Terrible Trilogy

Part 7

You all drove 30 minutes outside of the tiny town to the nearest city with fast food. 

You looked out the window, watching everything go by you. You were deep in thought...How could you not be? Could you imagine 3 years ago being in the same car as these two? What would your family say? What would Dewey think or Randy? Hell, what would you have told yourself 3 years ago?

'You stupid ass, what the hell are you doing? Billy's right, maybe you really do have a death wish?' You lightly rolled your eyes at yourself in the dark car. The only light coming from someone's utility light or porch as your car passed it. 

You glanced up at Stu driving. You could tell the silence was getting to him as he gripped and ungripped the wheel. He felt so...Chaotic. When he was happy, when he was angry, even when he was sad. He was explosive and couldn't contain himself. He didn't think before acting; he didn't think or dwell afterwards even after acting out. Then what he said about being all you have left...What did he mean by that? Billy was right. He could be behind this as a way to get revenge on Billy while looking like the hero to you...Or to get you both back. 

But the same could be said about Billy as well. 

You glanced over at him. He's eyes were transfixed on the window, thinking. He looked so different. 3 years ago he looked filled out, his hair neatly swept back, unhinged but still. You figured revenge was a motivator for him. Now? He was as thin as he was in Highschool with longer hair, his eyes had tired dark circles under them and his body language was tense. You had to wonder...Why would he agree to even be near you or Stu? Why was this the tipping point?...Was it the tipping point? Or was Stu right and Billy had just lost it after all these years and ready to rip out both your throats? 

You leaned back and looked at the roof of your car. Getting lost in your own thoughts you wish you wouldn't. It was all just so bizarre.

It was so quiet and awkward you could cut the tension with a knife. You fiddled with your thumbs in the backseat as Billy stared out the window and Stu drove while glancing at you from his mirror.

Stu finally groaned to himself. "...Okay this has been a blast but I need something to cut out the sound of you two breathing." He mumbled as he messed with the radio. 

Billy side eyed him and you sighed to yourself. You had a feeling an argument was gonna come from it. 

The song that came on made you clench the seat. It had been years since you heard it. You hesitated, hoping maybe those years of therapy worked the way it did with phone calls...But you couldn't do it. It made your throat tight and your breathing quicken. It got to the chorus and the memory of huge hands around your neck and him sneering down at you flooded your brain.

"NO!-" You jumped forward and flipped the dial hard enough to almost break it. Billy and Stu looked at you like you grew a second head.

"Jesus babe, what?" Stu muttered, you startled him.

You clenched your teeth. "No Beck!...Ever." You ordered, sitting back in your seat. 

Billy scrunched his eyebrows at you as Stu huffed. "Okay! Okay, not a fan of Beck...We can find something else." 

You nodded, curling up into yourself on the seat and doing your breathing exercises your therapist taught you. You could feel Billy watching you from the mirror. 

Stu gave a weird look and tilted his head. "Ookkkkaayyy, sorry." He fiddled with it till No Doubt came on. 

Billy gave him an annoyed look to Stu. "I am not listening to Gwen if I'm forced to be here." 

"Hey, you could've driven your '69 Camaro you love so much." 

You saw Billy stiffen at that but huff. "Didn't wanna waste the gas. Besides, I gotta dispose of your bodies anyways and your ride. I'll just drive it back and impound it. Two birds, one stone."