimed.

"I know." Zacharius laughed as he focuses on his breathing.

They were still traveling fast, but that felt normal compared to just 10 seconds ago. He finally saw the streetlight, which was only a few meters away from their main entrance. They're no longer far away, so he began to hit the brakes and slow down.

They pulled into their driveway feeling like new people. He put up the windows and give the engine a few last revs to hear that roar again before shutting it down.

"That was the highest speed I went." Zacharius laughed as he glanced at her aqua eyes.

"I never imagined I'd feel that much adrenaline!" Azriella exclaimed.

For a few seconds, they remained silent, with their swollen eyes. They both glanced at each other, making them burst a peal of laughter.

All they could hear as they walked down Zach's driveway were their own footsteps, heavy breathing, crickets, and the tick-tock of a hot engine cooling down. He returned his gaze and saw the orange streetlights reflected off the paint once more.

"So, what's with the place you're talking about?" Azriella questioned as they went inside his house.

"You'll see." He responded as he slammed the main door close.